I love that the new IS has the iPod connector in the armrest, in my current car, I'm running it through the tape player, not pretty, but the sound is better than with a radio frequency connection. Anyone know if you can control the iPod through the car's controls or do you simply hit AUX and then use the iPod controls. I've heard that Volvo and BMW offer controls that let you make adjustments with the cars controls.

Thanks.

 

you can't - it would be really cool, but they set it up just as mini plug connector (headphone jack) so you can just get the audio out of the ipod and not the controls. i guess not everyone has an ipod (whats up with that?!?!) .....kidding, KIDDING!

 

It simply is an AUX port. You still have to control your music player manually.

 

BMW's has limited access to Ipods controls. You have to create playlists in Itunes which correspond the the memory buttons on the radio(non-nav). You can navigate the memories and the tracks. However, no names pop up on the display. You just have to know what is on which list and wher eit is located.

On the Volvo, it is verylimited and also very limited on the models. The XC90 does not have it yet. Only the S60 and 80's have the function and it is not very good.

On my Saab, I have the AUX connection. You can't control anything. Idumped my Ipod and connected my XM Delphi unit.

BMW I know b/c I had one and my sis has the Ipod connection in her car. As for Volvo, I was researching the XC90 before I got my Envoy Denali.

Glad to hear the IS comes with the aux input. I was looking around the board for that. Thinking of trading the Saab vert in for more of a "family" vehicle early next year.

 

Honda and Acura are coming out with what sounds to be a really good iPod integration scheme. Supposedly it will be fully controllable through the HU or the Nav screen, plus integrate with the voice control. Link. Whether or not it will work as well as they make it sound has yet to be seen...

 

I hooked my nano today and I was disapointed by lack of controll with my car

 

Might as well just burn MP3 CD/DVDs...at least you will have control through the main unit

Lex

 

Lexus was nice enough to give me an IPOD shuffle at a recent conference and I had my son download some of his playlist so I could test it in the IS250/350. I had to be careful about the volume output of the shuffle so it wouldn't overdrive the AUX input. For those of you who have the new IS and have tried the AUX IPOD/MP3 player input, what has been your experience and how did you rank the sound quality?

 

I plan on using the AUX input for two headrest monitors. I agree with MR LEX, just burn the MP3's.

 

Huh? . It's an Aux input, not an output for more speakers.

I'm thinking about having an audio shop replicate the Aux input and a power connector in the glove box, as that is lockable.

If I do that, I'll probably use the iPod dock connector, which has a fixed level output that's said to be higher quality than the headphone jack. . And avoids overdriving the car's input.

I'm sure Lexus will come up with an iPod integration kit -- the Scion apparently has one now. . It wouldn't surprise me if a greater percentage of Scion owners own iPods. . Ah marketing.

.

 

For those of you who haven't seen this before, this site offers a slick product that will allow you to control your iPod through the head unit of almost any car and also use your steering wheel controls at myp3yourcar dot com.

 

No... I would use the AUX to input sound from the headrest DVD players. This way my kid can listen to a movie over the stereo systems vs headphones. She's too young to use headphones. I would prefer to use the Mark Levinson to play the dvd and output the video to the headrest, but I haven't figured that out yet. Using the ML would allow me to watch the movies in surround sound (DTS). The AUX input in not digital, therefore no DTS.

 

The site is actually mp3yourcar (link) and the unit they propose for the IS300 (the 2G IS models are not listed) is a cassete adapter attached to a Firewire output from the iPod which:

• won't work with the IS250/350 - no tape adaptor; and
• won't work with the newest Nano and 5G iPods with video - no Firewire outputs.

 

This might be ok: http://www.griffintechnology.com/pro...dock/index.php or this: http://www.griffintechnology.com/pro...dock/index.php

 

Anyone with a new IS (ML or not) try playing an MP3 CD? What (ID3 tag) info shows up on the display? Post pictures if possible.