I have a 3G also, and it does the same thing. My Nano doesn't though. It seems to be some sort of limitation with the 3G.

-Paul!

 

lol I didn't realize how many generations behind I was until I began to do research for this! But the darn thing just keeps going and going and...

 

I know what you mean - even though I've used PowerBooks since the PB 150 days, and desktop Macs since well before the Quadras, I was the last in the household to acquire an iPod.

I still think that the performance:price ratio perhaps peaked with the iPod Minis with their firewire connectors . . .

 

sneakerspray,

Agreed! I actually want to get a new one, but I just can't justify it to myself while I have an iPod that works fine. And this poor piece of electronic gadgetry has been frozen and boiled in the MINI, dropped on pavement numerous times, scratched to heck, etc, but it just keeps on going!

-Paul!

 

A friend has their 3 or 4G Ipod just in the glove box of their Element permanently...

I just got my replacement DICE brainbox today, so I'm off to see what's what... the same day my new ipod video came too! Good timing...

 

Works like a charm!

 

Two weeks and still waiting. No response to email so guess I need to call them again. Zoltan also told me I'd most likely need to splice a ground loop isolator into the DICE cable since a ground loop seems to have been created on the DICE side of the Sirius tuner, but I'm not sure which wires in the cable are L/R audio.

 

Zoltan sent me a PDF that demonstrated moving the ground (black) wire on the 6-pin connector of the Dice cable. Apparently the ground is on a different pin on the BMW cable that connects the OEM Sirius tuner to the Dice cable. As soon as I moved the ground wire on the Dice cable to pin-2 which matches up with the ground pin on the BMW SAT cable, hooked everything up and fired up the car the alternator whine/ignition noise was gone. Appeantly this same thing needs to be done for the Dension IceLink+ when using the OEM Sirius also. Dice/Dension really should post this on their support pages. I'm happy now!

 

Anyone know if it'd be possible to route the Dicelink cable so that you could keep your iPod in the armrest compartment?

thanks

 

It would take some creative cable routing, and I'm not too sure where you'd be able to hide the DICE box, but I can't see any reason why not!

-Paul!

 

Replacement brain works like a charm. Happy as a camper!

 

So is the DICE box normally located on the iPod side of the cable that connects to the CD connector in the boot? Where is it normally installed? I was hoping the DICE box stayed in the boot...
thanks

 

The docking cable (about 5-6' long) plugs into the DICE box so mine is strapped up inside the dash and the dock cable comes into the glove box through the small access plate on the left side. The cable that connects to the CDC connection in the boot is about 4-5 yards long so the DICE box must be located within 3-4 feet of where you intend to use the iPod.

 

TRDL -

Thanks for sharing this very encouraging news. I hope that this design improvement carries over into the HU of my 9/03 '02 Cooper . . .

The arrival date for my replacement DICE was "re-scheduled" by UPS to be 6/30 (from 6/29) . . . sounds like somebidy didn't quite make last Friday's pick up in Cerritos.

I'll chime in once it arrives and after I've had the chance to put it through its paces.

catalyst

 

I ran out of patience and the heat got to me so my install is clean up until the wires enter the cabin. I stored the bulk of the cable under the back seat. I placed the Icelink box under the passenger seat and routed the IPOD cable to my armrest.

To get it in there properly, I removed the 'lid' of the armrest, and have the cable coming out the back and meeting the Icelink under the seat. I'm not too happy with this install as wires are visible. But in my regards and motoring around, I don't see the wires so I'm not in a hurry yet to clean it up.

Anybody with "clean installs" have any pictures?

 

As mentioned above, it unfortunately can't be kept in the boot. The cabling is meant to be routed up from the boot to the stereo, then about a foot and a half of cable going from the DICE to the iPod.

-Paul!

 

Plus, gang, from having used both versions of this for awhile... wait to see what your use needs actually are... the interface of using the head unit to switch from artist to playlist to album or whatever by pressing CD Changer buttons is a great interface attampt by Dension, but it's not perfect. Your playlists aren't presented by name, only number. It's much faster to switch major iPod gears at a stoplight direct from the player.

Personally, I spend the vast majority of my driving time listening to a shuffle of the entire 60Gb ipod, so I'm just rockin the MFSW and loving it. But for specific navigation, some may decide the opid controls ar emore efficient than the head unit ones.

 

so thirdrail... what is the advantage of the DICE box then. If I'm going to use the IPOD why not just use the Aux port?

 

I find it a SIGNIFICANT upgrade over the AUX method.
In my GTI, I used an aftermarket stereo HU with an AUX port, then a miniplug to RCA cord threaded up to the console to mount the music player. Simple to use, simple results. Make all interface inputs through the player, the HU is just a gateway to the speakers. Volume on player influences volume on HU just like it were headphones. Some signal loss due to AUX being an analog connection.

With the DICE:
- you CAN control all major interfacing at the HU*
- the DICE module automatically detects the ipod and allows it to resume playing where it left off last time you killed the ignition. I leave it on Random All and have been going through the same continuous thread of randomized music for days now.
-the DICE charges the ipod while using it (HUGE)
-the DICE allows you to control the ipod with the MFSW controls, which was a priority for me. I don't touch my HU.
-the DICE displays track tag data on the HU display: ie. a scrolling text showing song title, artist, album. When it switches from track to track, it briefly displays "CD01, Track 01" or whatever it thinks it's playing, because the DICE is tricking the HU into thinking it's playing discs from the changer you don't have installed. That text is present for a second, then the tag data is loaded and displayed.
-The DICE has an AUX input as WELL, so you can connect a non-Apple product, audio or video, without unplugging the DICE. Great feature. I have four a/v products that occasionally one way or another are played in the car. Ipod is just the most common.
-DICE shuts off your ipod when you kill the ignition. Handy feature you don't know you need until you use an AUX input instead, and leave the player on when you leave the car, draining it's battery. Lesson learned personally several times.
-With DICE you have the capability to completely hide the ipod altogether, as some desire.

Caveat: this is designed for the standard factory HUs. If you have an aftermarket stereo, you're going to either use a traditional Aux cable (possibly requiring an AUX adapter, if your HU doesn't have the connection already) or use something like the popular HK Drive n Play. You can get an adapter that allows the MFSW controls to work with your aftermarket HU in most cases as well. The Drive+Play gives you track tag data in a display, but not your HU display... it uses it's own little screen, mounted on the dash, and its own control toggle as well- fans of less bric-a-brac in the dash won't like that.

*My comments about the interface using the CD Changer buttons to switch modes between Artist/ Album/Playlist, etc are merely to illustrate that each user's mileage may vary. I don't find these useful, personally. I keep the interface mode in Track FW/RW, VOL up/down. But others may find the interface at the HU more useful. Just don't make clean installplans until you KNOW if you are going to want to have easy access to the iPod.

 

Very good writeup, trdl, I agree.

The main advantage for me was the built in Aux input, which I use for my plug and play satellite radio.

I, too, feel that controlling the iPod through the MFSW works well enough that I do not need the iPod to be visible. I have enough clutter around the dash with my pda/phone/nav unit and satellite unit. If it did display the playlist names as you cycled through them, then the DICE unit would be 100% perfect, in my opinion. I don't have a lot of playlists, but instead of shuffling the entire collection, I have one playlist with all my favorites that I listen to the most, and then a small number of other playlists with a particular focus.

And yes, over the standard Aux input, the advantages are that you bypass the headphone jack, the iPod is charged, iPod is automatically turned off and on, the HU display of info, and the use of the MFSW.

 

What has been your experience with ordering the DICE? I placed an on=line order on 6/19, and have a confirmation number. However, there has been no follow up email or correspondence. I emailed DICE the 2 days ago to ask for a tracking number, but no reply.

 

awesome summary thirdraildesignlab.
how much is this dice link??
and not considering price, do would you guys say that this is the best method of ipod connection?

 

Great rundown TRDL. The DICE unit appears to only be (currently) available directly from DICE here for $159.99. Thats still $40 cheaper than their (Dension) other product called the IceLink+. FWIW I have an IceLink+ in my wife's MCC and the DICE unit in my MCS. The DICE unit wins the functionality contest by a long shot. If the problems experienced by the rest of us 'early adopters' are resolved as confirmed by those that have newer (or replacement) units, I think we have a winner. Not perfect, but the best of those I've had experience with to date - OEM, IceLink+, iCruze and finally the DICE.

 

Another place to get them is from https://www.europeanautosource.com/index.php They have great customer service as well.

 

Did you order from Dension, or direct from DICE? I ordered mine from Dension (from this page) and got an email confirmation. A few days later (I had ordered before they actually had any in stock), I got a FedEx shipping notification w/ tracking number. A couple days later, it was delivered. I did spring for the faster shipping option, though. When they shipped my warranty replacement unit, they used UPS ground, which took a week (from CA to OH). I don't know how it works if you order directly from DICE, but maybe someone else does.