(been just dying to use the "crazy" icon)

I'm starting to wonder of my empeg security is getting a little overboad. After all the thiefts from cars, I never leave it alone in my car anymore. That always means bring the Pelican 1400 case into restaurants, friends' houses, etc. So far, only one comment about it, but enough odd looks.

But I not only secure it from my unattended car, I secure it from unattended ANYTHING. The example in question is the gym. I work at a university with gym facilities which I use a few nights a week after work. But I won't bring my empeg in and lock it in a locker with my clothes (and what rare computing marvel should be locked up with smelly socks and shoes anyway?). No, instead, I leave it in my office; in a locked cabinet, in a locked office, in a locked suite, in a locked building with a guard at the front door.

Problem is, it takes me an extra 30 minutes to go from the gym, back to work, and get back on the road JUST to get my empeg. That's 30 minutes more sleep, or 30 minutes earlier to eat dinner, or 30 minutes more time to climb the rock wall at the gym.

I've justified it for months and months now. "Secure the empeg, it's worth it. No shortcuts!" But... 30 minutes gone 3 days a week? I don't... mind, but does anyone have other thoughts for security in the car, in the gym, or wherever I have to bring it but leave it unattended? Short of using padlocks in the Pelican's two padlock slots and chaining it to a workout bench...

Ever seen a locker at your gym that's been broken into? If no, then I'd say put your pelican case in the bottom of your bag before going to the gym, so that no-one knows your bag has anything but sweaty socks.

For good measure, you could leave a jock-strap on top of your bag in your locker.

does the gym prohibit you from taking a bag with you in the workout area? I know some don't like it. I usually take a backpack or duffel and take the empeg inside the serpac case. Then just go about my gym workout with the backpack never leaving my sight.

First, let me applaud you for taking theft-prevention steps. An empeg is a terrible thing to lose.

For starters, I'd find a smaller, less obtrusive case than the Pelican. Ideally one of the original empeg bags if you can get your hands on one. That'll make it a lot less trouble to carry into restaurants and stores and such. Something with a handle instead of a shoulder strap... the only time I seriously dropped my empeg was when I had a bag with a shoulder strap and it slipped off my shoulder.

I wouldn't worry about putting it in the gym locker as long as there are actual locks on the locker doors. I guess this depends on the gym, of course. If there is a history of theft at your gym, I'd be looking to find another gym pronto, otherwise, I wouldn't sweat it. (Ba-DUM.) I also wouldn't worry about leaving the empeg on my desk at work unless there was a history of theft there. But I don't know what your work environment is like...

Thanks for the tips all. A friend of mine bought a used MkII, so I either need to con the bag off him or buy my own. Haha, kidding, I'll find my own.

Yeah, I hate walking into the locker room with a huge grey case and having everyone watch me as it fills up half my locker. Nope, doesn't fit in my bag (though, before my Pelican, I used to put the bare empeg in my gym bag and walk it in. I was ALWAYS nervous about that).

And what's 30 extra minutes in the face of a lifetime of lost music. Or something...

Do what I do, drive a Volvo 240. No one ever looks at this car, ever, so I don't need to take the empeg out. I know that most folk here will think I'm crazy, but given that I would have definitely dropped it a dozen times in those years, it makes sense to leave it there.

I do move it to the trunk behind the spare tyre when I'm parking in questionable places, tho.

A short story... I used to live in an apartment with a parking structure. About every two months, all the Toyotas and Hondas would get broken into and their stereos stolen, but they would never touch my Volvo, which had, at the time, about the best car stereo you could get. My neighbour's Honda would always get a window busted during these raids, even tho she didn't even have a stereo and you could see that thru the window. Once, I had left the car in the parking lot with the entire back end full of high end stereo equipment that I had bought at auction (this was a 240 wagon (estate) at the time) when one of these raids happened, and my car wasn't touched.

Volvo 240, no one steals them, no one breaks into them.

After almost dropping the empeg from a loose bag I figured that hard case was the only way to save me from myself. Waterproof was a big priority after a waiter nearly spilled all sorts of beverages a few feet away from my empeg in a loose bag. The serpac case works well for my needs, and although you get strange looks I think its easily worth the hassle.

I wonder if someone with access to a vacu-form machine and a way of cutting foam neatly could make a good alternative to a pelican case... Something that isn't much bigger than the empeg bag, but yet has enough foam to protect it if dropped. Something that isn't overkill like a pelican case. Hm...

I was going to wait until I got a hold of a good camera to take these but oh well.
This is what I use for my baby.
The case is by Vanguard.
Very rugged, aluminum case with foam inserts.
Nice sturdy aluminum handle.
Spill/water proof but not submersible.
I can fit the empeg, remote, mini to RCA cable, RCA cable, and original mini PSU. All in a small, stylish, lockable (protected from honest thieves only) hard case.

For about $24.00, it's a great empeg accessory.

What is the black surface on that case like, can you put stickers on it? I mean thats what I did to my serpac case to make it look less conspicuous, I put a bunch of stickers on it. For the most part spill proof should be adequate, but waiters can goof up bigtime and spill a pitcher of something all over your stuff.

other then bringing it up to update or download new music to it, I have never removed my empeg from my car, I have an alarm(Yes I know alarms only keep honest people honest) but I havn't had anyone steal it yet, car has been broken into once and the alarm went off and all they got was the first thing they could grab (100 sears tool kit) Sitting right next to a FLuke 683 lan meter, boy people are stupid 7000 dollar lan meter or 100 dollar tool kit, )

No one has ever bothered my empeg and I have good insurance so I don't worry about it too much.

here is a close up of the black surface.
It's plastic with little raised diamond shapes on it so no, stickers would not stay very well.

It's WORTH IT - on Saturday, I got out of my car leaving my phone in the hands-free, walked to the shop 100m away, bought two resistors, walked back and the window had been smashed, phone gone. Much blue air: the dopey b******s had however not noticed the computer and monitor on the back seat. Wha????

Before I left, I had a moment of doubt about picking up the little blue bag at the door - "Naah, I'll only be 20 minutes", so I didn't take it with me. Phew. What a bloody wake-up call.

You worry about the 30 minutes loss: however, the empeg gives you hours of pleasure in return. Do you really want to flip that the other way - ie., save 30 minutes but spend hours afterwards, sad and regretful at the loss of your empeg? Surely not!

No, not paranoid. You're one of the exclusive club - STAY that way. And damn it, I feel *great* walking into a restaurant swinging that little blue bag!

larry:

In reply to:

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Do what I do, drive a Volvo 240.

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Haha, close, I drive a 2000 Volvo V70 (which currently looks like a bag-lady cart because it's full of junk mail and cardboard for the recycling depot). Not AS retro as the 240 though. And the storage above the spare tire is too shallow to fit the Pelican. I'd put it there, but then people would see me doing it in the parking lot, raising suspicion.

In reply to:

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It's WORTH IT

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Sold. Phew, all I need is a horror story like that to wake me up every once in a while. Haven't seen one recently, but that did the trick. Empeg stays locked in the office! Oh yeah, and I've learned to love joking around about bringing my bulky Pelican case into restaurants and stuff.

But, I still can't get it into movie theaters, can't easily take it on hikes or bike rides, can't take it into concerts (rock, folk. or symphony). Those are the things I drive far distances for, and thus need to bring my empeg to.

So, eliceo; what's the model number of the serpac case and where can I get one?
And skunknumber1; that case is SO perfect. Vanguard; any model number or measurements?

Thanks for the tips all!

How about this? I know here that the national car club I belong to (the ANWB) offers a "car safe", an armoured box that bolts onto the chassis under the driver's seat. I measured it up and found that the empeg *just* fits. The only reason I have not bought one is the thought that if the CAR is stolen, then the empeg goes with it.

If you are interested, I can enquire for you and sort out a price - this would let you leave your player safely in the car, out of sight.

serpac thread
take a look at this thread for model number, I got mine from Mouser also.

VANGUARD VGP3200
Here you go, and at $17.15, even better.

I use a Pelican 1200 case, though my Empeg has only recently started leaving my car. I moved from a location with a secure garage to a townhouse with an open covered parking space. My Empeg comes in with me at night, and the decoy face plate goes into the dash. Trips to the store/work I just leave the empeg in the dash.

But, I still can't get it into movie theaters, can't easily take it on hikes or bike rides, can't take it into concerts (rock, folk. or symphony). Those are the things I drive far distances for, and thus need to bring my empeg to.

When I use the empeg bag, I have no problem bringing it into movie theaters or concerts. Haven't tried hikes or bike rides.

What sort of troubles do you have with theaters and concerts?

...that's when my phone got nicked....

How about this? I know here that the national car club I belong to (the ANWB) offers a "car safe", an armoured box that bolts onto the chassis under the driver's seat.

I've often wondered if something like that existed, and I would love to have one. Sadly, there probably isn't sufficient room under the driver seat of my truck, any longer, as the only place I could stuff my amps was under the seats.

something like this?

Yep, something like that. Only it'd have to horizontal, with the opening on the front. The way that thing is set up with the door as such, there's no way I could put it in my truck -- there's barely enough room for knees behind the front seats, let alone swinging open the door to the safe.

VANGUARD VGP3200
Here you go, and at $17.15, even better.

Any ideas where I can get one of these in the UK? Bloody perfect little case!

tony: Honestly, I haven't tried bringing my Pelican 1400 case into theaters or movies. I assume they'd tell me to leave it in the car because it could be a recording device which is prohibited.

There are a few other situations where I've had to make other arrangements for my empeg case; such as a wedding (though I probably could have claimed to be the photographer and said it was my fancy camera). Usually all the special events I have a far drive for, I can't reasonably bring my case in. I just can't think of any others right now.

Rob, elicio, and skunknumber1: Thanks for the specific security product references. I'm pretty psyched about all of them and want to check them out.

Rob, actually, I want to put an amp under my drivers seat and currently have one under my passanger seat. So, a box wouldn't fit. And like you, if the car drives off without me in it, so does the empeg. But..... there would be a good spot for it in the trunk. Let me see how it works. Thanks for the tip.

tony: Honestly, I haven't tried bringing my Pelican 1400 case into theaters or movies. I assume they'd tell me to leave it in the car because it could be a recording device which is prohibited.

I've never tried a Pelican case, but my empeg bag doesn't even get searched when I go to rock concerts. Even if it did, by opening the bag it's obviously a pullout car stereo (remember those? How quaint...) even if the fascia looks slightly different from a pullout CD player.

I've taken the empeg, in its empeg bag, lots of different places and situations where you'd think it would be a hassle, and it just hasn't ever been one. No one ever gives it a second glance.

Hey, have you ever thought about putting it.... IN THE TRUNK?

-Christian

<runs and ducks for cover at the approaching storm...>