Is there an adapter for the iPod that will enable me to use the line-in under the dash power socket? (I'm new to this Pod thing)

 

Hummm... unless I am mistaken most iPods (mine included) can be connected to the line-in (aux input) with a simple and inexpensive male-to-male stereo extension.
You can get one like this at any electronics store.

This method will work but you cannot control the play sequence from the steering wheel audio control buttons. For that you'd need the appropriate iPod specific Honda accessory/option. Your dealer should be able to provide you with more information on the cost and capabilities of the option.

Cheers;

MSantos

 

May I suggest the Belkin Auto kit for iPod P/N F8V7058-APL, under $10 on ebay or $39.95 retail



And a male to male RCA mini stereo cable for about $3 at Radio Shack.

The nice thing about this rig, is that the ipod is powered from the car, and it charges the iPod battery. The audio comes out the balanced line out connection of the iPod and not the amplified headphone jack. This will give cleaner sound. The cable plugs into to Belkin plug, which also has a gain adjustment on it to match the audio level with the rest of the radio's inputs.

The downside of this rig is that the ipod has to be controlled from its faceplate and not from the radio.

We just set out iPod off on a playlist, and stick it in the bin below the radio.

 

Do you get any ground loop noise? I was using the Belkin Auto Kit in my Outback and had ground loop noise (basically an "engine" noise in the background that is engine (alternator) speed related). I put in a ground loop isolator between the Auto Kit and my input which stopped the ground loop noise but caused the Belkin's amp to cut out. The only way I could use it was turning the Belkin's amp down to almost no power and running my head unit at 40 volume. This caused the bass to be muted and I overheated my head unit amp once on a road trip.

I was very disappointed with the Auto Kit solution and have switched to a hard wired power solution which works much better than the Belkin. However, my wife does not want me hard wiring anything into her Civic so at the moment I am just using the 1/8" headphone jack on the iPod. If the Belkin works without any ground loop noise in the Civic (does the HCH even have an alternator?), I would be willing to try another Belkin.

To the original poster: You are better off finding a solution that uses the line out from the bottom of the iPod than the headphone jack. The sound quality is much better that way, and you don't have to adjust your iPod volume between listening through the car and listening through your headphones. If there is no ground loop noise in the HCH, the Belkin is the cleanest, easiest to find solution, but there are a few other cigarette lighter options that are not amplified and several hard wire-powered options available online.

 

I have this rig hardwired in my Porsche, and have some alternator noise, even with a Ground loop isolator. That almost eliminated the whine, but at very high volumes it can still be heard.

In the Civic, I have not noticed any ground loop noise at all even with the gain on the Belkin set to maximum. I have to guess that the Alpine head unit in this car is better isolated.

 

I'd suggest the Griffin TuneFlex http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/tuneflex/

I use this in mine, positioning the iPod right in front of the temperature controls. The Tune Flex is connected via the dock connector and has an audio out jack at the base, right next to the Aux jack. Also, the bottom of the TuneFlex has another dock connection, in case you have any other accessories you want to use.

 

In my old car (which didn't have line-in) I used the Griffin iTrip Auto:

http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/itripauto/

Which is a pretty slick FM transmitter. Now that I have the HCH I've switched to line in, which produces a nice static free ride. I should be happy, but I miss three things about my old iTrip:

- Charges while listening, my iPod always had a full battery when I arrived at work.

- Automatic pause when you turn off the key. I listen to a lot of podcasts and find my self desperately grabbing for the ipod pause button after parking so I don't miss anything.

- Normalized volume. With line-in you have to crank the iPod volume way up, and me (being a forgetfull sort of guy) end up blowing out my eardrums later in the day when I stick in my earphones and press play. Youch!

It looks like the solutions below offer some of these these features, do either of them do all three? Is there something that does?

 

The Belkin Unit does all 3 of these things. Plus you don't have to block the HVAC controls.

- Charges while listening, my iPod always had a full battery when I arrived at work.
Belkin - YES

- Automatic pause when you turn off the key. I listen to a lot of podcasts and find my self desperately grabbing for the ipod pause button after parking so I don't miss anything.
Belkin - YES

- Normalized volume. Does not use the headphone jack for audio out.
Belkin - YES

 

UPS delivered the Belkin yesterday for $30 bucks shipped (Provantage.com) and it's just what I wanted, thank you.

Now I just need to find a nice small male to male stereo jack. The one I bought at RadioShack is over three feet long, and according to the sales guy is the shortest one they have.

 

He's lying. They have a "1 foot" (more like 18") that is kinda a cream color. That's what I'm using in our HCH and it looks much better than a standard black cable. Find it on the website and bring in the part number and they should be able to find it for you in the store.

Edit: Lunch hour so I have more time--the part number for that cable is: 42-2497 and if they had it at our little Radio Shack in the mall, they should have it in all stores.