The iceLink Plus iPod/Car Interface

I've also been looking for an iPod interface to the car radio, having been disappointed with the FM/cassette options out there. When I visited the Denison booth at MacWorld SF they had a Kenwood head unit hooked up to an iPod via the new iceLink plus interface, and it appeared to be the answer. I placed my order the following Monday, and had the unit in my hands before the end of the week. I also chose to purchase a Kenwood head unit (KDC-MP625) to go along with the iceLink plus, as the factory radio didn't have a CD changer port, and that's what the iceLink interfaces to. Installation was very straight forward: remove the factory radio, push the iceLink connector into the CD changer port on the Kenwood, install the Kenwood in the dash, fish the iceLink cable into the glove box, connect it to the iceLink unit (a small, 1" x 3" circuit board covered in shrink tubing, with a connector at each end), and connect the other end of the iceLink to the iPod cradle. All the cables and connectors were supplied, and there's only one way to connect things.

iceLink 加上iPod/Car 接口

我并且寻找一个iPod 接口对汽车收音机, 对FM/cassette 选择失望那里。 当我参观了 Denison 摊在MacWorld SF 他们安排一个Kenwood 顶头单位被钩由一iPod 决定通过新iceLink 加上接口, 并且看起来是答复。 我以下星期一发出了我的订单, 和有单位在我的手里在星期之前的结尾。 我并且选择购买Kenwood 顶头单位(KDC-MP625) 去与iceLink 一起加上, 因为工厂收音机没有光盘更换者口岸, 并且那是什么iceLink 连接。 设施是非常平直向前: 去除工厂收音机, 推挤iceLink 连接器入光盘更换者口岸在Kenwood, 安装Kenwood 在破折号, 钓鱼iceLink 缆绳入手套盒, 解救它到iceLink 单位(小, 1 "x 3" 电路板报道在抽缩管材里, 用连接器在各个末端), 和连接iceLink 的另一末端到iPod 摇篮。 所有缆绳和连接器被供应了, 并且有只单程连接事。
            

The Kenwood head unit is pretty nice, offering better radio reception than the Toyota radio it replaced, and better sound, too. Flipping to the CD changer mode brought up a dialog on the very bright florescent display that indicated that the iceLink was reading a playlist on the iPod, and a few seconds later music started playing. At the same time, the letters changed, and the track name and artist were scrolling on the Kenwood's display. Neat! The right knob on the Kenwood acts as a joy stick, with left/right jogs acting to change tracks, and up changing the playlist.

Kenwood 顶头单位比丰田收音机是相当它替换的好, 提供的更好的无线电招待会, 和改善声音, 也是。 翻转对光盘更换者方式提出了关于表明的非常明亮的繁荣昌盛的显示的对话iceLink 读一个播放表在iPod, 并且几秒钟后音乐开始演奏。 同时, 信件被改变, 和轨道名字和艺术家是卷动在Kenwood 的显示。 整洁! 正确的瘤在Kenwood 作为喜悦棍子, 用left/right 凹凸部行动改变轨道, 和上升改变播放表。

The iceLink does work: it does play music from the iPod through the Kenwood that sounds just great, and it does allow changing tracks and playlists from the Kenwood controls. But there are limitations that folks need to be aware of. Playlist names are not displayed on the Kenwood head unit, instead all you see is D01, D02, etc. up to D06. And these designations are assigned automatically to the first six playlists on your iPod, alphabetically.

To access the remaining playlists, you'll need to select playlist 6, then work some fancy mojo motion on the Kenwood joystick to kick the iPod in a menu mode that shows up on the iPod screen. That means you have to be able to see the iPod screen for this mode to be useful, but if you'd rather just have the iPod hidden away in a glove compartment, you'll have access to only six playlists, and you'll have to memorize what those lists are. But even if you have the iPod out where you can see it, it responds very sluggishly to the joystick jogs, taking anywhere between 1 and 4 seconds for a change to register on the iPod display. Selecting the menu options is difficult, and the head unit still seems to send commands to the iPod that change the tracks instead of changing the menu options. This bumps the iPod out of menu mode, and you get to start the mojo all over again. And the characters on the iPod display are very small, crude and jagged, making them difficult to read. This isn't something you want to try while driving. The menu mode is so cumbersom, slow, and error prone, it's basically unusable. The iceLink does support a "classic" mode which disables head unit control of the iPod, but does allow control from the iPod clickwheel. This preserves the superior audio interface (which also charges the iPod battery and shuts it off when you turn off the car's ignition), and for those that choose to mount the iPod in an easy to see location, this might be a viable option. I haven't tried it, and can't vouch for how well it works.

I've also found that the iceLink will take a very long time to start up when it is set to a playlist that contains a lot of songs. My first playlist contains every song on the 40Gb iPod, and it can take several minutes before I hear any music when this list is selected. OK if you're heading out on a long trip, but not at all useful when you're just running a short errand.

I've had trouble with the Kenwood losing track of the iceLink, and the only solution is to power everything off, disconnect the iPod and both ends of the iceLink, wait several minutes, then put everything back together. I contacted Dension tech support by phone, and was told that the unit needed an update, which could be applied via files downloaded to the iPod. I found instructions for doing this on the company's web site, but they are very poorly written, and apparently the Kenwood/iceLink pair is a special case that takes special procedures which are alluded to, but not clearly defined. As a result I have lots of update files on the iPod, but have yet to successfully update the iceLink. An additional call to tech support toward the end of the day (I work during Dension's usual tech support hours) had the first level techie promising a call back from a higher level person. That call never came.

The bottom line for me is that I'm barely satisfied with the iceLink plus, and if a better alternative were available, I'd dump it and change right now. I looked over the Alpine KCA-420i but found it also to be slow and lacking complete head unit information display. Pioneer and others have announced iPod interfaces, but it's likely to be several months before they reach the market. Dension also supports Sony head units, and maybe those interfaces are more robust than those for the Kenwood. Unfortunately I chose the Kenwood based on this MacWorld display, and the short conversation I had there with the Dension rep. My hope is that Dension will work out the bugs and perhaps expand the feature list, and issue updates in a way that I can figure out how to apply them. Until then, I'll have to be content with shuffle playing tracks from my smaller, first six, playlists, which satisfies 80% of my music listening needs in the car anyway.

The ultimate iPod interface, also demoed at MacWorld, comes from Mercedes, and features steering wheel push button control with dash board display of all iPod info. I'm tempted, but just don't have an extra $50K laying round for a new car!

iceLink 运作: 它演奏音乐从iPod 通过Kenwood 那听起来正义伟大, 并且它准许改变轨道和播放表从Kenwood 控制。 但有伙计需要知道的局限。 播放表名字不被显示在Kenwood 顶头单位, 反而所有您看见是D01 、D02, 等。 由D06 决定。 并且这些指定自动地被分配到第一六个播放表在您的iPod, 按字母顺序。

访问残余的播放表, 您将需要选择播放表6, 然后工作一些花梢mojo 行动在Kenwood 控制杆踢iPod 在出现在iPod 屏幕的菜单方式下。 那意味您必须能看iPod 屏幕为这个方式是有用的, 但如果您宁可会安排iPod 掩藏在手套隔间, 您将得以进入对只六个播放表的, 并且您将必须记住是什么那些名单。 但既使您有iPod 您能看它的地方, 它非常慢吞吞地反应控制杆凹凸部, 采取任何地方在1 和4 秒之间为对记数器的变动在iPod 显示。 选择菜单选择是困难的, 并且顶头单位仍然似乎寄发改变轨道而不是改变菜单选择的命令到iPod 。 这碰撞iPod 在菜单方式外面, 并且您得到重新开始mojo 。并且字符在iPod 显示是非常小, 粗暴和接合, 使他们难读。 这不是某事您想要尝试当驾驶。 菜单方式是因此cumbersom, 慢, 和错误有倾向, 它是基本上不能再用的。 iceLink 支持使iPod 的顶头单位控制失去能力的"经典" 方式, 但允许控制从iPod clickwheel 。 这保存充电iPod 电池和并且关闭它的优越音像接口(当您关闭汽车的燃烧), 并且为那些选择登上iPod 在容易看地点, 这也许是一个可行选择。 我未尝试它, 和无法担保为多么恰当这有效。

我并且发现iceLink 将需要非常久时间开始当它被设置对包含很多歌曲的播放表。 我的第一个播放表包含每首歌曲在40Gb iPod, 并且它可能需要几分钟在我听见任一音乐之前当这张名单被选择。 好如果您朝向在一次长的旅行, 仅有用当您是正义赛跑每短的差事。

我有困难与iceLink 的Kenwood 丢失的轨道, 并且唯一的解答将供给一切动力, 分开iPod 和两个iceLink 的末端, 等待几分钟, 那么汇集一切后面。 我与Dension 技术支持联系由电话, 和告诉, 单位需要更新, 能是应用的通过文件被下载对iPod 。 我找到了指示为做这在公司的网站, 但他们非常穷地被写, 并且Kenwood/iceLink 对明显地是采取特别规程被暗示, 但不清楚定义的一种特殊情况。 结果我有许多更新文件在iPod, 但有成功地更新iceLink 。 一个另外的电话对技术支持往天(我的结尾服务在Dension 的通常技术支持小时期间) 有第一水平techie 许诺电话从一个更高的水平人。 那个电话从未来了。

底线为我是, 我几乎没有满意对iceLink 加上, 并且如果一个更好的选择是可利用的, 我会倾销它和现在会改变。 我看了在高山KCA-420i 但并且发现它是慢和缺乏完全顶头单位信息显示。 先驱和其他人宣布了iPod 接口, 但它可能是几个月在他们到达市场之前。 Dension 并且支持索尼顶头单位, 并且那些接口比那些可能健壮为Kenwood 。 我不幸地选择了Kenwood 根据这MacWorld 显示, 和我有那里与Dension rep 的短的交谈。 我的希望是, Dension 将制定出臭虫和或许扩展特点名单, 并且问题更新用我能推测怎么应用他们的方法。 到那时, 我将必须是满意对拖曳演奏轨道从我更小, 第一六, 播放表, 满足80% 我的音乐听的需要在汽车无论如何。

最后iPod 接口, demoed 在MacWorld, 并且来自Mercedes, 和特点方向盘按钮控制以破折号所有iPod 板显示信息。 我被诱惑, 但没有额外$50K 放置在周围为一辆新汽车! 

以上是直接用MYIE浏览器翻译的，如有不对请大家请出并改正。