Pioneer Intro’s MIXTRAX into Car Radios

Pioneer is bringing new technology from its DJ division into several of its car audio products to turn your car stereo into a virtual DJ.

 The new MIXTRAX feature will mix your music for you, adding DJ effects and professional style transitions between songs stored on an iPhone, iPod or USB drive. Its aim is to create a club-like atmosphere in your car and cater to the current popularity of DJ mixes that are topping the charts.

MIXTRAX will be found on 2 car CD/radios, an AV/radio and Pioneer’s AppRadio plus other Pioneer portable and DJ products.

Pioneer hopes the feature will bring a new audience to car stereo as club-goers and dance lovers are introduced to the feature in aftermarket car radios.

MIXTRAX will be promoted in a worldwide campaign across all Pioneer product divisions, said the company at a lavish press event in Miami Tuesday night.

The technology behind the feature analyzes the beats per minute and tempo in your music to help pick the next song and then it adds special effects.

There are a few versions of the technology. MIXTRAX EZ will be found on CD Radios and AV receivers.  It does all the playlist and effects creation for you.   The  AV receivers show animated album art that “pulses” in time with the music.  The illumination buttons on the display of the CD/radios also pulsate and change colors.

If you want to get a little more creative and start mixing some of your own songs too, you can download MIXTRAX software to your PC and then add the music to your stereo via USB drive or SD card. And there’s an iPhone app so you can add MIXTRAX to the AppRadio.

Pioneer VP marketing Ted Cardenas told reporters, “We are an enthusiast music company…we want to provide a different way to enjoy music to our consumers.”

In addition to the AppRadio, MIXTRAX will be found on Pioneer CD radio models DEH-P7400HD and DEH-P8400BH as well as the AV receiver AVH-P8400BH.  At least some of the radios will ship in January.

Source: CEoutlook