Head Unit <-> iPod connection

scargill

I've got an Audi A3 (2004). I currently have an iRock (FM Transmitter) connected to my iPod to play in the car. Quality is poor enough if you are travelling around the country.

I was looking at getting one of these gadgets:
Dension Ice>Link

It basically hooks into your head unit on the cd changer port. iPod can be controlled from your head unit and the MP3 titles are also displayed. iPod is also charged when in the cradle.

Has anyone here got one of these ? Any problems with it ? And how did you get it installed ?

Thanks

jayok

Don't specifically have one of these but I do have one from another manufactuer that works well. Basically, it's as you say, plugs into the head unit and then into the iPod.

Only gotcha is that navigation with the head unit can be trickey if you are selecting albums, etc and it takes a little getting used to. However, I use the iPod to navigate and the head unit as a simple amplifier.

As for fitting, it wasn't that difficult. Well I lie, getting at the back of the radio and cabling the whole thing neatly took a little effort but it worked in the end. It's not for the faint hearted and I have not idea how easy/hard it is to do this.

Only problem is now I broke my iPod (not the best thing on the beach) and I am looking at an iRiver, the kits are not compatible

ds20prefecture

scargill wrote:

I was looking at getting one of these gadgets:
Dension Ice>Link

The IceLink is probably the best of these, but a bit pricey.

Have you tried an iTrip instead of the iRock? You can pick any frequency at all with the iTrip.

I bought a aux/line-in lead from www.bluespot.co.uk for a tenner and wired it and a charger to a standard iPod dock in the ashtray. Works well, and very cheap.

scargill

i've tried an iTrip too - it seems to be slightly better. But I prefer the idea of having it wired in rather than fiddling around when Radio na Gaeltachta keeps butting in. They seem to have the strongest transmitters in the country !!

The thing is, when it comes to cars - I know where the oil, petrol and water go - i'm useless after that.

I'd go for the AUX option with a simple 3.5 mm audio cable in the glove box but I don't have AUX on the factory fitted stereo - Radio or CD. I've read of guys putting in a splitter on the CD cable to allow you bypass it with an AUX input. but it involved drilling holes in side of the glove box and putting switches on the dash. far too messy for me.

i'm also thinking of changing the head unit to one that has a 3.5 mm socket on the front for AUX. this one is the business:

JVC KD DV6101

It can play MP3s off a DVD which should hold around 1,000 songs, and I'll have the option of adding in the ipod on the AUX if i need.

just looking for a neat, simple solution to bringing around lots of music without having lots of CDs in the car.

Illkillya

scargill wrote:

i've tried an iTrip too - it seems to be slightly better. But I prefer the idea of having it wired in rather than fiddling around when Radio na Gaeltachta keeps butting in. They seem to have the strongest transmitters in the country !!

The thing is, when it comes to cars - I know where the oil, petrol and water go - i'm useless after that.

I'd go for the AUX option with a simple 3.5 mm audio cable in the glove box but I don't have AUX on the factory fitted stereo - Radio or CD. I've read of guys putting in a splitter on the CD cable to allow you bypass it with an AUX input. but it involved drilling holes in side of the glove box and putting switches on the dash. far too messy for me.

i'm also thinking of changing the head unit to one that has a 3.5 mm socket on the front for AUX. this one is the business:

JVC KD DV6101

It can play MP3s off a DVD which should hold around 1,000 songs, and I'll have the option of adding in the ipod on the AUX if i need.

just looking for a neat, simple solution to bringing around lots of music without having lots of CDs in the car.

Like yourself, I was sick of the poor quality of the itrip when other stations were interfering (and poor quality / low max volume in general). I got an Alpine head unit with an Alpine IPOD adapter, which does similar things to that one that was linked.

My IPOD is connected to the IPOD port which is next to the CD changer port at the back of the head unit. I didn't have to drill holes in the glove compartment, although that was an option, there was another plastic compartment beneath the headunit in which the IPOD fit perfectly. It also had a hole in the top of it that I could fit the cable through. I paid a guy 30euro to wire it for me since I'm no good at that kind of thing and I knew I would always blame some sound imperfection on my dodgy wiring if I did it myself. Its a nice set up, very neat and you don't even see the cables or the wires.