mingo

never mind. it was the unit. well more of the harness. i went to bestbuy and bought another unit. swapped out the module and nothing changed. then i decided to swap out the old harness with the new one and now everything works the way it should. the info pops up on the nav screen and voice command works now as well. i'm sure i have installed it right the first time as i have unplugged and replugged the connections back more than once to rule out installer error. Thank you very much for your replies as i would have not noticed that the kit was suppose to work with the nav screen in the first place.

Azzie

1. That has happened only several times and I could not understand the logic of the process, but now everything is fine.

2. Switching between tracks happens when You press&hold Channel Up/Down button on steering wheel.

3. It's just the matter of convenience, You know... I'm used to listen to my albums in the Shuffle mode but some prefer Repeat. Anyway the guys from Coastal eTech are aware and promised to me fix it.

The best feature of the iPod Lockpick is not just text tags, although I enjoy it, it's on-the-fly mode switching when one can bring back iPod it's native controls. It's kinda tough to browse through 10'000 stolen songs from the steering wheel

karrock

I've been debating dash mounts -- mostly for stability and being able to use the controls without distractedly handling the touch screen.

Currently just have my iPhone in a cigarette-lighter/charger/aux-port cradle, but it wiggles and jiggles around too much for comfort, plus it's too low and too far to the right to easily access the screen.

How do you like the ProClip? My main beef with their products is that they're way overpriced. I used a PanaVise dash mount that worked really well in my last car, but I don't like where they placed it for the RDX -- to the right of the radio on the center console.

How do you handle the visible wiring?

Azzie

The only visible wire I have from my iPod LOCKPICK is 3 inches of the black cable from the middle trunk. I had to drill a whole in one side of the trunk to get rid of the visible wiring that annoyed me so much.

Azzie

Here are the latest issues that I've reported to Carlos from Coastal eTech. It's not a big deal, but just annoying...

- Lockpick adapter turns Shuffle OFF and turns Repeat ON when connected automatically, it should not affect any of these options

- Lockpick adapter does not pause iPod when Handsfreelink is active, so iPod continues playback while I'm speaking by phone, it's a bug

- TUNE/FOLDER BAR buttons are used to skip tracks instead of the SEEK/SKIP BAR buttons, - should be vice versa

- my iPod classic 1.1.2 reboots oftenly when switched into Simple mode, it also looses sound output sometimes and needs to be recovered via iTunes

- iPod nano 4th gen & iPod Touch 2nd gen don't get charged

corduroygt

I just miserably failed trying to install the PXAMG adapter. Listen to what Acura says and give it to PROFESSIONAL INSTALLERS. It's not worth to try to do it yourself. I am able to fix doors, electrical outlets, etc. around the house and I could not unhook the wires from the back of the factory stereo. You cannot move the stereo out much because of the wires and trying to reach back there and unplug it is HELL. I cannot understand how some of you guys can do it in half an hour. I spent 2 hours trying and only got so far. Do not experiment on your own ride if any piece you can scratch or break can cost a lot of money. Give it to a SHOP!

PdxRdx

I'd be glad to give you general guidance. Doing this kind of thing always carries risk, but if you go slow, it generally yields. The harness has a small tab to depress to release the harness --to my recollection. It's similar to the tabs on the seat warmers.

corduroygt

I got it working man, thanks for your sympathy! I just left the car half disassembled overnight and this morning everything was just very easy to do. It's working great now, I got XM and the Ipod song names, etc.
Didn't bother with HD radio because people say you can't use the same antenna with both HD and stock AM/FM or you get 3db loss and I don't want to lose my factory radio because the PXAMG isn't as easy to use in terms of controls compared to factory radio.

It's ridicilous you have to take apart all this just for a stupid wire

Wallnutz

It looks like corduroygt has been successful installing the PXAMG in a 2009 RDX w/Tech has anyone else been successful with this? Based on my research, all of the Isimple resellers and Peripheral themselves claim that it won't work because of the addition of the XM Navtraffic option/module. It really sounds like thePXAMG is the Ipod Intregration option of choice but I would like to be sure it works beforehand.

CorduroyGT - did you install the module behind the center console? I have talked with a guy from Gig Harbor Autoworks (they sell the PXAMG modules and a new harness that is supposedly needed for Acura's with Navtraffic) and he was saying to get it to work it needed to be installed in the cargo area so the harness could reach the Navtraffic module which supposedly is behind the right trim panel in the cargo area.

Josh

PdxRdx

The iSimple/PXAMG works fine with the NAV with placement behind the glovebox, but also there's also plenty of room in other locations as well--under the console, and probably under the dash as well. The NAVTraffic option that you subscribe to from XM is apparently incompatible, but I have not tried. The iPhone with Google Maps has the traffic feature for 'free' when I need it in Portland, but is not as slick as what Acura describes. There is no special harness for NAV on the tech alone, and the placement that corduroyGT describes is right, but anything new that includes the real time traffic I don't know about. HD Radio in the RDX rocks, and the antenna is powered from connection of an antenna adaptor to the head unit.

Installation is a bit of a bear to start, but relatively painless in memory after it's all in place. Like many of these things the apprehension in starting is worse than the doing of it, and fades with the enjoyment of the final product.

corduroygt

Ok here are the results of my testing with the nav traffic. Traffic updates don't work in iPod or aux1 or aux2 mode but they work in sat mode with the pxamg. And once you get them in sat mode you cAn switch back to iPod mode and the traffic alerts from 200 miles around you stay on the nav display and you can cycle through them etc. Only if you need an update you can switch back to sat wait a second and switch back to iPod. This is not a major inconvenience for me so i live with it. My pxamg unit sits on the shelf just behind the glovebox

Wallnutz

Thanks PdxRdx and cordoroygt for your help! I am going to do a little more research into the Navtraffic side and see if the mystical PGHHD2 harness will allow for continuous Navtraffic feeds.

In case anyone hasn't run across the thread yet and is interested in the PXAMG, Travis from Gig Harbor has an group buy for $137 in the Group Buys forum.

Josh

bg905

I have a cables to go adapter I am trying to use on an '09 RDX Base. It's the aux to bottom of iPod. I have a new classic and can get no sound. My son's old 4th gen video works. Anyone else have this issue? Any help appreciated.

Azzie

Few months ago I've upgraded iPod Lockpick to XCarLink adapter. It does not displays tags at all, it also does not switch controls between the radio & iPod that easily but it does not lock iPod by default and does fully support all new iPods along with 3G/ 3GS. By full support I mean charging and the native controls.

ReverendOlaf

I use the USASPEC PA15-AcuXL in my 2005 RL (with XM Nav Traffic). I believe it's the same model as what's needed in the RDX, and it's a breeze to install (no removing head unit), offers a great interface (in some ways better than the factory setup in my wife's 2010 RDX), and hasn't caused any issues in months of use.

Rather than connecting to the head unit, it goes via the XM receiver (which for me in the 05 RL was in the trunk). This means no teardown on the dash, no disconnecting of any power to the head unit, and thus no need for radio codes. This is a huge plus.

My wife's 2010 RDX Tech has a built in USB/iPod interface, but it does not display any meaningful into on the dash mounted display (the one up top). This means switching from nav to audio to see what's playing. This sucks, as no matter how things are when you turn your car off, it reverts to nav when you start again (and click OK), plus you're SOL when backing up. Hitting the display button down on the radio controls does nothing to change it from its usual "iPod xx/yyy" (which shows numerically what track you're on out of the number of tracks in your playlist). The USASPEC device offers artist and title up there, which is very nice. You do lose XM1, but XM2 is there, and Nav traffic works. You can also add an aux in if needed. Sound quality is excellent.

jojomani

So are you saying that his adapter work except for XM 1?

brizey

I think you lose your XM1 presets, which it uses to control the ipod--it basically hijacks the XM1 preset controls and uses them to control the ipod.

brizey

I am getting the USASPEC PA15-AcuXL. I will try to take some pictures of the install process, and how the menus, etc. look while using it. Looks pretty simple.

BLACURA SUVND9L

thanks brizey, I am curious to see how this works, and will quite possibly get one myself if it works well for you! Any pros/cons you find as a result would be appreciated as well.

Anybody seen them for cheaper than $119.95??

brizey

I assume you are talking about Pacific Stereo? Saw a few too many bad reviews about them, so I paid more and bought it from ipod pros. They are an authorized dealer, too, so you get a warranty. FWIW, the shipped the same day I ordered. It is already at my local post office per the tracking.

brizey

I received an installed the USASPEC PA15-AcuXL today. It was relatively straightforward.

Pics:

This is behind the glove box. The XM unit is on the far right.


I put the unit under the navigation dvd drive. The main cable easily routes along the bottom of the glovebox opening and down to the DVD drive area.



After you take the DVD drive cover off (pry from the bottom, BTW), you can just pull and the panel comes away for easier access to the area. I zip tied the cable to the tube for stability and strain relief.



I coiled the wire then zip tied the adapter into the middle. The cable acts as a sort of cushion that way. It easily fit under the DVD drive.



I routed the cable near the passenger seat rail. Could have done the drive side as easily.



I left enough slack to pick up ipod. When not in use, I figure I can tuck the cable between the seat and the console.



Aside: you have to unhook this to fully drop the glove box. When you put it back, it snaps back into place--you have to push on it pretty hard.

brizey

More comments:

The metadata works. You get all of the info you do with XM--title, group, etc. It shows up on the upper display when you start the song and if you press display. Works great. This is what I bought the unit for.

The scan from song to song is kind of slow. You may want to use playlists if you have a lot of songs.

The steering wheel plus and minus skips one song at a time with short press and 10 songs with a long press.

brizey

Two more pics:

The main screen. (In the playlist mode, the joystick selects the playlist, and the +/- buttons on the wheel move within the playlist. Works pretty well.)



You can press the display button to cycle through what you want displayed. The unit uses the XM channel to display the song title, name for artist, and title for the album.)

BigHatch

xm traffic?

catnippants

This is really helpful - thanks Brizey. So can you show more screenshots? I'm wondering if you need to pick up the ipod/iphone at all. What do you get if you select [002] Artist or [006] Genre? Does it let you scroll through the contents of the drive like you can when you have an MP3 CD loaded in the changer?

Mike

brizey

If you select Artist, then you can scroll through artists with the joystick, then though their songs with the +/- buttons. Etc. Basically, you select the category (song, artist, playlist), and the joystick right and left scrolls through the category members.

You can scroll through every song with all songs, but it is pretty slow.

I listen to a lot of ripped audiobooks, so I drop the whole book into a playlist in itunes so I can find it easily. I keep the number of playlists low.

You do not have to pick up the ipod. I contemplated wiring the ipod to the glovebox or console. But I use it to watch videos at lunch, so I wanted it to be handy. If you select direct mode (see my picture, it replaces preset 5), the ipod controls are released and you can use the ipod touchscreen.

brizey

I no longer have an XM traffic account. I have a corporate XM account (from my previous life in the consumer electronics industry), so I get regular XM for free, but I cannot add traffic. The usaspec website said that no functionality is lost. XM still works, BTW, you just have to select XM2.

rdx_power

I have a USA spec as well and can confirm that the traffic works along with XM radio on XM2.

Press and hold down preset 2 in XM1 and the iPod goes into random mode.

The steering wheel control can then scroll through songs.

It was worth the money for sure. Discreet and functional.

catnippants

Bummer...that's not what I'm looking for then. I was hoping for something closer to the functionality of scrolling through MP3 CDs - ie: using the joystick ring and selecting with the joystick so I can drill down from Genre to Artist to Album, etc....sounds like this won't do it.

Mike

phoward_15

From looking at the pics I couldn't quite tell what was being installed? Is it the USA Spec in this link - http://www.mp3carpros.com/product_in...roducts_id=206

My Acura dealer recommended this specific product and has done a couple of installs on this and says it works well. From what I can tell no matter what product you get it takes over one of your XM preset stations right? Meaning XM1 or XM2. I just want to make sure that the music/artist/playlist/etc is displayed on the Nav screen if I want it to.

Thanks,
Paul

brizey

That is exactly what I bought, and who I bought it from.

It takes over your XM1 presets (or CD per the manual if no CD's are inserted--I think there is a dipswitch setting for this), XM2 stays the same.

The info you spoke of is displayed. In my example shot above, the name of the song is "Flying High Again", which is the 35th song in my playlist "Metal". The artist is Ozzy Osbourne, and the album is "Diary of a Madman". All of that info is from the ipod.

It works like this:

1. You select the playlist preselect.

2. The "category" item on your display will now show playlists.

3. You push the joystick left or right to scroll through your playlists.

4. Once you are on the playlist you want, you can use the +/- buttons on the steering wheel or the |<< >>| buttons on the head unit to scroll through the songs in that playlist. Press and hold the +/- buttons to skip 10 songs at a time.

5. The name of the song is displayed in the channel field on the display. The number is the number the song is in the playlist.

It works similarly with the other presets. The presets change what the category item displays, and therefore what the joystick will control. The +/- buttons always scroll through songs. So if you hit the album preset, the category item becomes a name of an album, and the joystick left/right scrolls though the albums.

I will try to get more screenshots tonight. (USASPEC is going to owe me big time!!! )

phoward_15

Brizey - This is very helpful. Thank you for the details above. If you have any screenshots that would be great. You should see about getting commission from USASPEC :-)

brizey

No problem. I have used other's posted info like this before, so I guess it is my turn to help out. The bad factory ipod connection has been an on going topic since the RDX was released. There seems to finally be some real solutions out there now.

BigHatch

I think I'll be next. looks like it does everything.

brizey

One thing I have noticed on a down side is it can be slow to respond. For example, I changed from "All Songs" to "Playlist" mode this morning, and it took about five or six seconds to respond. Not a deal breaker for me, but just something to be aware of. The reality is there is no perfect solution out there. This one is pretty good if you want metadata and some song selection from the cars controls.

BigHatch

no biggie... still faster than changing CD's..

So looks like install is all behind the glove box... no messing with the back of the head unit?

Seems super easy... is it really that simple?

phoward_15

Awesome...I just ordered my USA Spec and will get it installed on April 19 when I go for an oil change. Can't wait. Thanks for everyone's feedback and help!

brizey

No messing with the back of the head unit. You unplug one plug from the XM box, plug that plug into the cable, then plug the other head on the cable into the XM unit. Functionally, the USA Spec box sits between the head unit and XM unit. My fingers are big, so it was little tough pulling the plug out of the XM unit, but not too bad. The main cable is pretty thick, maybe 1/4" to 3/8" thick, and not super flexible.

catnippants

Hey Brizey - what if you don't have an iPod/iPhone connected? Do you get the XM1 presets back, or do they stay reserved for when you plug in the iPod/iPhone?

Mike

brizey

I think it goes back. I know it switches to the XM signal--a few times when I got in the car the system was on before I reconnected my iPod, and it was playing XM. I will try to check at lunch today to see if my old XM presets are still there.