Hi all,
I don't want to dish out for the overpriced (and IMHO, under featured) ipod connection kit from Honda. Has anyone found a great way to mount a normal ipod (i.e. full size Video one, not the Nano). I have a gooseneck charger for the Nano which is cool but can't find such a device for a full ipod. I was wondering if there was a good solution out there from you HCH drivers (maybe a clip on holder on the center drives vent).

Also, has anyone found a retractable (or coiled) headphone cable to go from the ipod (or mp3 player) to the aux jack. I am considering taking apart an FM transmitter that has one and soldering a jack on the other end (but would like to find a cable before doing that).
Thanks

 

I just bought a Griffin Tuneflex (they have one for Nanos and one for every other iPod) and have had it in the car for two days. Aside from only finding a suitably short 1.8" stereo-to-stereo cable in gray (I will hunt down a black one soon) it seems to work fine. It has a gooseneck holder that also has an aux output at the base of the unit, and on the Civic the plug is like one inch from the aux input when the thing is plugged in. I don't hear any audible distortion using the output from the Tuneflex.

I have found that it's a little wobbly when extended upwards and in front of the stereo (not to mention it gets in front of the AC controls), so I think the best way to use it is to actually turn it upside down and keep it low just in front or just above the gear shift.

I bought it from Amazon from a seller for about $22. here's the Link

 

I'm happy with my AUX connecting cable, that has a simple 3-point extension coil. However, it was from a kit that was free and I don't recall the name. I can say it's white, though!

As for mount, I am happy keeping it in the little shelf by the AUX port, just with a bit of high-friction surface material placed down there for security. I understand your struggle for a clear mount position. I keep my RAZR on a vent-mount and that might me ok for the POD instead. Works OK.

keith

 

As a follow-up to my post I spent a good 10 minutes today playing with the tuneflex bending it in different positions. I think my zest for experimentation has severely loosened the goose neck so that now it's pretty much useless in any kind of high, upright position, the weight of my Video iPod nearly drags it down to the parking brake.

The best compromise position I've found it to turn the connector so that it's sideways and then it can be bent so that the part the ipod sits in can rest on the area just above the parking brake, but between the brake and shifter. This seems to work well, so long as you're not one that continuously moves the shifter to go into neutral or something, it could get in the way if you do that alot. I have a long interstate commute, so it's not a worry for me.

I think I'll search out a more "stable" solution once this thing goes bye-bye. I'm not going to just toss it though since it does work well as a charger/mount all-in-one. Since the goose neck is pretty loose (even brand new out of the box), it's hard to operate the iPod while driving (I know, I shouldn't be anyway). In my old car I was able to mount it directly against the dashboard so I could just push against it to get the pressure I needed to operate the wheel. With this thing though I have to actually grab it and hold the back of it since there's no resistance otherwise. I wish there were a more available "blank" area of the dashboard available (no Navi here).

I suppose I could get a longer cord and just lay it on the cover for the drink holders - this poses a problem when I want to have a drink in them though, hehe.

Anyway, Tuneflex is a solution, perhaps not the best one, but one of the best available at the moment that I've been able to find.

 

I just purchased the TransDock Deluxe from dlo (http://www.dlo.com) - it fits several different iPods.

It also comes with a built-in FM Transmitter, remote, USB power outlet to charge cell phones, PDA's etc., Aux-In to transmit the audio from other devices as well as audio / video out. Video out can be used to display video from a video iPod on an external display.

I put my dock in the center console and am running the audio cable to the audio-in jack. The nice thing about this solution is that the iPod is hidden and is still easily controlled via the included remote control that can be mounted to the steering wheel.

 

Like Honda Accord Hybrid, it's history, and for good reason. See discussion below:

https://www.greenhybrid.com/discuss/...ad.php?t=13738

 

Actually, that DLO Transpod Direct at the site looks like it would be perfect - assuming it can sit properly when plugged into the power connector. I would prefer the Transpod Direct because it doesn't have a redundant FM tuner I'd never use.

You said you put the deluxe model in the center console, but will it sit correctly at all in the front power connector and still allow room to operate the parking brake and plug in the aux jack?

 

I custom made a foam fitting to sit in the center console areq to support my XM Skyfi. Fit the cables beneath it and plugged it all into the Aux and 12V inputs adjacent to it. You could do something similar with a quick trip to Michael's and a razor blade or scissors.

 

Have you considered an item like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Belkin-F8E467-.../dp/B0000ULJWS

Fits in the cupholder.

 

I'd like to see pics of this too!