ipod connection for 06?

The Apple Store (U.S.) - XtremeMac Auxiliary Audio Cable for iPod

There are numerous equivalent 3rd party cables available as well.

 

Someone else mentioned this, and it works great since it has a little amp w/volume control and keeps your ipod charged. You still need the 1/8" male plug that is referenced above. To get you by you just need the 1/8" plug to run off the ipod battery.

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebO...plm=T6715LL%2FA

 

I have the Belkin connector that KOA references. So far, it is the best that I have found... but it is still not perfect. It has an amplifier in it that is totally uncessary, and will only degrade the sound (especially if it is not set at a good level.

The cable that Kiloran referenced is OK if you do not want to power your iPod... but if you do... then you will have this connector coming out the top of the iPod... and a different cable coming out of the bottom of the iPod to the charger. This totally ruins the ergonomics.

What we really need is a fairly short cable (.5m), with an iPod dock connector on one side... and a pair of connectors on the other... one a 1/8" aux-in connector... and the other a cigarette lighter power adapter.

I have not seen one available yet... but I predict that one will be on the market soon as lots of cars are adding Aux-in/Power outlets like the Prius started in '06. In the mean time... I recommend the Belkin connector, and a very short 1/8" pigtail. The shortest pigtail that I have found is a "2:1 splitter" with two 1/8" male plugs, and one 1/8" female socket. The socket goes unused. I found it on the rack at my local Radio Shack.

/Jim

 

I don't know of anything quite as perfect as you describe but there are a couple of products that would be close when combined with appropriately short cables.

PocketDock

For this you'd want a short minijack to minijack cable and a generic USB cig adapter.

ram din

This one would only require a firewire cig adapter.

Here's a car charger that does USB and Firewire. Retractable USB and Firewire cables are easy to find.

I really want the MFD display and for the iPod to play/pause along with the radio being on or off so I think I'm going to spend the bucks for a iceLink or VAIS. But cheap solutions are available.

 

Dylan,

I looked at those when I bought my Belkin. I passed on them because it still requires two cables running to the Ipod. It is MUCH better than having one cable runnin to the dock (bottom), and a 2nd cable running to the headphone plug (top)... but it is still not perfect. I prefer the Belkin because I only need one cable running to the device.

/Jim

 

I have an IPOD Nano which is supposed to get 14 hours of play on a charge.
Since it's so small, I generally have it with me all the time.
I generally charge it at work or when I get home.

I don't generally go on long enough trips to worry about needing it for longer than 14 hours between charges.
If I did take a long trip, I'd certainly have my laptop with me and could charge it from that (and with an AC adapter, I could charge the laptop from the Prius.)

Long story short, the single male/male cable meets for my needs very well.

Sure, I'd prefer to control and charge my IPOD directly from my Prius but I can live without it without any discomfort.
I predict the 2007 Prius will have USB ports in the center armrest.

 

Kiloran,

I have considered getting a Nano as an extra device. I make a lot of international flights... and it is not uncommon for me to be "running on iPod fumes" by the time I get to Tokyo... and then grab a quick recharge at Narita during my connection to get me the rest of the way to my destination. With a Nano... I could listen to my full music collection on my regular iPod unit it ran out of charge... and then listen to "plenty of music" for the duration of the trip using the Nano.

I agree that in your case... a Nano does not need a power source... especially if you take it in/out of the car often. If you only need a single cable... then plugging into the top (vs the bottom) really doesn't matter much.

/Jim

 

iPod Nano = no need to charge in car = HIGHER MPG :lol:

 

I just installed an icelink in my 2005 Tacoma. It does display ipod music on my radio and I can control the ipod from my radio or steering wheel controls. Just so you know it is a little slow to navigate through 1000s of songs. You can have playlists which help. The display doesn't always catch the right song on the ipod. You can also change it back to ipod mode and control your searches with the ipod. On my truck, I have to disconnect the ipod and reconnect to achieve this. If I go back to truck control, I have to power off the radio to get back control. It's not a simple toggle back and forth. Dension tech support is hit or miss. The icelink works but it isn't perfect. It is a small circut board with heat shrink over it so it looks kinda homemade. It might work better in the Prius but I don't think so. Make sure you research it completely to make sure it does what you expect it to do. I am not getting one for the Prius since it's easier/quicker to use the ipod to do the searches. I am using the Belkin power amp mentioned above in the Prius and both vehicles sound very good considering they are factory stereos.

 

Actually, both ports are on the bottom of a nano.

 

I also have the Belkin adapter. I previously posted that the amplifier in the adapter is sensitive to the volume dial's setting: Too low and you hear buzzing during quiet music; too high and you hear distortion. I have it set just right to avoid those disturbances.

I bought the Belkin adapter at a retail store because I was in a hurry before a driving vacation. I had previously intended to get an adapter recommended by a fellow PCer.

The SiK imp has a car charger, iPod dock connector, and a straight-through audio jack with no amplifier. The retail price is $30 vs. the Belkin at $40.

 

The Belkin is a cleaner install than the SiK since only only one wire follows the ipod on the Belkin, it appears you will have two wires (power and aux) on the Sik.

 

I have my pod hooked up with a standard mini headphone jack (male on both ends, RadioShack, 5 bucks) and the FireWire/car lighter cord. I have, however, a first gen iPod without docking on the bottom. I get a little feedback in between songs and for about 3 seconds into each track, which is annoying at higher volume. I'm looking to get a dedicated connection that will interface with the touch screen, but its on the back burner.

scott

 

Both wires are at the bottom of the iPod and there's no amplifier: small intrusion and better sound. It's not perfect, but I prefer this design to the Belkin. However, I'm stuck with the Belkin until it "breaks".

 

please bear with me this is my first post and I am a brand new Prius (2006, package 5, Barcelona Red) owner! yeah!!! After waiting since September...

Anyway, since I had to go back in and sign the papers for a 2006 instead of the 2005 that I ordered...I received the upgraded ability to play MP3's, and an iPod. Yippy Skippy So, guess what I asked for, for Christmas...you guessed it...an iPod. But my husband being the great guy that I have loved for so long decided that everyone has an iPod and that I needed an iRiver! So, my Prius friends and (I hope) family...can anyone tell me how to connect, and what to buy to get my iRiver connected to my minijack in my Prius? Your help would be much appreciated!

 

Your iRiver should have a 3.5 mm audio jack. This is pretty standard so that modern headphones can plug into these music sources.

At a minimum, you need an audio cable with two male 3.5 mm audio plugs. One end goes into AUX IN in the 2006 Prius console; the other goes into your iRiver. You will be running off batteries unless you get a car charger. I don't know what your iRiver power connector looks like, so I can't help you there. One end is a standard car charger plug.

 

He probably couldn't find an iPod since I know they were in scarce supply before Xmas...but now...maybe you can find one. There are reasons why iPod is #1 mp3 player -- maybe you'll appreciate it better after working with the iRiver for a while. What would I do?? Take it back and get what you wanted! Sorry...big apple fan here! I'm sure the iRiver will serve it's purpose and you can certainly hook it up the same way you would the iPod in the Pruis.

 

The iPod has its advantages... but so do the non-Apples. I think the biggest disadvantage of Apple is the fact that they do not allow non-iTunes music services to support their DRM. Hence... if you subscribe to one of the music subscription services (Napster, Rhapsody, Yahoo music, etc)... then you can download millions of songs... but you cannot play them on the iPod unless you illegally convert them.

I am also a big iPod fan... and we own several of them in my family. However... there are times I feel like throwing them in the river and getting one that has broader industry support.

/Jim

 

Hmmmm, not sure why you've found this except I can't say I've never tried to put music from Napster or the like on my iPod. Maybe it's their copy protection stuff that's making it unable to play. I have over 136 gb of music (I know I'm crazy) and haven't had problems playing any of it. The only things I've downloaded from iTunes have been some videos. The rest was collected elsewhere.