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iPhone Car Integration

D

degrate

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 3, 2008
2
0
This is my first post after being a viewer for a long time. I wanted to share my setup so I can save others some time researching. I wanted to accomplish the following: Play and control my music using the stereo and answer/place calls using bluetooth (also have my address book available on the stereo).

I bought the following:
Stereo Alpine ida-x100
Bluetooth module - Alpine KCE-300BT

After dealing with the GSM buzz while using a FM transmitter, I am happy that after the first two days of using this stereo I have not experienced any buzz. (I'm using the cable that came with the stereo) The ida-x100 does not have a cd player - it is made for the ipod and it can also play music from a usb stick. Alpine's ipod integration is really good. On this model searching through large playlists is fast and it even displays the album artwork from the iPhone - which is a nice touch. The bluetooth module works as expected and you can receive/place calls from the head unit (music will fade in/out as needed.) It will pull in your address book from the iPhone which is very nice. (I couldn't find another bluetooth mod that could. Alpine's compatibility matrix lists the features supported with the iPhone. I'm still asked if i want to turn on airplane mode but i just select no - once again, no buzz.

Overall I am extremely happy with it so far. I hope this can help anyone else looking for a great car/iPhone experience.
 
carfac

carfac

macrumors 65816
Feb 18, 2006
1,241
29
I have been thinking about this one. But I can't get my head around no CD player.
 
rckstwrz

rckstwrz

macrumors member
Nov 8, 2005
85
3
Birmingham, AL
dang, that setup looks pretty sweet, but DANG! that's a lot of money to drop on this kit! i'm sure it's totally worth it, but i couldn't afford that. did you come across any less expensive solutions?
 
T

thunderclap

macrumors 6502a
Nov 8, 2003
641
1
jlblodgett said:
Has anyone tried this product?

http://www.marketworks.com/storefro...Detail.aspx?sid=1&sfid=129610&c=0&i=241375331

It looks like a canadian store- but that price is tough to beat, if the thing actually works.
Click to expand...

I watched the video and it sort of had me hooked until he received an incoming call and said "don't mind the feedback" from when he was talking and it came through the speakers. How is one suppose to have a conversation when you hear yourself on the speakers? Unless I'm missing something...
 
S

SCOLLAND

macrumors newbie
Jun 17, 2008
6
0
mbuhmann said:
I watched the video and it sort of had me hooked until he received an incoming call and said "don't mind the feedback" from when he was talking and it came through the speakers. How is one suppose to have a conversation when you hear yourself on the speakers? Unless I'm missing something...
Click to expand...

Oh c'mon, you're kidding right?

The feedback is because he is making the call from a phone that is within microphone pick-up distance of the iphone i.e. he talks into the second phone, the car speakers play it, the second phone picks it up and re transmits it, the car speakers play it, the second phone picks it up and re-transmits it... I could go on all day!

Anyway, suffice it to say that as long as the person phoning you isn't in the car with you, you won't have a feedback problem!

lol!
 
T

thunderclap

macrumors 6502a
Nov 8, 2003
641
1
SCOLLAND said:
Oh c'mon, you're kidding right?

Anyway, suffice it to say that as long as the person phoning you isn't in the car with you, you won't have a feedback problem!
Click to expand...

That's what I thought too but he clearly says he'll call his iPhone from a LANDLINE. Doesn't matter anyway as I ordered one last night.
 
S

SCOLLAND

macrumors newbie
Jun 17, 2008
6
0
mbuhmann said:
That's what I thought too but he clearly says he'll call his iPhone from a LANDLINE. Doesn't matter anyway as I ordered one last night.
Click to expand...

I would suggest he was using a cordless handset (does anyone have wired phones anymore?) - you can sort of hear him dialing in the background.:D

Let me know how you get on with it, i'd be really interested!

Cheers
 
T

thunderclap

macrumors 6502a
Nov 8, 2003
641
1
SCOLLAND said:
I would suggest he was using a cordless handset (does anyone have wired phones anymore?) - you can sort of hear him dialing in the background.:D

Let me know how you get on with it, i'd be really interested!
Click to expand...

Will do, but it will have to wait until July. I don't have an iPhone at the moment and am waiting for the 3G. Just prepping for July 11. :)
 
S

SCOLLAND

macrumors newbie
Jun 17, 2008
6
0
mbuhmann said:
Will do, but it will have to wait until July. I don't have an iPhone at the moment and am waiting for the 3G. Just prepping for July 11. :)
Click to expand...

lol. Ditto!

Ideally, I am looking for a fully built in solution much like the nokia car kits where you fit a cradle, plug it to the back of your stereo etc. That way it:
Cannot be stolen as easily (the cradle not the phone)
Has perfect sound quality (bass sounds terrible through FM + in the UK it's almost impossible to find a frequency that is always empty i.e. local radio stations)
Charges the phone
Uses a dedicated fitted microphone
etc.

If anyone finds such a solution, please let me know!
 
T

thunderclap

macrumors 6502a
Nov 8, 2003
641
1
SCOLLAND said:
Has perfect sound quality (bass sounds terrible through FM + in the UK it's almost impossible to find a frequency that is always empty i.e. local radio stations)
Click to expand...

Well I have a mini (1/8") input on my stereo so right now I just plug my iPod into that and forego the FM transmitter. Like you I can't get very good reception here in Chicago. My hope is I can bypass the FM transmitter in this unit and just plug the audio from the iPhone directly into the stereo with the mini plug that comes with the unit.
 
S

SCOLLAND

macrumors newbie
Jun 17, 2008
6
0
mbuhmann said:
Well I have a mini (1/8") input on my stereo so right now I just plug my iPod into that and forego the FM transmitter. Like you I can't get very good reception here in Chicago. My hope is I can bypass the FM transmitter in this unit and just plug the audio from the iPhone directly into the stereo with the mini plug that comes with the unit.
Click to expand...

I had thought about this, but three problems:
1. Newer cars (including mine) are straying from standard sized stereos in favour of their own individual size and shape with steering wheel controls etc. This means that replacing it with another stereo is not an ideal solution.
2. The 1/8" input does not allow any way of connecting a microphone.
3. Does not charge your phone (without an untidy wire running from your cigarette lighter)
 
T

thunderclap

macrumors 6502a
Nov 8, 2003
641
1
SCOLLAND said:
I had thought about this, but three problems:
1. Newer cars (including mine) are straying from standard sized stereos in favour of their own individual size and shape with steering wheel controls etc. This means that replacing it with another stereo is not an ideal solution.
2. The 1/8" input does not allow any way of connecting a microphone.
3. Does not charge your phone (without an untidy wire running from your cigarette lighter)
Click to expand...

I thought we were talking about the car integration unit (for lack of a better term) at http://www.marketworks.com/storefrontprofiles/DeluxeSFItemDetail.aspx?sid=1&sfid=129610&c=0&i=241375331? The iPhone sits in that allowing it to charge but instead of connecting the mini cable from the iPhone to the car integration unit I would just connect it to the mini on the stereo thereby passing the FM transmitter.

As for the microphone I ordered a Bluetooth headset so the microphone shouldn't be an issue at that point, unless you're sticking with the default headset/microphone from Apple.
 
ziggyonice

ziggyonice

macrumors 68020
Mar 12, 2006
2,385
1
Rural America
I'm buying this right now.

Having a car that must use a wireless FM transmitter, this looks like a no brainer. I'll report my findings, but watching the video on the site, this looks absolutely perfect for my needs.
 
gadgetdad

gadgetdad

macrumors 6502a
Sep 10, 2007
730
0
On my iPhone
ziggyonice said:
I'm buying this right now.

Having a car that must use a wireless FM transmitter, this looks like a no brainer. I'll report my findings, but watching the video on the site, this looks absolutely perfect for my needs.
Click to expand...

I just got mine, its faboulous! The sound from the FM transmitter is the best I have heard. Good Highs, good bass. I really like the fact that the music volume decreases when I get a call. And for 29 bucks, its a steal!
 
J

jblodgett

macrumors regular
Jun 30, 2005
102
0
gadgetdad said:
I just got mine, its faboulous! The sound from the FM transmitter is the best I have heard. Good Highs, good bass. I really like the fact that the music volume decreases when I get a call. And for 29 bucks, its a steal!
Click to expand...



I have this too, and it does work well, except for two things.


#1-- no landscape mode. No pivoting the iPhone to do coverflow or watch movies or anything.

#2-- it beeps. I don't know why, but it does. And the beeping varies. Sometimes it is every 90 seconds, sometimes every five minutes. But it beeps.
 
M

machdisk

macrumors newbie
Jul 10, 2008
2
0
iphone/ipod touch car stand, iNEE

introduce my iphone/ipod touch car stand called iNEE~~~

48741617783fd


4874157d35270


487471474fb28
 
L

lukenorris

macrumors member
Jan 9, 2007
46
0
Still with everything going on, there is no "real" advancement in iphone in your car. I guess until apple lets bluetooth go with the car, or the iphone gets airtunes over wifi. It won't be happening. Why doesn't Eclipse or Kenwood make a dock for the iphone and make the iphone the head unit instead of you controlling the iphone through the head unit? I think the iphone would be a sweet head unit/GPS in its self. If only you could get to to play nicely without a FM adapter in your car!
 
X

xavpil

macrumors newbie
Oct 3, 2007
20
0
Los Angeles
nothing for the car, out there

lukenorris said:
Still with everything going on, there is no "real" advancement in iphone in your car.
Click to expand...

I agree. It's been a year and nothing affordable and well thought out never came on the market. I just don't get it.

This Canadian device seems ok, but it's more like someone like me put it together in his garage. I'll get it because I don't have a choice.
 
X

xavpil

macrumors newbie
Oct 3, 2007
20
0
Los Angeles
Microphone?

Do we need a mic for the phone conversations?
I've missed something..... I got the radio FM thing, the incoming voice through the speakers, but where do we speak? WHere's the mic?
 
B

Bazzboa

macrumors newbie
Nov 29, 2007
7
0
Do not buy this!!!!

I bought one of these of ebay.

It worked OK but the connection into the iphone did sit properly when the phone was on the cradle.

But most annoying was the bleeping noise it made every 45 seconds.

When I called the seller, he said a number had been returned to him because of this issue. It is not something you could get used to so I returned it for a refund. I was really disappointed because it seems to be an ideal solution particularly the ability to hear incoming calls thorough the radio.

Ah well, continue looking . . . .
 
Romanesq

Romanesq

macrumors 6502a
Jun 16, 2003
914
90
Hoboken
direct is the only way...

For my Acura TL, I installed the Peripheral Electronics iPod2Car PXDP Interface Kit (Honda version) and it was great for the iPhone for both excellent sound quality and charging.

But now with the 3G, it plays great but does not power the unit. I'm going to ask them if there is a setting that can be changed on it. I'm hoping that it can still power the new iPhone. They claim 3G integration.

http://www.theistore.com/peripheral...nterface_kit?gclid=CKfmu7-1vZQCFQbJsgodWHgxTw
 
T

TechIsCool

macrumors member
Jul 13, 2008
91
0
DSC_5064.jpg


You have to love apple getting rid of the 12v Firewire charging from the new iphone 3G

So what is the fastest solution for fixing this with the parts i had on had since i did not want to pay 100$ for a new fm Transmitter well i had an FM Modulator laying around and well see for your self :)

DSC_5068.jpg

DSC_5070.jpg


It all works very little noise from the phone and works well just wish i had the time to install the correct ipod controller for it vs doing this but hey it works and it was what i had laying around and most likely it would still not charge the phone
 
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