[Media Mistake - False] No FM, Bluetooth, or USB Audio either?

[boiler81]

I was trying to remember the last time I listened to AM radio....when was it? Oh, yeah: 1974.

Am I the only driver who still tunes in AM "Travelers' Information Stations" in the mountain passes, etc.?

Governmental entities, as well as park districts and authorities, may be eligible to operate a Travelers' Information Station (TIS, also called Highway Advisory Radio) for the purpose of disseminating information by broadcast radio to travelers. A license is required before construction of, or operation of, a Travelers' Information Station. This service, which was created in 1977 by the Report and Order in Docket 20509 Opens a New Window. , is covered under rule 47 CFR 90.242. Travelers' Information Stations operate in the AM Broadcast Band (530 kHz - 1700 kHz) and are limited to a 10 watt transmitter output power, an antenna height no greater than 15 meters (49.2 feet), and a coverage radius of 3 km.​

 

[gregincal]

Am I the only driver who still tunes in AM "Travelers' Information Stations" in the mountain passes, etc.?

Governmental entities, as well as park districts and authorities, may be eligible to operate a Travelers' Information Station (TIS, also called Highway Advisory Radio) for the purpose of disseminating information by broadcast radio to travelers. A license is required before construction of, or operation of, a Travelers' Information Station. This service, which was created in 1977 by the Report and Order in Docket 20509 Opens a New Window. , is covered under rule 47 CFR 90.242. Travelers' Information Stations operate in the AM Broadcast Band (530 kHz - 1700 kHz) and are limited to a 10 watt transmitter output power, an antenna height no greater than 15 meters (49.2 feet), and a coverage radius of 3 km.​

I always look up the information on the web before I start out.

 

[rxlawdude]

I always look up the information on the web before I start out.

Because that information never changes, right?

The pretzel logic people are proffering to justify no AM radio (or XM) amazes me. No one is forcing anyone to listen to AM, but not including it forces those who do to lose an important source of entertainment and/or information.

It's a fact that:

• Not all AM (or FM, for that matter) stations are on TuneIn
• the stations that are streamed frequently have content blacked out
• TuneIn and Slacker are useless in poor cell coverage areas
• Low-power AM information stations provide information that ranges from general information to very specific road conditions, and are NOT streamed on TuneIn
• Some people don't listen to AM and therefore feel it's no biggie for it to be omitted

 

[Trevor B]

I always look up the information on the web before I start out.

Brilliant! What if things change? We know that can never happen ... so rock on, mate!

 

[rxlawdude]

Brilliant! What if things change? We know that can never happen ... so rock on, mate!

I'm with you, bro!

 

[metier]

There were also reports that the rear heated seat controls were missing... some of the missing features may/are just that the software isn't done completely yet. I suspect this was one part of the whole 'early releases for Tesla/SpaceX only' (or family members, etc.)

So the heated rear seats are controlled by the touch screen? If the rear seat passenger wants his heated seats turned on he has to ask somebody in the front to turn it on? And if he wants it turned down a notch he has to ask again? Or are the heated seats only on and off and not adjustable?

 

[run-the-joules]

Because that information never changes, right?

The pretzel logic people are proffering to justify no AM radio (or XM) amazes me. No one is forcing anyone to listen to AM, but not including it forces those who do to lose an important source of entertainment and/or information.

It's a fact that:

• Not all AM (or FM, for that matter) stations are on TuneIn
• the stations that are streamed frequently have content blacked out
• TuneIn and Slacker are useless in poor cell coverage areas
• Low-power AM information stations provide information that ranges from general information to very specific road conditions, and are NOT streamed on TuneIn
• Some people don't listen to AM and therefore feel it's no biggie for it to be omitted

It’s also a fact that there are other cars on the market that may fit the needs of some people better. You can’t make a product fit every edge case.

 

[Cyclone]

So the heated rear seats are controlled by the touch screen? If the rear seat passenger wants his heated seats turned on he has to ask somebody in the front to turn it on? And if he wants it turned down a notch he has to ask again? Or are the heated seats only on and off and not adjustable?

That's how it works in the S

 

[rxlawdude]

It’s also a fact that there are other cars on the market that may fit the needs of some people better. You can’t make a product fit every edge case.

Really? People who listen to AM are "edge cases?" REALLY?
(You do know, I have a Model S. With AM. That works fine.)

It wouldn't be so galling except virtually every car on the road has an AM radio (Model X is a notable exception, as is the BMW i3 according to another poster), and the speciousness of the argument that some people wouldn't like the RFI the inverter/motor will create on AM - given the Model S does have AM.

 

[jsmay311]

Most EVs don't have AM radio because it is a chore to eliminate noise produced by EV. Thus, bringing a portable AM radio or installing an AM radio may not be pleasant because of the noise.

Well that’s just not even remotely close to being true.

Care to back that up with some logic/reasoning? Fast switching of high currents does create electrical noise, that's a known fact. Inverters in electric cars switch high currents, so it does seem plausible that it would be one reason why electric cars don't feature AM radios.

I suppose I should have been more selective in what I quoted. The bolded excerpt above is specifically what I was responding to.

Most EVs do have AM radios. Tesla and the Model 3 (and X) are a pretty rare exception, along with the i3.

And while I have zero technical knowledge about AM radio antennas/reception and potential interference from electric motors, I can say that the reception in my Volt is just fine and does not noticeably degrade even when I floor it.

 

[TaoJones]

Really? People who listen to AM are "edge cases?" REALLY?
(You do know, I have a Model S. With AM. That works fine.)

Next thing you know...

a) people who are still waiting for the something special for line waiters
b) silky smooth AP2
c) stop sign and traffic signal reaction (as opposed to recognition)
d) AP2 speed limit sign reaction *and* recognition (see AP1)
e) that parity thing in general (see AP1 again)
f) choices of paint color

will be referred to as edge cases too.

Four wheels? You want *four*? Back in my day, we were lucky to have three!

/desiccated humor alert for the impaired

 

[FlyingKiwi]

Fair enough, I guess Tesla decided the cost/benefit of shielding and adding hardware to enable AM radio wasn't worth it to them, looks like they may have misjudged how popular AM is in the USA.

I guess you'll have to take an AM radio along on a test drive and see how much interference it picks up, then find one that you can plug into an Aux in port ( Does the Model 3 have a 3.5mm Aux in port)? Or use one of those FM transmitter devices to rebroadcast the signal into your stereo.

 

[TEG]

Because that information never changes, right?

The pretzel logic people are proffering to justify no AM radio (or XM) amazes me. No one is forcing anyone to listen to AM, but not including it forces those who do to lose an important source of entertainment and/or information.

It's a fact that:

• Not all AM (or FM, for that matter) stations are on TuneIn
• the stations that are streamed frequently have content blacked out
• TuneIn and Slacker are useless in poor cell coverage areas
• Low-power AM information stations provide information that ranges from general information to very specific road conditions, and are NOT streamed on TuneIn
• Some people don't listen to AM and therefore feel it's no biggie for it to be omitted

Time for another Steely Dan song?

 

[vinnie97]

RIP.

 

[ohmman]

Mod note: amended title.

 

[bro1999]

My colleague took a Model 3 delivery • r/teslamotors

And we found out there is also no AUX input. Though who really uses the AUX jack anymore, so not really a biggie there. Though would have been a nice feature to have while 3 owners wait for bluetooth streaming to be enabled OTA.

Whoa, read down the comments some more and the OP posted AP is not yet active either??

 

[KarenRei]

And we found out there is also no AUX input. Though who really uses the AUX jack anymore, so not really a biggie there.

I do.

As for AP, that's been known since the launch event test drives. It needs calibration, which shouldn't be surprising.

 

[AlanSqB]

That’s fine as long as Tesla enables AptX for Bluetooth. Otherwise an AUX Jack would be preferred for audio quality.

 

[dsvick]

And we found out there is also no AUX input. Though who really uses the AUX jack anymore,

I do.

Me too. I use it with my 15 year old ipod shuffle to listen to audio books. I'll just need to download them to my phone after I get my 3.

 

[Jayc]

I'd be happy if it has a USB port to plug a flash drive with a collection of tracks. A £30 128GB drive is enough these days to hold a good number of tracks even 16/44 lossless compressed so why bother with anything else.