messiah

Who has their iPod connected to their headunit? Just wondering best way of doing this, is it similar to connecting to an interchanger.

Would like some sort of holder for it also, to keep it charged and stop it flying around.

Recommendations and info welcome.

Chris L

Depending on what you've got, Denison might be a good place to start.

Chris

ozzy

Alpine do a connector that allows you to control the iPod from a compatible Alpine HU.

Dension does the same thing, but works with loads of different HU's (inc. OEM).

You could connect it via an FM transmitter or even via a phono lead, but you wouldn't be able to control the iPod from the HU (like you do a changer unit).

Stefan

messiah

Headunit is a Kenwood.

Denison kit looks like it does the biz but don't really want to be spending £100 and the design is a bit naff IMHO.

ScoobyDoo555

ITrip and tune it in properly!!!

You can get a great reception if you play with it - it still amazes me how many peeps think this piece of kit is crap, when all that is required is some technical savvy

either the ITrip or the AirPlay (has a little LCD on it)

All for around £30 - £40

Just get a suction mounted PDA holder......... about £7 off ebay

Dan

Iain Young

Kenwood now make an iPod interface for their head units.

http://www.kenwoodeurope.com/product...&k3=58&pr=1847

Costs about £70

See here for the compatibility table...

http://www.kenwood.com/i/kca-ip500/table/eng.html

Should get a much better sound quality than using an fm transmitter thingy.

zerolight

Having heard the poor quality of the RF units I went down the Dension route about 6 months ago. Initially I had problems because the firmware on the interface didn't properly support the Kenwood made Subaru factory headunit. However the retailer recently replaced my Dension unit with the latest interface which is now working perfectly.

I can't see how you can say the design looks a bit naff. It's just a cable. Unless of course you are talking about the dock. Which you don't have to order. I just got the cable. I have the interface and the cable all hooked up to the back of the head unit via the CD-Changer port (so thats nice line-level signal going in there, and it sounds better than the units CD player). It connects to the ipod via the ipod dock connection on the base of the ipod, taking a line level output, and also allowing your headunit to send prompts to the ipod to pause, play, skip tracks, etc. I have the cable coming out underneath the ashtray and connect my iSkin covered iPod to the cable and rest it in the coin tray between the gearshift and ashtray.

I have the interface setup not to use the dension ipod installed interface, but rather the ipods own interface. So before I move off I pick a play list (or album) on the ipod, then use the controls on the headunit to move back and fwd through the tracks.

Install was a piece of cake. Sound quality is as good as you are going to get via the factory head unit. And I'd never be without it now. Taking your entire record collection with you everywhere is just so cool.

zerolight

I bought from these guys for £84.50...

http://www.ghc.co.uk/acatalog/ice_Li..._for_iPod.html

Thay have provided fantastic after-sales support.

Check out the Kenwood model which is also compatible with the Subaru. They say 01-03 but it works just fine on my 04 too. As you'd expect.

messiah

thanks for the recommendations.

stupid question time - does the dock come without a cable to connect to the PC?

zerolight

your ipod comes with a cable. the ipod dock which apple supply uses that cable.

messiah

cheers .

zerolight

it comes with both usb2 and firewire.

Andy1966

What model is the Kenwood unit used in the WRX?

Cheers

zerolight

Its not branded as a Kenwood. Its made specifically for Subaru and fitted to all 01- Imprezas

messiah

I am now in possession of 1 iPod photo 30gb - cracking little machine, love the wheel.

No firewire cable came with it though and seeing as it took about an hour to transfer 550 tracks methinks I need the firewire to speed it up.

Still not sure which way to go about connecting it to the car though...

zerolight

The USB cable that it came with is USB2 which is faster than firewire, so be sure you have it connected to a usb2 port. Mine came with both cables, but I never use the firewire, just the USB2 cable.

It will take quite sometime, even over USB2 or Firewire to transfer tracks to it, especially the 1st time when you transfer lots of tracks to it. However once there, all you are doing is transferring additional tracks to it which will take much less time.

ozzy

The USB transfer is just as quick as the Firewire. Unless you've plugged it into a USB1 interface.

I only use USB2 on my PC's and it never takes anywhere near that time to transfer MP3's.

Stefan

messiah

No USB 2 on my laptop.

It's no great hardship, although I thought Firewire was a lot faster than USB2 due to it being aimed at digital video fiddlers.

At the moment my plans are to get a dock to sit under the telly and connect it to the home cinema speakers (I wish apple would hurry up and get that Universal Remote sorted out ). Think I'll leave the car connection until after I come back from holiday - I can't decide whether to have the unit in a cradle on the dash or to hide it somewhere and operate it from the HU.

decisions, decisions...

zerolight

Theres not a lot in it.

USB = 12mb/s
Firewire = 400mb/s
USB2 = 480mb/s

Though this comparison below suggests that for some reason, overall, firewire is still a bit faster...

http://www.cwol.com/firewire/firewire-vs-usb.htm

Iain Young

Actually USB2 is slightly faster than normal firewire, although I doubt you could notice the difference.

Next payday I'm going to get the Kenwood DDX7025 with ipod interface. That way I can choose the tracks / albums just by using the touch screen on the head unit

zerolight

Dension unit does exactly the same thing, except it works with other head units too. Including the stock head unit. I prefer to use the ipod to navigate through the play lists though, its easier and quicker, and its sitting just as far away from me as the headunit.

messiah

I know what you mean - the tart in me would like to have it on show...

Iain Young

I don't need it to work with other head units though. I'll only be using it in one car with one head unit. Not the stock head unit either, as it really is not very good at all.

For me, being able to navigate using the large double din touch screen will be much easier than fiddling around with the ipod controls, and it means I can tuck the ipod away somewhere safe. From what I've seen, the Kenwood interface is just as easy to use as the interface on the ipod itself...

Each to their own I guess

mark1234

Think you'll find the cable that connects the charger to the 'pod (if it's like mine and has a removable cable on the charger) just happens to have a firewire plug on the charger end....

Andy1966

How easy was it to remove the headunit, any special tools needed, any help would be good.

Iain Young

Assuming you are talking about the double din models, you can remove the standard head unit using nothing but a normal old phillips screwdriver. No special tools required.

ru'

And the FAQ will show you how...

stevey

iTrader: (2)

got the kenwood adapter in mine head unit is a 2001 model and all the lit says it only works on 2003 onwards but if you phone kenwood tech they will tell you if it will work in your model (i did ) if it's an older model . great bit of kit and works perfectly

Andy1966

I have just installed the Denison ICE link to MY04 WRX on the standard headunit. Thanks to all for your help, instructions were easy and it only took 15 mins to install.

Sounds good too apart form the standard Speakers!

Cheers Andy

Jamesemt

Another quick tip - take the ash tray out of the car. If you route the cables to the back of the ash tray slot, the ipod fits perfectly in the space (well it does with my case, complete with belt clip). It's also very difficult to see it from outside the car...