pererau

I know that this is a subject that gets some attention and I hate to rehash an old topic, but I've spent some time looking around and while there is a lot of information around what I'm looking for, I can't find anything that answers my questions adequately - or at least if it seems to, it is from 2008 and I would prefer more up to date information.

So here is my situation: I have 2 hours of commute each day, and I have been filling that time listening to podcasts on my iPhone 4. I bought my TL used with some version of iSimple already installed with the cord fed into the center console. This worked fine for my iPod classic that I used around town to listen to music as I could control everything from the steering wheel and never had to get at the iPod. Now that I'm listening to podcasts, though, I find that I occasionally need to get at the device to fast-forward through commercials or change to a different podcast, and the angle of access to the center console while driving is annoying at best, dangerous at worst as it distracts me significantly from the road. To add to my problem, the hardware I have is old and will not charge my iPhone and gives me the standard incompatibility error message each time I plug it in.

So what I'm hoping for:

1. What simple, clean mounting solutions do you recommend so that the iPhone is mounted more in my line-of-sight and yet not in front of the A/C vent (I know that last year when I bought the TL I had seen a couple of threads somewhere with people who purchased a mount that hooks onto the metal edging at the far side of the radio, though I couldn't find those threads today)

2. To get the iSimple updated, I assume I need a new cord and possibly a new device. I don't know what device i have now because I can't find it, and I am terrible at anything DIY (this is going to have to be a Do-It-by-Somebody-Else project). Should I just go to Best Buy and pay their guys to do it or is there another store or service that is better or cheaper?

3. If I do this, will I be able to control my podcasts (right now I am using the Downcast app, as I prefer managing my podcasts that way much more than through iTunes) through the steering wheel controls?

4. Is there a good bluetooth add-on that anybody recommends to just stream content from my iPhone via bluetooth and therefore not need to have any cords at all, and if I do that will I then not be able to have my phone connected to the HFL for making phone calls?

Any help you can offer would be very appreciated. My new 10 hours of driving to and from the Bay Area each week would have been murder in my old Accord, but it is a joy in the TL, and getting these problems fixed would make it that much better and would be a huge help.

LoveMyTL-S

Anyone?

vmodi89

Pererau, Here is the solution I have come up with:

1. line of sight mount - there is a company called Proclip that makes an excellent mount for our cars. it does not block the AC vent, but does clip onto the metal trim on the side of the radio. there are three different models of Proclip designed for our car, based on where you would like the phone to be mounted. Keep in mind, there are two parts to the mounting system; one piece that is made for the specific model car, and the other for the specific model of device (iPhone 3g, iPhone 4, etc)

http://www.proclipusa.com/default.as...95&p_year=2005


2. Audio adapter - honestly, I would recommend ditching the iSimple audio adapter and look into the USAspec PA15-Hon3 or the USASpec PA15-AcuXL, which is dependent on whether or not you have navigation. I personally have the acuXL for my 07 TLs. The cool feature about it is that it plays on your XM1 tuner, and if you press channel 5, it puts it into "direct mode", allowing you to control the iPod function on the iPhone's screen, which would come in particularly handy for you while listening to podcast. In direct mode, you can still go to the next track or previous track with the use of the steering wheel, which was the main selling point for me. Installation is pretty easy too, just connects to the XM box on the right side of your trunk. Does not take away any functionality of the radio, and XM stations will be retained on the XM2 tuner. It will also charge your iPhone at the same time. I got mine for about $120.

http://usaspec.com/product.php?Produ...eShowProduct=1

Stay away from big box retailers like best buy to do your installs, as they don't care much about the cars they work on.

If you would like, I can guide you through the install, or even record some video as to how I have mine wired up. I have my unit placed under my passenger seat, which is a perfect length to have the cord reach all the way to my bottom compartment under the radio. If you go with the pro clip mount, you may have to purchase a dock connector extension cord, which is about $12 on ebay.

I would stay away from bluetooth options since their sound quality is much lower than a hardwire, and you will need a separate charger for the phone as well.

Let me know what you think.

pererau

thank you!

jeeva86

Is the USA Spec any diff from what Blitzsafe offers?

vmodi89

it is different in that the blitzsafe will not control your iPod from the actual radio. For those of you who would like to retain steering wheel controls, this is an option that will not allow you to do so.

At the same time, the USAspec allows you to choose either control from the radio by playlist/artist/album, or from the screen of the iPod/iphone itself, still charges the device, and still allows you to use the steering wheel to control

for those of you with a 04-06 TL, the USAspec will also add an aux input, which did not come with your years.

jeeva86

Ok so blitzsafe is out of the question. Is iSimple just like the blitzsafe then? I can't seem to figure out which is the best. I'll need to make sure my navi works, charges my ip4, and I can control via both radio and iPhone. I don't use XM and likely will not in the future but will I be crippled somehow? I don't have LiveTraffic since I'm in Canada.

devildon

I would reccomend just upgrading to the newer isimple unit. that new unit will give you the ipod cable to charge and play the ipod plus an aux input for a 3.5 mm headphone jack and 2 rca connectors for other inputs. what i like is that it gives you 3 options to use once you access it in the xm button. you have ipod, aux 1 and aux 2. obviously ipod is the cable and lets you only control the music from the headunit and not the ipod. aux 1 plays from the ipod BUT it lets you control it from the ipod not the head unit. then depending if you have the cable connected for aux 2 youll either have aux 2 with your other input or if nothing is connected it still runs the ipod like in aux 1. hope this helps you out.

oh and i got my isimple off amazon a year ago for i think 98 bucks (price at the time) and works great.