iPod soulution summary

Guys,

I'm new to Prius and to PC forum but not to bulletin boards in general, so I did quuuuiiiiiiiiiet a bit of reading on the available options for connecting iPod to my new Pirus (2006 with 6 CD changer head unit; option 7) before posting this.
As far as I can tell, there are only 3 options available for connecting iPod through the car stereo system using iPod onterface (jack on the bottom and not the headphones jack):

The iPod2Car - conrols iPod but no text; conflicts with CD changer; does not shut off the iPod when the car is off.
The ice>Link - controls iPod with text; conflicts with CD changer
The Vais SLI - controls iPod with text, does not conflict with CD changer; has limitaton of 99 songs in a playlist and 99 plalists.

Are there any other options?

The features important to me are: of course, audio throug the iPod interface and not throug the headphones jack; iPod control through steering wheel and MFD; artists, genre, songs... selecting, using steering wheel controls or MFD; album, artist, song text on MFD.

So, is the SoundLiq is the only option availble for Prii with the factory CD changer? Can the SoundLinq play "by Genre" more than 99 songs?

I know there are a LOT of experienced guys on this subject, what you guys would recommend?

Is there a group buy for the SoundLinq?

I would appreciate answers and opinions to any of my questions.

Thank you,

CR

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(aaf709 @ Apr 26 2006, 01:57 PM) [snapback]245723[/snapback]</div>

That's for the DICE solution wihich, from what I've read, conflicts with factory CD changer.

 

Well,

out of all iPod-to-Prius, or car in general, solutions there are none, in my opinion, that come close to a decent and resonable iPod integration: all use playlists with other limitations: CD or MD immulation, conflicts with head unit, lock ups, text not being displayed, slow response, limit on number of playlists or songs in a playlist..

After reading whole bunch of trheads and sites, I realized that it is pretty hard to simulate the iPod menu on a car MFD that many of us look for: to browse by song, title, artist, genre ...

Another observation that I've made is that many, after installing expensive solutions, still mount the iPod in sight in order to use its controls and display. I, persanelly, drive with consumption screen and dont realy need the text of the music, it would be nice, but I think many others also drive on the energy/consumption screen. Addionally, it is not good for iPod's hard drive nor its battery to be exposed to extreme heat temereatures (in Ariozna it gets really really hot really really quick - 115F outside is a norm and it's probably twice that inside a parked car), so, iPod needs to be taken out, and it would be a good time to charge it.

Well, based on all of the above, but still wanting a decent (line-out), unmodified, audio from an iPod in my car I decided to simply buy a Sendstation iPod cradle for $29 (http://www.sendstation.com/us/products/pocketdock/lineout-usb.html) , connect its line-out though 3.5 mm din to the AUX and use iPod controls. One, then, can use any cigarette lighter USB charger to plug into the UPB port of the Sendstation cradle and charge the iPod when necessary.

I appreciate the information I've found on this forum and hope mine will help someone too.

 

I received the Sandstation doc today and it's trully simple and wonderful product: the sound quality from an iPod to the AUX input is very very good. I would highly recomend this product. I will use this as a temp solution until I decide weather to get or not an integrated soulution. Meantime, I'm happy.