My brother advises his dealer in PA told him there was a jack on the back of the 2005 RL radio for connecting an iPod. He was told all that is needed is an extension cable from the back of the radio into the cabin area.

Has anyone found this connection that can receive the 'audio out' from an iPod?

I know about the FM link for an iPod, and lament not using the super audio of the dvd, but since I have all my tunes on the iPod, a direct (not wireless) connection as found on the BMW would be great. No FM interference, etc...

 

I am interested in the answer to this question too. Anyone on the forum has the answer?

 

Anyone take out the deck yet?

 

If there was such a thing acura would have been marketing the feature - they wouldnt leave such a feature hidden.

 

that is true, because they are marketing it for the new TSX, so I'm sure the TL and RL will also get it.

 

I doubt we will get it in the current RL though (as an upgrade). It kind of sucks, but we can play mp3 discs, so it isn't terrible. I would; however, like to be able to use my mp3 player.

 

Again, like other things with this car, there isn't an after-market interface.

 

I use a Iriver FM modulator and it works quite well. Maybe the signal to noise ratio is not as good as a direct connection, but it is pretty dam good alternative.

 

IMHO, this is a significant compromise in sound quality and interface control (none).

 

Why not just burn some MP3 files onto a CD? That seems like a simple alternative to me.

 

The Ipod could hold so much more songs than all six CD's. Also, having had the Ipod makes it so "yesterday" with CD's.

 

Yes, I understand; I'm on my second iPod. However, if you use MP3's on a CD, you can just keep them in the car's CD changer without worrying if you remembered your iPod. Besides, with the MP3 CD's, you can use the car's interface instead of fiddling with the iPod while trying to drive, plus the RL's changer can have the same capacity as an iPod mini.

 

OK, I have to admit it. It is the "new toy" factor. I just have to figure out how to integrate the Ipod to the car.

 

Can the RL's stereo play MP3s recorded on a blank DVD instead of a CD?

 

Has anyone tried yet? vp911?

 

Sadly, no.

It really sucks too. 4.7GB a disc is a lot of storage.

 

Yeah, unfortunately we cannot. I tried every which way. I was really hoping

 

Well, just for that I'm not getting the RL...

 

I keep a copy of my New Year's Eve MP3 CD in the car, which holds around 150 songs. That seems to be sufficient to keep me occupied while I am on the road, and I don't have to futz with the iPod while I am driving. I assume that any connector would only be audio and therefore would require one to use the click wheel to select songs, which sounds like a very distracting thing to do while driving.

 

Many interfaces out in the market claim that you would be able to use the OEM CD controls. That would be best of two worlds: Ipod for its capacity and convienence since you already have the songs in it from your computer, and the controls from the car's radio and its amusing speakers.

 

Has anyone tried to look at the back of the radio to see if indeed there is an input for audio? I doubted it would be easy without taking the radio out of the console.

 

Much as I love my iPod, I wouldn't feel safe fiddling with the click wheel while trying to drive. Fiddling with the "iDrive" big knob on the console is bad enough. It would be nice if the RL could read MP3's off of a DVD, though. Oh well, can't have everything.

By the way, some of the BMW's can let you control an iPod from the steering wheel, but you have to create six special playlists on your iPod so the BMW can pretend the iPod is a six-disc changer.

 

so there is no way to do an aftermarket conxtion?

 

check out this thread.

https://acurazine.com/forums/2g-rl-audio-bluetooth-electronics-navigation-90/music-link-other-than-ipod-729811/

 

Check out this three page thread.

https://acurazine.com/forums/2g-rl-audio-bluetooth-electronics-navigation-90/ipod-integration-05-rl-498327/

I think #63 shows the two inputs for the Neo or USA Spec units. One is an iPod connector, the other is a 3.5 mm stereo headphone jack which will work with most audio sources.

There are probably a lot more pictures, I have not looked at this thread in a long time, and depending on where I plug into the 'net, photo sites are blocked.

These posts are couple of years old, but I don't think much has happened yet in the way of advances. We are all waiting for the vaporware USA Spec HON3 unit which is supposed to allow both iPod and XM text to display (July 09?). Currently if you want iPod text, you have to sacrifice the XM. I think Dice and Blitz offer solutions that display iPod text if you disconnect the XM receiver. USA Spec and Neo do not yet offer that capability to my knowledge, but that goes back to early 2007.

It would be nice if someone did a market survey to see what is available now, and post it on the forum.

 

I bought a NEO ipod adapter which plugged into the aux/in plug on the back of the unit (2005 RL). Good sturdy cable and plugin for ipod. Radio display shows the word "EXTENSION" - does not show any other info. Press DISC once to get to ipod - twice to get to CDs. Sound is outstanding - certainly as good - maybe better than non-surround CDs.

ALRL

 

so you phsycially saw an aux input? if i dont buy the neo ipod adapter could i just by the standard aux extension and plug any device in? will it still say extension if push disc twice with out the Neo adapter?