iPod/iPhone Solution & Satellite radio

[jptruck]

Just in case anyone was going to try it out, I just purchased the Kensington LiquidAux for my iPhone. The glass on my original iPhone shattered and it was cheaper to buy a refurbished 16G iPhone. Problem is, the Belkin system I'd used for so long wasn't compatible for new iPhones. It would play music, but it wouldn't charge the phone.

Anyway, this new Kensington thing is pretty cool. It has a small remote that you mount on the inside of the steering wheel (i put mine directly adjacent the volume control). iPhone has always been a bit cumbersome when it comes to advancing songs. Now, I just hit the forward button.

Sound quality is pretty good, but it has less volume than the Belkin unit. Whereas I used to play most of my music on the 23-25 volume range, I now range in the 27-30. With the windows down, I'm blasting at 35. I'm probably going to add the signal booster thing that angusreid prescribed.

Anyway. . .here is a link to the device.

http://us.kensington.com/html/14492.html

 

[toddjb122]

Just in case anyone was going to try it out, I just purchased the Kensington LiquidAux for my iPhone. ...

Anyway, this new Kensington thing is pretty cool. It has a small remote that you mount on the inside of the steering wheel (i put mine directly adjacent the volume control). iPhone has always been a bit cumbersome when it comes to advancing songs. Now, I just hit the forward button.

Sound quality is pretty good, but it has less volume than the Belkin unit. Whereas I used to play most of my music on the 23-25 volume range, I now range in the 27-30. With the windows down, I'm blasting at 35. I'm probably going to add the signal booster thing that angusreid prescribed.

Anyway. . .here is a link to the device.

http://us.kensington.com/html/14492.html

Good luck with that! Mine fell apart....it would only work when it felt like it and then stopped working all together. Post back here in a month and give an update. Maybe they fixed all the bugs, but the user feedback in the online Apple store seemed consistent with my experience. Great concept, but POS.

In any case....save your receipt just in case!

 

[jptruck]

Good to know. So far, so good. Was it just the remote connection that fell apart, or was it the actual iphone to car connection? I'd rather have a Belkin like my old one, but I don't think they've updated it for the new iPhones.

 

[toddjb122]

Good to know. So far, so good. Was it just the remote connection that fell apart, or was it the actual iphone to car connection? I'd rather have a Belkin like my old one, but I don't think they've updated it for the new iPhones.

The plug that goes into the iPod broke apart. It is only press fit together. I fixed it with some super glue.

The rear face plate on the power plug fell off. I left it off.

The unit was very sporadic with when it would communicated with the iPod and when it wouldn't. It stopped working all together. I hope it is just the remote battery (which I was told would last indefinitely) but haven't tried to replace it yet.

Regularly, when I plug the unit into the base of my iPhone the iPhone says "this power supply not supported..." or something like that. It seems to work anyway, though.

Anyway, mine was a piece of sh*t. I don't know why there are not many car interface options available for the iPhone. It seems like a pretty basic need. Most of the ones I see are the FM Modulators which I did not want.

 

[jptruck]

It makes no sense that there aren't more solutions for the AUX input with an iPod/iPhone. It also makes zero sense that a two-year old Belkin won't work with a new iPhone.

I'll let you know when my Kensington breaks. So far, I like it and no issues, but it's not the most sturdy thing ever built.

 

[huelsmma]

What's wrong with a fm modulator? It's hidden and no sound issues at all (interference or level)

 

[toddjb122]

What's wrong with a fm modulator? It's hidden and no sound issues at all (interference or level)

The sound quality is not as good as a direct line. Also, some people report interference or the need to change frequencies based on where they travel. If a strong FM signal is next to the frequency you chose, it will affect the device.

Regarding quality, if you have the option play the same song on CD that you have coming through another device via FM Modulator. Switch between FM and CD and you should note a significant sound quality difference.

However, it all comes down to what works for you. If you have one and you're happy with it, no problem!

 

[huelsmma]

Sorry I meant the delphi direct connect. I have installed many stereos and have used these in all our cars and our boats. So I am not sure if we were talking about something different. But I have zero interference and sounds exact same as my cds and has just as much base with same sound level. I have tried fm mods with ipods and can't stand those.

 

[USAFbuckeye]

Can you post a link to where you can get a delphi direct connection, or a detailed "how to"? You'd be a hero to many people who do not want to mess with the aux input any longer.

Thanks in advance

 

[huelsmma]

I'll post when I get back into town. Enjoying a relaxing weekend with the inlaws down in naples. I took pictures as I was driving down of my setup and it only took me 20 minutes to install after looking it over