Best iPod Solution

[shunt]

After lots of research, I'm pretty sure that this is the best solution available.
- It's a super great ipod integration.
- Its really inexpensive if you can get the parts on ebay
- The only work is to plug in cables at the CD changer under the seat.

There are two parts to purchase, which allow the landrover to 1) connect to a Sony CD Changer and 2) have an iPod emulate a Sony CD changer. Installation requires 3 steps: Move the passenger seat forward, Switch the CD player plugs around and secure the cables, Move the passenger seat back.

1. LND/PC-SON, a digital interface from PIE Electronics (www.pie.net). This is a small box that has a cable coming from one end and a receiver on the other end. The cable side leads to a plug which receives the cable normally used for the Land Rover CD changer. Simply unplug the cable from the CD changer and plug in this device. This device allows a Sony CD changer to work in place of the Land Rover's factory CD changer. This will work with Discovery's from 1998 on, Freelanders and 1998 to at least 2002 Range Rovers.

This is available on ebay for a buy it now price of $67 (normally listed at $99). http://cgi.ebay.com/Landrover-LND-PC...QQcmdZViewItem

2. Ice Link Plus for Sony by Denison, manufacturer part no. I20SONY or I20-SONY, sometimes referred to as Icelink for Sony Uni-Link. This device has cables leading from both ends. On one end, there is a cable to connect to the LND/PC-SON. On the other end, a cable leads to the bottom connector of your ipod. This device makes the iPod seem like a Sony CD changer for the LND/PC-SON.

This is a little harder to purchase, as it is not easily available in the states. They come up on ebay sometimes. Here is a buy-it-now for $15:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Dension-ice-Link...QQcmdZViewItem

And another for $9.99, auction ending in a day.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Dension-I20-SONY...ayphotohosting

Notes on the user experience:
- Stereo controls affect the iPod, including steering wheel controls.
- The text does not display on the radio (at least on my 2004 Discovery)
- The volume matches the normal radio volume and is not affected by the ipod's volume.
- When the car is turned on, the iPod screen changes to a Denison screen, which is a special interface driven by the Ice Link.
- The Denison display on the iPod screen shows the current song's name
- You can select the 1st 5 playlists using the CD changer controls 1-5.
- Switching from one playlist to the next has less than a second delay where the song from the previous playlist continues, then all at once the new playlist kicks in. Not ideal, but unless you are picky, this is hardly noticeable.
- Selecting CD changer 6 allows you to adjust menus which appear on the ipod. These are special menus that allow you to customize how the ipod is controlled by the car, as well as some other cool features.
- Normally, there is very little control on the ipod
- There is a setting to allow full control on the ipod, which takes some but not all control away from the car stereo controls. Altogether, this feature feels thought through, like the developer really made the best of difficult limitations.
- iPod charges when the car is turned on (and I think only when CD changer is selected).
- When the car is turned on and already in CD changer mode, the iPod playback starts nearly immediately.
- When the car is turned off, the iPod stops the playback.
- Under my passenger seat was a vinyl wrap with velcro seam protecting a cable to the seat. I was able to fit all of the components within that wrap.
- The iPod connector cable is long enough to fit from under the seat to the cup holder, or can easily lead to the front of the CD changer compartment.

Ok, so you give up your CD changer. But the plugs are still under the seat, and you can swap those at any time.

[Thor]

for my Alpine head unit / CD changer the box from PIE is an electronic switch that cuts the signal from the CD changer when it senses a signal from the 'second' set of RCA inputs. I then will connect the PIE iPod integrating box that gives power to the iPod and gets the signal from it putting it out on RCA jacks to connect to the PIE electronic switch.

i.e. turn on iPod and the head unit will get that signal, turn off the iPod and the CD changer signal comes back on!

Check out the PIE site and see if there is one like this for your set up! If only for the slightly easier use of both. (I have kids... and iPods get hijacked easily)!