dangles

I just installed my iSimple (06 TL non-navi). The install went very smoothly. I put the USB port in the unused accessory button spot next to the side view mirror controls using a custom cut black piece of plastic to fill the rest of the hole. Pretty happy with how it turned out.



So my question is this:

I can connect via bluetooth just fine, and it does charge the phone, but I can't figure out how to start playing music (via BT or USB). I pressed the XM buttons (2 channels) but nothing comes up. Am I missing something? Yes I've already used the search function and had no luck. Is there a simple instructions manual somewhere? The best I can find is this:

http://www.pac-audio.com/PACProductD...structions.pdf

It says once you hit the AM/Sat button (I assume this is the XM button in ours, no?) immediately turn the tune knob to select the iPod source (USB or BT). Nothing happens when I turn the tune knob. What am I missing?

I know this has probably been discussed before so apologies for the redundancy. Thanks in advance for any help.

dangles

An update:

It started playing randomly. The track info shows up and the steering wheel controls work. However the controls as stated in the instructions manual I posted above are not right and I can't make sense of any of the buttons. Are our controls different than the ones in the instructions?

Also I found the link to update the firmware but it's not compatible with Macs Is there another way to do it?

Tmerema

Push another source button (AM/FM/CD/Tape) and once it changes, hit the XM button again. Once there, it will say which source the iSimple is using (BT, USB, iPodBT, iPodUSB, Aux 1, Aux 2, or SAT) use the tune knob and select your source. Hit the 6 preset button to lock it in, or simply wait. The key is you must select your source on the iSimple within 6 seconds of selecting the XM source. Alternately, if you start your car after using the iSimple, just leave it and it will keep using the previously used source, or if you want to change sources you can do it within the 6 seconds. Sounds like a pain, but once you start using it becomes second nature.

Tmerema

Oh, just a quick tip. If you select the regular BT source and you have an iPhone, you can still play music and the steering wheel controls track and volume. Track data won't show up on the screen, but if you push the 4 preset while using this source, you can initiate Siri. Pretty cool for reading/responding to texts and anything else she does.

dangles

Thanks for the reply.

When I switch from another source and try the track dial, sometimes it switches, others times it does nothing. The #4 preset fast forwards, the #3 preset rewinds. 1, 2, 5, 6 do nothing. Also the steering wheel controls are intermittent. Sometimes they work, other times they don't (when they don't work, neither does the track dial). I can use Siri but I have to activate it through the phone.

BTW I'm using an iPhone 5 with the latest iOS. The device firmware appears to be current (there are only 2 listed on the manufacturer's website, the latest of which was 2012). I left a message with tech support but haven't received a call back yet.

Tmerema

Must be an issue with the iSimple itself. I also have an iPhone 5, latest iOS, and have never had an issue. When you installed it did you leave all the dip switches off? That could also be an issue.

dangles

Yeah they were all off. I may have to get back in there and make sure none got bumped and the connections are all solid.

dangles

Ok I just spent some time on the phone with tech support. The guy I spoke with was pretty helpful. He mentioned that the system works best when the "disp/mode" button reads "ch name".

Once that's done, going from FM/AM to XM will then allow you to turn the "Tune" dial until your desired input is selected (iPodBT, iPodUSB, BT, USB, Aux1, Aux2).

When in iPodBT or iPodUSB, the channel preset functions are as follows:

1 - Repeat (one, all, off)
2 - Random (on/off)
3 - Rewind
4 - Fast-forward
5 - Back (when using #6)
6 - Allows you to browse by artist, track, album, genre, etc. (using the "Tune" dial cycles through each artist, track, album, etc.)

He also mentioned that so far all the software writing has been farmed out to an outside company, which is why there have been some difficulties. However plans are in the works for them to hire their own software engineers so they don't have to contract that work out any more and they can have the software engineers and hardware guys in the same building, which should make everything work much more smoothly. Time will tell, I guess.

As for me, I'm fairly happy with it now that I've got it figured out. Easy install, somewhat awkward but still manageable controls, good sound quality, and it works around my broken HFL

dangles

#6 also acts as the "select" button to pick the artist/album/track/etc.

@Tmerema, the button functions you are describing sound like they come from the universal "BT" mode (vs. the iPodBT mode). I have yet to try this.

Tmerema

Yes I use the universal "BT" mode most of the time. I like the remote access to Siri for navigation, text reading, and phone dialing. I also have a problem intermittently with the song info "freezing" when using iPodBT. I will manually advance a track, and the track info will stay on the previous song. This is a minor nuisance, but I already know what I'm hearing if its music from my own iPhone. Also to note, when using iPodBT, you have to manually activate the shuffle feature every time. Otherwise it just starts in alphabetical order.