G4 Owners Club

Ipod?

https://forum.g4ownersclub.com/Topic356.aspx

By g4mudman - 4 Apr 2007

Has anyone connected an Ipod into 2003 D11 G4 sound system?
By Peter Jarrett - 4 Apr 2007

Oddly it's one of the things I'm hoping to look at over the easter break!

There are 3 ways to connect it in:

  1. Use one of those old cd-tape adapters that will just plug into the IPOD. Quality will be awfull though!
  2. Use an FM transmitter (modulator) such as the iTrip - though I use a Sandisk player so I use a separate FM transmitter instead. Quality is good, but technically still below "cd quality" - cd is 44100 samples per second, FM is 32000 samples per second (ish)
  3. Sneak it in via the CD player connection

With the 3rd one, the 2 things to consider are the audio side and the control side.

The Audio side is slightly easier in theory - there are 4 wires that go from the cd player into the back of the head unit - if you disconnect these you should be able to wire these to a lead from your IPOD - though you could blow up one or the other as I haven't found any specs for the electrical signals. I'm planning to borrow some test gear from work to try measuring it and see what i find.  If it works, I'm planning on fitting a switch that will allow me to toggle the audio input between a jack for my mp3 player, and the original cd player instead.

To make that lot work, you just leave a cd in the player and the head unit will think it's playing the cd, but the audio will actually come from your mp3 player.

The better solution would be to use the Control interface as well, thereby removing the cd player from the equation.

The control connection in a DII uses a format called the IBUS - this was installed by BMW, but was originally designed by Saab I think. In a beemer (and other cars as well) it's actually a network that links all the computer bits together including the audio gear - same as the (Canbus?) in a D3, but just a different make.

In a DII it's only used for the Alpine HIFI gear though. There are a few people out there making bits that will allow you to use the IBUS for something else, but I don't know if you can buy a box "of the shelf" that will just allow an IPOD to emulate a CD player.

You can find more details from http://www.reslers.de/IBUS/index.html and http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/HackTheIBus though.

If you do go this route, it will be very interesting to hear how you get on! I've got a few plans of my own, but with the new family member finding the time is pretty hard!

By 4x4xflowers - 4 Apr 2007

I have used the cassette adapters before and they are ok you would be surprised at the quality of sound that comes through:D I may have one in the garage if you want to try before you buy as they say:D
By curryman - 4 Apr 2007

I have used the cassette adapter for some years and it works OK with ipod and Mini disc, it is worth trying first to see if the quality is acceptable and the volume range is good enough.



cheers



D
By Erasmus - 5 Apr 2007

There are adapters that will let you use an ipod in place of the CD changer. They allow you to use the steering wheel controls to change tracks as well. I don't think you can just connect into the cd changer cabling as the head unit is expecting there to be a signal there telling it if the cartrdige is loaded, which disc is loaded and which track is selected. Only problem with the adapters is with most of them you loose the use of the CD changer all together. Denison do one and there are another couple I looked at. Will try and dig out the links tomorrow.
By g4mudman - 5 Apr 2007

Seems nothing is straight forward anymore, why did BMW not put us  a nice socket in the head unit, so simple?
By Erasmus - 5 Apr 2007

I think in this case it's down to Alpine who make the head unit.

I looked at doing this a few months ago to plug my Archos unit in with, it worked out quite expensive IIRC and I didn't want to loose the CD changer. In the end I dug out an old cassette adapter that I had lying around and that has been surprisingly good, only slight problem is you can occasionally hear the cassette turning, I solved that by turning the volume up:D

By g4mudman - 5 Apr 2007

Mark,

Yes your right, I should of said Alpine still I've got to blame the German's for something they can't get off scott free.

Perhaps a change of head unit would be easier, but I doubt that would be straight forward either. I just don't want to be fiddling with cd's in Morocco. And I really don't want to listen to their radio!

Quite fancy a Pioneer unit with cd, dvd, sat nav, & ipod connector, lots of money though and probably a whole new installation.

Alan

By PH - 5 Apr 2007

Stereo sound quality in a Defender is a bit of a non issue :w00t: I have used a cassette adapter for a few years but the new Def has only got a CD player. I think I will go for this: http://store.apple.com/Apple/WebObjects/ukstore.woa/wa/RSLID?mco=CC868583&nplm=TJ931 which depending on your iPod uses RDS to display track information on the stereo screen, which has to be better than messing with the iPod.



From the blurb, the new Defender comes with a jack to connect your iPod / MP3 player to. Very Chelsea tractor.
By DarrenG - 5 Apr 2007

I use my iPod via the iPod adapter on my TomTom GO 910. This coupled with the new FM Transmitter mount available for the GO's works very well and alows me to control the iPod from the GO screen using it's remote. It also auto mutes when nav instructions are being relayed.
By martin bisby - 5 Apr 2007

darren,

looking at all the posts on this and other forums, i am sadly going to regret not getting to your show on the 21st at sandown,

are you holding any more later in the year or will i be able to crawl all over your vehicle

sorry for the thread hi-jack

regards

martin

By DarrenG - 5 Apr 2007

Martin you're more than welcome to have a nose when we meet at Gaydon :) We may hold another show later in the year but it's undecided as yet.
By camel_landy - 7 Apr 2007

Have you checked out www.dension.com ??



I run the ICE Link in the 110 & it's excellent.



HTH



M
By Moose - 20 May 2007

PH (4/5/2007)
Stereo sound quality in a Defender is a bit of a non issue :w00t: I have used a cassette adapter for a few years but the new Def has only got a CD player. I think I will go for this: http://store.apple.com/Apple/WebObjects/ukstore.woa/wa/RSLID?mco=CC868583&nplm=TJ931 which depending on your iPod uses RDS to display track information on the stereo screen, which has to be better than messing with the iPod.



From the blurb, the new Defender comes with a jack to connect your iPod / MP3 player to. Very Chelsea tractor.




In my 2006 Defender 110 I dumped the Landrover head unit and speakers.



I installed a Pioneer head which had bluetooth hands free and I was able to hook up and control my Ipod from it.



I replaced the speakers with some which are a little better, but I am considering installing a sub to get the way down thump.



Glen