Ipod connection solutions

[Misty Design]

Hi

I'm thinking of getting a Harman Kardon drive + play unit... looks a pretty good solution to connecting to the head unit, I have the CDC40 Opera DAB. & its only £28 on Amazon now too!

From reading some older threads I can see some owners have successfully fitted the H&K unit, I have been trying to identify if the display is detachable at all, also i have a query regarding the aerial connection, looks like it is a square plug, Fakra? found one here http://caraudiosecurity.com/shop/pro...s_id/8128.html, is this the only extra lead i will need?

I've also been looking at the IO play, not sure how this would connect to the head unit, Halfords advised its a standard ISO connection. £69 on Amazon (£150 at Halfords). http://www.my-io.com/Products/iOPLAY.aspx

Harman Kardon have released the Drive & Play 2 now which looks fantastic, shame the price isn't! http://www.harmankardon.com/product_...-DP2EU&sType=C

I've also seen that Alpine have released something very similar..EX10 http://www.alpine-electronics.co.uk/...n#ridercontent
found for £109 http://www.gpssite.co.uk/p/Alpine-EX...pine-EX-10.asp

I'm kinda swinging to the Alpine unit, but the H&K @ £28 is appealing!
any thoughts & experiences from you guys out there would be much appreciated

[Misty Design]

Decision made...gone for the Harman Kardon Drive + Play 1, at £35 inc. delivery couldn't ignore it! ordered the aerial leads too. nice little project to install over the half term hols.

Will have to wait until it arrives but wondering now if the display will fit in the sunglass's holder so can hide out of site & drop down when want to view it.

[grigs1]

Decision made...gone for the Harman Kardon Drive + Play 1, at £35 inc. delivery couldn't ignore it! ordered the aerial leads too. nice little project to install over the half term hols.

Will have to wait until it arrives but wondering now if the display will fit in the sunglass's holder so can hide out of site & drop down when want to view it.

Great. But how your are going to connect it to the CDC40?
As I know, the CDC40 HU doesn't have the aux-in pins, it has only mono input for phone.

[cameraman]

Great. But how your are going to connect it to the CDC40?
As I know, the CDC40 HU doesn't have the aux-in pins, it has only mono input for phone.

He's ordered the aerial adapters, so it's going through the aerial as an FM modulator. I've had one for 18 months attached to my CDC40.

My control stalk is on the steering column, roughly opposite side to the ignition key & the display is mounted on the switch blank above the hazard switch. IPOD in the glove box & all the gubbins behind the heater controls.

I drive through Tamworth every day, so if you need any advice let me know

[vxvirgin]

Cameraman - have you got a facra/fakra, or whatever it is, aerial adapter? Does the adapter and/or the HK unit give any interference during DAB or FM use?

That looks like a good price - I was also looking at the Dension system - any experiences anyone?

[Misty Design]

I'm still waiting on the aerial lead to arrive. The H K is part installed, mounted the control stick and the 'brain', but thats all - tried the display in the sunglass holder, not a good fit. When I have more time I will crack on and get this thing fitted, hopefully before the week is out, I'll post some pics then.

Question, where is best to take ignition and permanent live from to power the unit?

CameraMan, thanks for the offer, might take you up on that if i hit on a "eenie meenie miney mo" moment with the wiring!

[cameraman]

VXvirgin, the HK kit takes control of the ipod, the ipod will only show OK to disconnect. You can connect the ipod via the headphone to the aux in but then you have no charging facility. The control knob is wired (as is the screen), the cable on mine is hidden as I've drilled through the plastic (mines on the steering column

[vxvirgin]

Thanks for that - I might still look at the ipod cable - to fm modulator solution. Incidentally - does the HK kit have unlimited FM frequencies or just a few pre-selected ones?

[Misty Design]

hi

When connected via the ipod connector, the Ipod goes into the 'ready to be disconnected' state, but as cameraman suggested the ipod may be plugged in via the 'external in' 3.5 jack, but no charging is available this way.

The unit has pre set frequencies but you can choose your own as it will let you set it anywhere in the full fm frequency range.

The control knob is installed close enough to the drinks holder that the wire is tucked in and hidden. The display screen wire is run in through the hinge for the glasses holder and via the courtesy light/alarm sensors and along the windscreen tucked up behind the headlining, and so down the near side 'A' pillar.

Presumably are you thinking of going for the Dension kit? i have now compared the 2 as my freind has it in his veccy, crystal clear compared the HK which has a litle bit of hiss and cackle, but when your driving (and singing along) you don't notice it.

[vxvirgin]

Thanks again - not sure exactly which setup but the Dension looks closest. I want to have the ipod maybe in the drinks holder connected by a cable through the bottom connector. The kit has a holder and lists the dock cable as 'optional' so I'll research further.