Views & Advice on this Combo Please...

[Rob Evans]

Originally Posted by Bantam

In the car I use an ice-link but am soon upgrading to a Screen-Link when it's released to go in the 407 to connect to the sat-nav.
Mark.

Just checked out the site. Cor, you flash bastard! How much did the ice-link rush you? I guess you had to have a dealer install it, are you able to remove the kit and re-install when you change your car? How do you find it?


Guess who spends min 4hrs per day in his car and is pissed off with constantly re-tuning his iTrip as he moves around different parts of the country....

[Bantam]

Originally Posted by Rob Evans

Just checked out the site. Cor, you flash bastard! How much did the ice-link rush you? I guess you had to have a dealer install it, are you able to remove the kit and re-install when you change your car? How do you find it?


Guess who spends min 4hrs per day in his car and is pissed off with constantly re-tuning his iTrip as he moves around different parts of the country....

The ice-link's pretty standard kit - you get the cradle to put the 'pod' in, and a module (the ice-link itself) which converts the iPod dock connector into Sony Unilink CD-Changer (also known as 'Sound On Top').

I then use a 'Connects-2' unilink interface which connects into the CD-Changer connector on the back of the factory-fitted stereo in my Peugeot. So if I change car I can remove the ice-link and just buy a new unilink to new-car-stereo adaptor which costs about £40 to £50.

I Quote;

"Connection is simple - via the CD changer port of your head unit. This enables: iPod charging, line-in audio that takes exactly the same signal path as a CD changer (forget about low bandwidth FM modulators!) and most importantly, iPod control.

ice>Link Plus provides dual mode operation of the iPod when in-car. In iPod user interface direct access mode, the iPod will play/pause when you enter/exit CD changer mode on your head unit. In addition, the iPod responds to FF/RW from your head unit keys and steering wheel controls if fitted.

ice>Link Plus playlist mode maps the first five playlists stored on the iPod to CDs 1-5 on your head unit keys. Although the iPod keypad is disabled in this mode, the iPod display (and CD Text/dashboard displays in some applications) will show ID3 data of the currently playing song. Advanced content features including Random, Repeat, Scan and AlbumPlay are also available. CD6 accesses the ice>Link Plus menu that lets you browse all of the playlists on your iPod using your head unit FF/RW keys. The menu also provides configuration options for advanced features of the interface. Please note that the original 1G/2G iPods that don't have the bottom-mounted dock connector do not support ice>Link Plus playlist mode or the menu.

ice>Link Plus features upgradeable firmware. As future features are released by Dension, you can simply download the necessary upgrade files to your iPod and upgrade your ice>Link Plus."

It took me 10 minutes to fit once I got the head-unit removal keys from Halfords (and found out initially what the hell my head unit *really* was!)

The downside? It's £150, which isn't cheap. However it's about the same price for a hands free kit for your phone in the car. The convenience factor is amazing, though. Being able to control it via the car's controls is such a bonus. And it charges whilst you're driving. Oh - and because the stereo controls it's on/off, it pauses the iPod when you get traffic announcements etc..

However, it's £99 for the ice>Link on it's own if you already have a unilink-compatible head unit or one they make specifically - e.g. Mercedes use Fibre Optic for their multiplay units so they do a Fibre version for example, and BMW now have these as a factory fit option in the glovebox.

See http://www.ihavetohave.it - they're who I got mine from, although loads of top-end car audio dealers seem to have them now.

I also got a brodit pro-clip which is a non-drill mount which works really well. It uses the joints in the vinyl to weedle it's way in and a pressure mount system. Works a treat, and doesn't damage the dashboard.

I got mine because I did a tour all round Europe in May, and it was a god-send. My iTrip doesn't work because I have an athermic windscreen and the radio never tuned it in

[Bantam]

Originally Posted by Mr T.

Wow! YD goes into bat, and no mistake.

Tanks all for some very lucidly argued cases and sound (no pun intended) advice.

Anyone tried buying any of this kit on Amazon? OR is it better looking for an on-line wholesaler? Can you recommend any weblinks/URLs?

Thanks again

http://www.empiredirect.co.uk - I got my Mrs' iPod Mini off here and they tend to do a good range of MP3'ers - ordered on the Monday before Christmas and it arrived on the wednesday when everyone else was out of stock Their prices are pretty good too.

http://www.apple.com/ukstore is also pretty good. They sell all the apple kit although it takes a few days to arrive as it's merged in the Netherlands. However, you can get pretty much every accessory for the unit on here.

I bought my Mac and my iPod from John lewis - http://www.johnlewis.com - when they have stock it's free delivery and next day too. Can't fault them for customer service either.
Being where you are - you might be worth taking a jaunt to JL in the Trafford Centre which is the nearest one to you. At least you get a look and feel of them. The photos of all the players make them look good, but when you get them in your hand is when you feel the difference. Audition them and play with them. Then you'll make the decision easier.

Mark.

[Conor]

I checked Amazon and although some of the prices were better they didn't tend to have the items in stock. They had a price comparison thingy that led me to mp3players.co.uk which, luck would have it, had a price comparison so they automatically matched the lowest price but with the benefit they had it in stock. It arrived next day.

Actually, iirc, I was ordering it at about 5:30 on a thursday so I called to see what the odds were for it arriving on the friday as I wanted to use it over the weekend. They said 'no problem', the nice lady went into the warehouse/store room and personally packed it ready for shipping and it arrived the friday morning.

Conor

[Fiji Dave]

Ok, here's me showing my complete lack of knowledge on all things MP3.

I have quite a few CD's and was thinking that an MP3 player would do the job of storing everything (especially when I throw out all the crap 'impulse buy' cd's from my youth)

My question is - can you record direct to the MP3 player from a CD player, in the same way you can record to tape/minidisc or is it necessary to download the music to a pc and then onto the MP3 player?

I have access to a laptop but it's a work one and they're not to happy with people using them for anything other than work (People were told to remove stuff like kazaa/napster or lose their jobs!) and I don't have my own pc at home.
So if I have to buy a pc to download the music to pc first, the whole business will become prohibitively expensive and I'll have to stick with the CD player.

Cheers
Dave
(the one in the corner with the dunce's cap on)

[Bantam]

Originally Posted by Louby Lou

I just want you pod complete with tracks still

Can't wait......

[Conor]

Originally Posted by Fiji Dave

Ok, here's me showing my complete lack of knowledge on all things MP3.

I have quite a few CD's and was thinking that an MP3 player would do the job of storing everything (especially when I throw out all the crap 'impulse buy' cd's from my youth)

My question is - can you record direct to the MP3 player from a CD player, in the same way you can record to tape/minidisc or is it necessary to download the music to a pc and then onto the MP3 player?

I have access to a laptop but it's a work one and they're not to happy with people using them for anything other than work (People were told to remove stuff like kazaa/napster or lose their jobs!) and I don't have my own pc at home.
So if I have to buy a pc to download the music to pc first, the whole business will become prohibitively expensive and I'll have to stick with the CD player.

Cheers
Dave
(the one in the corner with the dunce's cap on)

Some models do allow you to connect directly to a CD player, they are generally the newer/more expensive models though........Tim's I-River for example

[Louby Lou]

Originally Posted by Bantam

Can't wait......

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooo... now I'm all excited

Only US tour dates to be announced though... what's the betting that they dont come over here

[David]

Originally Posted by Tim Ingmire

I went for an iRiver as the price / performance / features over the iPod were for me a no brainer but then I needed a number of features that the iPod doesn't deliver eg. direct connection to my camera for download and storage of the pictures, image viewing.
http://www.advancedmp3players.co.uk/...products_id=72

can anyone tell me more about connecting direct to camera for down loading
how long does it take ? how complicated is it ? can my farther in law do it ?

he is picture mad and talking about buying a laptop to take on holiday just
to download the 8 256meg mem sticks each time he fills them up ?
he will edit them on his home pc.


David

[Tim Ingmire]

Only certain cameras (ie USB devices) are supported eg. the c5050 for instance. You just plug the USB cable into the device and the MP3 player and, using a file explorer on the mp3 player, just select and copy the files from one to the other - its really simple but slow. No, even slower than you are thinking.

Its fine if nothing else is available but I now also have a cheap 2nd hand IBM thinkpad for doing the same as it has a built in card reader.

The player is great for image viewing of jpegs etc but will not handle RAW files.

Now I download pictures to the laptop and then copy them to the MP3 player as a backup copy. I can then connect a TV to the MP3 to view as a slideshow at my leisure.