iPod Mods?

[sw0rdfish]

**comes out of the shadows**

Hey guys, I haven\'t been posting too much, rest assured I\'m reading though ( for those of you who don\'t know me... hi :P )

Anyone done any nice iPod mods to their car? a Guide would be sweet! I\'m looking to run a cable off the MD channel in the system, since I don\'t have a MD, but I know squat when it comes to stereos.

the plan is to run my iPod cable from the stero under the centre console, and into the ar rest or the cup holder... even the ashtray would work.

Any clue how I\'d do this? anyone intrested in getting together and ripping the stereo apart to find out how?

[fat mike]

If you wants some hint, tricks and to see other mods like that one check out www.mp3car.com tons of people on their have done simillar things like this. It wouldnt be a hard thing to do.

[midnightfxgt]

I just finished the PIE mod, but used a pocket PC instead of an iPod. Same parts and idea though

~JOHN

[teambedlam]

I\'m about to do that mod. I\'m just waiting for Autotoys.com to get off their butts and ship me the product. There is a walk through posted on mazda3forums.com. It\'s actually really simple. First off you won\'t be using the MD port. It\'s actually easier to use the CD changer port.

Remove one silver trim panel and two bolts and the whole radio comes out. I\'ll post pics and when you decide to do it i\'m open for tips and advice

[bluntman]

Moved to Interior Electrical Mods Section

[midnightfxgt]

If you want to mount the iPod in the ashtray you have to remove the trim pieces, but VERY easy install. No splicing or cutting. I did mine in an hour. And that was PIE and I hardwired in the outlet and car charger. :D

Lemme know if ya need anything and I\'ll do my best to explain!

~JOHN

[sw0rdfish]

Originally posted by midnightfxgt


I just finished the PIE mod, but used a pocket PC instead of an iPod. Same parts and idea though

~JOHN
No sure what the \"PIE\" mod is... like i said, I don\'t know much abou car audio.

[midnightfxgt]

No prob..

Read this thread http://www.mazda3forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=8831 . Its long now at like 8 pages, but worth the read.

You need:

PIE Adapter: http://www.discountcarstereo.com/detail.aspx?ID=445 (This plugs into the back of the deck where the Alpine 6 Disc Changer would go)

M-BUS Cable: http://www.discountcarstereo.com/detail.aspx?ID=124 (This plugs into the PIE adapter and has two female RCA Ends)

And a Y cable that will go from a headphone jack to those two RCAs pictured. ($15CAD, from Radio Shack, Future Shop etc) allowing you to hook ANYTHING with that headphone jack to your stereo. ie. iPod, PocketPC, MP3 Player etc.

Get those 3 pieces and we can hook ya up :)

~JOHN

[sw0rdfish]

Originally posted by midnightfxgt


No prob..

Read this thread http://www.mazda3forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=8831 . Its long now at like 8 pages, but worth the read.

You need:

PIE Adapter: http://www.discountcarstereo.com/detail.aspx?ID=445 (This plugs into the back of the deck where the Alpine 6 Disc Changer would go)

M-BUS Cable: http://www.discountcarstereo.com/detail.aspx?ID=124 (This plugs into the PIE adapter and has two female RCA Ends)

And a Y cable that will go from a headphone jack to those two RCAs pictured. ($15CAD, from Radio Shack, Future Shop etc) allowing you to hook ANYTHING with that headphone jack to your stereo. ie. iPod, PocketPC, MP3 Player etc.

Get those 3 pieces and we can hook ya up :)

~JOHN
now those three parts aren\'t the ICELink thing they\'re talking about right? Will these parts allow me to control the tracks from the steering wheel? Or will I have to do it through the iPod itself?

I\'m going to order the PIE thing now since they\'re so back-ordered, I\'ll wait on the rest just to clarify.

[sw0rdfish]

Apon further review... this is what I gather ( correct me if I\'m wroing )

With the ICELink thing, I can charge and control the iPod from the car. w/o it i get just the mucis (which is ok, seeing as the ICE part seems to run about 2bills IF I can get it shipped here )

The controls on the steering wheel only work with the iPod if i use the ICE link.

I wonder if pacific Mall has any of this stuff.

[bluntman]

That is the main reason why I am holding out for the ICELink, I want complete control over my iPod while in the car. It\'s a pain in the butt, let alone very dangerous, to be flipping through the songs on you iPod and taking your eyes off of the road.

I don\'t think anyone in Pacific Mall sells this sort of stuff, they barely have anything for the iPod. The only store that sells iPod accessories is Canada Computers and that stuff has to be special ordered.

[midnightfxgt]

Sw0rdfish - You got it! The IceLink will let you have the track control. I have the PocketPC without IceLink, and I can still Mute, Vol up or down, and switch modes, but I cant change tracks from the wheel.

~JOHN

[teambedlam]

The main reason i didn\'t go for the iceLink is that you don\'t see song titles on the radio display. It is true the icelink allows you to use the steering wheel controls to go next track/folder. I don\'t know about you but i\'d find it hard to memorize a 20Gb file tree.

I decided to purchase a pro clip and mount my iPod on the dash. True i have to glance away from the road a tiny bit but it\'s not nearly as bad as if i put the iPod in the ashtray or console.

I just can\'t justify the price of the icelink vs the features it gives me.

Once my stuff actually arrives i\'ll post pics.

[sw0rdfish]

Originally posted by teambedlam


The main reason i didn\'t go for the iceLink is that you don\'t see song titles on the radio display. It is true the icelink allows you to use the steering wheel controls to go next track/folder. I don\'t know about you but i\'d find it hard to memorize a 20Gb file tree.

I decided to purchase a pro clip and mount my iPod on the dash. True i have to glance away from the road a tiny bit but it\'s not nearly as bad as if i put the iPod in the ashtray or console.

I just can\'t justify the price of the icelink vs the features it gives me.

Once my stuff actually arrives i\'ll post pics.

I think I\'ll go this way for now. Once they figure a way to get the Text to show on the HU, then I\'ll definatley look into that... for now, I think it\'s best to save money

[sw0rdfish]

parts are in.... I\'m going outside to isntall them now.!!

[Frost]

Let us know how it goes. I\'m thinking of doing a similiar install with a 15gb Dell Jukebox.

Is the PIE only available to order Online?? Has anyone found a local to GTA place yet?

[midnightfxgt]

Frost - Order online... WAY cheaper. When I was going to buy the unit locally (Perfect Audio) in Pickering I delt with the owner, and he said get it online. His reasoning was that the US seelers sell it cheap (ie $75US ish) BUT for him to get it, it goes from them, to a canadian distrubtor, and then his distributor,, and then hime. He said it would most likely by $175CAD for the same unit.

So online is cheaper. :)

~JOHN

[sw0rdfish]

Originally posted by midnightfxgt


Frost - Order online... WAY cheaper. When I was going to buy the unit locally (Perfect Audio) in Pickering I delt with the owner, and he said get it online. His reasoning was that the US seelers sell it cheap (ie $75US ish) BUT for him to get it, it goes from them, to a canadian distrubtor, and then his distributor,, and then hime. He said it would most likely by $175CAD for the same unit.

So online is cheaper. :)

~JOHN
it\'s funny cuz the damn thing is just some crappy plastic box that weighs 1/2 a pound, and some wires in the right order :P

In all seriousness, it\'s well worth the money. The install took me a little over an hour, and i\'ve NEVER taken any part of a car apart before. the HU came out with very little problems.. Tug here and a tug there. The msot problems I had was the Anttena attachment... I wasn\'t sure if it needed to be unscrewed, or pulled ( it\'s pulled out for futrure reference just yank )

I still need to take it back apart to make the wire more permanent.. as it stands, it\'s coming up the space between the E-Brake and the console... the center console came out VERY easily... start by opening up the storage box between the seats, and just unclip all the plastic... it comes right off, and lets you get way under the radio, so you cna just drop the cable down through the vent conrols and all that... instead of pulling all that out too.

I forgot to take pictures, because I was rushing against the Sun... when i take it back apart ( probably this weekend ) I\'ll take pictures.

[swales]

I\'ve also done the PIE install and it\'s soooo easy to do. It took me about 10-15min to do. I like the fact that it\'s so easy to take the center console, radio etc out.

[Frost]

Thanks midnight, I\'ll be ordering online soon :)

Like most of you, this will be my first stereo type mod.
Seems easy enough so I\'m sure it\'ll be smooth sailing

[midnightfxgt]

Np man. If you need help installing, and are in my neck of the woods, I can help ya do it if you arent comfortable doin it

~JOHN

[teambedlam]

Well i received my PIE unit last night in the mail. Took ten minutes to install and worked like a charm the first try.

It is good to be rid of the altenator whine from that FM transmitteer.

Although i have noticed if i am in EX mode on the radio and not playing any music, I hear a click through the speakers when i pull up in the window button.

Guess i shouldn\'t do that eh?

[bluntman]

Whoohoo! My PIE unit has just shipped out from DiscountCarStereo.com! :D

[teambedlam]

Congrats. you should have it in 5-6 business days. Then the fun begins.

[bluntman]

Now I\'m trying to figure out how to power it using my Belkin Car Kit (cigarette lighter adapter with line-out) and hide all of the wires. I guess I could do what I did in my RAV4 and rig up a second cigarette lighter behind the dash and attach the Belkin to it.

[midnightfxgt]

Bluntman: See my post, as this is what I did. :)

~JOHN

[bluntman]

Which one? I found the one you wrote (in M3F.com) about your PDA installation and how you routed a cigarette lighter extension cord up behind the dash. I guess things will be more evident as soon as I start ripping things apart. I\'m assuming that the cigarette lighter has \"+\" and \"-\" terminals on the back that you just connected to that extension cable that you hid behind the dash?

[midnightfxgt]

You got it. There are 2 wires attached to the cig lighter.

Orange - Positive
Black - Negative

Splice into that. Then hide that, and the PIE adapter in the \"cubby hole\" under the dash, where the NAV system would go. :)

~JOHN

[bluntman]

Awesome! Thanks John.

[midnightfxgt]

No prob, its simple when your in there. If you need a hand lemme know :)

~JOHN

[bluntman]

I just found out that the ICElink works with our stock radio without the use of a PIE module! Damn, and my PIE is on the way too.:(

[swales]

I just found out that the ICElink works with our stock radio without the use of a PIE module! Damn, and my PIE is on the way too.

Ya but are you really willing to spend over $200 US for an ICElink? I like the convenience of it, but it\'s no way worth that much $$$

[bluntman]

I just might. I like the fact that you can change tracks with the steering wheel controls and that it will charge the iPod when the ignition is on. Instead of buying the Mazda specific ICElink, I\'ll just buy the one made for the Alpine. This way I can bring the ICElink along to my next car and just worry about PIE making an adapter for the stock radio for that car or upgrade to an Alpine HU.

[swales]

that it will charge the iPod when the ignition is on

How is your ipod hooked up now? The way I have my ipod hooked up, it charges when the ignition is on and pauses the ipod when the ignition is turned off. I used the Belkin auto kit with the line-out, plugged the rca cable from the PIE unit in to the line out of the Belkin charger and spliced in to the cig lighter and wired in another cig lighter (now have two available in the car) so the Belkin is basically hardwired since I can always leave it plugged in but when I really need another power outlet I can just unplug the Belkin and plug whatever in. So basically it does everything but steering wheel controls, and I can\'t see paying $200 for just that.

[bluntman]

I will be using my Belkin Car Kit for now, the same as yours. But as soon as I get the ICElink I can get rid of the Belkin. I had a very similar setup in my previous car.

[swales]

But as soon as I get the ICElink I can get rid of the Belkin. I had a very similar setup in my previous car.

I was seriously considering the ICElink but I managed to talk myself out of it :) I\'m going to wait for Alpine to perfect their ipod ready headunits (hopefully the 05\'s) and then i\'ll probably go that route since you will be able to see track names etc.

[bluntman]

I just bought myself a gooseneck stand that sticks in the cigarette lighter that I can use with my previous iPod holder (originally a PDA holder). The gooseneck cost me $9.95USD, but an email today from the manufacturer said that the shipping would be $19.95! WTF? I had no choice so I said to go ahead with the order. :(

[swales]

I\'m guessing it\'s coming from the US? I hate how they kill us Canadians with their shipping charges :(

[bluntman]

What\'s worse is that they\'re going to use UPS.

[swales]

Damn!!! Now you get more charges :(

[bluntman]

Dammit, my order has been stuck at Canada Customs since the 25th. Wasn\'t there a story in the news regarding a huge backlog at CC? :(

[swales]

Ya their was a backlog because of the strike, but it should be cleared up by now. I ordered a package from the US on Monday and got it Thur. Let\'s hope you don\'t get any custom charges because usually if the package takes a long time clearing customs it arrives with charges.

[bluntman]

Just checked this morning, the package left customs the afternoon of the 26th, which is Tuesday and today is the 30th. WTF?

[bluntman]

After checking out Troy\'s and Vlad\'s (ASD Axela) cars at today\'s meet I think this will be an interim solution for me. :D

[bluntman]

OK, I\'ve just finished installing my PIE module for my iPod. However, I think I bought the wrong cable. I bought a KCM-123B (http://www.discountcarstereo.com/detail.aspx?ID=608) instead of the KCM-122B (http://www.discountcarstereo.com/detail.aspx?ID=124) and with the KCM-123B I can only connect my iPod through the headphone output. Do I need the KCM-122B in order to use the line out on my Belkin Auto Kit (or even better, my Navipod remote control)?

I think I do as the KCM-122B has more pins on the M-Bus end of the connector.

[teambedlam]

if the cable works out of the headphone jack then it should work on the belkin adapter. I bought the 122 cable and wired a dual RCA - headphone jack to it and then plugged it into my belkin adapter. The 123 cable combines both my cables.

Wish i had seen that cable when i ordered my PIE unit.

[bluntman]

Unfortunately, the 123 doesn\'t work with either the Belkin or the Navipod\'s line-out. I wonder how much the 122 costs up here. I don\'t mind using the headphone output on the iPod because I may eventually get an ICElink later on.

[Gboz]

Where are you guys routing your cable? Is down behind the climate controls into the Ashtray the best solution? How difficult is it to route the cable down behind the climate controls/Airbag light?

Thanks,
G

[teambedlam]

I was lucky with my routeing. I have the proclip mount and it actually creates enough of a gap that i was able to snake the belkin cable down beside the climate controlas and behind the proclip mount.

Although i do have to remove the ciglighter/air bag sensor in order to clean up my power cables. Right no i have a power splitter runnign around the side and behind the dash. Once i pull the panel i will solder the splitter to the back of the lighter. Then all that will be showing is 3 insches of the belkin adapter

[bluntman]

There\'s a surprising amount of room in behind the centre stack of the dash as well as down the centre console, all of the cables, the spare cigarette lighter and the Belkin Auto Kit all reside there. I then routed the dock connector cable of the Belkin to the cupholders. I used my dremel to cut a small hole in the small knock-out (in the cupholder) for the cable, that way the cable wouldn\'t end up retracting back into the centre console.

[bluntman]

http://members.rogers.com/alegardo/ipodmod.jpg

It took a couple of weeks for all of the parts to arrive, but I\'ve finally finished my iPod installation. I bought an Arkon SR38 cigarette lighter gooseneck attachment, connected my existing Arkon cellphone cradle and mounted my iPod. The Belkin Auto Kit is hidden in the center console but comes up through the ashtray and ashtray compartment. I used my Dremmel to cut a hole large enough for the dock connector to slip through. When about to leave the car I can hide the dock connector cable inside the ashtray and aside from the Arkon unit, everything looks like stock.

[3vil]

ok ...maby u guys can help me ..i hav the PIE adaptor but how do i install it...i pluged it in and hav the rca\'s running to it but i cant get into EX or Ne other thing....please help...

[bluntman]

Did you press the CD button twice?

[3vil]

yah ive tried that.....im realy confuzed and BROKE

[bluntman]

It\'s probably not in all the way into the back of the HU.

[Dr Butcher]

Ahh this would go nicely with the interior of the 3. I don\'t know why they cheaped out and went with a 20 gig drive instead of the 40 though.... :zzz

http://store.apple.com/Catalog/US/Images/ips_zoolearn_ipodfront.jpg