We have now received in stock the new DICE Electronics iPod Integration kits and they are proving to be a great rival to the previously dominating Dension iPod Adapters.

I’m going to take a few moments to give a quick overview of the DICE iPod Integration kit, from opening the box to installing in a vehicle and playing your music collection. For the purpose of this review I will be using the Audi DICE iPod Kit.

From the first impression this kit looks extremely professional. It is a well packaged product that comes in a clear resealable packet so you can rest assured it will reach you in perfect condition. The part number and compatibility information are clearly displayed so you can guarantee the correct fitment for your vehicle.

Whats in the box?

Each DICE iPod kit contains the following:

1) Vehicle Specific Harness - This kit is supplied with a 20-pin ISO Harness and a 12-pin quad-lock harness.  You may be wondering why there are two harnesses and it is simply because earlier Audi vehicles used a 20-pin connection and in the last couple of years Audi changed to the new 12-pin quad-lock connection. Rather than create two separate kits for each connections, it is more economical to just include both harnesses with the one kit. Another positive about this is if you upgrade to a new Audi model, you already have the harness so it will save you purchasing a new kit.

2) DICE control Module - This is the main brain of the DICE iPod Kit that enables the factory radio to communicate, operate and charge the iPod while connected. Its compact size (L9.5cm x W6.5cm x D2.5cm) enables it to be discretely installed behind your car radio or dashboard. Looking at the module you will see a number of connections including a 12-pin rectangular socket for connection of the vehicle harness, an 8-pin round socket for connection of the iPod dock cable & a 3.5mm AUX jack socket for connection of other MP3 Players and audio devices. On the opposite side of the module you will see 4 dip switches which are used for configuring the iPod Adapter but you will rarely need to adjust these.

3) iPod Dock Cable - Like with most iPod Car Kits the DICE adapter is supplied as standard with a Dock Cable that plugs in to the bottom of your iPod. The total length of the dock cable is 150cm. An additional iPod Video Cradle is also available should you wish to mount your iPod on your dashboard and why not do this with the aid of the Brodit ProClip brackets that we have available on the site.

4) User Manual - Each DICE iPod kit is supplied with a user manual that covers the following points:

•  Introduction to the DICE iPod Kit
•  Connection Diagram
•  Dip Switch Configuration
•  General Operation
•  Song Browsing
•  Aux input
•  Troubleshooting

You can also download specific installation guides from the DICE Electronics website that guide you on:

• Contents of kit
• Basic wiring diagram
• Radio removal
• Connecting the DICE iPod adapter to your radio
• Connecting the iPod to your iPod adapter
• Replacing your radio

Installing the DICE Electronics iPod Integration Kit

The first thing you should do before installation is to familiarise yourself with the installation instructions, DICE user manual and your radio manual. It is important to do this to ensure correct installation and operation of the Dice iPod adapter.

When installing any iPod car kit you must ensure that the radio is switched off an your keys are out of the ignition. In some cases you may need to disconnect the car’s battery, but the installation instructions for each kit will advise you on this.

The first step is to remove the vehicles radio and to do this you may require a set of radio removal tools. In Car iPod.com now stock a range of radio keys suitable for most vehicles.

Insert the radio removal keys into the holes/slots on your radio and gently pull your radio forward. You can then locate the connections on the rear of the radio.

Depending upon which iPod Adapter you are installing you will need to locate the CD Changer connection on the rear of the radio. In this case we are looking for the 20-pin ISO connection. As you can see, this connection is already occupied (as the vehicle is fitted with the BOSE amplifier) so the plug must be removed and replaced with the red plug supplied with the kit.

On this adapter you can then re-connect the original plug for the amplifier in-line with the red connection. On some vehicles the CD changer connection may be taken due to the vehicle being pre-fitted with a CD changer, if this is the case then it will need to be totally unplugged so you can connect the DICE iPod Adapter. This Audi kit also requires an earth connection which can be taken from the earthing point on the back of the radio (refer to specific installation instructions).

Earlier we identified each connection on the DICE module and now its time to connect everything together and decide on where you want to put your iPod. I have chosen the glove box as it is the most secure and easiest to get to from the rear of the radio.

Once all the cables are routed and the DICE module is tucked away behind the radio you can gently slide the radio back into place and begin testing. I would advise that you don’t put the radio back in all the way in-case there is something you missed during installation and you need to get to the back of it again.

For this review the module was not fully installed behind the radio as it was to be removed shortly after.

Now the fun part. Connect your iPod to the dock cable, power up you radio and press your CD Changer button (refer to your radio manual). You will immediately see that the iPod starts to charge and when you press Play on your iPod you will hear your music and your radio display will show the track number. On vehicles that support Text Display (BMW) you will see the track name. To navigate through your iPod you can do one of three things, use your iPod directly, use the controls on your radio or use your steering controls if you have them fitted. I found each of these methods equally as fast to change between tracks.

Once you are satisfied that the iPod adapter is working as it should, now is the time to gently replace your radio making sure you don’t trap any wires in the process.

I hope this has been useful for you and will help you choosing the right adapter for your vehicle. Remember if you have any questions, then don’t hesitate to speak to one of our expert staff at incaripod.com

Factory Fitted, OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) also known as OE (Original Equipment) basically means the standard factory fitted equipment found on and in your vehicle. In this article we’ll be talking about and relating OE to your audio equipment found in your car as standard and how we can connect an iPod (Aftermarket) product to these systems ensuring optimum compatibility, reliability and high quality sound performance.

OE radios are manufacturerd by various suppliers including Alpine, Blaupunkt, Becker, Clarion, Delphi, Ford, Fujitsu Ten, Grundig, Matsushita, Philips, Toyota, VDO, Visteon. These are not to be confused with Aftermarket car radios that can be explained as radios not fitted at the factory and on the complete opposite and are for public sale and are found on car audio websites and in car audio shops, etc.

These have the attractive packaging and large investment put into marketing by each brand for retail sale as as a superior upgrade to the standard factory fitted radios. Having said that Factory Fitted radios are now far higher in quality and performance than they were as little as 5 to 10 years ago and can produce exceptional sound quality.

Aftermarket radios fitted as OE radios:

A selection of car dealer/manufacturers now choose to fit aftermarket radios as standard in a certain range of cars, and this is compatible with an Aftermarket iPod Car Adapter Kit as opposed to OE kit.

Add-on OE / OEM iPod Car Adapter Kit:

Manay websites online including in car ipod offer the biggest range online of hight perfomance iPod car adapter Packages to fit the majority of Factory fitted radios in the UK, Europe and the world, as this option becomes ever more popular year on year. Why? Simply because there are so many advantages to keeping your standard radio and adding-on your iPod in this way. The most obvious and favoured benefit is that you retain the integrated look and functionality of your cars current radio set-up and by doing so you will prevent the need for any extra accessories that would ultimately cost you more expense if you were to add an aftermarket radio then iPod aftermarket kit, as the alternative option.

View the OE iPod Adapters here and the Aftermarket iPod Adapters here 

Unique Design:

As many cars OE radios’ are a unique shape, design and are integrated into the dash they are a completely different shape to an aftermarket radio DIN (standard European radio size - approx 2″ high) and as a consequence if you were to fit an aftermarket radio you will more than likely need to invest in a fascia adaptor to enable your dash hole left by the removal of your OE radio to be reduced to a (DIN) sized aperture to accept an aftermarket radio.

In most cases you will also need other Installation Accessories including a harness adapter lead to convert your standard OE radio wiring to ISO (International Standard wiring connector) specifications to fit an aftermarket radios’ wiring connector and further expense would be added if you have a Stalk Control on your steering wheel that controls your radio as you will need a Stalk Control, SMART lead. When fitted this will give you functionality of your new aftermarket radio via your steering wheel controls.

Advantages of keeping your OE radio:

Theft deterence is another very important issue that keeping your standard OE radio provides. There will be no visible signs of adding an iPod Adpter as this will be well hidden in your glove box or active cradle that will just look like an empty car phone cradle. This is further understood because a potential thief’s main goal is to find and ulimately steal an aftermarket radio such as a Alpine, Kenwood, Sony, etc, simply because they are far more desireable than an OE radios and would be worth more money on the black market.

Factory Fitted iPod Car Adapters:

Many dealers such as Audi, BMW, Ford, VW, etc are now fitting iPod car adapters as standard, however these are often no more than an auxilliary port. This basically means that you can connect your iPod to your radio using an basic jack lead, but control of your iPod is unfortunately from the iPod itself only! This is actually not recommended as driving and messing with your iPod could result in, well a crash. Your best option is to have full control over your iPod from your radio or steering wheel controls (where fitted).

Expensive car Dealer Prices:

You can now take an in car iPod adapter kit as an optional upgrade whe you buy your car or alternatively buy one from your dealer at a later date, post sale. In all honesty the kits that are sold haven’t exactly been built using the most reliabile and performance producing components mainly due to the large profit margins that car dealers choose work with. High prices, low quality!

We recently introduced the Brodit ProClip Mounting Brackets range to the In Car iPod.com website. We have decided to follow that range up with another great product range from Brodit by giving you the Brodit Apple iPod and iPhone holders.

The Brodit iPod and iPhone holders are what’s known as passive cradles which means they do not have a charging facility built in. They are designed to mount in your vehicle with the use of the Brodit ProClip but they can be used stand-alone if you don’t mind screwing them directly to your dashboard. We would always recommend that a Brodit ProClip is used to avoid any damage to your vehicles interior. The Brodit iPod and iPhone holders allow you to have your iPod or iPhone within easy reach and have a tilt / swivel design so you can get the perfect viewing angle when you have your iPod in your car. They are lined with a soft felt-like material to avoid damaging your iPod when you insert and remove it from the holder.

The Brodit passive cradles are available for the whole range of Apple iPods and iPhones and some of the cradles even allow you to slide your iPod in even if you have a skin on your iPod. Most other cradles require the removal of the iPod skin before you can fit your iPod in the cradle. Check out the Brodit Passive holder range at www.incaripod.com which includes cradles for:

Apple iPod 1st Generation
Apple iPod 2nd Generation
Apple iPod 3rd Generation
Apple iPod 4th Generation
Apple iPod 5th Generation
Apple iPod Photo
Apple iPod Video
Apple iPod Classic
Apple iPod Mini (Generation 1 & 2)
Apple iPod nano (Generation 1, 2 & 3)
Apple iPod Touch
Apple iPhone

So you’re looking to buy an in car iPod adapter online, but the question is where do you buy, does the site provide you with all the product and technical knowledge required along with customer support, and more importantly does the site give you the confidence you need to hand over you’re hard earned money?

You’re ready to buy an in car iPod Adapter such as the Dension or DICE Electronics brands and you’ve found various sites that sell them, all have similar prices so whats stopping you from whipping out your card?

Here is a brief, yet robust guide with criteria you need to look for when buying ipod car adapters online, so you can rest assured that your pre- and aftersales purchase will be a happy one.

1. Does the site look and feel suggest professionalism, is it clean easy to read and navigate.
2. Is the site secure in the checkout with trust logos and accreditations clearly displayed?
3. Is the Company details and terms and conditions clearly listed?
4. Are you able to get detailed product descriptions, features and ipod to vehicle compatibility info? 
5. Are you offered a comprehensive in car iPod Car Adapter range of products?
6. Is a product warranty offered on all ipod adapter products. Typically 12-24 months?
7. Is the site so confident in its iPod Adapter products that you are offered a full 30 Day No Risk Money back Guarantee?
8. What level if any of customer support are you being offered?
9. What are the delivery times, is it flexible, insured and fast?
10. Do the in car iPod Adpaters come with full and comprehensive installation instructions?

Pre-Sales Advice:

First stop browse the in car ipod website and have a good read of the content displayed, product descriptions, product features, product compatibility. For example if you have BMW Business radio fitted and your looking to play your favoutrite iPod tunes on the move, check out the compatibility list, is your BMW listed with Business radio and is this fully compatible with your iPod model? Do you have a 3rd generation , 4th, 5th or even the new 6th generation iPod Nano, Video or Shuffle?

My point is its imperative to dig deep into ecommerce sites, do they provide all the info you need to make an informed purchase?  If not this could mean trouble post purchase, and then the problems could start. What is the aftersales product and technical support like, are they responsive to your calls or emails, can they actually help, do they have the experince to give you the correct answers? Unfortunately many online iPod Car Adapter suppliers simply can’t!

Payments and Security:

OK so you’ve located the ipod adapter for your car that you want, you’ve checked with sales and they’ve confirmed its fully compatible with you car make and model, you’re ready to buy! But does the site provide optimum security, is the checkout area protected with an SSL certificate? What payment provider does the site use, is it a fully integrated set from a leading brand bank such as WorldPay, Protx, HSBC, Barclays, etc, or is it all handled in house?

In house transactions typically mean sales staff see your card details, so this could be an issue for you with the current state of mishandling of personal details by big corporations, including governments. PSP = Payment Service Providers such as Paypal, WorldPay or Protx don’t see your card details, its all automated which guarantees 100% secure processing. 

Delivery:

Basically how long will you be kept waiting from order to delivery? Now this can differ per company depending how efficient they are, what courier service they use and if they actually have the iPod car adapter product in stock. Typcially a website like in car ipod kit delivery is just 48 hours max, with 93% delivered in just 24 hours.

iPod Adapter Aftersales Support:

Probably the most important step in buying an in car ipod kit is  the aftersales product and technical support. Because if a techincal issue, be it installation, a minor compatiblity synchronisation issue or one of many other isssues typical that can be sorted by phone or email in minutes, needs to be dealt with fast! What is worse than waitinf weeks for an email reply or constantly ringing up to get someone to just pick up the damn phone?

 Summary:

There are many sites selling iPod Adapters online from iPod accessory sites to in car accessory sites such as iPod Car Kit Direct, Car Phone Warehouse, Halfords, DABS, etc. But you simply will NOT get the pre-sales and aftersales advice and support, the expert product knowledge and basically the overall buying experience than from the Pioneer who invented the OE (Orginal Equipment) adapters and in car iPod Adapters ICD trading online as in car ipod. These guys are simply unrivalled in all areas, to make buying online a pleasent experince from start to finish.

You’ll find top brands from Dension, DICE Electronics to Clarion, ICD and Pioneer. All top makes from Audi, BMW to VW.

Go check them out now. In Car iPod

So you’re looking for an in car iPod Adapter for your car, van, caravan, motorbike or even boat… But the question is, where do you buy from, Halfords, your typical car audio shop on the high street, mail order outlet or online?

OK lets have a look at what you need to find out before you even consider spending a penny:

First up is product research, find out what product you need for your car, what you don’t want to do is buy the wrong product by guessing or taking advice from “John” down the road. There are quite a few options available that you need to be aware of, with some being a far more suitable product than others. 

Its important to take into consideration quality, reliability, cost, product performance, especially compatibility but even more importantant when looking for an iPod Car Adapter, does the supplier know the product inside-out, can they provide unrivalled help and support if your product decides to play up? Hey we’re talking technology here…

So lets look at the suppliers of these products and what if any expert help they can give you, so ultimately you can make the right choice for you and your car.

Halfords:

Halfords sell the Dension iPod in car adapter range, but with a very fast turn over of employee and the type of employee they have can certainly sell you a product, but at what cost, and i’m talking money and time. Prices are typically held at RRP, meaning little if any discount and expert advice is few and far between, as they have so many products in store to sell, is it possible they have expertise in all product ranges. So ask yourself can they give you the appropriate advice for your exact car, make, model and radio fitted?

High Street:

These guys tend to offer slighty better advice than Halfords but in my experience will try everything to get the full wack from you, RRP prices and then some, installation costs, “extra” installation accessories, as its just a fact that many high street companies now are strguggling to cover overheads as online business continue to take market share from your typical high street business. Also many simply don’t sell the best brands out there, and so you more than likely will end up with an inferior in car ipod adapter product.

Mail Order Companies:

You know the type, big colourful ads in the lads car magazines with super duper deals, this month only. Tread carefully here, low over heads means low prices, which typically means low product quality and low customer support.

Online:

Like mail order beware! As millions of sites pop up yearly, as more and more people think they can quit the rat race and sell online, umh get real! How many sites out there have you bought from and the whole experience stinks from buying from their site, to the after sales support, that they fail to provide?

Yeah like me probably a lot, the majority of people don’t have a clue how to run a website, nor how to supply a product, so like it or not many sites that appear are run by guys who see a product and think i can sell that. But the passion is missing, its just a money thing for them, and when thats the case its doomed from day one.

BUT having said all that, of course not all online retailers offer poor products and service. Many do know how to get it just right, good product, good brands, good range, good prices, expert advice and great aftersales product and technical support.

So what does it take to be an elite in car iPod adapter online supplier?

Experience, Experience, Experience! If you know the product, you’re passionate about the product, you use the product yourself daily then you can sell the product for the right reasons with intentions far greater than only monetory gains.

So who do you recommend? in car iPod

And heres why…

In Car iPod were established in the early 90’s under the company name of ICD - In Car Developments and actually pioneered the OE software revolution. This research and development intially resulted in the ability for you to connect an aftermarket cd changer to your factory fitted car radio, saving you a big chunk of cash as opposed to going to your car dealer and paying crazy money. From that initial huge technology breakthrough, years later came the iPod in car adapter all based on the very same tehnology and used now by many companies worldwide. All adpaters out there now (all branded differently) came from the blueprint that ICD set.

So what does this mean? Well simply put, ICD and their retail online website in car iPod .com know, understand and research this product range more than anyone out there, Period! They have the biggest range, the highest reliability, the best in performance products and offer the highest level of technical and product support bar none.

Ready to find the right in car iPod adapter for your car, make and model?

Brodit are a Swedish based developer and manufacturer of products that enable simple installation and mounting of communication and audio devices in vehicles. They have mounting solutions for everything from mobile phones, PDA’s, Sat Nav & iPod.

Here at In Car iPod.com we have chosen the Brodit ProClip products to offer our customers due to the high build quality & wide variety of applications. Brodit dont just offer one bracket for each vehicle, in most cases there are at least two options for you to choose from. This is great if you already have a device integrated in to your vehicle (e.g. car phone kit) as it allows you to mount your other device (e.g. Apple iPod) in another location. 

Currently we only supply Brodit ProClip Brackets designed for right hand drive vehicles, but if demand is high we may look to supply for left hand drive vehicles.

As you can imagine, the Brodit ProClip product range is huge but Brodit have provided an easy to use search facility on their website www.brodit.com where you can quickly identify the brodit product you require. You can then link this up with the search facility on In Car iPod.com to locate and purchase any Brodit ProClip bracket.

We aim to list all the Brodit ProClip brackets on our website but due to the ever-changing world of vehicles and vehicle integration, some times you may not find the product you are looking for. If this happens just contact our expert sales & support staff on our contact form or call us on 0121 502 0777 (International +44 121 502 0777)

Many iPod users want to connect their iPod to their car stereo but are worried that they will have to disconnect and loose the function of their existing factory fitted CD changer. We have heard from many customers who have been told by so called “car audio experts” that this is true but I can tell you now that it isn’t and I’ll show you the solution.

Dension, one of the leading iPod Car Kit and adapter manufacturers have released a module that connects in-line with their Gateway 100 & 300 iPod Adapters that allows you to have your iPod, USB or AUX input connected while keeping the use and functionality of the CD changer you already have installed.

The Dension CD Retention module is available for all Dension Gateway 100 and Dension Gateway 300 applications including Audi, BMW, Ford & VW to name but a few. View the full application list at In Car iPod.com