Hello,

Anyone tried this installation? How was it. Is it working well. Any problems or suggestions?

http://www.whatsmyip.org/ipodrx8/

Thanks!

 

I haven't tried the CD player hack. However, you should also consider this product:

http://www.mp3yourcar.com/productdet...?productID=293

It has the advantage that it charges the iPod while it's plugged in. You can also control the iPod from the steering wheel controls. It has some annoying quirks though. Sometimes it will skip songs. Sometimes you have to turn the stereo on, off, then on again to sync it up with the device. Other than that it works great though.

 

I did it!

It works great! It's not easy to unplug the wires on the back of the stereo (it's tight) and the bolt is not easy to remove. Also, it took me a while to burn a silence cd.

I do not recommend this hack unless you know what you are doing. Soldering is tricky too. The steps are well explained but again it is not easy to remove the wires on the back of the stereo and the bolt is not easy to reach. Other than that, it is a great hack!

PS: I have a PC pocket with a GPS installed, destinator (w/bluetooth) so I can now listen to the nice lady voice on the stereo (turn left, 300 meters...). I can also play dvd movies with my PC pocket with a sofware called Pocket DVD. Kind of fun.

 

do what jbrasure said; except get the 1.1 version not the plus. it has far less quirks and lets you use existing ipod software instead of the dension software which is limited.

there are tons of threads with more info on this; really good info check it out

 

I did the install like mp3mycar
http://www.staticusers.net/rx-8/RX-8...n-iceLink.html

You don't have to worry about turning the unit on and off.
My I-Pod stays in the glove box and I never have to touch it

 

I installed the PIE Mazda-ALP adapter that terminates in RCA jacks and plugged in my Dell DJ MP3 player to that (using a 1/8" stereo plug-to-RCA cable.)

Works like a champ. Fairly easy to do -

Here's the good trick on the hidden bolt - the factory, thankfully, doesn't put it in there tight, so I just wrapped cloth "friction tape" around a deep-well 10MM socket, popped it on there, and had more than enough finger torque to loosen it that way.

Stew

 

That is my web site, and I did the hack and i've been loving it ever since. I don't plug the aux cable into the headphone jack. I use the $40 belkin ipod car adapter, and plug the aux into the line out on that, plug that into a custom installed power outlet underneath my center console, and run the dock connector out through the cupholders. And I use the belkin cup holder ipod thing too. Its a pretty sweet hack, the audio is perfect. I might consider one of those really expensive adapters if they let your steering wheel controls change the song on the ipod, through the dock connector (and charged it too), but other wise, why spend the money when you can spend a fun day taking apart your car, and putting it back together.

 

stupid question:

After this mod, do you lose the ability to play real cd's? my reasoning is that, after you solder your left and right audio to the Ipod adaptor:

http://www.whatsmyip.org/ipodrx8/14.php

just want to make sure before i do this mod.

 

No you can still play regular CDs you just have to make sure nothing is playing on the iPod. Thats why you use a silence cd, because if you used a music CD, you'd be listening to music!

 

thanks man; i like your site btw, VERY informative... i feel confident i can do this mod and i have lil soldering experience.

i will update in a couple weeks.

 

I used that blog as a guide when I installed my xcarlink usb/sd/3.5mm module some time back. Very well documented.

 

Why would you want to go through these headaches when the iPod adapters are so cheap these days? This hack was great in it's day...I don't want to discount that...but there are better alternatives these days for reasonable prices.

 

I wasn't referring to the soldering hack, but the step-by-step guide for getting to and removing the radio.

 

yeah, 120 shipped for that adaptor is a fair price but if you can save money and learn more about your car then... nothing wrong with that.

to each his own.

 

unless you do a bad job with your iron and mess up your HU and need to order a new one.