Hardwiring power and aux audio in 2011 Prius

I was bummed out too when I found out that my 2011 Prius III didn't support bluetooth streaming.

I have been looking around for a solution and the best I have found is a device from New Potato. They sell a bluetooth receiver with a 3.5 mm line out that all fits in in a 12V DC adaptor. It seems perfect enough to plug into the 12V in the center console armrest with a short pigtail audio cable right into the AUX line.

The only problem is the cost. They sell one for Android and one for iPhones. I hear that once its paired, it will be paired everytime the car starts up.

New Potato - Bluetooth Car Interface for Apple® iPhone® and iPod® touch - 1001-01002


I have tried other bluetooth adaptors but all had a built in rechargeable battery. And since it was always plugged into the USB charger, the electrical noise could be heard over the speaker. It seems the New Potato does not have a battery and powered only when the car is on. I think read somewhere that the New Potato device has built in noise filter to deal with the electrical noise from the 12V DC.

 

I have not purchased the New Potato interface. However I have purchased a cheap bluetooth receiver with the rechargeable battery that I mentioned before. With that setup I was able to use 2 different bluetooth devices on the phone (at the same time), where the Prius was selected for phone audio and the bluetooth receiver for media audio. When receiving a phone call while playing media, the phone automatically pauses the media audio and the phone gets priority. As a side note, I am using an Android phone and I am not too familiar with the iPhone settings.

The setup is great for me, however the electrical noise level from the charger of the bluetooth receiver is annoying. I have unplugged the charger and allowed the bluetooth receiver be battery operated, but I have caught myself many times for having a dead battery on that bluetooth receiver.

The New Potato looks like it can solve my problem, but the cost is holding me back. I love the small form factor. This week I am getting my Prius tinted and waiting for the fog lights to come in so I can install them. The New Potato will have to wait until the next pay check.

Since it can be purchased locally at Best Buy, you can always return it if it doesn't work out for you. Please do share your experience if you go that route.

 

FYI - Bluetooth can be a battery drainer for the phone. To solve that problem, I purchased a 12V USB adaptor (Car Cigarette Powered 1000mA USB Adapter/charger DC 12V | eBay) and a retractable micro USB cable (Micro USB to USB A Retractable Data Sync Charger Cable | eBay). When not using the charger, I just give the cable a tug and off it goes spinning into a small form factor. No messy cables dangling around.

Since my phone had a fairly large screen, it ultimately became my primary navigation aid. Google Maps and Navigation worked very well for me when I travelled around the country. To securely mount it, I used a Mountek CD Slot Mount MT5000-C http://www.amazon.com/dp/product/B004E5W3D4?tag=priuschatcom-20 Since I don't use CDs, losing the CD slot was not an issue for me. With Googe Maps/Nav and streaming music from Pandora, life was good.

 

If you plan to buy one soon, below is a link for a 10% off coupon from Best Buy.

http://image.emailinfo2.bestbuy.com/lib/fef41d77766c04/m/23/MYS_Coupon_20110810_BBY.pdf

If you are already a Best Buy Reward Zone member, you can get 12% instead at the following link:

http://m.bestbuy.com/mobile/coupons/coupon-premier.html

 

KSHusker - I tried purchasing at a local Best Buy but had no luck. I am going to bite the bullet and get it from J&R. I went to their site and they have a video featuring the Tunelink. And guess what, they have it operating on a Prius.

JR.com: New Potato Technologies TuneLink Auto Bluetooth In-Car Audio for Android in Cell Phone Speakerphones

 

I too was disappointed when I heard that the priuses didn't come with ad2p standard for bluetooth. I just bit the bullet and ordered the grom iphone integration kit. It just plugs to the back of the stock receiver, and you can charge the phone and control the music from your steering wheel. I also got the bluetooth dongle that allows music streaming. All for around 130. Better than getting a new HU I guess.

 

Just following up on an earlier post. I am happy to report that the New Potato TuneLink adaptor works great!

The adaptor is small and plugs directly into the 12V DC port. The Aux jack is right next to it and I used the audio cable that came with the TuneLink. End result is a small footprint that fulfill my needs. The unit shuts off when the car turns off and automatically pairs to phone when car turns on. Now I have a bluetooth audio setup that is automatic.

I can also confirm that the phone (Motorola Photon) is able to pair to the TuneLink audio adaptor and the Prius' bluetooth phone at the same time. Incoming and outgoing phone calls take priority over the audio/music. There no hissing or electrical noise issues. I also like the fact that there is an extra USB port on the TuneLink itself which allows me to use a USB cable to charge another phone using the same 12V DC port.

Looks like my problems are solved. Luckily my work has kept me busy and did not purchase until recently. When I finally found the time to buy it on-line, the price dropped to $69.99 and I jumped on the deal.

Attached is a photo of the TuneLink while plugged into the center armrest.