ipod integration question

[redc36]

hi guys
i have been thinking for a while about integrating ipod into my car. not long ago i put in HK Traffic pro and now i have rca inputs hanging in the back of the unit so i figured i make them usefull.

two ways of doing it
1. either get HK drive+play product and itegrated the little LCD screen instead of telephone book display below the radio (some of u have casette holders)

or

2. integrate ipod dock into coin holder and run the wire (rca-mini jack) to the headunit and power wire to cigarette lighter
i guess thats where my Q come in:

a. ipod dock charges ipod via usb cable so how do i integrate that into cars power source? where?

b. instead of usb cable i can get actually cigarette lighter charger BUT i need to open ashtray in order to plug it in BUT that will block my dock and that kills the whole integration point.

i am a bit clueless about those things and will go to a pro to do it but before i go i wanna at least get an idea if its possible and not look like a complete dumbass :-)

thanks again

[Beau M]

if you use a lighter adapter you could just hack off the part that plugs intot he cigarette lighter and hard wire it to any 12 volt source, assuning that there are no voltage regulating circuits in the plug itself.

[detroit202]

so basically you are saying option #2 is using one of these from the RCA jacks in the back meant for a CD changer right (AUX) cuz i have a traffic pro too

this is the answer i need to go buy an ipod right after christmas !

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/images/howto/SmallHRCACables2to1.jpg


sorry such a basic question but im a car audio dummy.

[redc36]

yeah thats the cable. monster makes that cable too. i was actually reading on of the post in this forums few days ago also about ipod integration and they had a link to a site where they took apart Belkin car charger and connected it to the power source. that way i can charge my ipod and play music at the same time and watch videos :-) otherwise i will get drive+play.

[c280nz]

go down like too posts and look at the icelink post by slamed_c i put a reply in there showing what i did for my ipod and i think it is similar to what you want

[Teck]

There's a special cable from MB for about 30 buggs where you can plug in the Ipod

the black one is from MB
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v239/teckster/P6290008.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v239/teckster/P6290007.jpg

the wireing is a bit difficult....
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v239/teckster/P6290006.jpg

it's works fine, but it doesn't show the song names etc. on the comand screen!

[detroit202]

i pulled out my hd and rigged two RCA cables to pins 19 and 20 which are the right and left AUX inputs ..

the sound sucked vocals were all echo like.

back to the drawing board for this..

may just get monster FM cable i think thats the best unless anyone suggests better

thanks

[c55m8o]

Originally posted by Teck
it's works fine, but it doesn't show the song names etc. on the comand screen! nice mod & post. but regading this statement, how could it? it's an audio output, not an audio + video output... ;)

As another option, there's a little black box that someone makes that MBenzNL uses. He (mbenznl) installs a mini plug into the glovebox and wires that to the "blackbox", and that goes to the AUX input of the COMAND; all wrapped up nice and tidy with black Mercedes wire wrapping tape to make it look stock behind the COMAND just like it is from the front... :p

[c55m8o]

Originally posted by detroit202
i pulled out my hd and rigged two RCA cables to pins 19 and 20 which are the right and left AUX inputs ..

the sound sucked vocals were all echo like.

may just get monster FM cable i think thats the best unless anyone suggests better

Sounds like you were listening to the (L-R) stereo signal exclusively (*see note below); I'm betting pins 19 and 20 are the (+) of the right and left channel? ...in which case you don't have a ground (a floating ground). ...Were you only connected to the tip and ring of the iPod out, and didn't use the ground of the iPod out (the shaft of the mini plug)?

To simulate, try this ... (assuming a two channel stereo) take both of the the negative / black wires leading to your speakers off your stereo and join them together (assuming the stereo is OFF); leave the positive / red wires connected to the amp (this is known as "bridging". however this is not "real" bridging of an amp ... I don't want to digress). Turn it on @ low power/volume. Does that sound like the iPod sound you were hearing? If so, then you were just connected to the two (+) outputs of the iPod to the two (+) inputs of the radio, without wiring in the ground, which amounts to listening to just the (L-R) signal of a stereo signal.

*Note: Stereo is made up of two signals: of a (L+R) pure mono signal and a (L-R) pure stereo signal ...when you listen to the (L-R) signal alone, it sounds very echo'ie and ambient. Simplifying it somewhat, you create the two channel L & R stereo sound by adding the two signals together to get the left signal, and subtracting the (L-R) pure stero signal from the (L+R) pure mono signal to product the right channel.
i.e. (L+R)+(L-R) = 2L ; (L+R)-(L-R) = R -(-R) = 2R

[detroit202]

thanks for the lesson.. yeah that sounds about right...well the parts i understand ;). i guess i was not thinking clearly just thinking you could rig this all up and it would work... well after doing some poking around on a becker board you can purchase the right AUX input harness for what i believe should be under 20 bux. i just called and left the parts service a VM to call me back and place the order ill post how much it is once i talk to someone...

Aux. in cable the Becker part number is 1319.116-276. parts 1-888-423-3537 ext. 1209

[Teck]

Originally posted by c55m8o
nice mod & post. but regading this statement, how could it? it's an audio output, not an audio + video output... ;)

As another option, there's a little black box that someone makes that MBenzNL uses. He (mbenznl) installs a mini plug into the glovebox and wires that to the "blackbox", and that goes to the AUX input of the COMAND; all wrapped up nice and tidy with black Mercedes wire wrapping tape to make it look stock behind the COMAND just like it is from the front... :p

At the end I did the same thing like Steve is doing, he makes it in the glove box and I did it somewhere else and I don't know why lol
I just don't wanted to put the Ipod into the glove box, I wanted it beside the stearing wheel because it's IMO not possible to change songs over the Comand!

[detroit202]

I got a call back and ordered the part about $20 with shipping.

This is the part to hook up an ipod through the AUX input the RIGHT way

NOT MY half-assed attempted way !

Aux. in cable the Becker part number is 1319.116-276. parts 1-888-423-3537 ext. 1209

[detroit202]

Received my part from Harman ...24 bucks including shipping.

It was just 2 female RCA jacks with a ground wire...

Connected to the last 3 pins on the side.

Top was right (red)
Middle brown (ground)
Bottom (yellow)

Im not audio savvy so maybe c55m8o can say how the ground was wired up and you can literally get the parts from like radio shack for 2 bucks.

I plugged it in.. drilled a hole in the back of my sunglass tray to pull the wire through and it SOUNDS GREAT !

Cool thing is you never have to remove the NAV CD now too....

[c55m8o]

in relation to the mini plug, it sounds like that would be wired:

Top right (red): mini-plug tip
Bottom (yellow): mini-plug ring
Middle brown (ground): mini-plug shaft