iPod MFD Integration Unit Group Buy

Do any of you have instructions on how to open up the stereo console on the Prius? The instructions over at Dice Electronics show some other car under the Toyota instructions. I am not real comfortable doing this myself .

Elizabeth

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(eklisiewicz @ Jun 30 2006, 12:45 PM) [snapback]279274[/snapback]</div>

It's the same as installing a VIAS AIC-100i. You can go to http://priuschat.com/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=3457 for the instructions. You remove the lower glove box and the A/C vent cover to the right of the MFD. That site has pictures to show you how. I've printed that out for my installation (when it arrives).

 

Well, I just picked up the upgraded DICE unit from the BETA unit.

Song titles look like they're fixed.

Album skip doesn't exceed the number of albums, but when returning to Playlist, it still adds the number of albums to the playlist count. i.e
Playing Playlist (D2) #11, Skip thru 6 albums using D3, Use D2 to go to next Playlist - expected Playlist #12, but plays Playlist #17.

Shuffle and Repeat do not work from the MFD. However, they don't state that feature is available in the documentation, so I guess it really isn't technically a bug. Would have been nice, though.

Fast rewind works properly now.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(LurkAzusa @ Jun 30 2006, 07:02 PM) [snapback]279455[/snapback]</div>

Lark,

How do the rest of us beta testers go about getting updated units?

 

First, I called and talked to Jessie. Then I emailed. Took about 2 weeks. I think they are trying to get the orders out to Danny first.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(LurkAzusa @ Jul 1 2006, 10:14 AM) [snapback]279729[/snapback]</div>

No problem. I'll give it a little while. It would be nice to have the titles fixed. I had an album name that wouldn't update no matter what I did. I bet it had special characters in it.

I can drive up there to pick it up (I'm in OC).

 

I just installed it and it works fine. I don't have an iPod yet so I can't say how that part works. I'm using the AUX jack for my XM.

My complaint is with the installation part of the instructions. I used the VIAS instructions (not from VIAS, but a Prius owner) which helped a lot. I would've liked a piece of paper describing the harnesses. Maybe a page that has pictures of each harness and arrows that say "This goes to radio" and "This connects to Harnsess B" It didn't take much to figure it out, but the illustrations in the instructions look nothing like what you get. This doesn't even have to be color, just a separate sheet to include depending on the model shipped.

It's still cool and was a trip to see it operate for the first time. I did have to get a Ground Loop Cable like they suggested. I put the unit itself behind the A/C vent cover on the far right side. There was plenty of room there.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Jul 1 2006, 04:20 PM) [snapback]279823[/snapback]</div>

Sorry, I meant Ground Loop Isolator. It's to get rid of electrical noise and hum. You'd need that more for the AUX input than the iPod connector, and generally when you have the unit (in this case a portable XM radio) being powered via the power outlet. You can read more about the problem here.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(aaf709 @ Jul 1 2006, 10:02 PM) [snapback]279907[/snapback]</div>

Doesn't the DICE unit come with a built-in Ground Loop Isolator?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(breathnach @ Jul 2 2006, 11:58 AM) [snapback]280171[/snapback]</div>

No, in fact the instructions said that if there's a hum or buzz when using the AUX Input, then to go to Radio Shack and get a Ground Loop Isolator.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Jul 2 2006, 04:23 PM) [snapback]280266[/snapback]</div>

You may not need one. If there's a hum or buzz, then that's the solution.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(aaf709 @ Jul 2 2006, 08:09 PM) [snapback]280324[/snapback]</div>

Thanks; then it must have been VAIS that said their unit includes the ground loop isolator... I guess I may need to factor another $20 into the DICE price vs. VAIS...

 

Hi all,

Well I have to say I couldn't be happier with the ease of install -- though better dice instructions would have been nice.

While installation was a breeze, I am a little confused about how this thing is meant to work. Controlling things from the ipod is no problem, sound is great, etc. -- however, that was really not the only promise of this product. I have a 2004 Prius with just a single CD player -- no nav system, XM radio, or CD changer. I am hooking up a 3G Ipod with the latest firmware and I created smart playlists for every letter of the alphabet. I figured I was covered.

The touchscreen and next/previous arrows on the streering wheel work intermittantly and not very well at that. The touchscreen appears almost useless with it's Disc 1-6 buttons and Title on/off buttons being the only ones that seem to function at all -- and again is is rare that they do. The text display is inconsistant and inaccurate and I see no way to page through my 26 playlists or the music within them.

The volume controls on the steering wheel work as expected but the next and previous buttons work only intermittantly -- sometimes without any visual response on the touchscreen. I could go into detail but I don't want to bore folks.

What I am hoping is that someone could breakdown exactly what this product is supposed to be able to do so I can check my experience against that list of confirmed functionality -- there's always a chance that I got a defective unit but I doubt it. If documentation or online tech support at Dice was better, I would not bother this list with my problem. For better or worse, this forum includes all the experts ;-).

Thanks for your time.

 

Ok, I'll give this a shot.

First, let's start fresh. Disconnect your iPod and select and play the beginning of the first song in playlist A. Stop, turn off, connect to DICE unit.

Once you have established the connection, that song will begin playing.

This is level 1 on the track number.

To skip playlists, push 2 on the MFD or press the > wheel button until the screen shows D2. Now when you press > quickly you will be switching thru your playlists. A=T2, B=T3, Z=T27, etc. To go back use <.

If you want to skip among the albums in a playlist, push 3 or press the > wheel button until the screen shows D3. Now when you press > quickly you will be switching thru your albums in that playlist.

To skip tracks push 1 or < until the screen shows D1. Now when you press < or > you will be switching between songs within a playlist. Don't go too fast. Wait about a full second between. It takes about a second or two to update the title on the screen. Turn TITLES on to see them.

I don't think the Fast Forward/Rewind on the MFD will work with a 3G ipod.

You will only see the Artist and Album name on the D1 Track Mode. You will see the song title on D1, D2 or D3.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(breathnach @ Jul 3 2006, 02:14 PM) [snapback]280644[/snapback]</div>

Well, the new one may, but the VIAS AIC-100i does not. The instructions for that states that if there's a hum or buzz on the AUX input to get the isolator.

I did notice on the instructions for the VAIS SoundlinQ SLI that they do have a built-in ground loop isolator, but it's for the iPod link, not for the AUX input.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(LurkAzusa @ Jul 4 2006, 03:39 PM) [snapback]281098[/snapback]</div>

Wow. Thanks.

Yes, short of re-reading this 20 page thread (where I am certain this was discussed) there is no way I would have figured all that out. Even with it all written out, I will probably need to print it out and sit in the car learning the process. Then, I will need to paste it to the dashboard for my wife ;-).

Couple of quesitons:

1. What happens if you page through songs too fast?
2. Sounds like only D1-D3 are active, yes?

I can confirm that fast forward and rewind work fine with the 3G ipod -- especially if what you mean by fast forward and rewind are the two arrow buttons on the MFD that scan a track when you hold them down.

While I couldn't be happier that I finally have a way to connect my ipod to my prius, I think MFD integration has a ways to go.

Thanks again.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(eagle33199 @ Apr 26 2006, 06:50 AM) [snapback]245346[/snapback]</div>

Last year I joined a group purchase from this forum to buy a device from Wais Technology to use my I-Pod (Nano) on the Prius: it runs, the songs can be changed from the seering wheel and and their titles are shown on the central display unit.
It only has a defect: sometimes it is hard to start it, the beginning of the song is repeated many times before it can regularly start.
May be I will find a solution....

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mjohan @ Jul 5 2006, 01:08 AM) [snapback]281274[/snapback]</div>

Are you sure that you have a 3G? When I tested my my 3G iPod it did not fast forward or rewind. This was expected as stated in the directions. A 3G iPod has the click wheel but also has four or five buttons above the click wheel.