[howiebrou]

Hi folks,

New to this forum and looking for a couple of knowledgeable posters to help me with this imod question.

Is it possible to charge and use a Imod 5G in a car at the same time? Seems as though the ALO cable bascially blocks the docking pins where you would normally charge the ipod so in order to charge it you need to disconnect the ALO dock and re-connect a 12V standard Ipod charger. This might be okay for a home stereo but I don't see it happening in the car especially as the car charge will only charge with the engine running which will coincide with wanting to listen to music!

Is the only solution to get the 4G version (still available?) but then you can't use it as a truly portable ipod any more.

Thanks

howie

[Vinnie R.]

Hey Howie,

Welcome to Audiocircle and the RWA forum!

Is it possible to charge and use a Imod 5G in a car at the same time? Seems as though the ALO cable bascially blocks the docking pins where you would normally charge the ipod so in order to charge it you need to disconnect the ALO dock and re-connect a 12V standard Ipod charger. This might be okay for a home stereo but I don't see it happening in the car especially as the car charge will only charge with the engine running which will coincide with wanting to listen to music!

This is true, but the iMod was never really intended for car audio 

Keep in mind that if your car has an AUX input jack, you can use the 5G/5.5G iMod's headphone output jack to feed the AUX input of your car's receiver, and use the dock connector for the car charger (12V jack). 

Note, the headphone output of the 5G/5.5G iMod is NOT modded.... the modded line out exits from the dock connector, but you can still use the stock headphone jack for your car's AUX input if it has this feature (many new cars offer this).

Best regards,

Vinnie

[Levi]

If you have a 7th Generation Honda Accord, I have created a diy installation to work with the factory radio.  It connects via the dock connector so this sounds really good!

Dice electronics has an iPod factory car integration kit for most cars.  My iPod connects via the dock connector which also charges the iPod while it is plugged in.  The factory radio has complete controll of the iPod much like an external CD changer.  I don't need a CD changer anymore since I have an iPod in the car! 

Here my link.  I hope this helps.

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=26625.0

[gooberdude]

Vinnie, the Imod is a gift to car audio - no matter what your intentions were.       

[Jim Hamley]

Vinnie,
My most frequent use of my iPod is in my car:
http://www.volvocars.com/corporation/NewsEvents/News/news.htm?item=%7BD137D85F-78FF-4E08-86C6-A23DC0963E38%7D
In fact, here is the latest iPod accessory:
http://www.bmwusa.com/BMW2003/Templates/iBusMicroSitePage.aspx?NRMODE=Published&NRNODEGUID=%7bAA9AD974-2697-46D1-B0E2-C5649225F457%7d&NRORIGINALURL=%2fowners%2fipodyourbmw&NRCACHEHINT=Guest
That's why you and/or Ken need to make a 5th Gen iPod connector (iPod male to iPod female) that maintains continuity on all pins except capacitively couples (i.e., DC blocks) the L/R line out channels.
...Jim

[Levi]

They all use third party connectors and emulates CD changer signal.

It is unfortunate, there were no applications for my Mercedes

[howiebrou]

This is true, but the iMod was never really intended for car audio 

Keep in mind that if your car has an AUX input jack, you can use the 5G/5.5G iMod's headphone output jack to feed the AUX input of your car's receiver, and use the dock connector for the car charger (12V jack). 

Note, the headphone output of the 5G/5.5G iMod is NOT modded.... the modded line out exits from the dock connector, but you can still use the stock headphone jack for your car's AUX input if it has this feature (many new cars offer this).

Best regards,

Vinnie

Appreciate the input Vinnie. Of course the only problem with using the headphone output on a 5G Imod is that you don't benefit from the Imod sound! (which is kind of the raison d'etre of purchasing it). 

I guess if I never use it as a "walkman" then the 4G makes more sense from a car to home to car point of view. Is the 4G version still available?

howie

[Vinnie R.]

This is true, but the iMod was never really intended for car audio 

Keep in mind that if your car has an AUX input jack, you can use the 5G/5.5G iMod's headphone output jack to feed the AUX input of your car's receiver, and use the dock connector for the car charger (12V jack). 

Note, the headphone output of the 5G/5.5G iMod is NOT modded.... the modded line out exits from the dock connector, but you can still use the stock headphone jack for your car's AUX input if it has this feature (many new cars offer this).

Best regards,

Vinnie

Appreciate the input Vinnie. Of course the only problem with using the headphone output on a 5G Imod is that you don't benefit from the Imod sound! (which is kind of the raison d'etre of purchasing it). 

I guess if I never use it as a "walkman" then the 4G makes more sense from a car to home to car point of view. Is the 4G version still available?

howie

Hi Howie,

Yes, I still mod the 4G iPods.  You just need to find one and send it in for the iMod 
If you search online (e.g. Ebay), you'll find one.


Hi Jim,

I understand what you are looking for, but I do not have the time and resources to manufacture something like that (I'm busy working on a few new projects these days  ).  Ken at ALO might be able to do it, but I'm not sure he would do it unless there was enough demand for such an item. 

Best regards,

Vinnie

[isamu]

Vinnie, is the sound quality better, worse, or the same when using the headphone out jack instead of the line out jack with the 5G/5.5G?

[Vinnie R.]

Vinnie, is the sound quality better, worse, or the same when using the headphone out jack instead of the line out jack with the 5G/5.5G?

Hi isamu,

With a stock 5G/5.5G, the line out (dock connector) is better quality than the headphone output.

The the 5G/5.5G iMod, only the line out section (again, dock connector) is modded... the headphone output remains stock.

Best regards,

Vinnie

[Nuwidol]

So is it actually possible to use a 5G iMod in our car through the dock at all (regardless of charging)?

My iPod is my primary (Only) source of in car music & i could not live without it.

I connect it through this so using the headphone out is not really an option for me as it would lose all of the functionality of the stereo (the reason i nought it in the first place)

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

This is all thats stopping me from getting an iMod atm.

Thanks,

Dale.

[Vinnie R.]

So is it actually possible to use a 5G iMod in our car through the dock at all (regardless of charging)?

My iPod is my primary (Only) source of in car music & i could not live without it.

I connect it through this so using the headphone out is not really an option for me as it would lose all of the functionality of the stereo (the reason i nought it in the first place)

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

This is all thats stopping me from getting an iMod atm.

Thanks,

Dale.

Hi Dale,

Welcome to Audiocircle and the RWA forum!

The modded 5G/5.5G iPods take the output directly off the the interal dac chip and sent this the the dock connector (bypassing all the "stuff" in the signal path).  However, there is dc offset voltage from the dac chip that needs to be removed.  This is what the ALO iMod Dock cables do, as they have the high-quality signal coupling caps installed in the dock connector.  With the 4G iMods, there was enough room inside to fit these caps.  This is not the case for the 5G/5.5G iMods.

If your car audio head unit already has a dc blocking cap at the input (it should, but I cannot guarantee this), it should work fine.  However, I cannot be sure that it does, so I cannot promise that everything will be fine.  You don't want to amplifer dc offset voltage, because that will just make your speakers stay pushed inward or outward and can lead to problems (e.g. a burned-out speaker voice coil, and possibly damage to the amplifier). 

Best regards,

Vinnie

[Nuwidol]

Ahh right Ok. Thanks for clearing that up Vinnie. I'll see if i can find out anything about the car stereo.

Dale.

[Bun-Bun]

I also use a Alpine HU (different model CDA-9887) that has the Ipod control/input. I was under the impression that this connection was a digital connection and not an analog one but I am not sure anymore... if it is Digital then the Imod would not benefit or interfere with it at all and if it is analog then the Imod would benefit but I don't know if it will work...

So what we need to do is e-mail alpine and ask if the audio is transfered through the line out or digitally and if it is through the line out are there DC blocking caps on the input on the Ipod connection? Correct? If so I will e-mail Alpine and find out.

Beyond that if someone out is capable of making male-female ipod dock cable's with the DC blocking caps then I could definitly see myself getting an Imod.

[jackthecat]

I am about to get the Alpine CDA 9887 as well and was hoping I could control the 4G imod with the dock connection ( to view my selection on the HU ) but use the headphone out for the improved audio with a seperate interconnection to the HU.  Need to ask the installers what they think. Of course I intend using it in the stereo set up at home too !  .... Either it or a second imod.

[stevenkelby]

For anyone with a dock connector already in their car, if you want to keep it and use the 5/5.5G, then it is really very simple to install a couple caps on the wires anywhere between the dock and the car stereo. Cheap too if you can solder yourself, not too bad even if you can't.

[Bun-Bun]

I am about to get the Alpine CDA 9887 as well and was hoping I could control the 4G imod with the dock connection ( to view my selection on the HU ) but use the headphone out for the improved audio with a seperate interconnection to the HU.  Need to ask the installers what they think. Of course I intend using it in the stereo set up at home too !  .... Either it or a second imod.

You will have to modify the cable in order to use the headphone out. There is no just audio in on the CDA-9887. It's all in one cable.

For anyone with a dock connector already in their car, if you want to keep it and use the 5/5.5G, then it is really very simple to install a couple caps on the wires anywhere between the dock and the car stereo. Cheap too if you can solder yourself, not too bad even if you can't.

I don't want to modify the Alpine cable as it is not a cheap cable to risk screwing up. However If someone could point me in the direction of Caps, male/female connectors, and a wiring diagram I would gladly do it myself and make a nice dock for my ipod while I am at it (no dock right now just the cable).

[Bun-Bun]

ooooh. Got an idea. Would it be possible to take the univeral dock as shown here http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=300277 and open it up and add the caps? They are wired in parallel not? So you could just put them right on the PCB or connector in there... then I can find a way to mount that in my car and connect the alpine cable to it...

Will it work? If so I am so sold on the Imod.