Sims

Anyone using this adaptor in their 2nd Gen CL?
http://www.mp3yourcar.com/productdet...p?productID=14
I'm looking to integrate an Ipod and dont really want to use an FM Transmitor.

escape-artist

I just purchased mine. I will install it over the weekend.

brakejob

your link sucks, not working, but this is what I use in my 2nd gen TL
https://acurazine.com/forums/audio-video-electronics-navigation-22/blitzsafe-hon-m-link-dmx-v-1d-review-312263/

brakejob

you get to control it which is nice, but you if you have an external cd changer you lose it

MikePA

I have one installed in my '99 TL. Works fine. It plugs into the external CD socket, but with an iPod, who needs a CD changer?

mt6forlife

Did you have to take apart the whole center console and pull the head unit like in the big 22 page PDF to get it connected? I just got mine (waiting on the iPod to arrive now) and was hoping I could get to the back of it from the right side maybe with a mirror and a flashlight.

MikePA

You don't need to take the console out. Take the passenger side wood trim off and the passenger side console kick panel, reach behind the radio and plug the cable in. It takes a little patience, but it's easier than taking the whole console out. I've done it a number of time. BTW, this assumes the CL and TL are set up the same.

mt6forlife

Oh, do I have to disconnect the battery?

MikePA

I didn't.

rjp

After four attempts at getting a working version from Dension (IceLink), I gave up and ordered this unit. Should be here in the next couple of days. If you follow the posted instructions for taking out the center console, it's really not that hard; after doing it four times, I've gotten it down to about 10 minutes.

There are a couple of simple updates if you have a six speed - if that's the case, let me know and I'll type something up.

mt6forlife

Yeah I have the 6 speed. I know the seat heater controls are different and the OBDII interface is no longer under the coin tray. Does the hand brake being there change anything?

rjp

A couple of things I found to supplement the existing "how-to" for a six speed:

1) Undo the bolts for the center console and just pull it back about an inch
2) Take out the side panel on the passenger side (it's easy to do once the center console has been pulled back)
3) You will see the wiring harness at this point (lower passenger side); simply disconnect it. With that done, you can take out the entire console by sliding it up and forward over the hand brake.
4) Follow the posted instructions to remove the panel under the steering column as well as the drivers side panel
5) Unscrew the gear shift knob - hold the chrome ring (so that the leather doesn't covering doesn't turn)
6) Take out the tray under the coin holder – it will simply pop out by gently pressing on the tabs from the bottom side (now accessible because the side panels are gone)
7) There will be four screws holding the remaining center panel in place (the one that is built around the gear shifting mechanism) – two in the rear and two under the coin tray. Once the screws are out, slide it back and remove the wiring harness behind the coin holder power outlet. By putting the car in 6th gear (ensure the hand brake is on), you can take this entire piece out.
8) Follow the remainder of the posted instructions to remove the head unit.

If people are interested, I can take some pictures when I install the Ion – it will probably get here in the next three or four days. Hopefully this will be the last time I have to do this.

mt6forlife

Thanks.

MikePA

If all you are doing is installing the iOn cable, you do not need to remove the console or the HU.

rjp

Each to his own I guess.

You could technically leave the console in and just slide it back to get the side panels out (the tabs from the side panel fit under the console). I generally want it out because I will be running the cable back to the center console to store the iPod. I have never had much success getting my hand behind the stereo without taking the head unit out - I couldn't even disconnect the wire using that method. Either the six speed is different from the auto, in this respect, or you are more patient/dexterous/thin.

mt6forlife

I installed my unit today. I tried to connect the cable to the back of the head unit without pulling it, but I just couldn't get my hand back there with enough dexterity to put the plug in place. I did pull the armrest completly out of the car so I could run the dock connector back there and bundle up the extra cable out of the way. I unfastened the head unit/climate control unit and rotated it out just enough to get my hand back there and pop the connector in. I mounted the interface unit to the passenger side of the hard yellow plastic that the shif linkage mounts to, just forward of the wiring harness that feeds the armrest. Then with the dock connector mounted in the armrest, I reinstalled the armrest and connected the stock wiring harness and the dock cable to the interface. The bottom of the armrest's big storage bin has a trap door that allows access to adjust the parking brake. I cut a small notch in the edge of the door to let the dock cable come up from below. The cable then goes through the notch in the side of the upper bin. The iPod lives in the upper bin. The installation is 100% stealth: You would have no idea there was an iPod in the car unless I opened the storage bin and showed you.

The sound is awesome. It takes the system maybe 30 seconds to start playing from the iPod when switching from another source. Maybe another 30 seconds after that, the display will read something like disc 1-01. At that point, the track advance button on the steering wheel will work. When I select another source, like FM radio, the iPod will continue to play. Before I updated the iPod's software to v1.2, the iPod would turn off when I turned off the car. Now it doesn't. When returning to the car, I just hit the play button on the iPod to resume playback almost instantly. (Assuming I left the car on cd1) I talked to the sales manager at MP3yourcar before I bought it and was aware that the navi-equipped Acuras had some software flakiness such as I've described. I've only had the setup for a few hours but I think CD quality sound and charging through my stock headunit is worth the few hassles.

I can post some pictures if anyone's interested.

mt6forlife

Forgot to add: Even though its taking a line level signal from the dock connector, the EQ settings in the iPod will affect your sound. I set mine off and let the head unit control it. With the iPod set to "rock" and the Bose's bass and treble set to neutral, it didn't sounds too good.

rjp

Just installed mine last night as well - pretty much the identical setup. I haven't updated the iPod software yet (didn't even know it was out before reading your post). Really looking forward to using this unit.

MikePA

I believe you have to hit the CD button on the HU twice. (I think these are the instructions for accessing the external CD changer versus the in dash CD changer).

When I only hit it once, the iPod continues to play even after I shut the car off. When I hit the CD button twice, the iPod goes into charge mode soon after I shut the car off. (Running latest iPod software).

mt6forlife

Yeah it was definitley in "changer" mode. I was listening to the music from the iPod. But after updating the iPod from v1.1 to v1.2, the iPod no longer shut down when shutting down the car. Even with v1.1, it didn't shut down when I switched to another source but I expected that. I'll play with it more today and see if I'm missing something. Do you know if its possible to downgrade the software on an iPod? I have a 30GB photo.

MikePA

I don't know if you can downgrade the iPod software, but I imagine you'd also have to downgrade iTunes as well since 1.2 added the Podcasting feature.

What I have started doing is hit Stop on the iPod before I shut the car off. A minute or two later, it goes into charge mode.

mt6forlife

I got a chance to work with it a little more this morning. Sometimes the iPod turns off when I kill the ignition, sometimes not. One time when it did work, it automatically resumed playing at the same song when I turned the car back on. The track advance/back and seek buttons (the + and - in the lower right) work as expected. I was playing around with the 1-6 buttons too. I had the iPod playing by artist and this artist has two albums. I was listening to song 5 of album 1. I hit the 5 button on the head unit, then track advance, and it skipped to the 18th song of the 2nd album. I'll have to play with that some more to see if there's anything useful there.

rjp

I found that the 1-6 buttons don't really do much. As far as track numbers go, they can get out of sync; if you use the iPod to forward songs the radio track numbers are not updated. Not a big deal considering there is no information displayed and the track number [on the car] only goes to 99. I'll probably look into putting a holder in place as part of the cup holder - for longer trips anyway.

rjp

I upgraded to V1.2 last night and now have the same issue with theh iPod not turning off. I think I'm going to try to move back to 1.1 - see how that works tonight.

mt6forlife

Let me know if you can get it back to 1.1 and it works. This is my first iPod so I don't know how to downgrade it.

rjp

Not sure if this is the easiest way to do things but here's what I did:

- Found the iPod directory under Program Files
- Found the directory of the Update Program one back from the most recent (iPod Updater 2005-03-23)
- Ran the program, hooked up the iPod and restored all default settings
- I then had to reset all of my settings (i.e. display time) and reload all of the music

It's reloading right now so I actually haven't tried using it in the car yet - should work the same way it did prior to the upgrade last night.

mt6forlife

Thanks. I've been using it all day today and so far its turned off with the ignition every time. I still have the updated v1.2 software. So it's kind of hit or miss but fortunately its working more than not.

rjp

The older software seems to turn it off every time (should be carefull - haven't used it a lot yet) but doesn't always turn it on again when you start the car. Seems to stay in charge mode until you hit the play button on the iPod.

mt6forlife

I've noticed that with 1.2. It usually doesn't turn it back on. When the head unit reads disc 1 (flashing) the iPod will go from a blank screen to "charged". At that point I can push play three times and it plays. The first time wakes it up and makes it play, but I can't hear it. The second time pauses it, the third time = music. A few seconds later, the head unit shows a track number. Then I can use the track advance/back buttons on the head unit.

badazzTL

I'm about to order one of these but I wanted to make sure it would work on a 2000 TL w/o navi. Also can some of you post pics of how you mouted it? Part numbers of the mounts you used also? This is a lot cheaper than the icelink and it looks pretty similar. Thanks for any help!
-Corey

rjp

I have it installed in an '03 CL - can't really comment as to whether it will work in a TL. As to mounting, I just ran the wire back to the center console and that's where I keep the iPod.

badazzTL

Does ur CL have navi? I think I want to put mine in the center console also because it will be more concealed and I won't have to worry about disconnecting it and hiding it every time I get out of the car.

rjp

No Navi. Once you get to the back of the stereo there is nothing to the install, one plug from the stereo to the ION, one from the ion to the iPod.

badazzTL

cool man, thanks for ur help.

SKUNK3

I have the neo ion SP in my also and it has been my best mod so far haha.

kprepetit

anyone using the ipod interface by mp3yourcar.com in a 2000 acura 3.2 tl w. navigation and how does it work?