Can anyone with the DICE adapter please help me? I purchased this adapter because of its ability to work with the navigation system (and being able to control the iPod through the audio menu on the nav screen). I understand that the adapter is supposed to hook up through the XM input on the deck, but the installer at Best Buy hooked it up through one of the disc changer inputs.

Before you tell me I shouldn't go to Best Buy, I have had this exact installer do two of my cars before and he does great work. He is also going to redo this for free as soon as I can explain how to do it.

I appreciate any help from anyone with the know-how or experience to help me on this! Thanks!

 

Bump

 

Well I know this thread didn't get much traffic but I'm still dealing with minor frustrations. The adapter should work and my installer at Best Buy knows his stuff, but contacting technical support and my installer at the same time is next to impossible. I went in this weekend and he tinkered around with it for a bit (changing dipswitch positions, etc) and got it to work the way I wanted it to. All I want is to see the song titles and artists on the clock display and via radio display on the navigation screen. Once I took the car home, I started having issues again. It continues to default to the CD-C setting on my stereo instead of XM. WTF?! I don't know stereo install stuff, which is why I paid to have it installed. Any tips?

 

Thanks to the recommendations on this board, I went with a different brand adapter so I have no knowledge here.

I hope you get it worked out.

 

Thanks Heavy, I read about both USA Spec and Dice and they both seemed good. I guess I chose wrong...

 

I wouldn't say you chose wrong, but unfortunately you may be the Guinea pig.

I went NavTool + USA Spec.

 

Interesting...Do you still use XM and nav traffic?

As I recall, and this was from the 2006 and 2007 time frame, the only way to see text with the old Dice was to disconnect XM and plug the Dice into the XM port. The XM Port has the ability to display text, so I gather the Dice unit sends iPod data emulating XM data, so you get title, artist, etc., BUT you lose any XM capability.

For me I wanted XM and the ability to use an iPod, so I went with a NeoAudio which is probably a rebranded USASpec. This 2007 unit left XM intact, so you still got XM and you still got nav traffic, and instead used the AuxCD input port. No text display was possible through this port. The Disc switch now acts as a toggle between the indash CD changer, and CD-C (the aux CD changer input port), which is used for the iPod...you could still control the iPod to some extent through the steering wheel controls, volume and next track, and then switching source to AM/FM 1 and 2, Disc, CD-C, XM1 and 2.

Enter the newer USASpec (and presumably NeoAudio) design, ca. 2010. This harness hooks into the head unit through the XM port, in sort of a piggy back arrangement. This unit takes over one of the XM ports (e.g. XM2) for the iPod. This allows you to still use XM1 for XM Radio, including receiving nav traffic info. It "takes over XM2) and uses its text display capability for the iPod.

It sounds as if your installer did not want you to lose your XM capability and so hooked you up through the Aux CD Changer input.

I guess the question is does Dice have an upgraded unit that works in a similar fashion to the USASpec unit? If so, then hooking it up to the XM port and piggybacking the head unit off of that harness will allow you to display iPod text and still use the XM.

 

Heavy,

I got this unit because I could install my iPhone in the cabin with me. The USA Spec DIY has the iPod in the trunk and I didn't want that setup. A couple of other members also have the DICE unit installed with text support. I even considered doing a bracket near the radio for my phone so I could scroll through playlists from my phone, but I opted for a cleaner looking glove box install. Now it's kinda biting me in the ass.

Chas,

You are right on how the unit works. We have XM on our MDX, but I really don't listen to it enough to want it on the RL. I used XM so much in a previous car, I got tired of the predictable playlists. Navtraffic would be great, but we have so much traffic in Bay Area, I spend most of my time taking backroads anyway.

I told the installer that I wanted the XM disconnected so that I could have the info play through my XM instead of the CD-C option. The CD-C option does give me the option to change volume and tracks through the steering wheel, but the text-support option gives me the opportunity to change playlists, albums, tracks, and artist from the head unit (in addition to steering wheel controls). There is only one port on the head unit to connect the module to it. Apparently, the way to ensure text support is to disable XM and use the correct settings for the dipswitches.

The odd thing is that it did work on the way home from Best Buy, but now it does not. In fact, the XM button on the head unit is just a dead button now. Frustrating!! I am just going to have to get the installer and tech support together at one time. Talk about a hassle!

 

I understand that, I actually have my iPod in the arm rest with the NavTool/USAspec set up and I get to scroll through play lists on the iPod too.

GL, I hope this works out for ya.

 

Thanks! To be continued...

 

You have 2 xm inputs, you use one for the adpt and you now only have one xm channel
I'm not super familiar with the Dice unit......but I do know about the inputs