MP3 players

[deathbynosleep]

Anyone know or have an mp3 player in their TB? IS there anyway to hook one up to the factory HU other than using a FM transmitter?

[02EnvoySLE Guy]

What year is your truck again? There are adapters available (not cheap by any means) to do what you're describing, but it's not the best solution with the stock HU. Unless you're in an area with really saturated radio frequencies, I'd just go the FM Mod direction; if you get a good one, you'll hardly know the difference between that and direct wiring.

http://www.xmfanstore.com/showproduct.php?id=pieoem -- you will want the PIE GM12-AUX for your application. Note it is an easier install on an 03+ (Band button instead of AM/FM) unit but this will work 02+.

[deathbynosleep]

My truck is an 04. Thanks for the info.

[henrywp]

It depends on what features you are wanting from your mp3 player. If you want the ability of being able to keep your mp3 player hidden and use the controls of the factory head unit and/or your steering wheel controls then there are a few options to choose from. I would check out a device called the iPod-2-car adapter at this location:

http://peripheralelectronics.com/ipod2car/index.shtml

There is also another one that should be out anytime now called the GM-radio-to-iPod adapter and is made by Axxess. Supposedly this unit will have twice the compatibility and twice the functions available as the iPod-2-car and also will allow your RDS stereo to show song info. Now, the bad side to this is that the cost for the iPod-2-car is roughly $200, but if you're looking for the convenience and functionality, it is worth it. As for the Axxess, last time I checked it had no price.

There are a couple of other choices that you can go with. Kenwood has an mp3 player called the Music Keg which boasts either a 10G or 20G harddrive. It can be removed and plugged into your computer for downloading and then placed back in the vehicle. It costs about $300 for the 10G and $500 for the 20G and then because you want to keep the OEM headunit you will have to buy an FM modulator with display to see the info on what is playing. That unit costs about $200 so all total it will run you $500 - $700 for this unit.

Now, should you decide that these options are too much in cost or that you really don't need/want that kind of convenience then you can go with a simple FM modulator for $30 or a direct line-in connection for about $70. There is a difference in sound but it's no different than listening to the exact same song recorded at 128bpm or 160bpm. You pretty much can't tell.

Here is a site for some of the line-in adapters:

http://www.discountcarstereo.com/detail.aspx?ID=446

Hope this helps.

[Jman423]

Has anyone heard any more about the GM-radio-to-iPod adapter by Axxess? This seems to be the best way to go... I can't find too much on the net, so I was wondering if anyone has called Metra for pricing and availability. Thanks!!

Also, does anyone have any of this installed yet?

[captdan27]

For the Axxess/Metra adaptor checkout this thread from chevyavalanchefanclub.com http://www.chevyavalanchefanclub.com/cafcna/index.php/topic,45279.0.html
I've called Metra also (using the number given in the press release at ecoustics.com) and was told they are currently filling the pre-orders and to call in a week or two about getting a dealer in my area (DC/Baltimore). that's all I know right now, but if this thing keeps the XM and displays song info on my TNR like Metra claims it is definately the best thing out there.

[captdan27]

Okay, after my post earlier I was in circuit city, and figured I'd ask about the Metra Adapter (GMIP-01). They didn't have any out, but when they checked in back they had 2 in stock. :) If you go there the sales guy typed "metgmip01" into there stock system to find it. It seems, to get text display and keep your XM you will have to cut the constant power to the XM receiver. i.e. warranty on the reciever will likely be void.

[Jman423]

How much are we talking?

[captdan27]

149 + tax. I bought mine at the Arundel Mills Circuit city (for those of you in the Baltimore/Washington corridor) you do need to purchase a SPDT relay if you have XM that you want to keep. You'll wire it into the constant power to the xm reciever which is were the cutting I refered to in the last post comes in. AS soon as I get the relay, and get it installed I'll post the results.

[henrywp]

Okay, I picked up the Metra iPod adapter yesterday from Circuit City and just got done installing it. It took me roughly an hour, taking my time to install it. The instructions say to splice into the power wire that goes to the stereo (even tells you which one it is) but I'm not one for cutting into wire bundles like that so I spliced my power off of one of my switched cigerette lighters since I don't use them. When I got everything hooked up and plugged the battery back in the system came up just fine. The factory stereo unit will display the song info for the song that is playing when I hit the info button on the radio. The change up/down buttons on my steering wheel even change the songs.

I took pics of where I put the adapter and the iPod but don't know how to post them using javascript. If anyone wants to know anymore info about it then let me know. I'll give it a couple of days and see just how much I like this and then let everyone know.

[captdan27]

I got mine in on Tuesday. I have some instructions and pics, of the TNR in Ipod mode and how I wired the XM relay at the following link
http://www.chevyavalanchefanclub.com/cafcna/index.php/topic,45279.0.html
So far I like this set-up, but I would like to see them revise it a little. The album name is displayed in the XM genre line, which you can jump through in XM mode. They need to make the box so it recognizes the command when you hit the genre buttons a switch to the next album. This would make navigation of 2000 -10000 songs much less cludgy.

[henrywp]

have you been able to get your random, shuffle or playlist buttons to work? That's the only thing that doesn't seem to be working right now for me.

[captdan27]

That's a lot that isn't working, I can switch into RDM-DSC (playlist Random) and RDM-ALL (Shuffles all songs on the Ipod) by pressing down on preset 2 for a couple of seconds, and I just set up 12 playlists and they all seem to work fine with the preset buttons.

[Jman423]

So, let me get this straight, the only wire that needs to be spliced into anything is the power, right? What kind of outputs does this unit have, RCA's? How many? And is it worth it? You guys seem happy with the setup...

[captdan27]

If you want to use it w/ XM you will have to wire in a relay on the XM +12V wire, and no matter what you will have to into the power for the box. Mine is a ghetto splice, I popped pin B! out of the radio harness, and just wrapped the power wire from the Axxess bos around then held it in place with some electrical tape. It's not elegent but it gets the job done with the minimum of alteration to the factory setup.

[henrywp]

The connection is 12 - 14 guage wire from the interface box to the conenctor that plugs into the stereo. It's straight plug and play with the exception of the power but a novice in electronic theory can do it. As far as is it worth it... I'm the type of person that wants to listen to what I want when I want. I change the radio station when they start talking or there are commercials and although you can get commercial free radio via XM, I'm still stuck listening to what they feel like playing at that particular time. So for me it was worth it. If you're the same way then yes it is.

[Jman423]

A few questions:

Does the Axxess unit have RCA outs that can be used for an amp?

Will it work on my non-Bose radio?

[henrywp]

There are no RCA's so hooking it up directly to an amp without some kind of modification isn't going to happen. The adapter connectors are designed to plug directly into the back of the factory radio. As for the non-bose system, yes. Mine is a 6 disk changer with no bose amp installed.

[Jman423]

As of right now theres not much to it, but here is what I would guess is the future home of the GMIP-01's website. I'm waiting for them to realize that the link to the PDF manual is a link to Adobe's website. I would like to get my hands on the PDF to take a look.

Anyway, here is the website:

http://www.wire-tunes.com/

HOPE THIS HELPS, when they add content to it anyway...

[Jman423]

I got the Axxess adapter today, it installed easily, but I am disappointed to report that it will not read text tags on radios that are not XM ready. My radio is the non-bose single CD unit. I'm not really that bent out of shape about it because I planned on getting the little iPod display from Metra anyway, when I can find it that is. Feel free to inquire about this project.

[deathbynosleep]

i finally found a good mp3 player...Sony has one with 40gigs for 240 bucks.
http://www.buy.com/retail/clearance/product.asp?sku=70014576&loc=&product=