peterbanks, thanks for the post. Now that I know the MusicLink really functions, I'll pass. The functionality doesn't justify the cost or me taking apart my dash.

Can anyone recommend any good in-car iPod mounting solutions?

Thanks.

 

The only benefit I see is the Playlist feature. You could just make a ton of playlists and then just browse through them, overall it would be more convenient then having a ton of CD's. Each playlist could be a seperate album. Dont get me wrong I think Acura totally missed the boat on this one but the playlist functionality is something I would probably enjoy using.

 

If there was some way to hack it so that you could still use the controls on your iPod I think it might be worth it. That way it would be more like an AUX in. Anyone know if there is a way to tap into however the MusicLink works for an AUX in solution?

 

Since the iPod goes into the "OK to Disconnect Mode", which is what it does when connected to a PC, I bet the music is being sent to the Music Link Adapter as a digital signal, not an analog signal. This is probably how a factory CD Changer would work as well. So you probably can't use it as an "AUX IN", which would be analog.

jjh1234

 

For me the IPOD Acura Link is

 

Don’t kid yourself. To search playlists you select disc 1 then the unit starts saying the alphabet A.... B..... C.... with about a 1 second pause in-between letters. You then hit select when it gets to the letter of the playlist that you want, that is of course if you can remember what you named it. There is no way to skip ahead in the alphabet either, and it always starts at A.

 

Amazing that the tape deck solution is a million times better than this.... I was so looking forward to this thing too. What a shame.

 

tell me about it i went out and bought a 60gb ipod for xmas and now i can't even use it. What this tape deck solution you talking about? how does it work and where can i get one?

 

It's basically a cassette tape with a wire sticking out of it that you can plug into the headphone jack of your ipod. when the car thinks it's playing a tape, it's really playing the ipod. Here's a link to one at Best Buy:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1051384461905

The sound quality isn't that good, but is better than a wireless FM modulator. I tried a few different brands before finding one that sounds pretty damn good. I think the one I have is made by RCA. I tried that Sony that I gave the link to and didn't like the SQ.

 

iPod doesn't have a digital sound output, so I am almost sure that it is possible to use MusicLink as an AUX input, but some soldring will be required.

 

That would be nice. I'd buy the Musiclink for the sound quality if I could just use my iPod like I've always done.

I wonder if it's just a minor wiring change or something cause when the ipod is hooked up to the desktop dock and hooked to your computer, you can still use the line-out on the dock to go to a home stereo. Seems like the same type of thing here. We just have to figure out how to tap that line out and leave control by using the ipod.

Anyone have the wiring diagram to the connector on the ipod and the MusicLink?

 

If that's the case, then you've got me to thinking. If we could figure out the function of all the wires in the dock connector, we could disconnect the ones that put it in the "OK to Disconnect" external control. Then you could use the front controls on the iPod and mount it on the dash. It would make the Music Link a functional but expensive AUX input. What do you think?

jjh1234

PS - Did not see previous post that covers some of this

 

I like it! Much better than the way it currently is, yet gives you a great AUX input method and charges your ipod battery at the same time. Now we just have to figure out a way to know the function of all the wires. Someone somewhere has got to have a wiring diagram somewhere. the iPod connector is a standard in that a million companies make things that it can plug into, so the function of all the pins of the connector shouldn't be that difficult to get.

 

Why not just get a Soundgate AUX3 and a Blitzsafe Universal Ipod Interface? You would get:

- Aux In
- To keep your XM
- Audio and charging through iPod dock connector
- Great sound

All you need from that point is a vehicle mount.

For all the trouble you're considering going through to do it, this is a much simpler solution. Yeah, some work is involved, but not to the degree of what you're considering.

Here are some links...

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=117588
https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=120209

 

what does this mean and how does it work, text-to-speech capabilities or VoiceID, when searching through the iPod music library with the audio system controls.

 

If you have window XP go to: control panel - speech - preview voice. The TTS software uses that voice to speak to you. So like I described in post #46 when it speaks letters or group names that is what they sound like. You can imagine how it butchers the names of most groups as they are not common words. You cannot tell it to play a specific song, or anything else for that matter. I notice one bug, that when in disc 6 mode ( shuffle all songs ) with TTS installed it will speak the name of the group before it plays the song, but then it skips that song?!?! For example: TTS will say " The Killers " and on the display it will show track 2, but instead of playing a song from the Killers it goes immediately to the next track that it doesn’t have a voice id for. So at one point it said the names of 4 groups in a row and finally stopped an played a song that wasn’t from any of them. This is why I uninstalled the TTS software, I like the disc 6 mode functionality, and it clearly didn’t work well with TTS.

 

Wouldnt you lose your XM with the blitzsafe adapter??? (TL's w/ navi of course)
Thats what log jam electronics told me... thanks

 

i guess im gonna have to go with the xbox modded solution for my car entertainment system instead... this ipod musiclink adapter is sounding like complete shitttttttttttt!!!

 

No, you aren't connecting that Blitzsafe device for iPod control. You would use the Soundgate for the Aux In to the TL head unit. The Blitzsafe Universal Adapter gives you audio line out and charging through the iPod dock connector. You would take that line out and connect it into the Soundgate.

Hope that makes sense.

 

nope.. not really lol :P

 

Here's the pinout for the iPod connector:

http://pinouts.ru/data/ipod_pinout.shtml

Looks like we only need pins 1, 2, 3, 4, and probably 19 and 20. iPod control is probably done through the pins 12 and 13 so we'd have to disconnect those.

I'd be willing to try it, but my AUX setup is working pretty well the way it is... so I dunno about buying this whole setup just to charge the iPod. Instead, I'm going to buy this:

http://www.monstercable.com/mp3/prod...r%20the%20Road

Which charges and gives a nice audio out from the dock connector. I'll hack the lighter adapter to connect it directly to ignition-switched power instead of using up a lighter plug.

I'll plug the audio out into my AV switcher in the trunk, and then to my Blitzsafe adapter.

 

What about this?

http://www.discountcarstereo.com/detail.aspx?ID=793

The monster cable solution is cheaper. But, if you're going to be using the docking connector for aux out, you're getting the best of both worlds without hacking the charge connector with the Blitzsafe option.

 

The Blitzsafe unit is definitely cool. Why do these things have to be so damn expensive? ARGH!!! Not sure what I'm going to do. The Blitzsafe adapter makes it look like it's better quality than the Monster, but who knows. Also it's more of a "hard-wired" solution which I like. Now I just need to find a place to put the iPod. There was some kind of "Kuda" holder or something which was cool. Will have to look into that.

 

I agree. But, i'm going to drop the cash and get the Blitzsafe. I'm going to get a ProClip mount also.

I can't complain too much. I was gearing up to get an Acura Music Link. But, after getting an idea of how it functions, this is a way better setup and pretty clean too.

 

So, let me see if I get this. Not only would one have to install the Music Link adapter in their TL, but also install software on their computer (an iTunes plugin?)

 

Vtec,

Good tip on the ProClip mount. I've been looking for a good mount. I'm going to stick with my Belkin interface and a cassette adapter for a while. Just ordered the Angled mount and padded holder.

jjh1234

 

Yup... It adds 12 playlists titled ZZZTTSA01 through ZZZTTSA12 as well as adds speach files into your library for the name of every artist ( just artist name not song names ), album, genre & playlist. So for me it added 812 files to iTunes/iPod.

 

I get it now.

The text to speech generation thing is interesting. I'm guessing that's Windows iTunes-only.

 

Nope, Mac and Windows

 

Wow.

I've got to say, I'm impressed with that.

-prl

 

So as I'm trying not to give up on the TTS, I re-installed it. What I thought was a bug earlier ( not to say it isnt something they need to fix ) is actually just the TTS saying its own speach file that it put into iTunes and the iPod. As disc 6 mode just shuffles all songs, when it comes across a speach file ( which is listed in iTunes as a song ) it plays it. Earlier I thought it was supposed to say the artist name and then play the song. Wrong, it was just playing the speach file of the artists name then once the file (song) had played moving on the next random song.

 

Well contrary to the Music Link users guide, it looks like you can have the system start in reverse order, Z...Y...X... once you select the Disc mode you want, push the " skip - " button instead of the " skip + " and it will start in reverse order. Still haven't found a way to move through the alphabet any quicker.

 

So I just noticed I spelled speech wrong a bunch of times... dumbass

 

FYI

For those who want it Acura of Escondido has the music link for $200.00 plus shipping. I just checked their eBay store.

 

hmmm.... according the my Acura rep at work, this will not work on pre-06 model TLs, id like to know if it works for anyone without killing XM

 

^ it seems to be working with other peoples pre-06 cars!

 

After looking at Acura's weak attempt at iPod integration I decided to go with the Harman-KArdon Drive + Play solution. I just had it installed. You can see my intial thoughts here:

https://acurazine.com/forums/ramblings-12/truepoker-com-128199/

I'll post pictures soon.

 

what a let down

 

on second thought, if one can use the "On The Go" playlist, I could create a playlist I want to listen to on the fly and just have the Music Link shuffle that one...


I have a 3rd gen ipod though... I wonder why the 3rd gen wouldn't work, everything else for the 4th gen works on the 3rd gen

 

I have a 3rd gen also. I'm almost positive the dock connector is standard, so I don't know why it would not work also.