Well I decided to go with the ICELINK. So far well worth the $200 I love the ability to control the Ipod through the steering wheel it's also nice that the ICELINK charges the Ipod whenever its on the cradle.




Which do you like better the black case or the plain white?

 

i like the white, gives it a more high-tech look to it...and more classy



what exactly does the icelink do?

 

http://www.densionusa.com/x/index.ph...=375&Itemid=79

 

thats pretty sweet, I like the setup...but I dont have the $$$

 

It's tight and everything, but I don't like the location of the Ipod. Why did you decide to position it right there?

 

I think that its nice but must be hard to look at, especially when driving, nice setup though

 

When I'm driving there really is no need to be looking/touching at the Ipod since there is track/voume control on the steering wheel. I normally just keep it on random or when I want to play an entire album I'll just que it up at a stop light. If I'm on a roadtrip I can just pop it out of the cradle and then do what I need to do and then pop it back in a mater of seconds.

I like that spot because IMO it was the cleanest looking spot. You can NOT see the wire and its nicely out of the way of everthing. I love my cup holder so I wan't about to use the Belkin and all the other mouting brackets are mounted in very obtrusive locations...IMO.




**edit**

BTW: The Ipod mount can pivot so the screen can actually point slighly more up than seen in the pics.

 

Nice and clean, do they have something like this for Dell's MP3 players?

 

not that I know of...sorry.

 

Nice mod.

Bad location.

 

hey.. u think it'll work with 03 CL? I thought about getting Aux-Pod from PAC but it doesn't work for 03 CL just yet.. I dont' want to use Blitzsafe adaptor because I want to be able to control tracking and volume thru my steering wheel. I'm assuming that's what you can do with this. Let me know if it would work.

 

Another thing... How is the sound quality?? Anything close to CD quality?? or the quality you would hear from ipod directly?

 

Once again I love the location...I've had it there for about a week now and I still haven't had any need to look or touch the Ipod. Plus I don't want to have the thing in plain view, I enjoy the stock look of the TL.

 

Sound quality is good...Its not CD quality but its close. Its hard to compare the quality from the Ipod thought just becaus I've only heard it going from the ear buds and other avg. headphones to the TL's system.

 

Yeah I don't see why it wouldn't work for your 03...just check out denison's web site.

 

So the OEM head unit has an AUX jack in the back and these interfaces just plug into it? Is there any difference between the head unit in the navi and non-navi cars? I have an 03 6 speed with navi. Does the in-dash CD changer still work if the iPod is connected? Not that I'd be using it much with several GB at my finger tips, but it would be nice if it still worked. What do you think of mounting it in the lower part of the armrest storage bin? I want everything hidden out of sight to avoid being broken into.

 

The "aux" input on the back of the headunit is a proprietary design that requires a "special" plug. It's not like it's just a pair of RCA's or something... I don't think the head units are different on nav vs. non-nav CL. But I do NOT know if having the Nav unit uses the plug that bug230 is using for his Ice-Link. I'm going to write to Dension right now and ask them if the Ice-Link will work with the Navi. If anyone else knows, please reply.

If you installed it in the armrest storage bin, that would be out of site and you could just get the IceLink option without the mount, but it may be kind of a pain if you wanted to switch albums or playlists or anything. It would work great if you just had really big playlists, or if you played all your songs directly from the master "songs" list, or if you used "Shuffle" all the time. You can only use the head unit and steering wheel controls to go next or previous track (and the volume still controls your head unit's volume, same as always). It seems like it's really easy to just pop the iPod in an out of the Ice-Link with the mount, so it may not be so bad to just mount it out in the open (like to the right of the stock head unit with one of their $30 mounts that doesn't mess up your car with holes or anything).

Hey Bug230. I have a quick question for you!

Thanks for all the info. Nice work on the install. I'm probably going to use this same device. But before I order it, I wanted to ask you if you ever hear any "engine noise" coming through the speakers while listening to the iPod when it is attached to the Ice-Link?

I saw on another forum that a guy who installed an Ice-Link on his Accord was getting some engine noise and had to install a ground-loop isolator which helped a lot. He was using the Ice-Link for the old-school iPods though, so his audio signal was coming out of the headphone jack instead of through the port on the bottom of the newer iPods. Maybe the newer one with the port on the bottom doesn't suffer from this problem.

I just wondered if you ever heard any engine noise through the speakers at all...like when the iPod is in between tracks or something...

I'm writing to Dension right now to make sure that this unit will work in 2001 CL's that have the Navigation system in them...the Dension site doesn't make this clear...we'll see...and I'll reply with their answer in this thread.

Thanks!

 

skyeflye,

I've never heard any distortion from the engine RPMs. It give you a very clean sound...almost as good as a CD. Enjoy...I have!

 

That's great! Thanks for the reply!

Now I just have to wait and hear whether or not this thing works with a CL-S that has the facory NAV system.

I am actually doubting they will say yes because there are all these places on the order page where they say (w/o nav).

I'll bet that the factory nav system probably plugs directly into the very holes that you used to plug your Ice-Link into. You'd think they would make a way to daisy chain them or something.... well I haven't given up yet....fingers crossed.

 

I like it a lot . That's probably around the area I'd throw the iPod too.

-I prefer the black case. That shit looks nice. I didnt even realize that they had that

 

So I guess no one has found out if the Icelink works for Navi car yet. I will also email a few places and see what they say.

 

I wrote to Denison and got a pretty ambiguous answer. I wrote back to them and had to actually explain how the model years broke down because they didn't have their facts straight. I'm waiting for a reply from them now.

Anyway, I now doubt that it'll work, because the one relevant fact on the order page says that it works in 2001-2003 TL (w/o nav). Since the '01-'03 TLs have the same exact head unit and nav as the CLs of those years, I'm betting its a no-go for us navi havers.

It makes sense anyway, because the "empty" plug in the back of bug230's headunit that he plugged his Ice-Link into is probably used by the navi...if you have the navi.

So...bogus... But I'll confirm in this thread as soon as I hear the official word from Denison.

 

According to this poster on A-TL forum he has a navi unit and there is still an empty plug back there.

http://www.acura-tl.com/forums/showp...0&postcount=56

 

Wow! That's great news. Thanks for relaying that post. I think even the manufacturers of the Blitzsafe (sp?) and the Ice-Link are confused by this very topic.

I guess the worst thing that can happen is that I'll need to return or black market the Ice-Link to someone w/o the navi (if it doesn't work for some reason). F*ck it! I'm tired of not knowing whether it'll work. I'll go ahead and get it and just see if it works or not. I guess give me about a week or so and I'll let everyone know.

Again, I have a 2001 CL Type-S with the nav and in-dash CD changer. Wish me luck!

 

Alright, I just ordered it, so it should be here within the week. I'll see if I can find to to try to hook it up next weekend.

The worst-case scenario is that I'll need to return it in which case I'll be out about $50. It's worth it so we'll all know for sure.

I'll respond with more info as I have it...and I'll definitely take pics to share no matter what happens.

 

I was wondering if I am going to lose the functionality of my 6disc changer using the icelink. I liek the idea and though castly if i can still use my changer I think it is worth it. Oh yeah the install on your ipod was a good idea, looks like it supposed to be there.

 

You actually don't lose any functionality when you install the Ice-Link.

For example, let's say you are listening to the Radio. If you press the "CD" button once, that switches you to the 6-disc changer...same as ever. Then, if you press the "CD" button a second time, you will switch to the Ice-Link. So, it's kind of like the "CD" button toggles between the Ice-Link and the CD changer.

It's really a pretty elegant solution...hope it works in my CL with the navi system!

 

Oh... I just noticed you have a 97... so what I wrote above may not be applicable. If you have an "external" CD changer, I think you WOULD lose the changer functionality based on what I read. So that kinda blows...

 

After some more investigating, if Navi unit owners can have XM w/ a blitzsafe adaptor we should have a empty plug for the Icelink.

The other option I am trying to confirm is if the Icelink will connect to the blitzsafe then to the HU.

 

why do you just call them and get a true answer on the subject. I called them before and they were extremely helpfull.

Dension USA
866-822-3673

 

I have an 01 CL-S along with my TL I just haven't updated my signature. I'm glad that I don't lose any functions with the icelink, I will probably order the part in the middle of the month.

 

I called them, they don't believe its compatible because there is no free Aux plug. Although some ppl think it work. If a Navi TL or CL can have XM the Icelink should plug in there too.

 

Yeah, Chet. I got the same answer from Dension.

But I think they are wrong...based on what other TL and CL owners have written based on their own experience. I'm more inclined to believe CL/TL owners that have installed other products than some customer rep at Dension who can't even keep the CL model years straight...you know what I'm saying? :P Really the only thing I'm worried about at this point is some unknown "software" conflict between the Navi and the Ice-Link. In other words, the plug may be open for the Ice-Link, but that doesn't necessarily guarantee it'll work.

I ordered the Ice-Link for my 2001 CL-S w/ navi. They just emailed me today saying that it's backordered for about a week. So, I won't be able to attempt the install for another week or so.

When I attempt to install, hopefully I'll be able to take some informative pics and document the process, whether it works or not. I'll start a new thread for those pics, but I'll link to the new thread from this one once it's up so everyone subscribed to this one can find it easily.

 

skyeflye: Awesome, thanks for taking the plunge. Take some photos of the back of the HU whether it works or not. That way we have evidence that there is an Aux Plug free even with the Navi Unit. If it doesn't work PM I don't mind donating $10 to help offset some of your shipping losses.

 

Got my dension kit yesterday and installed it - I have 2002 CL-S with Navi, stock headunit. It works - there is an aux port available; installation was pretty much plug-n-play - once you get to the back of the radio

Car-specific kit you need to order is I11_Honda_R2 - iceLink v1.1 for 1998-2004 Honda/Acura.

Advantages of having dension kit vs other connections (cassette adapter, FM):
- better sound quality
- iPod battery is charged all time
- you can use radio / steering weel controls to switch between tracks
- you don't have to pause / shut down the iPod when you tur off the radio or just turn to CD player (yes, it still works) or FM - iPod is switched off automatically.

 

That's GREAT NEWS ark. Congrats! Thanks a lot for posting that. I'm going to be installing mine today. Dension actually sent me one of the wrong parts, and had to FedEx me the right one. Anyway, I have everything I need now from Dension, so I should be all set. I'll be posting pics of my install process.

Did you get one of the little mount/clip things? Where did you put the iPod itself?

I have a dumb question. When you said "once you get to the back of the radio" ...what is the best way to do that? I see the instructions others have posted and it seems like they took apart almost the whole center console. I don't mind doing that, but if there's an easier way, I'd obviously rather take that route.

I've also heard about people just removing one of the side panels, next to where the calf of your leg sits, but I haven't seen any pics of that, or even looked in my car to see how that might be possible...if it is. I know I could probably do a search and find some info, but any insight you could provide...especially specific to installing the Dension product, would be helpful.

Oh...and did you disconnect the battery terminal? before plugging the Ice-Link in?

Thanks again!

 

this is what it looks like. I went to Ace hardware and bought a couple sheet metal screws to mount the icelink box.

 

I just got my Ice-Link install finished and it is poifect! (I have the Navi as well). I will start a new thread with a TON of pics I took while installing.

BTW, there are a whole bunch more wires back there on our Navi-equipped CLs...

I'll get the pics online later tonight.

Thanks!

 

Thats awesome. I can't wait to get mine now.

 

Yo People!

I just started a new thread with pics of my Ice-Link install. I also created a 22-page PDF tutorial for those that are looking to install one of these in their own vehicles. You can download it fro mthe other thread.

Here's the other thread I started: http://www.acura-cl.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2069405

Cheers!