Ipod owners. Show me your explorer/ipod configurations

[wrxrob]

Hey all. First post. My friend has a 2001 Ford Explorer Sport, and is about to build a stereo system from the ground up. I was curious to see how others have hooked up ipods to their explorers.

Since he's on a limited budget, we were initially considering front panel aux inputs on a head unit to buy. #1 they are rare. #2, I'm now thinking the stereo quality may not be as good with a single plug hookup. At this point, I'm looking at units with a rear aux input, and probably drilling a hole in the dash mounting kit to run a wire through to his ipod.

How do you have yours configured? Any pics

 

[Interstate]

I got a belkin auto kit ( http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_ID=149006 ). It charges my ipod and has a built in amplifier. Connected to the charger is a 3.5mm headphone jack that splits to two RCA males. Since I have a Pioneer headunit, I bought the aux input adapter which retails for about $40. It has 2 RCAs on it, and the special model of it allows another ipbus to be connected.

Now, I just switch my radio to aux and my ipod plays without FM transmission. To make the whole setup clean, I also got another cigarette lighter port and put it behind my dash, right behind the radio. So all that is seen is the ipod connector, which I have routed coming out of my center console between the seat. And to keep my ipod stable, I also got a belkin ipod holder which fits right into my cupholder. The whole setup (ipod connections and accessories) was about $50. But it sounds perfect.

I recommend tossing the ford radio and getting a quality one. Pioneer allows simple ipod setup. I know pioneer and alpine have ipod controller adapters, so that you can control your clickwheel through the head unit, but I hear they are flawed and don't work like how they should. Just make sure the radio you get has an adapter to make new RCA ports or has some auxilary ones already on it.

 

[coach_al]

I have installed a Audiovox FM Modulator

http://www.cardomain.com/item/AVXFMM100A

Works real well. Plays through your FM Radio but is "Wired" through the Antenna...

 

[mrpeaches]

front panel aux will be 1) ugly and 2) sound like ass. only el cheapo radios have it like that. real nice stuff is never like that.

i have a pioneer deh-p6700mp right now, can use either the aux plug(cd-rb10) or the cd-rb100, but i didnt like the way that it worked so i got rid of it (trust me it's retarded), just burning mp3 cds for now. selling it now if youre interested

hopefully when i get a job i will be moving up to an alpine 9855 + kca-420i + sat and some nice component sets, works nicer, looks nicer, is nicer, costs 450

depending on how limited your budget actually is, youre going to have to give up sound/brand quality or other features. your best bet for under $200 is probably going to be a midrange pioneer with the aux plug.

 

[Fish Man]

mr peaches, i use the aux plug, what dont you like about it? im running 2 sets of components in my front sound stage with an amp so my set up sounds pretty good and i didnt notice any quality difference running the ipod off of the aux. interested in your input

 

[Interstate]

I too am interested in why you don't like it.

I strongly believe that the CD-RB10/CDRB20 adapter is among the cheapest and best ways to wire an ipod. (at least for pioneer radios)

 

[cisurfer]

I just bought the DEH-P4700MP HU and the pioneer ipod adapter. How the hell do I connect the adapter to power and ground?

 

[phuct]

i dont have an ipod, but a Zen Mp3 player. from the back on the head unit theres RCA Aux in, ran a converter to 1/4" headphone jack, ran the cord under my carpet and to my center console. from the console, the headphone jack comes out a screw hole where the "spare change" bay is. the bay fits like it what made for this :] and whats great about my player, is that all the buttons (play/pause, track +/-) is all on the side, so i have access to changing tracks while it fits snug on its side. ill try to get pics.

and by the way it sounds great, still running on stock sound.

 

[ions]

I have the same set up as phuct but i didnt try to hide the wires and what not cause i only see the inside of my truck so i could care if it looks like ass it sounds really good also altho the volume seems to be alittle lower than when playing CDs.

 

[cisurfer]

If anyone can help tell me how to install the pioneer adapter it would appreciated.

 

[Interstate]

It didn't come with instructions?

 

[cisurfer]

it did but it doesnt explian it well.

 

[SkanlaxJMO]

On my audiovok head unit it has the two inputs on the back it is a low price head unit but puts out 40w a channel, to run anything from a plug i have the cable through a cap in the plastic. no sorry dont have any pics

 

[Interstate]

it did but it doesnt explian it well.

Tell us exactly what it says or find a copy of it on the internet so everyone can look at it and maybe give you some help.

 

[cisurfer]

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pio/pe/images/portal/cit_11221/230205105CDIB100OwnersManual.pdf

 

[mrpeaches]

with the pioneer adapter, wire in the black and yellow to your radios harness, constant power not switched (yellow to yellow). plug the ip bus cable into the changer port on the deck and the other end into the ipod box. if you get titles/data but no audio, switch the ip bus cable on the ipod box, one is out, one is in for a changer or xm. hide and velcro the box somewhere, run the ipod cable and go.

be warned though, if you dont have a touchscreen it is a huge ***** navigating through long lists, it keeps the ipod drive spinning and starts playing songs as you scroll with the deck, making scrolling super slow. this annoyed the **** out of me so i got rid of it. if it works for you however, go for it.

what i meant, is the cheap radios($20 ebay ones) with aux on the front, sound like crap. i thought this is what you meant. pioneer aux is fine, i used it and liked it.

 

[cisurfer]

i saw the pioneer rca to ip-bus connecter. How is the quality when the headphone jack is converted to rca cables, then to the converter to the ip bus to the HU. Is it the same quality as the ipod adapter they sell. Can you control it through the ipod instead?

 

[Interstate]

I think it's regular CD/Ipod quality; high quality. I haven't heard any hissing or cracks like you get with FM modulation. Yes, you control it through the ipod.

 

[mrpeaches]

they are basically the same. the ipod actually controls all the browsing and plays the audio itself, just sends titles and audio via the line out.

it sounded good for the afternoon that i had it in. make sure your eq is off and your volume is set on the ipod and it should be ok.

 

[cisurfer]

it sounded good for the afternoon that i had it in. make sure your eq is off and your volume is set on the ipod and it should be ok.

The ipod adapter or the rca adapter?