Comments on: Following up on iPod car installs http://ben-johnson.org/blog/archives/2004/03/102/ I hate Illinois Nazis... Fri, 22 Aug 2008 02:21:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Gerard http://ben-johnson.org/blog/archives/2004/03/102/#comment-34829 Gerard Mon, 17 Mar 2008 05:27:39 +0000 http://www.ben-johnson.org/blog/archives/2004/03/102/#comment-34829 Thanks for the great instructions. I just installed a HON M-LINK DMX V.1 from Blitzsafe (via Ebay) on my '01 Civic. I did manage to install by just removing the lower panel: when you do that, there are several wire harnesses, which need to be dislodged a little, then feel upwards and towards the passenger side until you feel a two-finger-sized indentation with pins at the bottom - that's the socket to plug into. For fitting the cable through the panel, the easiest was to unscrew the inside part of the little cupboard, cut a small wedge out of the join part, and then reattach it after putting the wire through. Since both ends of this wire are pretty fat, this avoids having to make a large hole to pass the end of the wire through. Thanks for the great instructions. I just installed a HON M-LINK DMX V.1 from Blitzsafe (via Ebay) on my ‘01 Civic. I did manage to install by just removing the lower panel: when you do that, there are several wire harnesses, which need to be dislodged a little, then feel upwards and towards the passenger side until you feel a two-finger-sized indentation with pins at the bottom - that’s the socket to plug into.

For fitting the cable through the panel, the easiest was to unscrew the inside part of the little cupboard, cut a small wedge out of the join part, and then reattach it after putting the wire through. Since both ends of this wire are pretty fat, this avoids having to make a large hole to pass the end of the wire through.

]]> By: Christine http://ben-johnson.org/blog/archives/2004/03/102/#comment-1165 Christine Tue, 31 Jan 2006 09:59:01 +0000 http://www.ben-johnson.org/blog/archives/2004/03/102/#comment-1165 I just installed the USA-SPEC iPod to car stereo interface for my 2003 honda civic hybrid (PA11-HON) and I happy to report it works very well and was really easy to install. It plugs into the CD-C changer port on the back of the stereo and allow you to play and control the iPod via the stereo (including 4 seperate playlists) while it charges the iPod. It also has a seperate AUX port so you can plug in a non-iPod mp3 player via the headphones, but you can only control the volume from the stereo. I drilled a hole in the tray below the radio for the cable for the iPod and the headphone. To remove the stereo, you need to pop off the section around the lighter and undo two screws, then pop out the entire console surrounding the radio.. much simplier than it sounds.. just a little prying and force, no special tools needed.. and it's definetly worth it! Just take time to read the instructions for the box since there are some tiny switches that you can set depending on how you want to use it. They make adapter for other types of cars and it is so worth it if your radio has a CD changer port.. it's so much better than going through the FM radio (and it charges the iPod too!) I just installed the USA-SPEC iPod to car stereo interface for my 2003 honda civic hybrid (PA11-HON) and I happy to report it works very well and was really easy to install. It plugs into the CD-C changer port on the back of the stereo and allow you to play and control the iPod via the stereo (including 4 seperate playlists) while it charges the iPod. It also has a seperate AUX port so you can plug in a non-iPod mp3 player via the headphones, but you can only control the volume from the stereo. I drilled a hole in the tray below the radio for the cable for the iPod and the headphone. To remove the stereo, you need to pop off the section around the lighter and undo two screws, then pop out the entire console surrounding the radio.. much simplier than it sounds.. just a little prying and force, no special tools needed.. and it’s definetly worth it! Just take time to read the instructions for the box since there are some tiny switches that you can set depending on how you want to use it.

They make adapter for other types of cars and it is so worth it if your radio has a CD changer port.. it’s so much better than going through the FM radio (and it charges the iPod too!)

]]> By: Mark http://ben-johnson.org/blog/archives/2004/03/102/#comment-1164 Mark Tue, 31 Jan 2006 08:29:47 +0000 http://www.ben-johnson.org/blog/archives/2004/03/102/#comment-1164 I just found your site, and your comments were helpful. I really like your car mount, and I would like to put mine in the tray also. I tried to find it at Radio Shack but they do not have it anymore. I tried to find it by doing a google search, but nothing I found can be put in the tray like yours. Can you give me a little more info on the product, like the company, name or model, etc. Thanks for your help, and the info. I just found your site, and your comments were helpful. I really like your car mount, and I would like to put mine in the tray also. I tried to find it at Radio Shack but they do not have it anymore. I tried to find it by doing a google search, but nothing I found can be put in the tray like yours. Can you give me a little more info on the product, like the company, name or model, etc. Thanks for your help, and the info.

]]> By: Lincoln http://ben-johnson.org/blog/archives/2004/03/102/#comment-1100 Lincoln Thu, 27 Oct 2005 01:09:27 +0000 http://www.ben-johnson.org/blog/archives/2004/03/102/#comment-1100 Hey yo! Just wanted to thank you for the inspiration. I read your original post first several months ago when I was looking for instructions on how to remove my factory CD player. I'm a computer tech and wanted to troubleshoot as it had stopped working. Of course, it's beyond my ability, and I was forced to put it all back together with no progress made. I got an FM transmitter, but it sucked. I returned it within a week and swore off the things - not for audiophiles, I say! ... Then I came back here, read up on this, went shopping around for websites that sold the converters (Logjam doesn't ship to Canada, apparently), ordered one, and it came in a week. I just installed it and it sounds amazing from a discman - far better than the factory player ever was. When I finally get an Ipod, it will be even more handy. In case nobody has yet mentioned this, the manufacturer has started including the ground wire along with instructions on when and when not to use it, so I had no troubles - just affixed to a small screw behind the unit and there have been no signs of trouble. All in all, it's been one of the most trouble-free, successful exploits I've had in ages, and the results are more than worth the time and money. Thanks again, dude. Hey yo! Just wanted to thank you for the inspiration. I read your original post first several months ago when I was looking for instructions on how to remove my factory CD player. I’m a computer tech and wanted to troubleshoot as it had stopped working. Of course, it’s beyond my ability, and I was forced to put it all back together with no progress made. I got an FM transmitter, but it sucked. I returned it within a week and swore off the things - not for audiophiles, I say!

… Then I came back here, read up on this, went shopping around for websites that sold the converters (Logjam doesn’t ship to Canada, apparently), ordered one, and it came in a week. I just installed it and it sounds amazing from a discman - far better than the factory player ever was. When I finally get an Ipod, it will be even more handy. In case nobody has yet mentioned this, the manufacturer has started including the ground wire along with instructions on when and when not to use it, so I had no troubles - just affixed to a small screw behind the unit and there have been no signs of trouble.

All in all, it’s been one of the most trouble-free, successful exploits I’ve had in ages, and the results are more than worth the time and money. Thanks again, dude.

]]> By: Jeff http://ben-johnson.org/blog/archives/2004/03/102/#comment-1038 Jeff Wed, 20 Jul 2005 05:40:14 +0000 http://www.ben-johnson.org/blog/archives/2004/03/102/#comment-1038 Howdy Ben, I'm glad someone else did the hard work on this iPod to car stereo thing. I'm a little confused about this ground-loop stuff. So, I can buy either the aux to RCA or iPod to aux connectors. The latter is a charger which provides line-level output. How does this all play out with grounding? Howdy Ben, I’m glad someone else did the hard work on this iPod to car stereo thing. I’m a little confused about this ground-loop stuff. So, I can buy either the aux to RCA or iPod to aux connectors. The latter is a charger which provides line-level output. How does this all play out with grounding?

]]> By: Cliff Davis http://ben-johnson.org/blog/archives/2004/03/102/#comment-1014 Cliff Davis Wed, 30 Mar 2005 18:51:27 +0000 http://www.ben-johnson.org/blog/archives/2004/03/102/#comment-1014 I am installing a similar setup in my '03 Civic Hybrid now. The lower panel comes off without too much trouble - get yourself a thin metal beveled edge putty knife and work it into the seam - pry just a bit and the lower panel clips will come out. You just have to work the lower panel up and out a bit, but it's manageable. I can easily reach the back of the head unit from the lower panel. Still waiting for the PIE to arrive, but all other cabling is complete. I don't ever imagine driving my car for more than 10 hours without stopping somewhere I can plug a charger in...so internal battery should be just fine. I found a great supplier for a panel mount 1/8" jack - http://www.cableco.com/1224.html That allowed me to do a very clean install. Drilled a hole in one of the two blank covers and installed the panel mount 1/8" - looks great. I am installing a similar setup in my ‘03 Civic Hybrid now.

The lower panel comes off without too much trouble - get yourself a thin metal beveled edge putty knife and work it into the seam - pry just a bit and the lower panel clips will come out. You just have to work the lower panel up and out a bit, but it’s manageable.

I can easily reach the back of the head unit from the lower panel.

Still waiting for the PIE to arrive, but all other cabling is complete. I don’t ever imagine driving my car for more than 10 hours without stopping somewhere I can plug a charger in…so internal battery should be just fine.

I found a great supplier for a panel mount 1/8″ jack - http://www.cableco.com/1224.html

That allowed me to do a very clean install. Drilled a hole in one of the two blank covers and installed the panel mount 1/8″ - looks great.

]]> By: Gav http://ben-johnson.org/blog/archives/2004/03/102/#comment-829 Gav Mon, 28 Feb 2005 15:10:21 +0000 http://www.ben-johnson.org/blog/archives/2004/03/102/#comment-829 I shorted a battery with a spanner (wrench ) once. It exploded. My ears rang for two days but because of the location in this particular car none of it hit me. I have since heard of people being killed in this way. <em>And that's exactly why you always disconnect power at the source, even if you don't think you could fry yourself working on the car. Would you rewire a light in your house without cutting the power at the circuit breaker?</em> I shorted a battery with a spanner (wrench ) once. It exploded. My ears rang for two days but because of the location in this particular car none of it hit me. I have since heard of people being killed in this way.

And that’s exactly why you always disconnect power at the source, even if you don’t think you could fry yourself working on the car. Would you rewire a light in your house without cutting the power at the circuit breaker?

]]> By: Andy Crowe http://ben-johnson.org/blog/archives/2004/03/102/#comment-562 Andy Crowe Tue, 01 Feb 2005 20:47:40 +0000 http://www.ben-johnson.org/blog/archives/2004/03/102/#comment-562 I too was able to install without removing the stereo. Also, I don't see any reason to disconnect the battery, or the power socket for this job. Nothing that you touch is live and you can just let the console panel hang to the right on that wire. So, without disconnecting anything and not removing the stereo, it took me five minutes to install this adapter. <em>Disconnecting the power source is a smart idea regardless - there's plenty of amperage in your car's wiring, and you're better safe than getting an electrically induced Afro. Don't believe me? Short out your battery with a crescent wrench.</em> I too was able to install without removing the stereo. Also, I don’t see any reason to disconnect the battery, or the power socket for this job. Nothing that you touch is live and you can just let the console panel hang to the right on that wire. So, without disconnecting anything and not removing the stereo, it took me five minutes to install this adapter.

Disconnecting the power source is a smart idea regardless - there’s plenty of amperage in your car’s wiring, and you’re better safe than getting an electrically induced Afro. Don’t believe me? Short out your battery with a crescent wrench.

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