Wargoose

If you have the Sirius Satellite radio option in your vehicle, the DICE unit will not work and allow you to keep the sat radio as they use the same connection port on the rear of the head unit.

Your best option if you want the factory satellite radio is an Axxess adapter. You can get them here: http://www.therpmstore.com/product_i...roducts_id=672. This one attaches to the cassette/MD port on the underside of the radio.

parkpy

iTrader: (1)

how do you set the radio presets?

Are you sure that the car configurations witches are supposed to be in the ON position (both down)? The manual says to leave them in the OFF (both up) for both CD and SAT configurations?

BTW, I love how easy it was to install the DICE. I have it sitting in the glovebox

rztom

Don't know what to tell you on the dip switches.... the install guide I got with my unit said if you'll be using the SAT radio port, then dip switches are set as I outlined previously. And it works fine for me that way.

With the DICE the radio presets are for setting up a trigger for a function change. You probably know that the DICE unit uses radio channels 10 thru 69 for its various functions. So you would select, say, channel 10 on the radio (TRACK function on the DICE), then press and hold preset button 1 to record this selection, just like you would if programming a standard radio station. You can then program other preset buttons for the other functions (playlist, album, chapter, source, etc).

parkpy

iTrader: (1)

I've left it in iPod mode (control the iPod interface through the iPod itself). The frustration from trying to scroll through songs is AGGRAVATING. If you browse to fast, you're taken back to the menu selection tier. There's no fast way to browse through your collection quickly. It's just better to control everything through the iPod itself.

Moreover, I heard this strange beeping noise when the iPod is detached and the volume is in excess of 20+. It's present in really quiet songs as well, again when the volume is high.

To me, the PIE has better sound quality, but I'll take this DICE unit for it's ability to charge, and as it seems to be a true line-out signal (can't change the volume from the iPod itself), and as you're able to use the radio units' back/forward buttons to skip tracks, even in iPod control mode. Plus, the cable length makes the DICE unit install much cleaner (I leave the unit in the glovebox, and I have a wire snaking back to where the head unit is, and routed through the transmission tunnel cover, and into my cup holders, just like everyone else:P

worth $150? Yes.

I've spent that much on a faulty Pie Adapter that sells for $120, and wasted $60 on a DLO FM transmitter.

I should've just bought the Dice in the first place.

to rztom,
I figured out the presets, but they're just not worth fooling with, IMHO.

rztom

Agreed.... the only one I really use is preset button 5, which I've got programmed to channel 50, that toggles between the ipod port and the AUX port - where I have my portable SAT radio plugged into....

jgibbons

I hooked up my R1 DICE adapter (no text and no SAT) on the weekend, and plugged in my friend's iPhone and Ipod Nano (2nd gen) --everything worked fine (all dip switches set off and I could control the devices from the radio/steering wheel/ipod).

So I get home and plug in my Ipod nano (3rd gen with up-to-date firmware), and it immediately locks out my ipod. It will start playing whatever playlist I had highlighted, but it won't let me change anything from the ipod (steering wheel/radio controls are fine).

Does anyone know how i regain control over the ipod in this setup? It worked for a brief moment when I restarted the car during the day, and I could control both devices. Is there an "Order" to when you plug in the ipod, start the car, turn on the radio (EX) to get it to work?

parkpy

iTrader: (1)

The Dice is particular frustrating because:

Even if you're using the iPod-only (no-text display, if you're an R2 user), if you were to press the skip back/forward too many times on the head-unit itself, you get to the point where you don't have control of the iPod through the head unit anymore. You have to basically press display and the scan button (on the right side of the head) several times, one after the other, to get back to where you can use the head-unit and iPod.

I've counted how many times it takes for you to be "locked-out" of using the head-unit, and it's about 20 times, before you have to reset the Dice iPod kit using the display and scan up buttons.

It's frustrating. Not a very good product at all.

parkpy

iTrader: (1)

and another thing:

when you decide to use the text-mode with the R2 version, skipping through song selections too quickly will take you back one-level in the menu hierachy, instead of advancing or skipping back, songs.

There's no fast way to skip to a certain song in a playlist. You press skip, wait 2-3 seconds, then press skip again, other wise, you've booted yourself up one level and have to choose between what you want to browsing from (playlist, artist, album, etc.)

Conundrum

iTrader: (1)

Picture of Dice R2 unit looks exactly the same as Neo Prolink R2? Both even have the same connectors and switches... I never knew that... I wonder if they are exactly the same circuit except the firmware is different.

WTBRotary!

iTrader: (6)

does the DICE thingy work with the new Ipod Nanos that just came out (4th gen)????

AlTitaniumCar

Kind of bringing this thread back from the dead, but I didn't notice anyone citing the headunit firmware issue. Does the DICE kit need to have a certain version of the headunit firmware to function? Thanks in advance!

parkpy

iTrader: (1)

9.55 and above.

Lpr0923

Anyone using this set up with an ipod touch? Just set mine up on Saturday. Everything works perfect EXCEPT it won't charge the iPod. When I turn it on, my ipod gives me an error that says "Charging is not compatible with this accessory" or some BS. An Rx-8 is a pretty expensive iPod accessory.

I'm not that distraught about it but it would be nice if it would charge it, like it's supposed to.

AmericanStig

On their website, they have a note about newer iPods needing a 5v cable for charging. The old cables were 12v apparently. If you have a 120gb classic, 2nd gen touch, iPhone 3G, or 4th gen nano... you will need that cable in order to charge your iPod, or at least thats what i gather from their website.

Anywho, I plan on buying the r2 soon. A lot of changes for me though, my old car (civic) used iPod controls and it was a 5th gen iPod. Just bought my RX-8 and a 2nd Gen iPod touch and will plan on using the dash/steering controls because using the touch display everytime I need to change something seems downright dangerous. Like.. Worse than trying to text and drive IMO. (either that or I am just not used to it yet)

Edit: wait a second, you're from harford county? holy **** thats crazy. didn't even notice.

parkpy

iTrader: (1)

I would suggest that you NOT buy a DICE kit. My warranty expired after a year, and that was that. One dead Dice unit.

I'm using a PIE kit again, this time with a genuine Alpine-3.5mm cable, vis a vis the junk cable PIE sells. All is well.

Lpr0923

Bah.



Jarrettsville. I've probably seen you many, many times. I see blue 8's all over the place.

Zephyrzone

LOL! I grew up in Jarrettsville off of Twin Lakes Drive! I live in Columbia now. I graduated John Carroll in '96! What a small world!

I'm currently selling my Neo Link adapter (in the F/S section). It worked just fine and I had no problems with it. I just don't drive much now since I work from home and can use the cash. When I start driving more I'll want another unit so I'm considering the DICE R2 since I have an 07 GT with Sat connection. I tried the Audiolink last year, which I liked except it had some major feedback/whining. I sent it back and got a second unit but the same thing happened, so I went with the NEO. The music quality wasn't nearly as good IMO, but it was very stable and worked well. The text display is a nice feature, but I just wish there was a solution that allowed for iPhone and steering wheel access with good quality sound. It seems like the Dice unit allows for one or the other but not both with the iPhone...

Lpr0923

I know! We've had this conversation before Didn't you live in Frederick for a while?

AmericanStig

I don't see 8's around Harford County hardly at all; never seen another blue one around. Maybe I'm just out at odd times of the day, what with work and all..

..and to keep on topic, I installed my DICE unit and it works great. I am not a fan of the radio controls/display, so i just use it in iPod mode. Love it, don't even have to hit play when i first get in the car anymore. The only thing I see of minor concern is that I think it charges my iPod even when the car is off. Whatever... it beats the FM transmitter thingy by a mile.

spottyelephant

Man it took admin ages to approve my account!

Anyway i've been reading and reading and reading deciding what to do RE my ipod. I reckon this DICE one is the way forward but here's my problem:
I dont know what radio i have (and therefore what connection i need). I have the Bose 6disc in dash radio that came with the car, but no sat button.

[IMG]file:///C:/Users/Linda/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot.jpg[/IMG][IMG]file:///C:/Users/Linda/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot-1.jpg[/IMG]

That's the one (well i think it is based on the tape/md button).

So if i install the Dice, will that mean no CD or do i have a spare port?


Also - where did you route your cable to ipod??

Lpr0923

Well, I've given up on the fact that it won't charge it. I also control it by the ipod itself. Now I'm trying to figure out a set up so it's easily accessible and not just sitting on my lap. I got a windshield mount for it, but it's looking pretty recockulous.

spottyelephant

I notice on your first photo the "tape/MD" button - does that mean you've the 6cd radio? And more importantly does your CD still work now you've the DICE installed?

I'm considering bringing the cable out near the cigarette lighter and leave it resting in the cup holder so i (or a passenger) can pick it up and control it.

Wargoose

You have the same head unit I do (which is on the 2004 model - no factory SAT radio option). The DICE unit will plug into the rear of your deck, where an external CD changer would normally be added. This does not affect the in-dash CD changer that came with your unit. You will press the CD button to cycle between the internal changer (shown as CD) and the iPod (shown as EX). If you purchase a mini-din extension cable, you'll have a bit more freedom on where you place your iPod. I ran mine up the centre console to the hidden storage under the arm rest. With the cable extension, you'll have plenty of slack to pick the unit up and hold it comfortably in front of you while seated.

spottyelephant

Liiiikke this??

Cheers, nice succinct answer btw. Much happier i'm not just gonna be tearing the *** out my car now only to find it didnt work!

Wargoose

Yup - just like that. Remember to check that your head unit has the correct firmware version (9.55+) as outlined on that ebay listing. When you go to install it, you don't need to remove the deck completely from the dash - remove the glove box and reach in behind and you should be able to make the connection by feel with the deck pulled almost all the way out - that will save you having to remove all of the plug-ins at the back. You will, however, still have to remove the HVAC plug-ins at the base of the unit, as they're too short to permit much movement. A small mirror comes in very handy when it comes to plugging those back in.