USB access

docsnavely · Jan 14, 2012

I've looked and cannot find any thread yet about this so I am appealing to the masses.

I plan on buying a RAM mount (the rubberized spring loaded X mount) and putting it on a flexible RAM arm that bolts to the car frame under the front left passenger seat bolt. This is all for my iPhone.

I have successfully jailbroken my iphone and removed that annoying acccessory connection lock screen you get when plugging the iphone into the USB input for the NAV system. Since I now have control of the phone while plugged into USB, I plan on using USB to connect instead of bluetooth and the 12V cigarette charger I use now.

After all that, my question is this.....

When I tear apart the center console, is there an easy way for me to split the USB connection under the console before getting to the terminal female USB end, or am I going to have to use the USB inside the console and make a hole in the console to run the iphone cable to where I want it?

Any help, advice, or thread referrals would be greatly appreciated. Thank you all!

JoelIrwin · Jan 16, 2012

I am sure you have a reason for doing all this and perhaps it is more sophisticated than what I imagine. However, as I have a ram-mount and an iphone, I may be able to recommend a simpler perhaps less elegant solution that accomplishes the same thing.

So in simple english - what are you trying to do with the iphone and why are you not happy with a solution involving bluethooth.

I have an 2011 Prius IV with moonroof and navigation but I do not use the car navigation system at all. I have a suction cup ram-mount with a long and short arm. The suction cup goes on the little window in the front and the iphone is positioned just to the left of the steering wheel. I can easily control it with my finger or better a stylus and it is also in front of the a/c vent. That is VERY important since I have seen on multiple iphones, overheating issues when in direct sunlight (the iphone 4 will turn off the backlight display when this happens). That location minimizes sun and gets cooled as well.

I use my iphone for many car apps including navigation (use the Garmin USA app), radaractive (red light and radar), beatthetraffic (traffic), and gas buddy (gas prices).

I also stream audio from the native music app, Tuneinradio (live real radio stations), iHeartRadio (clearchannel radio stations), and Pandora. I use the Bluetooth Audio (a2dt) facility.

My iphone gets powered by a 5 foot cord which connects it to an adapter which plugs into the cigarette lighter adapter which has 2 USB ports (power only) and a pass through cigarette lighter adapter.

My iphone is not jailbroken and all the hardware was purchased on ebay except for the ram-mounts which I have had for over 10 years (except for the iphone holder). As my iPhone is in an Otterbox, I use a generic ram-mount holder and not the iphone one (which I also have).

Joel

docsnavely · Jan 16, 2012

I was trying to avoid suction cup mounts, but what you're mentioning sounds interesting. Any pics?

I drive about 500 miles a week commuting and was trying to find something that will be pretty permanent and have a finished look to it.

This

would go on top of this

I was planning on snaking a USB cable from under the center console up the pole and then wrapping the pole and cable with some nice foam (or something else to be determined). That way I wouldn't be charging using the cigarette lighter and then also connecting through bluetooth. Everything can be controlled through USB. If I'm not happy with the USB connection, I can still plug in with USB but output everything through bluetooth.

JoelIrwin · Jan 18, 2012

docsnavley,

I just went out to the car and took these pics. The first pic is looking towards the left. Notice the suction cup on that front little window. I then use a short arm and a long arm with three pivots (bet cup and short, short and long and long and holder). Notice I use a 'generic' ram-mount holder which holds the iphone (with the otterbox) in place. The cable and connector come up from the bottom through the forky thing. Also notice it is positioned over the a/c vent to keep it cool.

The second pic is looking right from outside the door. Notice where it is relative to the steering wheel. I can keep both hands on the steering wheel and control the phone with a single finger or even better I do it with a stylus (see the last pic) which is much easier to do it with while I am driving (got four colored ones on ebay for about $5).

The 6 ft iphone cable can be strung either above the steering wheel or below the steering wheel with the 'slack' left in the area on the bottom center next to the 12 v adapter I purchased with 2 USB connectors and a pass through 12v cigarette lighter connector.