Holy crap!... and iPod stuff

[CcDubya]

GET READY, IT'S LONG!

I got a free AE upgrade from my dealer! They said it couldn't be done, but I said screw the nonbelievers, I'm going for the gusto! Actually -- I didn't do a thing.

I've been having nav issues while under warranty, so they put in a new navigation unit on Monday. New one had the same disc error, until I put in my backup (not lying!) burned version of my dreadful AC disk. The backup worked with no problems, so I guess my original disc was just a little worn, although the scratches were extremely light. Well today, I took the car back in for the iPod install. They come in and tell me that the iPod install is all done, and that they went ahead and put a new nav disc in for me.

"Your not really supposed to have burned DVD's in there... in fact, we were surprised it actually was working," they said.

I told them, "I've asked a lot of other knowledgeable owners [that would be you folks] and they said you are allowed to burn a backup in case your actual disc goes defective."

He says, "Well that's fine, no problem for us, we just thought it would be better to put in a legitimate copy for you."

Fine with me, so I get in the car, eject the nav disc, and sure enough, the second-most beautiful letters in the world -- "AE".

The most beautiful letters in the world??? ...... "F-R-E-E"

----

Now my reaction to the iPod setup. I had a little trouble on first plug-in getting the system to react to the iPod. I unplugged the system and cycled through Sat and back to iPod, then plugged the iPod back in. Second time worked like a charm. My music was playing within 10 seconds, and I'm running 25 gigs -- 4,750 songs -- on a 60 gig iPod video.

First reaction was that this was going to be a pain in the butt to work. I didn't understand the channel/browse setup. I was used to my Lincoln LS, where I had a direct line into the iPod, which sat in a pro-mount bracket. I accessed everything directly from the iPod, so it was all very familiar and easy.

After 10 minutes with the mopar kit, I had changed my mind. It's not the most perfect thing they could have done, but it is suprisingly thought-out. Once you've explored the options they have, you learn quickly how to access what you want. I think my playlist setup works well with this kit. I have every album I own sorted in the playlist by artist/album. This way, I reduce the number of "cascading" levels I have to work through to find what I want. I just hit "playlist", then find what I want to hear. Here's how my Playlist window pane would look in iTunes:

Porcupine Tree - Deadwing
Porcupine Tree - In Absentia
Prodigy - Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned
Ra - Duality
Radiohead - OK Computer

If you're up for changing old habits, this setup makes life a lot easier in the car, and IMHO everywhere else. Pick your album on the playlist setting and you're done.

Sound quality is supreme, and seeing all the info on the screen is well worth the sacrifice of not having a totally fluid interface.

LASTLY -- I don't know the proper posting etiquette, since you guys are the first forum I've ever been a part of, but I wanted to restate a question I had in another post. I'm getting no attention on that one, so any help would be such a blessing! Does anyone know if I can disconnect the satellite radio without pulling the head unit back out? Jaak had mentioned that it might be somewhere in the trunk, and that if unplugged, the unit should always stay on the iPod. HELP! THANKS!

[Kenwood]

Great to hear reviews about the iPod intergration kit. My dealer called me yesterday telling me my order was in. I'm waiting on one more part (new seat cover) and I'll have everything done at the same time

[Haywood]

The Sirius receiver is located in the left rear of the vehicle behind some carpeting. You can disconnect the cable there and that will deactivate the Sirius unit.

[slim stevy]

what exactly is the ipod kit? do they install somethin in the front where you can plug your ipod directly into? What about cars with the nav?

Also, say i were to order one from mopar, how much would the dealer charge me to install it? (im fully covered under all warrantys+extended)

[CcDubya]

Originally Posted by slim stevy

what exactly is the ipod kit? do they install somethin in the front where you can plug your ipod directly into? What about cars with the nav?

Also, say i were to order one from mopar, how much would the dealer charge me to install it? (im fully covered under all warrantys+extended)

The iPod runs from the head unit to the glove box (including nav units), and provides a digital input through the dock connector, plus a line out option for any other type of audio device.

You can then leave the iPod stored away in the glove box and control it from the head unit.

The part is 215 bucks. Labor seems to be running 1-2 hours @ EDIT: 55 bucks/hour.

I had mine installed on Wednesday and have barely been able to get it to work. Others seem to be having the same problems. The screen just keeps saying iPod communicating. Unless someone can figure out why it's doing this within the next couple of days, I'll be taking mine back in to be disconnected and returned.

Check out the spec.dock from 2point5 - spec.dock - the definitive automotive iPod solution. - dock.drive.listen. for what seems to be a better alternative.