iPod connection

[boomshanks]

Hi,

Lots of the adverts for 2nd hand Elises I see talk about iPod connectivity, which I guess means it is was an option when new. I quite fancy it, but my car doesn't have it (it has the standard Blaupunkt DAB radio that came with the touring pack upgrade). Is it a simple case of buying a cable and plugging in somewhere or was the upgrade a different head unit?

If it's a cheap fix, I'd be interested, but not if I need a new head unit. It's not like I bought the car to listen to music in it!

Thanks

B

[Beachbum]

You can just buy a cable and install it yourself, the cable isnt cheap considering what it is, I think about £40.
The installation was easy, and thats coming from someone who's idea of complex is checking the oil level

URL to see if your model has the option to add the cable and what cable is required
http://www.blaupunkt.com/uk/download/iPodCompatibi...

A couple of links to sites that sell the cables
http://www.pixmania-pro.co.uk/uk/uk/234196/art/bla...
http://www.bluespot.co.uk/stock/ipod_cable.asp

In the end I think I got mine from Bluespot.

[Loudman]

I think that the above will let you play you iPod music through your stereo, but control remains with your iPod. An alternative, which costs more is to buy a new head unit through which you can control your iPod remotely as I did, in my case with an alpine unit(cdr-9886 or something like that), this is much better if you use it lots and allows you to hide the iPod away.

[Gooby]

I got the cable from halfrauds (had to order it in) £14.50. Not difficult to fit.

[Beachbum]

The cables listed actually lock out the controls on the iPod and allow the head unit to control it.
Allegedly, thats why it costs so much. It is obviously dependent on the head unit being capable of this feature, which I beleive all units in Elise's since late 2004 are, but again worth consulting the list from the 1st URL.

[Gooby]

Beachbum said:

The cables listed actually lock out the controls on the iPod and allow the head unit to control it.
Allegedly, thats why it costs so much. It is obviously dependent on the head unit being capable of this feature, which I beleive all units in Elise's since late 2004 are, but again worth consulting the list from the 1st URL.

Hmmm, I have a different cable as I have to control the IPOD from the ipod not the stereo. That doesnt actually bother me as my wife has a different unit that you can conrol the ipod from, i is a PITA. BTW, I have the blaupunkt unit.

[Beachbum]

Gooby said:

Beachbum said:

The cables listed actually lock out the controls on the iPod and allow the head unit to control it.
Allegedly, thats why it costs so much. It is obviously dependent on the head unit being capable of this feature, which I beleive all units in Elise's since late 2004 are, but again worth consulting the list from the 1st URL.

Hmmm, I have a different cable as I have to control the IPOD from the ipod not the stereo. That doesnt actually bother me as my wife has a different unit that you can conrol the ipod from, i is a PITA. BTW, I have the blaupunkt unit.

"The Cables listed....." comment was specific to the first URL I posted that shows Blaupunkt cables. The box midway down the cable is I assume the expensive bit that then locks out the controls on the iPod and gives control to the head unit. Without that box, cables are considerably cheaper and also require control via the iPod

[SimonK]

I have what i think is the same blaupunkt cable as Simon. It's a little bit "clunky" compared to some of the newer stuff released more recently but works pretty well. It basically lets you scroll up and down your playlists and then back and forwards through the songs in them.

Only problem i have found with it recently is it doesn't charge the newest generation of ipods. But i believe a lot of car interfaces have this problem.

[boomshanks]

Just to re-open this one, I went to Halfrauds yesterday and spoke to a guy to get my ipod cable. He came out and had a fiddle with the stereo (I think he just wanted to have a sit in the car really) and couldn't get the stereo out. He told me that I had to undo 4 tiny (2mm) phillips screws on the front of the stereo, then the facia would pop off, then, with removal tools, I could slide the head unit out. This sounded unlikely to me, normally the fascia snap fits off, then use removal tool etc.

I thought I'd better get a second opinion here before either i) unscrewing the front and watching the whole thing fall to bits or ii) snapping the plastic fascia off and getting the superglue out.

Thanks for your help,

B

PS The stereo is a Blaupunkt Woodstock DAB 54, which I understand was standard in the 111R Touring.

[Loudman]

My original stereo was a Blaupunkt but not a DAB54 I don't think, it was as you say, facia surround pops off with a bit of encouragement and then it was a two pronged removal tool that slides down the sides of the stereo and pulls it out.