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Quick Question About Ipod Connectivity


sjrainsford
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Hi all. Sorry for the flood of posts. This one relates to adding ipod connectivity. Its a must for me.

Took my stereo out today to have a look and it has two plugs in the back. One has most of the cables and the one that I thought was the cd changer connection already has two wires in it. Will this effect me when the time comes to fit my ipod connection unit? What do they do?

Its the top loader cd unit by the way and has external amp presumably as its a 2000 SE model.

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I purchased this in error roughly one month ago, I paid £170 all in - I am cutting my losses, everything is brand new I have pictures on another thread.

Grom Kit + Iphone/ipod connector + Bluetooth mic

Make me an offer, obviously I am looking for as much as I can get... this is a good community, so make a fair offer and it is yours.

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I just picked up a Grom iPod/USB/Aux unit from a user on the OJC forum, for £35 inc. next day recorded delivery. No Bluetooth, but then I don't spend enough time in the car to warrant needing it (Iphone handsfree headphones will do). Just installed it, works great, and sounds awesome!

I looked into the xCarLink one, which probably would have been my first choice, but they're £85 delivered (or if you want it with BT as well, it's £125 inc.) and I just couldn't justify £85 for something I'm gonna rarely use (I don't do a lot of miles, and tend to only use the iPod when doing long journeys), so £35 second hand for a Grom was much more appealing.

Fitting is a cinch, and worth a few mins reading the manual to understand mode switching, but after that it's (hopefully) plain sailing!

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Just been out into town and back, and pleased with it - turning off ignition and the iPod pauses, turn it back on and it resumes playing automatically. Haven't figured out Random yet (headunit control) though, but my iPod is on shuffle more or less all the time, so it's not a big deal as I just leave it on shuffle and skip through (or use the click wheel on the iPod to scroll through to find a specific track)

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DO put some masking tape on all the dash and console edges as people say - I did, then put the headunit back so took it off, then needed to take the headunit out again to thread the wires properly but didn't put tape on it, and marked the console edges! Muppet!

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£19.99 = ipod/iphone connector

£39.99 = Bluetooth mic & dongle

£109.99 = grom USB & Android interface (the new model)

Grand total : £169.99

I would sell this for £100 all in, its brand new - if anyone else wants it - PM me

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Another question for the xcarlink owners. Did yours work out of the box?

I already have a plug in my disk changer connection which controls the amplifier volume. I'd have hoped that as a high percentage of UK cars are bound to have the external amplifier, that they would have supplied a Y cable or whatever it is I need. Unless I can sort it by modifying the wiring.

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That might be where the cable that came with the Grom would have been useful, as it has the passthrough connectors to allow more than one plug to use the changer port (although I couldn't tell you if it would support external amplifier volume control)

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I'm looking into getting either the Grom or the Xcarlink unit. Only thing i'm waiting for is the new Iphone announcement as if the rumours are correct it's going to have a totally new dock connector so won't work with existing dock accessories like the Grom/Xcarlink adapters.

Cheers

Dave.

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The xcarlink is great in my car with decent sound quality.

I can't however recommend it personally. It may have more selectable playlists than the Grom unit but it isn't what I'd class as plug and play.

The Grom has a built in Y splitter on the AVC-LAN connection which is what is needed for those with an external amp. The xcarlink doesn't therefore a separate splitter will be needed.

Being as they're similar in price by a few quid the Grom edges it for me.

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You'll find that adapters will be produced anyway. The same happened when Apple changed the dock connector a few years back. The connector was physically the same but the charging pin changed.

This time it's a possibility that it's a totally different shaped connector too apparently. Around the size of a mini USB connector.

Cheers

Dave.

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The xcarlink is great in my car with decent sound quality.

I can't however recommend it personally. It may have more selectable playlists than the Grom unit but it isn't what I'd class as plug and play.

The Grom has a built in Y splitter on the AVC-LAN connection which is what is needed for those with an external amp. The xcarlink doesn't therefore a separate splitter will be needed.

Being as they're similar in price by a few quid the Grom edges it for me.

Possibly a little unfair, because for the majority of people, it is simply plug n play. Your situation is different, and specific, since you have an additional external amp occupying the changer port. In most people's cases, it'd simply be plugged into an empty changer port and boom > they have iPod/Aux/USB connectivity. As was in my case.

You'll find that adapters will be produced anyway. The same happened when Apple changed the dock connector a few years back. The connector was physically the same but the charging pin changed.

This time it's a possibility that it's a totally different shaped connector too apparently. Around the size of a mini USB connector.

Cheers

Dave.

Yes, I had read about the possible connector change coming, we'll just have to see. However, it'll obviously still work with my iPod Classic, but it'd be nice to be able to continue using it with iPhones, since I plan to keep using those also

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I'd just hope that they make it such that people will only have to buy an adapter to use with legacy equipment.

People everywhere seem to have something with An apple dock connector on these days. Would be a right pain for everyone to have to change.

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  • 2 weeks later...

forget the grom get yourself down to Halfords and get one of these http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_875559_langId_-1_categoryId_265857 £400 off Pioneer page http://www.pioneer.eu/eur/products/SPH-DA100/print.html

You will need a double din fascia plate mod kit on eBay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/270639220846?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

a by pass lead for the lexus Amplifier either this one http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lexus-Amplifier-By-Pass-Lead-Wiring-Harness-PC2-93-4-/250704951293?pt=UK_In_Car_Technology&hash=item3a5f2df7fd

or this one ( depending on the amp fitted in your car ) http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PC2-92-4-Lexus-Amplifier-By-Pass-ISO-Stereo-Head-Unit-Harness-Adaptor-Loom-Lead-/180734525470?pt=UK_In_Car_Technology&hash=item2a149e001e

Its fiddly at first,but take your time fitting it I now have over 1500 songs to choose from including video's that are on the Iphone,it all works via a pioneer app "AppRadio" from the app store.This touch screen head also works with android phones but you need to purchase a seperate lead from pioneer for that

You also have the facility to fit a reversing camera,this is the one i fitted. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Car-Rear-View-Camera-License-Plate-Night-Vision-Reverse-Parking-Line-Waterproof-/261064513815?pt=UK_In_Car_Technology&hash=item3cc8a85917 I chose this as i did'nt want to put any holes in the body work ,I had to cut the connectors off then re-splice as I used the left hole that the number plate screws use to feed the cables through ( the fascia is stuck on with double sided tape) I did have to get a new number plate as the original Lexus dealer plate was too big

I am really impressed with this unit the onboard amp in the unit is excellent.graphic equaliser and a multitude of settings available including colour,brightness etc for the screen as well as the camera.

If anyone wants more info please feel free to get in touch

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Or, pay much much less than the £500+ that lot will cost (my Grom was £35) and I have 7993 songs at my finger tips (ok so no video playback, but I don't really want to watch a video on a tiny screen on the lower part of the dash anyway, especially while I'm driving!

And it only takes 5 mins (literally) to fit

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That's fair enough, but it's a vastly more expensive option that simply adding iPod/iPhone connectivity to the standard stereo. The Grom / XCarLink option is massively cheaper, massively simpler, and just as effective - if all you want to do is play your music from your iPhone/iPod through the standard stereo, control it through the standard stereo and charge the iDevice at the same time.

I've been there and done all that - had massive ICE builds with amps, head units, and speakers here there and everywhere (my older brother is a bit of an ICE whiz, or was, and used to compete in SQ sound off's back in the day) but nowadays, I just wanna get in the car, plug in my iDevice and listen to my music as I drive wherever I'm going. Not saying everyone wants that of course - we're all different ;)

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