ipod2car?

That's pretty much what I was thinking. Why use a CD changer when you can have hundreds of CD's worth of songs at your fingertips on your iPod?

 

Monster iPod solution

I use an FM transmitter from Monster that also includes a charger. I plug it directly into the outlet inside the Prius's console and place the iPod on the tray inside the console. It works pretty well, but you are limited to a small number of FM stations and you can only use the Monster unit inside a car. Sometimes I do get some hiss on the station I have selected, but overall, the clarity is pretty good. It is annoying that I cannot control the iPod from my car radio though, because the material I have compiled comes from many different sources and some is very loud and some is very quiet. Also, there are times when I want to switch a song and have to open the console to do so. You can of course have the iPod mounted outside the console and place it in a cup holder, but it's a less than elegant solution. You can also get a dashboard mount.

Here is information on the unit I have along with a review:

http://www.ipodlounge.com/reviews_more.php...id=3660_0_6_0_M

EK

 

direct input

I have found the following site for a direct input. Can anyone tell me if the 'basic' '04 Prius stereo has a changer plug on the back? Thanks
http://www.ssiamerica.com/products/nap/aux...ity_chart.shtml

 

ipod

They say the "The Neo Auxiliary Port Adapter (NAP) converts your Factory CD Changer port to an RCA Input. "

I doubt if the 6 disk cd unit has an imput for a cd changer, when it is already in the unit.

 

Is installing ipod2car a major rip-apart install job, or is it easier than that?

 

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Funny you should ask. It's not all that hard if you have an installation guide. I just released one, available here: http://www.chrisdragon.com/prius/

The low-end single CD Prius stereo does have the cd changer port in the back.

 

KaniS-

Thanks much for your wonderful detailed guide. I downloaded it and it will be just what I need when my car arrives and I go to put an adapter in.

One thing I have been thinking about lately though, is the option of building up a car PC with a mini-ITX motherboard and routing the audio from that into the stereo. (It would take just an AUX in to do that.) But with that you can do things like GPS nav and an MP3 (or audio compression format of your choice) player. I've been wondering how iTunes itself would work on one of these things. Also I could add USB Wi-Fi to it to get songs on it from the house.

 

I am acutually working on such a project as we speak, hopefully all the parts will start to come in next week. (I don't have a car, let alone a Prius)

 

It will be interesting to hear your results when you get the parts gathered up and it up and running. Also it will be interesting to see what software you use on the system. Are you going to go the VIA mini-ITX route?

And when you get a Prius and put the system in there it will be neat to see how the two screen arrangement looks.