iPod Adapter Recommendations

ozone

ozone

Experienced Member
Joined
4 January 2007
Messages
919
Location
DFW/Conesus Lake NY
I recently purchased the iDeck as well as the iDeck for iPhone, which are essentially tape to iPhone adapters. Sound quality is excellent but there is tremendous GSM interference involved rendering the devices essentially useless. The second one is designed for the iPhone and I am contacting the vendor to see if there are any workarounds but I doubt it. I'm wondering if the NSX speaker locations are too close to the phone as compared to other cars or if the product was appropriately vetted prior to sale.

http://www.amazon.com/iDeck-Integrated-Cassette-Adapter-Certified/dp/B002QG4P7U

http://www.amazon.com/Integrated-Ca...DMPW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1287789994&sr=8-2

Since it looks like the easy way out doesn't work, do you guys have any recommendations on what the best iPod adapters are. I am not talking about nav pods or new stereo heads, but simply a cable that can play music over an iPhone, charge. I've read some older threads in the past, but before moving ahead wanted to know if there are any new or best options. Also, with these are you guys experiencing GSM interference (static/buzz sound that a Prime member defined for me on another thread)? I would hate to have a wired solution fail similarly.
 
Science of Speed sells the right USA Spec adapter for the NSX (makes shopping for the right model brain dead).

http://www.scienceofspeed.com/products/interior_performance_products/NSX/USASpec/

I've only used an iPod with it so far...but will be bringing a new iPhone on trip to NSXPO next week. I'll test this weekend and let you know if I experience "that noise" we're all familiar with cell phones introducing to some audio equipment. The trip to NSXPO will surely reveal if/how much interference there is with this setup.
 
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latzke said:
Science of Speed sells the right USA Spec adapter for the NSX (makes shopping for the right model brain dead).

http://www.scienceofspeed.com/products/interior_performance_products/NSX/USASpec/

I've only used an iPod with it so far...but will be bringing a new iPhone on trip to NSXPO next week. I'll test this weekend and let you know if I experience "that noise" we're all familiar with cell phones introducing to some audio equipment. The trip to NSXPO will surely reveal if/how much interference there is with this setup.
Click to expand...

Thanks--after failing with the other 2 devices, I hope this one works.
 
I purchased a USA spec a couple of weeks ago and installed it myself in very little time using directions I found on this site. Install was easy and the unit works perfectly. I run my Sirius thru a headphone to RCA adapter on disc 6 and to tell the truth thats what I listen to most of the time.

I have also put a switch in my console to put the antenna down when using the ipod or Sirius for a more streamlined look. I will get out the camera and take some pics and post a thread, it works great.

Peter
 
So I tested my USA Spec. Good and bad news.

Good news

No GSM noice. I made sure to download some web pages, re-sync mail, etc, hold the phone in different spots in the car...nothing. I even have relatively poor reception in the car in the garage, so the PA, filters, etc are going to be working harder and sending out more power. Nothing I recognize as GSM inteference.

Bad news

I experience a very-high-pitch noise when the iPhone is connected and the radio is turned on (even if just radio is on and volume turned all the way down). I'd guess the noise is like 18khz...right at the top of our hearing range...I know people who wouldn't be able to hear it. Much like the noise our tube TV used to make when turned on (I could tell by hearing if it had been left on with no inputs on...so otherwise silent/black). Turning the volume up doesn't seem to change much..

This is nothing like GSM interference I've experienced in the past and I suspected it wasn't that but something else...maybe all the juice bing pulled to charge the thing. To confirm, I went into airplane mode (all radios off) and it is still there. I also confirmed this noise isn't there with my wife's nano by trying it also.

Doing a little searching my hunch about the charging might be accurate. This ridgeline forum thread describes the same symptom. One fellow (starter of thread) says it was resolve by getting a different cable from USA Spec. Another person says he solved it with a magnet against the cable (another tries and can't repeat this fix). A third says it is gone once his iPhone is fully charged.

I'm going to do a little more testing (harging my phone so I can test with fully charged...going to toss a ferrite clamp or two onto the cable...also will try a high-power magnet, though I don't expect that to work) and also let Chris at SOS know about this thread so he can bug the USA Spec people about this and share with us what they say.

Related amazon review:
http://www.amazon.com/review/R1O0PX...e=UTF8&ASIN=B001JT5G4G&nodeID=&tag=&linkCode=
 
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Update after testing.

Ferrite clamp and magnet have no effect when used anywhere along the length of the cable between phone and adapter...or at adapter end of cable to the head unit.

latzke said:
No GSM noice.
Click to expand...

Make that, "No GSM noise in 3G." If I do the death grip and force the phone into EVDO ("3G" changes to "E") I can hear the classic GMS noise with and without the iPod adapter connected. It is worse the closer the phone gets to a speaker or the head unit. It is louder plugged into the adapter. It disappears in airplane mode. I'm not as concerned about this as I am the other noise.
 
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Thanks for the updates. I live in EDGE (not 3G) territory, which may help explain why I'm getting the crazy amount of GSM interference off the iDeck. I will try to drive to 3G area and see if it decreases. Of course, the other problem with the iDeck is also proximity of the phone to speakers.

I will also check for that other noise--maybe it's called white noise, not sure. Hopefully there is a solution to the USA spec as it seems to be a better option overall. NSX goes into storage soon, so I guess I will wait until next season to find a solution.
 
High-pitch noise is not there when iPhone is fully charged (didn't hear it once in 20 minutes of testing). I unplugged it and shot a few minutes of video to drain the battery to 99%...and when I plugged it back in still no noise. So my assumption is that this noise is during rapid charge only...not in slow/maintain charge mode (yesterday I was testing with battery at 20%).
 
My iphone4 doesn't charge with my usaspec adapter, everything else works but the phone says it's not made for my device or some such when I connect it. Very disappointing for how much it costs, anyone else have this problem?
 
I have that high pitched whine when the iphone is plugged in. whether any music is playing or volume is off.

It could be ground loop interference but I have yet to flush out the cause.
My USA spec is hooked up behind the seat at the cable, instead of in the trunk to the CD cable.
 
unlemming said:
My iphone4 doesn't charge with my usaspec adapter, everything else works but the phone says it's not made for my device or some such when I connect it. Very disappointing for how much it costs, anyone else have this problem?
Click to expand...

A newer cable will fix this. There was a time when the cables for these things provided power to charge via the firewire power pins...but the newer iPhones and iPods use the USB pins to charge (the newest "classic" ipod is the exception...it will still charge via the firewire pins).

See 1st and 3rd of the FAQ entries:
http://usaspec.com/page.php?PageID=6
(Ignore the "last summer" - that was a couple/few years ago.)
 
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I use this with an iPhone 3Gs in two cars. I have heard the noise you describe only once, and I believe that it was when the phone was fully discharged. All other times, no noise and it charges properly.

Cheers,
-- Chris
 

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