Iphone in-car, hard wire solution for music playing.

[Les McLean]

I've just finished fitting a hard wired system in my car (Toyota Corolla D4D T-Spirit) to enable listening to music from my Iphone directly through the cars head unit.

I'm aware that there are a number of solutions, after a lot of research, I found this met my requirements, and worked for me.





My list of requirements:

1. It had to be hardwired, I've used blue-tooth , and FM transmitters and find them less than satisfactory, with fuzzy sound, and station drift.
2. I wanted to be able to control the iphone from my steering wheel controls, volume on/off track/album selection, also switch between iphone/radio.
3. The music needed to be muted on making/receiving telephone calls.
4. The iphone needed to be in a suitable cradle without taking the iphone out of it's hard case.
5. The iphone would need be charged on the move.
6. The system needed to work with my current factory fitted head unit, I'm aware I could have installed a third party head unit with an Iphone connector, but it would have meant losing the steering wheel controls and the fuel computer read out.
7. Most of the cables, connectors needed to be hidden and not having to plug cables into cigarette lighter sockets etc.

My choice for hard wired unit was a 'Connects2 ipod/iphone adaptor' which converts the iphone into a 'virtual' CD changer, that is the head unit 'thinks' it has a CD changer attached.

The unit can be purchased with different wiring looms, dependant upon the vehicle make/manufacturer.

It took me around two hours to do a complete fit, and was relatively easy to install, mainly by easing the head unit away from the dash, and plugging the interface kit into the back of the radio-in this instance where a CD multi changer would normally be if you had one.
Replaced the head unit leaving the iphone connector unit lead free to plug into a cradle.

The next step was fitting a cradle/mount. I use a brodit dash mount for my TomTom Navigator, and find it excellent, and very robust, they are not the cheapest mounts around, but do the job very well.

Because I wanted to be able to use the mount with a hard case (Switch Easy Capsule Neo) in place.

I opted for the Brodit Adjustable Holder with Pass-Through Connector (#516042)

Meaning I could dock the iphone without removing the case, with the connects2/iphone connector lead plugging directly into the mount.

I dash mounted the iphone, and because I could control the music selection remotely, it did not need to be easily reached or under finger tip control.
The only additional item I needed was a 'ctipod converter' to enable phone charging , the connects2 normally works with an ipod, with an iphone you need the ctipod converter if you want phone charging alongside the other functions (apparently iphones/ipods have different charging voltages)

So it met all my requirements, plays crystal clear music through the cars sound system, in addition, I have the iphone 'paired' via blue-tooth with my TomTom 520, therefore can make and receive hands-free calls via the TomTom (which is in fingertip reach), at the same time muting the music while doing so.

The final cost was around £100 for all the bits and pieces I needed.

 

[Steep]

Looks like a nice neat job, I always found getting a route through the dash facia without destroying it to be the hard part of installing anything in a car.

 

[dan_yorkshire]

Nice job.

I too used a connects2 in my car.

Whilt I have an iphone my in car music uses an old 4gb nano and I've put velcro on the back and then onto my dash fascia too and it site there really strong to control.

When I've finished I can remove the nano, put it in my glove compartment and anyone looking in, there'd be no signs of anything worth nicking.

 

[ding76uk]

Never heard of them before but will definitely look into it, looks perfect. How does the lead from the connects 2 come into the car, do you have to play with the fascia until it fits?

 

[Les McLean]

Never heard of them before but will definitely look into it, looks perfect. How does the lead from the connects 2 come into the car, do you have to play with the fascia until it fits?

On my car the whole facia unit , I can pull it away from the main dash (after taking two screws out)-with the lead fitting between the dash/facia

 

[ding76uk]

Will have to look on the net how to do it on my Focus.

 

[martyp]

Nice work.

That'd be great for the TomTom app too!

 

[digitalfailure]

Nice write up, I've been 1/2 looking for a decent solution for getting my iPhone to route audio and calls through the sony headunit in my focus.

I'll have a wee look at the connects 2, I used one of their kits to get my original ipod mini to send audio through the audio on my MR2

Is the call audio good and does the brodit holder offer an antenna boost / upgrade?

 

[jimmy83]

Beats my Belkin radio transmitter!

 

[martinxr2]

I was looking at this but it's a few more pennies

http://www.parrot.com/uk/products/hands-free-car-kits/parrot-rki8400

 

[Les McLean]

Is the call audio good and does the brodit holder offer an antenna boost / upgrade?

I don't know if the call audio can be routed through the car system ?, I was quite happy to pair my Iphone with my tomtom and use the tomtom mike/speaker to make calls.

I have a hearing loss (another reason why I needed a clear sound), and the tomtom handsfree system works for me.

 

[Byker28i]

I was looking at this but it's a few more pennies

http://www.parrot.com/uk/products/hands-free-car-kits/parrot-rki8400

We have the Parrot MKi9200 which works brilliantly and combined it with a an adjustable holder with passthrough. It's gone into the primera so mounts on the centre tunnel behind the handbrake in the same place as the factory fitted one.