Hey everyone,

I'm about 15 years late to the party, but I remember when I was getting my first car I was a big music and Linux enthusiast. This was right when the Empeg car was coming out and I remember thinking it was extremely cool and wanting one, but couldn't afford it. I ended up building my own Linux based car MP3 player with a 6" LCD in-dash. It worked great, but wasn't nearly as slick as the Empeg car.

Fast forward today, I picked up a hobby car, a '94 Jeep. I'd like to replace the crappy CD player and need something single DIN and the Empeg immediately came to mind.

So I'm putting up this post as a request - does anyone have a Mk1 to sell? I know the Mk2 is probably better and easier to get, but the Mk1 is what I wanted back in the day so if possible that's the one I'd like to get

Please reply or PM if you can help.

Thanks!

Trust me...you really want an MK2

I had a 1994 Jeep until a couple years ago. I can't think of a worse environment for an empeg The suspension is like driving a covered wagon.

With that in mind, a couple things you'll want to do: Go ahead and replace the drive immediately with a PATA solid state drive. If you have a MK2 and you are comfortable soldering tiny electronics, go ahead and touch up all the solder joints on the IDE header on the main board, otherwise, I'd advise finding a friend or electronics repair person to do it. In a vehicle that rough, It's probably only a matter of time before the solder joints break and many of them had problems from the factory.

Another problem: I never installed my empeg in my Jeep because I ran with the top off quite a bit, and empegs and water don't mix, but I know of at least one person on here that runs one in their TJ. From experience though, I highly doubt the dash in a YJ is deep enough for it to sit flush in the factory stereo location. The manual says you need 6.8." Also, the empeg doesn't have an internal amplifier, so you'll need an amp of some kind, which usually means a second head unit or an external amp. Finding a spot in a YJ to mount an amp where it will stay dry is challenging. Perhaps a small 4-channel class D amplifier in the glove box or center console will work.

Anyhow, best of luck to you and enjoy your YJ!

EDIT: Another option: I had a Tuffy security console that provided a second secured DIN-sized install location.

I put an empeg in a 2000s vintage jeep and it fit and lived. If it currently has a CD player, the empeg will probably fit.

JeepBastard ran one in a Jeep for years...

Thanks guys. Good suggestion about the PATA drive and touching up solder joints. I've got no problem soldering small electronics so I'll definitely do that.

Really interesting idea about the Tuffy console. This would allow me to put in a more modern head unit as well with something like Bluetooth. Hand's free is a requirement here in Austin now anway.

You're probably right about the MK2. I should probably be looking for one of those instead.

I stand corrected - Crutchfield claims there is 7.15" of usable space in the dash to install the stereo and the Empeg manual claims you need 6.8". You should be able to squeeze it in there.

I used this Tuffy console. Some online retailers claim that the 8" doesn't fit in the later YJ's and that you have to run the 6.5", but you can cram it in there and it works just fine. The extra lockable space is really nice to have. The price is a bit high, but I just watched Craigslist until one came available.

Hi qubitz,

you're not too late! Actually, by coincidence, I just yesterday decided to finally sell my empeg Mk1, which had been sitting unused in a cabinet for a few years now.

The Mk1 is still in pristine condition: It has never been mounted in a car, was only used indoor, so the car mounting frame is still a "virgin" - and the accessory cables are also complete. Original invoice also available, but I doubt there's warranty left ;-) - but I tried the unit for functionality today, and it ran just fine like the last time it was used.

The unit has two 2.5" HDs built in - one I think was 4GB, the other 30 or 40GB.

The remote control is still fine (but its battery is empty, so this needs replacement).

The only part that isn't anymore is the original 12V AC adaptor, which broke one day. But I replaced it with a replacement standard 12V switching power supply, which is just as fine (and you won't need it when mounting in a car, anyway). It's got a EU type AC plug.

I've got no experience with shipping stuff like the Mk1 from the EU to the US, I wonder whether that could become a real obstacle. Maybe others here can comment?

It's not an obstacle. It's just expensive and takes a few minutes to fill out all the paperwork.

My good old Mk1 is now in shipping to qubitz - I hope it will enjoy its new owner for many years to come :-)

I wonder how many of the originally manufactured 350 units are still in use by now?

I would find it hard to believe if more than 20 were actively being used.

Sometimes I wonder of more than a few Mk2[a]'s are still being used.

Sadly, mine's not. It's been on my desk for several months, now. Hard drive issues that I haven't spent the time/money to diagnose/repair.

On the plus(?) side, my truck had some stuff stolen from it on Saturday night, and the Mk2a wasn't in it at the time.

I feel ya, my hard drive didn't survive the trip to Mexico, but I'm fairly certain it's the drive itself as I can hear the "click of death". Hoping to replace it with a solid state drive when I return from the states next weekend.

My MK1 is languishing in a drawer, but at least I still have it. I gave away both MKII.

Just got the MK1 last night took a few weeks to arrive in Texas from Germany, but it's awesome! Just as awesome as I've imagined it to be for the last 15 years

It's got a 32gb hard drive right now, though I'm sure I'll want to upgrade to a larger SSD. Just need to figure out whats involved in that.

Is anyone else using a Mac? I had to fire up a Windows XP VM to get emplode to work with USB.

Yes. I'm using a Mac. You'll also want a USB to Serial adapter so you can upgrade the kernel. This one is a little pricey, but it works well and it's all-in-one. Honestly, WinXP in a virtual machine is probably your best option. You can run JEmplode (a Java version of Emplode) on the Mac, but it's a bit buggy.

Not on a Mk1 - IIRC JEmplode can only work on Ethernet, which the Mk1 does not posses.

Edit: Looked it up again. Specifically, JEmplode running on a *Mac* only works with Mk2+Ethernet.

On Windows there is a Jemploder wrapper for the Empeg USB Windows driver, but that only works on Windows, so at that point since you're already on Windows (or already in a Windows VM), then you might as well just run Emplode unless you have a special need for JEmplode for something in particular.

Thanks Tony. I only have had Mk2 and Mk2A's.

Make sure you download TonyC's excellent Empeg Logo Editor to upgrade your kernel.

My Mk1 (00126) is still in use.
For the last few years its been purely desk based, but got some wheels again so will be fitting it into a Landrover.

Have replaced the original disk with an SSD but its still chugging along.

@stig: The Mk1 I sold to qubitz has an even lower serial number and is still working with its original 2 magnetic disks ;-)

@qubitz: How's music loading and mounting in your Jeep progressing?

Main reason I swapped the disk (just had the single disk originally) was space and had a spare SSD I'd taken out of a laptop I was upgrading. Original disk is in a drawer, should still be fine (and full of rock, goth and 80s - don't judge me :-) )

@karolw Loading music actually went fine. I did it from my mac using Windows XP running in a VM. Slow as hell, but that's fine with me

I haven't put it in the Jeep yet. It's been parked for the summer since it's summer in Texas which is not great Jeep weather I also need to get a security console that I can install it it so it doesn't get stolen since I usually ride without a top.

I'll post some photos as soon as its done though!