optimus prime

Well it's been at east six months since I purchased my ICE.Link (iPod integration kit). My main procrastination was the weather (Winter in Chicago) and not motivated to explore taking my dash apart. I also wanted to do a trick install where the iPod would mount in the arm rest since I don't have a factory phone. I also want little to no wires to be visible.

So the other day I decided to install the kit. [My friend Scott asked about his radio puller tools.] Well all I can say is, it couldn't have been easier! I have the Concert headunit so I may have more room in the recesses of the dash than you Symphony guys. This install was on a B5 A4 1.8TQ

The kit (mine was for the GEN2 original iPod) comes with everything you need to junction the cabling between the headunit and the CD changer. One Harness for radio to converter box, the converter box, and data cables that connect to the iPod via audio miniplug and FW port for charging.

*Read the directions with the kit!*

*Make sure you have your radio code before hand.*

I removed the trim around the radio, this may be unnecessary but it made putting my hands in there easier. After removing, I disconnected everything from the Concert headunit. I test fitted where the kits silver box and cables would go. [this is where the cabling is converted to the iPod cabling>mini plug and 6-pin FW] By the way, no cutting or dremeling was done for this install. The only thing I needed to do was solder a connector to the kits harness ground wire. This is important because you want the harness kit grounded properly before reconnecting the power cable to your headunit. Do a test of everything before trying to continue. Just to make sure you know the wires work and if you have any issues with your iPod.

I removed three bolts, two screws, and a clip on the hand-brake to allow me to lift the rear console enough to route the cables where I wanted them.

I routed the cables behind the radio down past the ashtray and along the edge of the shifter area. The circuit board portion of the cabling that provides the FW port is about 4 inches long and not very flexible. So you may need to give it a lot of slack on both ends until you figure out where it should go. Mine is tucked under the shifter and center console trim. I used a black 6' FW cable to connect to the circuit board. Made a couple loops and tucked it into a lip along the inside edge of the rear console next to the shifter. This is where I had to change my install plan. The miniplug cable is just long enough to reach the rear of the hand-brake lever. So I thought I would just get an extension. No dice. The plug needs 2 rings and 3 sleeves. So I thought I would use the iPods remote to add the length, nope that didn't work either. It was the right type of plug but the signal to make the iPod work from the headunit did not. So my iPod will be installed in the dual cup-holder next to the hand-brake lever.

This is where I tried to make it work without cutting. The dual cup holder has some holes that are perfect to route wire through. However trying to get it back into its place was not so good. So if you want to drill a hole in the bottom of the dual cup holder, you can route your cables from the bottom. Since I didn't want to drill, I just routed my cables along the passenger side of the rear console, looped the cables so I could bring them right over into the dual cup holder and ziptie them together. This is pretty clean and hardly visible since both cables are black.

Operation:
With the FW cable attached, the iPod will charge which is good. However, when the harddrive spins up the load the 32MB cache you will hear a faint motor (like) noise through your speakers. This lasts until the cache is filled and the HD spins down. 20sec? This does not happen when the FW cable is not connected. Also when connecting the iPod, you may have to hit the mode button on your head unit a couple times to turn it on and start playing.

For example:
1) iPod is attached, radio is on (meaning was left on last time car was shut off) you start the car. Radio turns on, iPod will play.

2) iPod not attached, radio on or off, car is started. Turn radio on. Attached iPod. No music is playing. Hit mode button to go to radio/tape then back to CD. iPod should turn on and start playing.

So I guess the mode button selecting CD sends a turn on and play signal to the iPod. The forward and reverse buttons move ahead and back one song on your iPod. I haven't tried holding down these buttons to try a fast forward or reverse yet.

All-in-all the sound is much better than my ghetto cassette adapter install for the past two years. And I have only one wire (for charging my cel) connected to my dash. My only negative comment is that the audio miniplug doesn't fit very snug in my iPod and may slip out enough that I cannot forward the track. However the dual cup holder location makes that a non issue.

I didn't take any pictures because this was so easy. However if there is a need, I can snap a few pics. Hope this helps.

rfan-r32

a simply way to kill the harddrive noise is got a ground loop isolater..also POST PICS!

rfan-r32

from your write-up it seems like that you connect it to the back of your headunit. what kind of connectors do they provide you with..or is it just wires?

optimus prime

Although I was able to put the CD changer cable back into the loop (the ICE.Link harness has a pass through) I haven't tested it yet.

optimus prime

I am looking into a isolator for the FW cable.

I will try to take pics today or tomorrow.

rfan-r32

you could always splice into the wire and find the audio connectors and attach them directly..

rfan-r32

hmm..i wonder if this will work w/o some hacking since i have the nav+