I have 06 mini. I've read lots of threads here regarding ipod.
And I realized that the DICE is the best option for me.

my question is..
where are the instruction manual or something like that?

I've seen trunk option but I'd like to choose radio option since I don't have navi and any special audio option.


I've never tried this kinda job before. is it easy enough for me to install DICE?
Please help me out...

Thank you for your helps in advance.

 

There's no reason not to get the radio interface unless you have plans for satellite radio. Email me directly and I can reply with a copy of the instructions.

 

Thanks!

 

Installing the radio interface is VERY easy if you have previous car audio experience. If you have absolutely NO previous car audio experience then this install could take up to 1 hour TOPS...its still that easy.

I have the DICE with my 05/05 and it works great...though I may have to switch to a trunk option in the future as I MAY go for XM...I had it in my S2000 and am starting to miss it.

 

thank you so much!

 

Does the 06 have a built in plug in the back of the radio for a AUX connector like the 02-04s ?

If so you can hook up an iPod very easily........all you meed is the MINI AUX connector ($35-40)
http://www.minicarparts.net/Instruct...structions.cfm
and a 3.5mm male to 3.5mm male stereo cable ($3-5) and your done.

If you also want the iPod to charge as you drive, skip the 3.5mm male to 3.5mm male stereo cable and use one of these cables
Metra AIP-AV iPod® to Audio/Video Cable
http://www.buy.com/retail/usersearch...me&display=col
And one of these:
6" Stereo 3.5mm to RCA Y-Cable
http://www.buy.com/prod/steren-audio.../90114766.html

I have this and it works GREAT

 

everyone is so nice! Thank you!

 

That is the purpose of a forum like this.......to help, share, and inform

 

//MZero,I just installed the Dice interface and doesn't seem to be working right. When the title of the song comes on the radio it freezes there and doesn't roll into the artist name. It also,for some reason, stopped charging the IPOD. I have a 07 convert with a HK radio. It is a simple plug and play so i think I'm going to send the unit back. I just hate to undo the wiring.Am I missing something?

 

Have you tried testing with another iPod?

 

Not yet,but if I unplug the wire coming from the power source into the dice unit and plug it in again, it works fine again. Just don't know when it will freeze up again. Thanks for the answer.

 

Thanks! I have a friend who just got an '03 Mini and we are going to try this.

 

jrpritch,

Does your method allow the songs to appear on the radio display?

 

Since this is an old thread, I'll jump in, just in case jrpritch isn't watching the thread any longer.

Using the AUX input will not allow you to display artist/title information on the head unit's display. Of course, if you've got a 2002 to 2004-ish MINI stereo, you're not going to be able to get the text display regardless.

 

Scott...what's the scoop on the '02 - '04ish coopers not having a text readout on the stereo head unit? Are the factory stereos in these first gens a little deficient?

I'm running into a ipod integration issue myself, but with the iSimple unit. It's hooked up in the boot of my '04 cooper S and charges my pod just fine, but the stereo doesn't recognize it. I hit the "mode" button and just get a lonely looking "No Disc" message. I even tried exchanging the one I had with another one from Best Buy. Same problem. Craziness.

 

I don't know that the early ones were "deficient" per se, but starting with (I believe) the 2005 model, MINI added the ability to play MP3 discs and display text on the head unit. There were actually at least three different CD players used in the first-gen U.S. MINIs over the years - two by Alpine and one by Siemens. They all use the same wiring harness, so you can switch a newer head unit into an older MINI if you want the text display. But the kicker is that you have to go with an aftermarket solution like the DICE kit if you want artist/title information from the iPod to show up on the display, since the OEM iPod interface doesn't give you text display. The stereo itself won't decode ID3 tags on MP3 discs to give you the artist/title information, either.

 

I've been twirling the scroll wheel of an ipod since the second generations came out and 10 gig was a big deal. I'm surprised that integrating this technology into my mini is so taxing, until I remember that the iPod was only about 2-years old when my '04 was built.

Unfortunately, I think I'm going to have to crack open my center console to get to the guts of my stereo and try and track down why my iSimple is giving me heartburn.

Thanks for the knowledge.

 

Good luck with the installation. Just out of curiosity, what made you go with the iSimple? From what I can tell, it costs almost as much as the DICE solution, but appears to do less than even the MINI interface kit.

 

I’m glad this thread got re-invigorated as this old timer is just now trying to integrate our iPod into my wife’s 2003 S with the Harmon Kardon stereo and CD changer. What I’m concluding from this thread is that the Dice (and now maybe the iSimple) are the only way to go to get full integration, i.e., song titles and steering wheel controls. I’m willing to disassemble whatever is necessary, but want the full integration.

 

I think you may have problems keeping your CD changer and adding an iPod if you want steering wheel control of the iPod and artist/title display on your head unit.

Any of the iPod interfaces that let you do what you want work by plugging into the CD changer port on the back of the head unit. Essentially, they "trick" the head unit into thinking that the iPod is a CD changer. As such, they're not compatible with cars that already have a CD changer installed.

EDIT - I just noticed that your MINI is a 2003. If you have the original radio, you're not going to get artist/title information on the radio display no matter which iPod interface you choose.

 

It's a 2003 with the original H/K sound system. I don't care about the CD changer if the iPod will work. Am I striving for something (full integration) I can't have?

 

If you have a 2003, you can't get artist/title text display on the radio no matter what interface you use, so in that respect, you're not going to be able to meet all of your goals.

The iSimple will let you change tracks and volume from the steering wheel controls or the head unit controls, but I think that's about all. The OEM iPod interface will do that too, plus it will let you select from up to five different playlists using the preset buttons on the radio. With your 2003 radio, the DICE kit won't do much more than the iSimple, except that it will let you change tracks and select playlists from the iPod's own controls. (I don't think you can simultaneously control the iPod from both the car's controls and the iPod's controls, though.) I think the DICE kit will also give you an AUX input, which neither the OEM kit or the iSimple kit will do.

 

Great question, but I don't have a good answer. I was lured by the price. Plus, I work for an online auto accessories company, which shall remain nameless, and I've seen other Dice products that left me rather underwhelmed. So the iSimple seemed like the best option.

And I don't need a lot of bells and whistles when it comes to the ipod hookup. As long as it hooks up, I'm happy.

I'm going to rip apart my center console on Friday and see if I can't figure out what's the what with the wiring behind the hu. I'll take some pics to share.

 

Fortunately, getting the factory head unit out is easy - eight screws and five minutes. I hope you find that the problem is something trivial, like a loose connector in the CD port.

 

Scott...

Please explain how this is accomplished.

Thanks!

Erika