iPod car mods? let's talk

[burjo]

how many people out there have done any custom configurations in your cars for an iPod? more and more stereos are being made for aux music sources to be played by. tell us about your car mod to fit you pod

[labaom]

its not really worth it in my opinion

[EnmanuelMC]

One of my dad's friends did this cool thing where in the middle there was a place to put the ipod .. some sort of custom dock.. and when you placed an ipod... a bunch of lights light up around it and a screen came out and he played videos and photos in it =D.. it was really cool...

Moved to technology.

[burjo]

Originally Posted by labaom

its not really worth it in my opinion

this seems vague "in my opinion", do you mean car mods are not really worth it?
i disagree. if you are willing to spend countless hours to make you iPod look exactly how you want it to look, why would you be objective to spending anytime to making the listening experience worthwhile as well. and i don't me sound experience obviously, but THE experience. mod you iPod for 2 hours and then plug it into you car where it has to be un a cup holder or an ash tray? i think not.

i didn't build anything fancy or add a screen or anything like that.
in my case, i took out the ash tray, (in a 98 monte carlo) which is in the center console. i then took the little white dock that comes with an iPod for Macs, and made a snug fit for it. then i proceeded to take a usb charger and i glued the little plug into the dock/base. it took a little shaving with a knife to get the connector to fit into that dock being as Mac just has the little male piece alone from which come through the hole of the dock. nonetheless, i glued it into place and ran the usb cord along the inside of my center console and had it poke out with just enough slack so as to plug into my cigarette lighter. also, i went out from my stereo that has an AUX IN headphone jack and ran a line again inside the console along the side so as to avoid my shifter and whatnot. it came out in the same hole as the charger but with enough slack to pick the ipod up to select a song or whatever and then place it back in the dock which kept it charged. no big deal really took me like 15 mins to cut and glue the dock together, and like 20 or 30 to put it all in. and my favorite thing about it is that when my iPod isn't with me, or i don't have it in, i can just shut the lid of the ash tray and everything is factory again, and you would never know i have a dock there.

i think it is very worth it.

(long post, whew)

[DarkWarrior]

I made a FM dock for mine, but the Transmitter isn't string enough so i never use it i just listen to the radio.

[burjo]

i had a transmitter once, and it would NEVER get a perfect reception. they suck, my brother has an itrip and it's so so. i've been actually thinking of looking into getting a cable that was RCA on one end (red and white coaxial) and the iPod connector on the other. kinda like what alpine makes for their ipod integrated stereos. those things like read you ipod and surf the music and all that jazz, but i'm looking to make a dock. a real home dock cancels out the volume function and won't turn off till powered down. well heres my plan:

in the rear of nearly all after market stereos is one or two pairs of outs for subs, or a full range amp. but the growing popularity in 3rd party media has several stereos including either a headphone sized jack for mp3 players, or an RCA IN for OEM interfaces (basically a 3rd party sound processor for alternate ins <i.e. mp3, sat, dvd, etc>) these are typically put in the back for a tidy look, but are sometimes put in the front for ease of access.

1. what i'd like to do is replace my mediocre stereo for a stereo with RCA IN rather than 1/8th" jack in.

2. hook up my subs and amp to the OUTs of course and plug in the above mentioned cable to the IN.

3. purchase or build a component that houses an iPod small enough to be installed in place of my ash tray again.
option- if there is such a thing i would want one that requires 2.5V or a power-up capability. i would tap into my REM line (remote power: a line that runs to your amp that has enough juice to tell it to turn on, but not supply power.) this way, when the car starts the dock comes on. additionally the iPod would receive a charge as it plays from the REM line. although there may be enough V in the RCA to offer charge.

option- otherwise it would just secure the iPod in place and house the connection. and i would the to get the type of cable that powers an iPod through the lighter and tap in to the REM there.

4. once all that is set i would wire it all up under my console.

Finished Result:

I get into my car an plug in my iPod, nothing happens. i start my car; the iPod and dock power up or just iPod depending dock i get. i hit shuffle or whatever, and drive. iPod plays at full volume because the bottom jack bypasses the volume, AND a clearer crisper sound than headphone is achieved. A song comes on i don't like so i swap to radio or CD; meanwhile iPod continues to play like a radio station you're aren't listening to. No problem, its being charged. when i park, i turn off the car the ipod knows the connection is lost so it pauses automatically, or if it's a powered dock it shuts off. i pluck it out, and shut the flap over the ash tray and it's all gone. i walk away and plug in my phones and don't have to worry about the volume being maxed out anymore. FANTASTIC!


jeez it's not very hard to do and is quite simple to accomplish all those things, but damn is it extensive to explain.

[aldog]

I drilled a hole in the back of the recessed area that's underneath my head unit and put an auxilary cord through it. I don't think I would want to use a dock because I can get through the menus better when it's in my hand. My xm is on a dock and it's alright, but too high. I guess if I could put something right where my air/heat gauges are than I'd deck it out. But first things first, custom boxes for my subs

[burjo]

what kinda subs you pumpin? i got 2 fosgate 10"

[aldog]

I don't know that I've ever heard fosgates, I've heard they're good just never listened personally.
I'm runnin 2 12" JL's