Hi guys,
I would like to ask you guys a question. I recently bought an ipod mini and I have downloaded tons of songs into this little cute thing. I was wondering if our TL have an equipment sort of like the bluetooth, which we can siimply plug the ipod somewhere and play all the music ?

thanks for all the help!

 

I just went to Best Buy and bought one of those tape adapters from Sony for $17.99. For me, it works great.

(But then again, I am one of those who is satisfied with the OEM radio and don't insist on letting people a block away hear it. I'm sure the quality of the sound isn't perfect, but when your radio rarely gets above 15, it's hard to tell.)

 

easiest and cheapest way is to get the itrip or the one made by monster cable. it works of an fm signal you preset. only down fall is that the sound quailty is a little hissy. but if you are not an audio nut then this is the cheapest way. if you enjoy good quailty sound then get the icelink which taps right into the your head unit for the best sound.

 

cool!! So which one is better? tape adapter or iTrip? I assume the tape adapter works the same way as on portable CDs, but I have never used an iTrip.. if you could explain it further on how to use it for me? It's ok if you're too lazy to explain, I can google it too

thanks so much!

 

There is no bluetooth adaptor for the iPod at this point. Here are your options:

iTrip: FM transmitter that works well if you are in small cities with open FM freq. The quality of the music will be much lower if you go this route. Most frequent complaint is little to no bass.

Tape Adapter: Provides better quality than iTrip. Bass is good but you will get distortion if you turn up the volume of your iPod too high.

Blitzsafe: Not sure if they have made an adaptor for the 3rd Gen TL yet. Plugs into the back of the HU. Excellent music quality.

Icelink: Best product by far. Uses the audio out interface on the bottom of your iPod (no distortion). Charges the iPod when plugged into the Icelink. Your radio and steering wheel controls should control the iPod (it does in my 2nd Gen TL) The iPod turns on/off in sync with the HU. Overall the most complete product on the market for iPod's to interface with any car audio system.

 

wow! Thanks for the detail explanation Chet03TL-S! I will google up Icelink in a bit more detail in terms of pricing and where to buy.
Thank you all for the quick and detail response!!!!

 

well the itrip you need to configure on a computer first. you just pick which radio station you want and then set your tuner to that channel and it should work. with the monster cable you don't need a computer. it plugs into your cig lighter and you can choose from a list on the unit which radio station you want. note that the stations you choose are on the lower end of the scale ie 88.5,92.7 and on. it basically uses radio frequencys that you usually get slience or static on. tis why the sound quality and lack of bass come into play.

 

Cost vary a LOT!!

iTrip: $35
Tape Adaptor: $20
Blitzsafe: $80-100
Icelink: $230

Being the perfectionist I am I couldn't help but get the Icelink. No regrets in the 7 month's I have had it.

 

Exactly! And if you have one for your portable CD player, it will work on your iPOD as well. No need to go buy anything else.

 

I'm assuming the IceLink doesn't work for cars with navigation, right?

 

Is the icelink out for non navi?

 

It works for my 2nd Gen TL w/ Navi.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/chetcv...5a.jpg&.src=ph

 

It looks like Icelink will kill your XM radio (as does every other aux input)

 

Unfortunately the options for iPod integration in a TL aren't very good. I bought the Sony cassette player that others have referenced and it works very well. I also bought a kensington retractable power cord, and a holder from Kuda.

Someday we'll get seamless integration with the TL, but who knows when that day will come.

 

So what it boils down to is this. If you have Nav and XM, and want to keep XM you have three options:

Cassette adapter - cheap, decent quality
FM transmitter - cheap, crappy quality
In-Line FM transmitter (installed directly into the antenna wire) - more expensive, best quality.

 

I have the itrip and I think it works very well. I am in one of the most congested cities in the U.S.

 

There wouldn't be a way to hook up the IceLink to a switch so you could switch between XM and the iPOD?

 

Can the Kuda holder be mounted without any adhesive or drilling? I don't want to do anything to alter the dash, but if it can be clipped on somehow that would be great.

 

If the HU has an open plug for an optional CD Changer in the back you shouldn't lose your XM. Thats where the Icelink plugs into.

 

go with the itrip unless your a major audiophile. Bonus with the itrip is that you can take along your mini to a BBQ or cookout (especially during the summer) for example and rock your own playlists if there is a boombox around (which there usually is). Instant pocket dj. Used it this past weekend exactly for this. Rocked some old school and funk - felt like we were on the set for Barbershop 2.

 

There is no adhesive or drilling, a clip slides in between the console and the rug, and another slides in between the trim near the storage compartments (you'll want to be careful, becuase this could scratch).

Search the forum for Kuda, there is a thread on it.

 

Some have done that - search the forum. It requires a bit of know-how.

 

US version fo the 3gTL does not have an open input. The AUX input is used by XM.

 

I use the iTrip here in Atlanta. It doesn't work all that great. Every single frequency seems to be taken. Plus, the iTrip uses power from the Ipod itself, so that drains the battery a lot faster. I would probably recommend the casette adapter, however, I don't like a lot of wires, which is why I like the iTrip's "clean" look.

 

I use the iTrip in DC. It works really nice and we have a lot of radio congestion. You only need the computer initially to install the software, after that you can change stations on the fly.

 

Using the Ipod, with the radio turned to 87.5, ie. the wireless setup, works okay, but the sound quality is greatly diminished. I notice it bigtime but my wife does not care. Sounds like mono.

 

Make sure the equalizer on the ipod is turned on. It makes a big difference.

 

What setting do you normally set the EQ to? I listen to mine all the time with a tape adapter and always leave the EQ off.. What one have you found sounds good?

 

Depending on what I'm listening to, sometimes "Rock" and sometimes "Accoustic". I find that accoustic is better on stuff that was recorded live, having nothing to do if the instruments were accoustic or not.

 

I am installing the IceLink as we speak. Be forewarned, if you have nav you will have to remove the entire radio to get at the plug. This means removing the vents and part of the upper dash. I am about to go do this and hopefully put an end to this unfortunate install.

I have my iPod hardwired in my Z06, cannot imagine going any other route. The iTrip is crap, and I am anything but an audiophile. Granted it is perhaps the easiest way to do this.

-N

 

LET HOGAN BACK IN!

I hope you didn't ask APE to install your iPod.

Yes, the FM option is just crap. The IceLink Plus is 199 at BestBuy.

-N

 

To use IceLink you lose XM though, don't you?

 

Yes. You can buy a y-cable from Honda/Acura, but you need to hardwire a splitter. From what I understand Denison is working on a cable. My car came with XM, but I didn't extend the service, so I could care less.

iPod > XM

Well at least in my book

Rgds,

-N

 

Can you point me in the right direction for this y-cable? And if they have a y-cable why would I need to hardwire a splitter? I personally am not 100% fond of XM myself, but I do listen to it quite a bit still, so I'd rather have the option of still listening to it AND my iPOD.

Any help you could give me in setting this up and retaining XM would be great!

 

The YCable is Honda part # 08A31-0F1-000 and is about $35 or so. But it won't allow you to play both. I thought the same thing you thought, but sure enough a y cable is not enough -- you are basically attaching 2 output devices into a 1 port input device. As such you need to have a physical splitter, which the y cable does not have. In sum: there is 1 Aux port on the car, and you are trying to daisy chain multiple devices -- this won't work. Eventually somebody will make a cable with a button on it that will alow you to go from XM to iPod. Does that make sense?

-N

 

Any good car stereo shop can give you a 'switch' for your AUX inputs. I did this in order to get Satellite into my Porsche OEM system and retaining the CD Changer.
The switch thrown makes my head unit think I'm still using the CD Changer, but it's really pumping in Sirius. The CD's even still spin.

Basically, this is a common thing to do these days, and if it's important enough, pay a good installer pro to do it for you.

 

I understand how the switch works, but have heard from others that when doing this you lose XM volume..

Is this true?

Hooking up the switch can't be that bad. I have the service manuals, but I think you can tap into it in the trunk, run the wires to a switch, mount inputs for the ipod somewhere and run those to the switch, and that's about it. Can't be all THAT bad, can it? I already wired my amp and subs in the car and that wasn't all that bad.

 

There ya go.

Trust me, I've done my fair of wrenching, and removing the dash pieces has become a fairly large pita. I'm being extra anal because I don't want to scratch anything, of course the pieces were designed by Himmler himself to make extraction without busting, scratching or cutting yourself next to impossible. After removing a good part of the dash, I have no desire to run something from the trunk (besides you would be better served modifying a ycable and plugging everything into the HU).

Just my $.02.

-N

 

Gray -r

 

Will the Icelink Plus work in a 2000TL? It should be the same connector as the 03's, right?