I have the 04 Navi 6 speed and love the audio system. I recently caught the iPod bug and love listening to my fav tracks. Let's see DVD-Audio, XM and iPod/MP-3s? Why not?

BMW offers a direct connection for iPods and I would like a similar setup for the TL. Here's a company that I think will work, but wanted the group's feedback on its compatability. http://www.carplayer.com/ I have an iTrip FM transmitter, which works fine but I'd like to get a direct connection and use the steering wheel controls.

Does anyone know if there would be a problem with the NAVI or CD changer using the iPod adapter through the CD changer port? Thanks for your help.

 

Yes,
Im also interested whether this works and is controlled like all the other audio with the steering wheel and radio controls and ?voice? (ok i could see voice is unlikely). Their site says it is compatible with all acuras.

Also, if anyone has experience with this, how hard was it to plug into the back and hows the sound quality and what mount did you use.

Thanks,
Jack

 

It says " Acura’s with navigation are not compatible."

Bummer.

 

I sent the company an email but they have not responded. I wonder why the NAVI system is a problem? Any other good alternative for the iPod/TL combo?

Happy Turkey Day

 

Any updates from the company?

 

i heard that alpine was supposed to come out with a system to integrate the Ipod into a factory system....not to sure of the specifics but if anyone does please tell us. I too have an ipod but i gett pissed listening to it through the fm transmitter..sounds like shyt...cant wait for the alpine unit.

Travis

 

Cool... I can't wait! I cannot stand listening to my iPod though the iTrip anymore. Its like listening to an old AM radio compared to the awesome 5.1 audio we are accustomed to listening.

Its too bad our factory installed system doesn't have an AUX input on the receiver's face.

My wife's MDX has an AUX in the 3rd row for a PS2 or Nintendo. I wonder if she can play her mini back there? Any thoughts?

 

Well, you'll never get th same sound quality from the iPod no matter what. I also wish we had an aux jack.

For the moment I'm using the iPod with this:


http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProdu...duct_Id=153999

and this:


http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProdu...duct_Id=153161

Figured I'd use the stupid tape deck for something. Sound quality isn't too bad. It's just like listening to a regular tape which I suspect is better than listening to FM.

My only gripe? The damn wire. The cupholder thingy is actually pretty good. I know I lose the forward cupholder but it positions the iPod very low and right at your figertips (extend armrest forward).

 

Its not the Nav system really, its the XM radio... typically new high end factory stereos have an AUX jack on the back of the unit.... HOWEVER... this is where the XM comes in, the XM takes this AUX jack away...

 

I am waiting for the monstercable.com to bring out its cruze so that you can see the title and artist on your conventional radio. Hope it works with our cars.

 

Me too ! Another 25 days, from their website... did they just move out the launch date?

Very bad marketing timeline... imagine its sales if it had come out right about now! Stupid planning!

 

yeah the alpine thing fell through btw

 

I just got an email from Monster. The G3 TL is not on the list of supported cars. This sucks!!!

http://www.monstercable.com/icruze/s...ep1_Survey.asp

 

damn again.

such a nice display/audio unit in the car... and an excellent mp3 player in iPod. Too bad no one can get them together!

 

I purchased this setup from BUY.COM and I find the tape cartridge is rejected by my tape deck? Any idea why this is? It looks to be exactly like a regular tape cartridge. . . But something is hanging and won't seat properly in the deck. I assume you have no problem with yours? Maybe I'll grind down those little guide rails on the side . . .

 

I use the little tape thing on my lexar mp3/wma player. The sound quality to me varies depending on the bit rate but overall it sounds pretty good i just tuck most the wire int the top holder right under the tapedeck and sit my player in my lap for controls. Its pretty ghetto but hey to me its better than spend a lot of cash to get a program to make dvd-a to get a lot of songs on one disk.

 

the only problem with the tape deck adaprter is its so ugly and messy...when your driving a 35k car....and then you look through the window and see an ipod hooked up with a tape deck...it just looks so cheap...its all cosmetics..

 

I use the tape adaptor for my iPod, but I just hide the iPod in the storage box just below the tape deck. I stuff all of the extra wire in there with it, so that it looks nice and clean. My tape adapter is black, so it helps to blend in with the dash. Unfortunately its hard to change songs in this situation, but I always just hit shuffle songs anyway. You could also create a playlist so that you won't need to skip files. I hope this helps.

 

Yep - thats what I do too. Helps keep the messy wires to a minimum.

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Happy New Year!

 

I have a similar setup but it is important to me to be able to change songs or see what is being played. I really wanted my IPOD mini to be easily available to me when driving.

I bought something called a "sticky pad" from Linens 'n Things. Ok I didn't go there, my wife picked it up for me. I'm sure it is available elsewhere. It is at the register and it costs about $ 5 bucks. It is a black pad and it does NOT use any adhesives or anything. It has great gripping power to keep stuff from sliding around. It is meant to be used on the dashboard to hold stuff without sliding. In fact, I use it to hold my radar detector in place.

In addition, I use it to hold my IPOD mini in place below the radio. Here is how...I pop open the first compartment under the radio and drape the sticky pad from the compartment opening and cover the bottom compartment. The sticky pad is long enough to reach the top of the shifter frame.

Like you, I stuff the extra wire from the cassette adapter into the top compartment. I also fold in the sticky pad into the top compartment when not in use. I also stuff my IPOD mini into that compartment when I am not using it.

 

We use something very similar to that in our Odyssey, maybe even the same thing. We have it on the center tray to hold cell phones, and it works great (sometimes too good ). I haven't tried putting my iPod on it. Thanks for the tip, I might have to go pick up another one of those pads for the TL.

 

I tried the Belkin cassette adapter and it kept flipping sides and interrupting the music. Then I tried the itrip and it looks so sleek, no wires, and very cool, but it works only well in spots. It works great in my driveway but terrible near downtown areas. Then I bought a Sony 9ca (something like that) cassette adapter and it works great. It isn't quite CD quality but is very close and much better than the itrip. I'd love to have the direct connection (does the RL have that?) but this is the best alternative right now for me.

 

Here is a possible solution that has just been announced. It is from griffin technologies, it is a cassette adapter but you should be able to use your steering controls to change the songs. I have no details or trials from this product. So i would wait for reviews to come out before going for this guy. The website is
http://www.griffintechnology.com
Hope this helps you guys out. I have this same kind of a setup with wires running all over. I have the wired remote that came with my ipod. I put the ipod in the cup holder and connect the tape adapter's end to the remote. I control the songs using the remote. I might have to look for a more cleaner look. I have a non-navi 04 TL

 

That's a pretty clever product that seems worth checking out. Bummer it's white, though. While it matches the iPod nicely, it's most likely going to be stuffed into a black head unit.

 

I'm going to order it and check it out. This is the closest thing to TL-iPod integration that I've seen so far.

On a related note, MB just announced a iPod integration kit for their 2005+ models. Could Acura be far away?

 

I've finally got my AUX in "working". I bought a Blitzsafe adapter which supposedly works for the TL. Well, turns out it's TL support is flaky at best. What I've discovered is if you connect the adapter AFTER the head unit has been turned on it always works. Problem is, the AUX adapter plugs into the AUX port behind the head unit. Since I'm doing a LOT of wiring in my car (for LCD screens, PS2, iPod integration, etc), I'm just going to run a switch to my center console (there's already one there to change the Navi screen to video input from the PS2) and have that switch power on the AUX adapter whenever I want AUX in. Then you press the CD/DVD button twice and it switches to CD-C mode and you have hardwired AUX in. FINALLY. The sound quality is incredible. Just a pain to have to turn the box on and off. Oh well.

 

I'm currently using a cassette adaptor and it works just find (Belkins) but the Griffin adds a new dimension. I'm interested. My BMW has a connector so that's a little cleaner. Is there any 3rd party vendors selling the Griffin? Perhaps at a better price? Be nice to know this. . . PS thanks for this info Cupid

 

Griffin Technology?

Hope its not headed by Peter Griffin from Family Guy!!

 

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