Ipod in Classic?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(YoungOrganist @ Sep 24 2007, 12:46 AM) [snapback]516747[/snapback]</div>

The classic Prius does understand an MD Changer or CD Changer.
http://www.cesium.com/Prius/mdchanger/

What you need to a different cable to connect to the back of the radio.
http://www.discountcarstereo.com/images/pie/toymini.jpg

I think this is the one you need but I'm not certain:
http://www.discountcarstereo.com/detail.aspx?ID=444

If you get the correct CD Changer cable it should work.

Bob

 

This is something I would really like to investigate. I just got a '01 Prius, and have a (full) 60 GB ipod with no good way of using it in the car.

The DICE and USA Spec interfaces say they only work with the 2004+ Prii. However, the Classic's radio is obviously capable of controlling a CD changer, (and a MD changer, based on the link provided by BobR), which these units are designed to make the Ipod emulate.

Is there a different changer protocol between the Classic's audio system and the later Prii? If not, maybe getting the DICE or USA Spec units to work in a Classic would just be a matter of getting the right connectors/adapters so they could be plugged into the Classic's radio.

Can anybody shed any more light on this?

Thanks,
Dave

 

Actually the DICE kit should work in a 02, and it has the older toyota harness included in the box. It's just that no one's ever tried it and brought it by to confirm.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Vagabond @ Sep 27 2007, 03:05 PM) [snapback]518703[/snapback]</div>

Thanks, thats great info. Any difference between the '01 and the '02 (in terms of radio unit)?

Also, mine has a cassette player, and external single disk CD player. Will the DICE allow the CD player to continue to work?

I'm in SoCal also. Any chance I could come by Lakewood and try one out (as a service to the communty B) )?

Thanks again,
Dave

 

That's good to know. Vagabond, are you with DICE? Can you give some definite ID of the DICE kit model you are talking about that includes the older harness? Is it the i-Toyota-R kit available through the PC shop? (Or can somebody at the PC shop take a look at one and confirm that it includes a harness with the older R4 shape (pins 1-5 in the top row, 6-12 in the bottom row, with a gap between 3 and 4)?

If that's the one you meant, I'll be happy to try one on a Classic and report the results; it's hard to believe such a question has gone this long without somebody finding the answer.

-Chap

 

I've tried one on a Classic and the results are here. The short answer is that it, ahh, doesn't seem to be any more flaky on a Classic than people have elsewhere reported for the 2004+ cars where it's officially supposed to work. Delayed/missed button presses, delayed/missing track title text on MFD, occasional disappearance as an available device, etc. A lot of these symptoms could all be explained by a low-level problem communicating on the AVC-LAN (and the MFD's LAN check mode shows a bunch of codes when the DICE is in place, lending some support to that idea).

If I learn more I'll be adding it to that thread.

I wonder if any of the people reporting problems with the DICE in a 2004+ have put the MFD into LAN check mode to see if there are codes there too.

-Chap

 

I used to have a DLO Transpod that I thought was pretty awesome. It's a good solution if you don't have an aux jack.

It's basically a strong FM transceiver with an adjustable arm that lets you add and remove sections for length and adjust the angle of each joint for placement. Very solid design and a strong enough signal that you don't get static like you do with some other weaker tranceivers.

It's not quite as robust as the DICE system, but it works well, is less expensive and certainly easier to install.