Electronically challenged
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2003
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From: Illinois
Electronically challenged
Can you guy's help me out. I have a '90, F-150, Lariat, standard Ford AM-FM, the way I use the truck, I'm perfectly happy with unit. But, my radio display went out, for a time you could thump on it and it would work, now nothing. So rather than tearing into radio to discover the problem lies somewhere else in the dash, thought someone could help me focus where to look.
I was an owner-operator for years, and I've always hated electrical and electronic problems. I always found them to be the hardest to solve.
I was an owner-operator for years, and I've always hated electrical and electronic problems. I always found them to be the hardest to solve.
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the best thing that you could probably do is buy an aftermarket radio or cd player. once those things from the foactory go bad, it would be way more expensive to buy a factory radio than get an aftermarket one, and the way that the wires are colored and how they hook up, anyone can do it. trust me, i used to pay people to put radios in my vehicles, i was scared of mixing wires up and frying something, but just follow the diagrams and the colors of the wires will tell you where to wire them to.
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Senior User
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From: Illinois
One answer-another question
Thanks for the suggestion. If I would decide to replace the radio, now for the next question. Do they make a simple FM Radio anymore? It's like finding a cell phone to just make calls. Every Radio I've seen has 99 micro-scopic buttons, and can power a like number of speakers. 'Rotsa 'ruck 'tunin those in a moving pickup. I'm not really wanting to modify my truck, I had a '97 Lariat with all the bells and whistles. Now I'm retired, don't put as many miles on, found this cherry '90, and I love the simplicity. To me it's the basic pick-em-up, and I love it. After a life time of Ford pick ups, this is my first 6, now I see why I've always heard it was Fords best engine.
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From: western pa,zelienople
I know what you mean. We need volume up and down, station up and down. My mom got me a cd player with all these blinking lights,Iam going down the road staring at the lights,NOT THE ROAD,had to read the book to get them shut off. Other stuf is the same way, you get pay for these options that you never use.
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From: Illinois
Bobcf
That's what I'm trying to say, while the after market sells some outrageous stuff for those that want umpteen hundred watts with a matching number of speakers, they overlook one thing the original makers pay attention to---the size of the buttons. If you use a pick up for anything but show, and you're driving down the road in the cold, distracted by traffic, try programming the dozens of little buttons. Like I said, I drove a million miles in a semi, and I've seen too many times the results of not paying attention to your surroundings. The originals have large buttons for a reason.
Been There!
Been There!
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wel u guys are right, u do pay for options. My Alpine cd player was $350, and it came with a decent amout of options (its got MP3 playback, which i love) and it all comes down to how much u want to pay, and what you want to do. i'm sure if you go into sears or wal-mart or something of the like, you can find an affordable, simple yet good for your needs cd player. Like a jensen or a sony.
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Joined: Dec 2003
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From: Northern California
Hey mundt,
you shouldent have any problem finding some sort of basic radio set-up, If they dont have something at a local aut parts or Wally World, try checking in a penny saver type classified paper. You should be able to find something in there and maybe someone to install it for real cheap too. Good Luck!
you shouldent have any problem finding some sort of basic radio set-up, If they dont have something at a local aut parts or Wally World, try checking in a penny saver type classified paper. You should be able to find something in there and maybe someone to install it for real cheap too. Good Luck!
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From: Illinois
Appreciate the suggestions
Thanks everybody for the idea's. Been looking in Crutchfield, went to Best Buy this week end, will go back during the week when they're not as busy, easier to get help. I mentioned the '97, had the CD in it. The one thing I noticed in this '90, it's almost like listening to music thru a tin horn after that. By the way, what is the difference in speakers between two way, three way, etc.? I still don't really understand that. Pwoblems, pwoblems!
Mundt
Mundt
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the difference between 2 way speakers and 3 and 4 way speakers is the amount of tweeters and etc you have on there. the woofer part of the speakers count as 1 way, add 1 tweeter, you get a 2 way speaker. 1 woofer and add 2 tweeters, get a 3 way.....see how it's going? the more tweeters you can get, the better high end sound reproduction, but also a bigger price. (usually).
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From: Illinois
Three cheer's for the FTE site!
Just thinkin how neat this website is. It's getting so hard to get advice from overworked help in the store's and shop's anymore, and a lot of what you read leave's you with more questions than answers-it's like going to Microsoft for answers when you're fairly new to computers-they write to impress their co-worker's.
But it's great talking out some stuff ahead of time. And in reading thru my original question and the answers again, do you see where I'm heading? I said I liked the simplicity of this '90, but as soon as replacement was suggested, and I had an excuse, I decided I did miss maybe not all the bells and whistles-but maybe just that particular bell. Ding dong.
Mundt
But it's great talking out some stuff ahead of time. And in reading thru my original question and the answers again, do you see where I'm heading? I said I liked the simplicity of this '90, but as soon as replacement was suggested, and I had an excuse, I decided I did miss maybe not all the bells and whistles-but maybe just that particular bell. Ding dong.
Mundt
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From: Northern California
Good comments mundt,
I'm sure you'll find a nice comprimise with just the bells and whistles you need. I have used the same am/fm/ cd for quite some time now. I just take it out of one vehicle and put it in the next. Right about the time they started going to mutifunction microswitches that do ten things each requiring a laminated manual at all times to remember how use your deck, I bought three of the "older" style Alpine decks on clearance at the time. I like these decks for their simplicity and clean sound. Now I have all the same decks in my vehicles and boat. This makes it so much easier for me to only have to figure out one style deck to use! Good luck on your search!
I'm sure you'll find a nice comprimise with just the bells and whistles you need. I have used the same am/fm/ cd for quite some time now. I just take it out of one vehicle and put it in the next. Right about the time they started going to mutifunction microswitches that do ten things each requiring a laminated manual at all times to remember how use your deck, I bought three of the "older" style Alpine decks on clearance at the time. I like these decks for their simplicity and clean sound. Now I have all the same decks in my vehicles and boat. This makes it so much easier for me to only have to figure out one style deck to use! Good luck on your search!