Tyman

Hello,

Newbie here with the ipod, so please forgive me. I just installed the ice-link for a 2003 TL non navi into my 03 TL. Everything went in fine, I updated my ipod (video 60g) to latest levels, reset the ipod, created 5 playlist (1rock, 2R&B,..)

The problem is when I plug the ipod into the ice-link, my cd reads cd1 and track 1 is blinking. No matter what I try to do I cant seem to control the ipod from the HU. I am able to control the volume via the HU or the steering wheel. but I am unable to change playlist. I know dont have something set up correctly, but what is???

Thanks

miner

You probably have it set up for the iPod user interface (quicker) . The Sony UI (slower) needs to be used for controls on the steering wheel to work. The manual should cover how to change UI.

Tyman

Miner,

Thank you for your response. Not sure what you mean tho. I am using the ipod and the apple software that came with it. The ice-link doc talks about some menu but I cant seem to figure out how to get that to show up on the ipod. I have an email to them(ice-link) but as usally their hasnt been any response. Any other suggestions? I know its an user error, I just cant figure out what it is.

Ben_Morris

Tyman,

Add me to the list of the people who have not got any response from Dension USA. I have a '03CL with a 30G video ipod that sounds great in the car but I can not control it from the head unit or the steering wheel. I also get the wonderful flashing track 1.

If you get any reply. Please post it. As for Dension USA service...

rjp

I went through four of these units - same results. When I finally suggested that this product does not work in the CL, the guy said he had tested it himself. Got my money back and ordered and NEO ION, worked first time right out of the box. I know some people got the original Dension working but I don't know anyone who has the Plus version working.

01RedCLS

Does this affect the CL-S Navi or *just* the NON-Navi? I have an 01 CL-S Navi and just bought the latest Dension ICE-LINK Plus off eBay (v 2.0)....

Tyman

Update, ICE-LINK has no customer service to speak off. Todate I have not been able to contact snyone there. So I am following the lead of RJP suggestion and getting the NEO ION. It should be here anyday. I will be return the ICE-LINK and try to forget I ever bought one of their products.

rjp

The good news is that I can now take the entire dash apart in under 10 minutes ... took me nearly 1.5 hours the first time :>) Thank you Dension for all that great practice.

01RedCLS

Can someone please answer my question? Do NAVI systems work??

01RedCLS

Is that the only problem - you can't change the playlist? Can't you just change it on the iPod and leave it? Are you always constantly changing playlists?

Can you control the iPod via the HU (skipping tracks, etc) ?

rjp

None of the steering wheel controls work - except volume of course. I really like skipping tracks or going back - doesn't work with the Dension. I also found you couldn't do anything via the iPod interface either - you basically got the song that was playing when you connected the device.

Just to be clear, you can't change playlists on the NEO ION except by using the iPod interface. In this case, it was not part of the design; with the Dension product, it (among other things) just didn't work.

As to the NAVI question, I believe all of this applies to both Navi and non Navi - same plug on the back to connect the products.

01RedCLS

Can't you just use the iPod UI and just click one button to advance a track? I don't understand why that would be so difficult...

Granted, I understand that the system should WORK AS DESIGNED, and doesn't appear to with Dension...

rjp

A couple of reasons:

1) For me, the Dension interface replaces the iPod interface when you connect it and that didn’t work – you could not advance a track from the iPod after you connected the device.
2) Even if that did work, I paid a premium for the functionality; I could have gone with a cheaper product if all I wanted was music connectivity. I personally like it because I keep the iPod in the center console and simply use the stereo controls – much more convenient and safer when I’m driving.

Whether you want the functionality or not, installing a defective product on four separate occasions and getting nothing but grief from their “customer support” is not my idea of a good company.

Tyman

I totally agree with RJP. ICE-LINK sounds great on paper but it does not fuction in real life in our cars. The idea of this system is to set up your playlist (5 in total) plug in the ipod and forget about it. As for controlling your ipod, you can use the steering wheel controls or the HU and switch playlist by pressing the disk number on the HU. Well, that is if the product is working as designed. Fingers are crossed that the Neo will provide all that. As for installing, I hear you RJP. It has become very easy to tear it apart the car.

01RedCLS

Well .. let me know if the Neo does indeed provide everything it states.

rjp

I’ve been using the NEO for about six months now and it works pretty good. It does not provide access to play lists from the stereo but allows access to the native iPod interface for that type of functionality. Outside of that, you can utilize the stereo / steering wheel controls to skip tracks, go back through tracks, fast forward, rewind and mess with the volume. A couple of quirks:

- After you turn the car on, it takes between 5 and 10 seconds to recognize the iPod is connected and put up the track number
- Once that takes place, you need to hit play on the iPod, it will not start automatically (this is probably the biggest annoyance).
- The track number will not increment unless you manually skip a track; this is not a big deal in that track numbers are somewhat meaningless in a 3500+ song iPod.
- Although it will automatically stop and go into recharge mode when the car is turned off, something happens about every 50th time where it will not stop; this could turn into a battery issue if you do not catch it.

Outside of that, it sounds great and I could not go back to using CDs – just don’t expect perfection.

fuzzy02CLS

iTrader: (2)

Bumping this thread. I'm confused.
My 03 6mt CL, non nav. I have a Nano. Should I use the Ice link, blitzsafe, or Neo adapters?

rjp

- Ice Link: IceLink Plus product never did work in my car; wouldn't go near this company again
- Blitzsafe: No experience
- Neo: According to the web site, should work (see link); mine works fine with my iPod Photo

http://www.mp3yourcar.com/search.asp...51&Submit.y=12

SteveT

I'm using the USASPEC PA11-HON with my new nano in my '03 TL and it works great. I've tried both modes (just control from HU, or control from HU AND from nano). I prefer the latter just because I like to see the little display.
I use it for listening to Audible.com books, so the playlist feature of option 1 isn't useful to me.

01RedCLS

Do you have the factory navigation too?

SteveT

No, I do not.