I got a '04 8 not long ago, and recently I've been a little bit tired of burning CDs and changing them out to listen to my music in my car, so I bought a cheap little iPod touch adaptor that you put into the cigarette lighter place. When I turn it on it works, but it has a lot of static.

It's not the iPod touch adaptor because I tried it in a Hyundai Tuscan and it worked with no static at all. I tried it in both of the... outlet things (sorry, don't know what they're called) that I have in my car and same result for both, static. Also, the channel 106.1 mhz has quite a bit less static than the other channels. The product is from a company called Allkit, it being http://www.phonecasestore.com/FM_Tra...ransmitter.htm

Is this a known issue for the cheaper iPod integration devices? Does anyone think http://finishlineperformance.com/sto...cat=267&page=3 would work better and eliminate static (also, does it work for the touch version?)

Sorry, this is more of an iPod question than an RX8 question but I didn't know where else to ask...

 

check out gromaudio.com.

I have their MP3 box. Love it. I think they have one that does MP3 as well as IPOD and AUX.

 

Will the Grom work with the Bose stereo? The Bose lacks any sort of aux-in, but I don't have the CD changer so maybe there is a port available.

 

While searching I found this thread which may be of assistance...
https://www.rx8club.com/sitemap/t-134064.html

 

Check their site. There is a version or two it will not work with, but my 2003 build RX8 is new enough for it to work.

It plugs in the back where the CD changer goes. There are several good videos about how to get the radio out. On mine, it will easily do 6 "tracks" of up to 100 songs each. You can go over, but it gets kind of messy when you have multiple songs labeled number 03. all the controls work through the standard interface on the wheel and dash board. I have not played with the IPOD part. I did not order the cable or have an ipod/I phone. There is a thread here on how to find your head unit firmware. It is 3 buttons you press down or something like that.

 

Doesn't mazda offer a factory IPOD integration unit, almost the exact same as the neo or grom aftermarket units?

 

From what little research I've done, it seems a major drawback with the Mazda kit is that it locks out the iPod interface on the device itself. Which means you HAVE to use the cumbersome interface the stereo offers. The other kits allow you to use either the stereo or the iPod to control playback from what I've read.

Of course, take this with a grain of salt as I've not used either, just reading in hopes of getting one for my 8.

 

i use the xaudio link. it works well and is widely used on this forum. it is referanced in the archive link above.

as for the mazda kit it does lock out the ipod and has a limited number of playlist it will accept, and last time i looked it cost about twice as much as an aftermarket one with more fuctionality.

 

I just ordered a grom unit. Seems to keep the ipod from locking out (unless you use it in advanved mode) and is super easy to use. No bells and whistles that just add complication...and for $80 i cant go wrong.
hope it works!!

 

I have the Mazda OEM adapter.
Advantages
Solid playback, never gets lost, will start playback when you plug in the iPod if you're in play mode and never gets confused.
Drawbacks
Locks the screen, does not charge the iPOD touch or iPhone.
The playlist selector does work well but is cumbersome.

The Neo unit in my Jetta
Advantages
Does not lock the screen
Charges the iPOD touch
Drawbacks
It easily gets confused.
Cheap connectors cause continuity errors and sometimes a channel cuts out.
Steering wheel controls and HU controls are intermittent. Again, this is a cheap unit and has nowhere near the quality of the Mazda OEM unit.