I just installed the Mini OEM Ipod adaptor. It might be what you're looking for. Sound quality is as good as it gets. It charges the ipod and all the controls are integrated. 5 playlists are integrated into the head unit buttons as well.

The downside is the Ipod display is not active.

Installation was kind of a pain. A couple of hours and you have to deal with pulling pins from connectors. These pins are tricky if you've never seen them before since they are locked into the connector with teeth.

I got this on sale at Morristownmini.com for $120. It's a new model and the .pdf instructions floating here are wrong. There's a purple wire (accessory) that I pulled but should have left alone.

Lastly, I got an Harmon Kardon Drive+Play for my VW. I'll be installing that tonight and doing a write-up.

francois

 

I have an 03 MCS- so no aux port. i am tired of burning CDs so I am interested in playing my IPOD Shuffle in the car. Now, I have read mixed reviews of the Belkin FM transmitters- those who have rear antennas seem to have the most trouble. are there any Mini people who have them? Whats your take. thanks

 

I was really unhappy with using the aux input and the headphone jack output on my Ipod - the sound quality was horrible and there was no volume.

However, last week I ordered the Sendstation Systems Pocket Dock Lineout, and I have to say that the difference in sound quality is amazing. My Ipod now sounds CD quality, and I barely have to turn the volume on the Ipod up at all (I also have not turned the Aux Level up and it is still easily as loud as the FM radio and the CD Player).

Here it is at Amazon in case anyone is interested - this is the cheapest I found it - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...Fencoding=UTF8

By the way, I'm no audiophile, but for $25 it's hard to go wrong.

 

Kenos, another testimonial to stay away from the headphone jack

Interesting device, just to confirm, do you have a 5G, or earlier? The page says not compatible so I'm just verifying what you're using it w/ as I have a 5G...

 

I have an Ipod Photo so I can't speak from personal experience, but according to the Sendstation Website the Pocketdock is compatible with Ipod Video and 5G Ipods.

 

That PocketDock thing looks amazing.

BTW --

I thought my AUX connect thing may be defected.. It would go out all the time. I'd connect it and it would show up and wrok just fine but then after a while it would just stop recognizing it. At first it wasn't a major issue as it happened on occasion.

One night though, it went out and I tried unplugging and replugging.. Didn't work. Finally after a good half hour of repeating the in and out it finally worked.

Happened again earlier today. I was in the parking of the Farmers Market at the Grove for a good half hour, again, going through the same crap. It just didn't make sense to me. So then I thought perhaps it's the other end.. Couldn't understand how it could possibly be the other end but the side that plugs into the H/K didn't make any more sense so..

I unplug the wire and the AUX is recognized again. I plug it back in and the AUX goes back out.

I try unplugging the Ipod and leaving the plug in the AUX, works. I plug the Ipod back in.. Goes out.


For some reason, when I have the line plugged directly into my Ipod with the Belkin Auto Kit plugged in to keep it charged, the Mini's AUX goes out. Doesn't happen all the time but enough and seemed to be getting worse. So I been using the Auto Kit to hook it up rather than the direct connection to the Ipod.

Sound quality is much worse using the Belkin Auto Kit, much more staticy and there is that loud humming between songs but it's what I'm stuck with unless I don't have my Ipod charging.


Does that PocketDock work with the video Ipod? Can anyone say whether it should or shouldnt?

Oh it should.. Looking at the picture it just plugs into that bottom port which is a universal trait of all the Ipods, no? Only thing if I were to get this and it worked better than the Belkin Auto Kit, which I don't understand how it could.. The Belkin was a TOTAL waste of money.

The way I've been listening to my Ipod in the car, the purchase was some what justified as a in-car charger. To use this thing now that takes that port up.. I'd have no use for it.

But I don't see how it could be any better than the Belkin thing as they both use the same method.. Plug into the bottom port, have the AUX output at the bottom of that, or something. But I might give it a try.. Just gotta find a new job first. Gotta be careful how I spend my money atm. =(

 

GOPGuyCA, a ground loop isolator, inserted between the iPod and aux input should solve both the cutout and static/hum problems. Search the forums for "ground loop isolator".

 

The problem with using the AUX input for the IPOD, is that you have to fiddle with the volume control on the IPOD and HU and find the right mixture. This was the main reason that I went with the IceLink Plus solution. It uses the direct output from the IPOD into the HU thus having only one volume control.

 

The Icelink and OEM adapters use the direct line out from the dock connector. The PocketDock also provides a jack to the same line out, which can be connected to the aux input. The sound is better because the signal doesn't have to pass through the iPod's headphone amplifier.