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| Message: | I just finished an install of the Dension Ice->Link Plus in my 2000 X5 with DSP. The install was pretty easy and I must say this is a pretty slick solution. At first I was a little skeptical about the dsp connection option, but everything seems to be working perfectly... The reason being is that the "DSP" connection option is actually a $20 digital signal converter from radioshack. Here's a link to the item Radio Shack Digital Signal Converter  When I saw this I was wondering why the heck I just paid $70 for a $20 radio component, but what you are really paying for is the connecting wires, The DSP input connection is a digital coaxial input, but I've never seen the connector before. I put an arrow to the connection below. On a side note, the radio shack connector also has an optical output and also a svideo out connection that is converted from a analog video source. On the other end of the adapter, there are RCA analog connections, these are connected to the dension CD changer adapter via a modified 6 pin connecter (where the changer audio input would plug in without DSP). In summary, you could probably wire this yourself, but I don't think it would have been worth my time and $$$ to do this, the $70 is worth it for parts and assembly. Additional note, the radioshack adapter requires a 12V power source... I tapped into the purple/white wire that runs along the back side of the cargo compartment directly behind the spare tire. This is a switched source, also an fyi brown seems to almost always be a ground. Here's a picture of the trunk connection, with the radioshack converter (there's a metal bracket that it fits perfectly below).  Here's a picture with everything back in place... completely hidden  Cable routing: ran the cables down the left side of the cargo area... Just pull on the leather section next to the seatback on the driver's side, pops off pretty easily and you can run a coathanger to the CD changer area. Next, I removed the back seat bench (just pull up on the front and it pops off) I also removed the 2 plastic sections by the door sill, and pulled back the bottom of the section covering the driver's seat belt. Here's where I got lazy because it was getting dark. I couldn't find an easy way to get the cable under the carpet below the driver's seat so it is exposed, but not noticeable. If anyone has a tip to finish this please let me know. I removed the side panel on the center console and that's where the icelink plus adapter lives. The ipod connector routes through the cupholder to connect to it. (Just push back on the spring loaded things on the cupholder and the ps/2 type connecter fits right through).   Mounting... With the changeholder thing covering the cupholders... the ipod fits perfectly and can be concealed easily... I'll probably use this most often.. Saw this on the forums before and it works great.  Another option is the tunedock by belkin... fits in the cupholder and looks really nice... also makes it very easy to see the ipod display from the driver's seat (you can adjust height/angle)  This is what the tunedock looks like without the ipod.  Id3 Text display: At first the text display didn't work on the head unit or the OBC... I have firmware 2.05 and from what I've heard it will be supported in the next release of the firmware. However, you can go to the following link if you want it to work... Dension BMW text display TEXT DISPLAY WORKS!!! Although right now I can't get it to display on both the OBC and Head unit at the same time... Hopefully this will be fixed by dension in the near future. Right now it's one or the other. Display titles are limited to 10 or 11 characters and scroll slowly if they are longer. Here's a pic in the OBC...  AND on the head unit...  Summary..... Great option for integrating the ipod... sounds fantastic to me (although I wouldn't consider myself an audiophile). The CD changer disc selection toggles between the first 5 playlists (very handy), steering wheel controls work as advertised, the RND button actually toggles shuffle on the ipod, charges the ipod when connected, and pauses the current track when switching to radio/cd. Only problem: currently the ipod doesn't seem to recognize when the ignition is turned off. It continues to play and doesn't power down the ipod... This is slightly annoying and I'm a tiny bit worried about power drain, but I can get around it by switching to CD/Radio before I shut off the car. I've got an open ticket with dension support, but haven't heard anything back yet. I'll post again if I hear of a fix.... OVERALL: BUY dension icelink plus!!! | ||||
| Email: | Mike | ||||
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