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Anyone here have a iPhone dock/charger in their car?

nickspohn

nickspohn

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Jun 9, 2007
3,592
0
If you have one yourself, what do you use? Please link me to it so i can check it out.

And if you had pictures of your dock in your car that would be great.

It would be nice to have an adapter on it too that would let me play my music from my iPhone in my car. I don't have audio ports in my stereo system so this isn't a must.
 
I have an iPod car charger that I found on eBay a few years ago for like $10, shipped.

It still works like a charm.

My vehicle has an auxilliary input.
 
I dont have one but if I get one it will be from this site as they make awesome docks. http://2point5.com/

They make tons of docks for a bunch of cars, Below is just one example in an Infiniti.

g35_hs.jpg
 
I have an older model Griffin car charger for my iPhone. It works great. I think they have updated models however.
 
I have an adaptor that plugs in the back of my VW CD player in the CD changer input (that I obviously don't have). It charged my first gen iPhone, but it doesn't charge my 3G iPhone, which is a huge bummer.

To hold it I have a Panavise dash mount with a Proclips swivel holder. It looks nice; like it belongs there.

Those spec.docks pictured above are very cool but also very pricey.
 
I spent quite a long time researching this for my 2002 focus. In the end I found the best solution (though by no means the cheapest) was by Brodit
http://www.brodit.com/

I plumped for the 915246 Holder with Pass-Through Connector. The dock is very solid, and is felt-lined so it doesn't scratch the iphone. You attach it to your vehicle's dash using the relevant pro-clip also available from brodit.
It also means that all you have to do is plug in an iphone dock cable into the bottom of the holder (no unplugging and re-plugging when getting in and out of the car)

I went for the Griffin PowerJolt SE cigarette lighter charger, which I got my local ICE dealer to install behind the dash, and to run the cable through a small hole in the fascia. This means I can use the cigarette lighter for charging other devices.

I also have the Alpine iDA-X001 head unit which can control ipod/iphone through the head unit. This has a dock connector, which again I can plug into the bottom of the cradle if I choose. I don't do this for 3 reasons.
1. My iPhone is 16GB and doesnt hold all my music, my iPod is 80GB and does.
2. Whilst the iPhone does work with the Alpine unit, I get an annoying compatability message eveytime I plug it in.
3. When switching between data networks, or when using the GPS in maps, it causes static in the music stream to the head unit. Much like that generated when leaving a mobile phone next to computer speakers and a sms comes in.

Below are pics of my setup. The dock tilts and swivels 360 degrees. The ipod is shown in the dash pocket, and the cable from the alpine unit comes through the back there, slack can be pulled through for connecting to the iPhone if needed. And yes I know the iPhone is covered in fingerprints, i didn't realise how dirty it was until the flash picked it all up.

CIMG6827.jpg


CIMG6828.jpg


CIMG6829.jpg


http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h244/chrisgazzard/CIMG6830.jpg
 
swindmill said:
It charged my first gen iPhone, but it doesn't charge my 3G iPhone, which is a huge bummer.
Click to expand...

This is because the iPhone 3G, and the latest wave of iPods have dropped the use of the 12V pins in the standard ipod dock, rendering any peripherals that use those pins useless. You need to get a cable that sends the power through the usb charging pins.

I encountered this issue when trying to source a black power cable for my dock. My local ICE shop found one, and installed it and it didnt work. A bit of research on the net later, and we found the problem. I went back to the o2 store and instead bought a cable advertised to work with iPhone 3G and hey presto!
 
I would love to find something to just hold the phone up. Thankfully, my new car came with an AUX input so I don't have to worry about connectivity, but because I can only control the iPhone through the actual phone itself, I want it to be easily accessible. Anyone have a solution?
 
I am currently using this one, works like a charm. It charges my phone, outputs my music through FM and I use it as a handsfree device when I make a call or somebody calls me and I hear there voice through the car speakers:D:

20084122154854135.jpg
 
I have the same dock in my VW. Do you know of any adapters that will put the power where in needs to be in my 3G? I use my 1G Touch in my car because of the charging issue but would really love to use my iphone instead because I miss a lot of calls due to the stereo being up loud.

BiggyG said:
This is because the iPhone 3G, and the latest wave of iPods have dropped the use of the 12V pins in the standard ipod dock, rendering any peripherals that use those pins useless. You need to get a cable that sends the power through the usb charging pins.

I encountered this issue when trying to source a black power cable for my dock. My local ICE shop found one, and installed it and it didnt work. A bit of research on the net later, and we found the problem. I went back to the o2 store and instead bought a cable advertised to work with iPhone 3G and hey presto!
Click to expand...
 
I think I'll try the one Vandam posted. If not, I'll just hold out to spring when i get a corvette.
 
QUiKSR20 said:
I dont have one but if I get one it will be from this site as they make awesome docks. http://2point5.com/

They make tons of docks for a bunch of cars, Below is just one example in an Infiniti.

g35_hs.jpg
Click to expand...

The website says that it only has models for automatic transmission...for the infinity g35 coupes. As soon as they work up the manual model...I'll definitely look into it for the hubby.
 
Nicolecat said:
The website says that it only has models for automatic transmission...for the infinity g35 coupes. As soon as they work up the manual model...I'll definitely look into it for the hubby.
Click to expand...

I love the G35 coupes... your husband has good taste, but remember, it's Infiniti not Infinity ;)
 
pkagel said:
I have the same dock in my VW. Do you know of any adapters that will put the power where in needs to be in my 3G? I use my 1G Touch in my car because of the charging issue but would really love to use my iphone instead because I miss a lot of calls due to the stereo being up loud.
Click to expand...

I bought the Griffin PowerJolt SE. Its on the apple store, anything listed there as working with iPhone 3G WILL work. You can use it as a standard cigarette lighter charger, or as I did, get someone to install it behind the dash with just a little cable poking out.
 
I have a mount from proclip USA for my 350z. I bought a charger from griffin, an aux port connection on the charger, and a dock extension that filters out phone static from the oem apple dock. It's really clean install, charges up my iphone, and gives out great sound.
 
cheekybobcat said:
Problem with this is those docks are built into the car. You gotta fork up the 30+ thousand for that dock :)
Click to expand...

Cheekybobcat,

This dock is so nice it tricked you, this is aftermarket but looks factory..

Goto the website this is a high quality " after market " dock, They make these for many cars.

http://2point5.com/

The G35 was just an example of one of the many they make.
 
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