DICE Electronics In Car iPod Adapter Review

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