randomsolutions

A while back I contacted an EBAY seller from Cush Acura of Escondido asking him to notify me when he receieved the Acura Music Link hardware. He contacted me on 12/23 saying he just gone one in (it was never posted on Ebay), So I bought my TSX Music Link that day and finally got around to installing it today. Here is the information that IPOD owners have been waiting for:

Installation:

The installation process will cost you around $300 to have it done at your Acura dealer plus another $200 or so for the IPOD integration piece. Because of this, I chose to install it myself. If you choose to install this yourself, I take no responsibility for any damage that may occur. You will be installing it at your own risk.

The clips holding the center console (where your cupholders are) down are a pain to get out. I ended up breaking one of them, but a little super glue fixed the problem. I'm not sure if Acura technitions have a special tool to do this, but you may end up really messing up the interior of your car if you're not careful. I don't know if it's the same process as previous models, but it is not easy. It took both my dad and myself about 2 hours to get it out. This link may help you with pictures/instructions on removing the center console (not IPOD Music Link Installation) if you choose to do it yourself.

http://community.webshots.com/album/482100858sQavkT

The music link adapter plugs in pretty easily with your existing system once you get the ashtray/center console/storage bin removed. For that reason, I didn't go any further with my installation before I tried it out. If you install it yourself at least, you can choose where to put the IPOD (you aren't stuck putting it in your glove box as the cable is long enough to make it into your center console storage area).

How The Integration Works

The Acura Music Link just treats the IPOD as CD Changer. It uses the different disks as different functions. Though you will have to memorize what each different disk does since it doesn't display anywhere.

Disk 1 is "Search Playlists"
Disk 2 is "Search Artists"
Disk 3 is "Search Albums"
Disk 4 is "Search Genres"
Disk 5 is "Shuffle All Albums"
Disk 6 is "Shuffle All Songs"

You cannot talk to your system to use the integration. For instance, I cannot say "Play 'The Killers'". The only voice commands you can use are the pre-defined CD-Changer commands.

The track/song information does not show up at all on the nav screen or the heads up display screen, so you can't figure out what you are listening to if you're unfamiliar with every song in your music collection. You can't even look at your IPOD to see what you are listening to because the screen just says "OK To Disconnect".

How Text To Speech Works:

There are no firmware upgrades to your TSX, all of the text-to-speech stuff is done via a (seemingly poorly written) ITunes plugin. It will create about 16 playlists (all starting with ZZZTTS). You will need to sync these up with your IPOD in order to use the TTS functionality. If you don't want to use the TTS functionality, you don't need to use the plugin. (BTW, the plugin seems slightly buggy, and I've had ITUNES crash on me while using it).

After you re-sync your ipod with the automatically generated playlists and hook the player back into your TSX, you hold down the Seek/Skip button (for 1 second or more) and it will read the alphabet to you. When you hear the letter you want, you hit the seek button again and it will start playing the song. If you want to go through your collection and hear the Playlist/Artist/Album/Genre name, you have to quickly hit the seek/skip butotn again (and hold for 1 second or more) and it will start reading the names of the genres to you. It takes a while to get used to and it's slow to find stuff in the middle of the alphabet (roughly 1 second per letter), but eventually you will find the item you are looking for. After you finally find this item, you will have to guess what you are listening to since it doesn't show up anywhere.

Unknowns:

- I don't know if this will work on a previous model TSX as I don't own one. There is nothing specific in the manual mentioning any models. I would suggest you call Acura to find out.

The Good:

- You can use the steering wheel controls to go forward and backwards through your music collection
- The sound quality was excellent
- No visible wires once it's all installed
- When you switch on your car you can hear your music and it remembers where you left off
- When you turn off your car, or use bluetooth, or switch to another audio source (XM/AM/FM/AUX), it will pause the player for you (although, there was about 1 second of lag or so for my video ipod).

The Bad:

- Price Of Music Link
- Installation Price
- Does not display titles of your songs anywhere (not in NAVI, not on heads up display).
- If you have a large music collection, it will be hard to find what you're looking for and using TTS is more annoying than it is useful.
- Acura salesmen tend not to understand what this product does, so you may have a hard time finding this accessory early on.

Conclusion:

I will probably be returning this item, or selling it back on Ebay. I don't think the features are worth the price at all, and I would recommend just using a Belkin/Monster accessory that will charge your ipod and has an AUX out (belkin/monster make these and they run about $40 new).

msterling21

Not much of an integration if you ask me. Seems more like a hack. Thanks for the great review! I don't have an iPod, but if I did and based on your comments, I would definitely use the AUX port instead.

bige9191

well it looks like you just saved me a ton on money. I was looking into this feature but looks like I'll just go with the Monster cables, thanks man

Zephrem

A question... in "Search Playlists" mode, can you select a playlist and then make that playlist shuffle using the car's interface? Or is it driven by the ipod shuffle designation for that playlist? Or, is it not possible to shuffle a playlist... I assume that turning the shuffle on/off will work consistently over all of the categories (playlist, album, artist, etc.)

Thanks for doing the review! It seems like the interface is almost identical to the Phatbox (I've helped set one up and been around one a lot in a Passat) with the Music Link having slightly greater functionality and less quirks -- like the use of the Phatbox media manager and the Phatbox software and firmware upgrades (ugh, don't get me started). The Phatbox doesn't display song information either, uses the CD changer controls, and pauses when the car is turned off (almost the most useful function, depending on how you use playlists -- especially if you use them to create radio stations). One thing with the Phatbox that appears to be better -- the TTS capabilities of the Phatbox on a PC are okay and do not add to or otherwise alter the playlists. Is it apparent whether there is a Mac plug-in, or can it only be used with a PC?

Tsx536

Wow...sounds like the Music link is pretty bad. No song info display anywhere? Dang that is pretty bad. Sounds like the Harmon Kardon unit is a better alternative if you're gonna spend $200.

fuckleberry

I guess it is too late now that you have installed the thing ---
Why is it you never thought of taking a picture of the kit and so we have an idea what it looks like

Gooker1

I agree.

Thanks for the review. I was really excited to request the music link, but it just seems like more of a hassle than anything else now.

TypeRS

thanks for the in-depth review. i've been holding out on my audio options till i get more info on the Music Link and looks like i'll pass on this item then. i dont' even know if this will work on an 05 tsx, but it doesnt seem worth it anyway.

sun

When you say there is no firmware upgrade, do you mean that it didn't come with a CD? Or, the CD isn't for the TSX?

randomsolutions

I believe you can use the shuffle from within a playlist.

The CD that comes with Music Link also comes with Mac software (no Linux).

randomsolutions

My digital camera is broken right now (stupid Canon...), so I can't really take a picture of it. The installation instructions (you can find them somewhere by searching the forum) show diagrams of what is included in the kit. I have everything torn apart at the moment, so if I can get my hands on another digital camera, I can take pictures.

randomsolutions

The CD that it came with was for the ITunes plugin, not something that you put into the DVD player on your TSX.

rofo_rob

do you have an '05 or an '06?

randomsolutions

2006 With Navi

rofo_rob

now i'm really confused. i was under the impression that the whole point of the IPOD integration (musiclink) was to have all the ipod info displayed on the nav screen.

leftride

iTrader: (1)

man that kinda stinks....it looks like the ice-link or the neo are just and good and cheaper.

rofo_rob

"Acura Music Link allows drivers to select their music by artist, album, genre and play list through the standard controls on the audio system head unit."

Doesn't that mean that the track info/mp3 info is on the display?

leftride

iTrader: (1)

I think you use the TTS (text to speech)

rofo_rob

if that's the case, then what's the point? i'm picking my '06 with nav up tomorrow and was thinking about getting the music link option. if the track info (artist and title) isn't displayed on the screen, then i'm not doing it. might as well just use the AUX input.

agree?

leftride

iTrader: (1)

the only REAL benefit is see it the ability the change tracks with the steering wheel controls, but for $200 it seems a little silly.

I have this:
http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProdu...duct_ID=149006

and am very happy with it.

rofo_rob

a friend of mine has a Scion TC that has the same type of IPOD integration, yet all the track info is displayed on his head unit. you're telling me acura couldn't of done this?

bradykp

nothing in that quote states that the information is displayed. my guess is that it's just as it is described:

CD1 lets you sort through that category using the controls, CD2 lets you sort through the next, etc etc. it treats each category as a cd with tracks. so you can switch from playlist a --> b --> c --> d, and then you can switch the next category using CD2, and the next, and so on. which is why this sounded pointless to me to begin with. it sounds like it's just letting you avoid having to push the button on the ipod, nothing more.

thanks for the great review! you confirmed my initial speculations that this product is completely worthless.

just a question, what was total aggravation (i mean installation) time?

i'm not even considering, but this is a useful fact for those who are.

rofo_rob

I find it hard to believe that Acura and Apple would come out with a product so useless. Without being able to see the playlists and tracks that you want to select (either on the headunit or the ipod itself) this option has no value.

I need a second opinion from another person that has it.

bradykp

apple come out with something useless? it's baffling isnt it?

excited

[QUOTE=randomsolutions]So I bought my TSX Music Link that day and finally got around to installing it today. Here is the information that IPOD owners have been waiting for:[QUOTE]

Thank you very much for your detailed post.

After your earlier post on another thread I decided to go the Monster cable route as opposed to my much anticipated Acura Music Link. http://www.monstercable.com/computer...r.asp?pin=2132

The sound is very good on the Monstercable product and it charges the ipod.

I try not to be negative but for the hundreds of dollars more that you pay for the Acura Music Link it does not seem to offer a lot of value. Not being able to see what is playing even on the iPod seems silly.

Thanks again for the excellent writeup.

Excited

Tsx536

^^ Is there a reason people are going with the Monster for $40 over the Belkin for $15?

The Belkin has an external amp with a volume control that will let you match teh sound level of the IPod to your CD changer. It looks like it would be better, but seems like everyone is getting the monster instead. Just wondering how the Monster one is better.

Monster:
http://www.monstercable.com/computer...r.asp?pin=2132

Belkin:
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Belkin-Auto-...QQcmdZViewItem

DMBand0026

[QUOTE=excited][QUOTE=randomsolutions]So I bought my TSX Music Link that day and finally got around to installing it today. Here is the information that IPOD owners have been waiting for:No '06 means that I can't use the Monster or Belkin product because I don't have an Aux input.

leftride

iTrader: (1)

just get a SNHOND3

TypeRS

what's the difference between the SNHOND3 and the Blitzsafe V2.1??

leftride

iTrader: (1)

i didnt think the v2 was out yet...the SNHOND3 just gives you rca and a sony cd changer input.

DateTSX

This Music link sound like my Dension IceLink with "search" upgrade.

Colin

My .V2 supposedly shipped just before xmas, hopefully it will be here in a few days! I agree with DateTSX, it sounds a lot like the Dension unit. People pay $200 for this and it's been a little problematic. IMO $200 for an OE part doesn't sound that bad if you must use the steering controls.

randomsolutions

If anyone is interested in purchasing my Acura Music Link Accessory (after my glowing review), PM me and let me know.

Colin

Ha Ha! Kinda like the guy trading in a car that he proclaims is a POS, and then wants top dollar for it....

jkozlow3

The Monster will sound better because the crappy little amplifier built into the Belkin (how good can it be for a few dollars) will distort the sound some (and it's unnecessary). The Monster allows an unaltered, unprocessed signal to be inputted directly into the car's stereo just like hooking up a CD changer or other device would. If the Belkin didn't have the amplifier built in, it WOULD be a better value, but I personally want a clean signal without the risk of added distortion.

Tsx536

Is this based on experience or theory?
I wanted to get an answer from someone who may have tried both products.

Colin

Well, if there's an attenuator in the circuit, the possibility exists for a loss in signal to noise ratio. Actually I'd say its guaranteed to lose more, the big question is if you can hear the difference?

jkozlow3

Theory. If there's a way to completely bypass the Belkin's amplifier, They'd be equal. Not sure if that's possible though. The Monster also features "smart" charging with a 3 stage LED indicator for maximum battery life. Not sure about the Belkin.

Bottom line is, the Belkin might sound as good as the Monster, but you're taking a gamble. The Monster really isn't that much more $$ either.

Just search froogle.com for "monster 127033" (that's the model with the line out) and you'll find plenty for around $25.

Tsx536

Yeah I understand, but I would just like to hear info from someone else who may have tried both of them. The Belkin has been around for along time, so I was hoping there was someone that has tried both of them and could give me some feedback as to if they could hear a difference in the sound quality.

Sounds like you really like the monster, and that's cool, but the bottom line is that is costs at least twice as much.

jaydub

My tC is an 05 and I've ripped the head unit out anyway, but I believe the 06 with iPod capability isn't perfect either -- it doesn't automatically scroll the text if it's more than 16 (i think?) characters.