iPod adapter installed DIY (DICE unit) (1 Viewer)

[jasoncjung]

hi, i know this is slightly off-topic . . .

but for those that are non-nav (i have an 01 non nav), i went on ebay and bought a dension ice link plus (i believe dension usa is now the new "dice electronics") for i think $1.37 or something + $14 shipping. the install was a breeze, took about 30 minutes, including about 15 to figure out how to pull out the bezel surrounding the stereo/climate controls.

i went under the shifter/cupholder/seat warmers, and drilled a hole into the center console, where i have the cable through and the cradle resting in.

just scroll to the album/playlist i want, pop it in the cradle, and there you go, ipod through your speakers.

 

[greynolds]

Hi,

I used the USA Spec adapter for my '98 LC and I mounted the interface differently from what most do behind the glove compartment.

Instead I ran the cable from the back of the radio down behind the climate controls and past the transmission selector into the bottom of storage compartment of the center console. I then velcroed the USA Spec adapter to the interior side wall of the compartment. This way I have easy access to both the adapter and the ipod. Since I velcroed it to the side it does not take up any additional space in the compartment. My binoculars, gps, sunglasses, Leatherman and other stuff plus iPod all fit without any problems.

I don't believe the cable between the radio and the DICE unit is long enough to pull that off.

With this hook up, either my front seat or back row passengers can easily select songs or playlists from the ipod, and I can do it from the radio.

I'm finding that the radio controls with the DICE unit are somewhat lacking. The feedback on the current track is pretty good - you get artist, album, and track name. However, switching albums or playlists is a shot in the dark.

The DICE unit never displays the playlist name anywhere. So if you go into the mode that allows you to switch playlists (Disc 3, I think), you have no idea which one you're on or which one you're switching to. In playlist mode, it displays "PLAYLIST" on one line and the track name on the other line. In album mode, it displays "ALBUM" on one line and the current track name on the other line. In the mode where you can change tracks (Disc 1), it displays the artist / album on one line and the current track name on the other line.

I'm still pretty happy with the DICE unit and understand that they're obviously working within some limitations with the existing radio/sat system. But in playlist mode, it would be useful to display the playlist name somewhere (and the same for album mode).

The cool thing is that there is no cradle and the iPod is always out of sight until needed. I did my install about a month ago and it has lived there ever since.

Cradle versus out of site is mostly a matter of personal preference. The only issue with leaving the iPod in the car all the time is the temperatures it can be exposed to. Safe operating temperatures are supposed to be 32F-95F and the storage range is -4F-114F - in the cold part of the winter or the hot part of the summer, the temperatures can easily get well outside of those ranges when the car is parked somewhere.

 

[fenderbender]

I'm finding that the radio controls with the DICE unit are somewhat lacking. The feedback on the current track is pretty good - you get artist, album, and track name. However, switching albums or playlists is a shot in the dark.

.[/QUOTE]

I found the same to be true....so I whent back and rewrote all my playlists to be more logical. I put every song on my ipod into a play list cause thats the only way the dice works.
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I organized all my playlists by sub-genre and put the whole album in it....
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some play lists I just put in a single artist, and all there albums....that way when I get to a play list I know pretty much what it is by the first artist/song that pops up. ....then I can advance quickly by using the track 3 album mode to get to the album i want.
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I know its reverse enginering but it works betterfor me and I dont have to pull out the I pod and fuss with it

 

[CameraCruiser]

Cradle versus out of site is mostly a matter of personal preference. The only issue with leaving the iPod in the car all the time is the temperatures it can be exposed to. Safe operating temperatures are supposed to be 32F-95F and the storage range is -4F-114F - in the cold part of the winter or the hot part of the summer, the temperatures can easily get well outside of those ranges when the car is parked somewhere.

I considered going the route of Sleeoffroad (That looks really clean), but I am pretty anal, so I would have gone to the Toyota parts counter and ordered a couple of cubby holders just in case I screwed it up. Then I would have had to fabricate the base and route out the slot for the iPod. I am sure it would be cool and Sleeoffroad proved it, but I would have spent too much of my time to acheive it.

So I did it in a way that will keep the iPod hidden away until I need to mess with it, and that got it done the same day. Since my '98 LC can't display the song names, I either pick a playlist or let it shuffle. I use the radios controls to skip songs etc. I will watch the tempreture as it gets warmer this summer. In SoCal, the lows are no issue.

 

[jonah]

i had car toys install the dice thing and i have no info on my nav and when i went to pick it up my 6 disk was gone !
i had them make me a cool holder out of the little cup thing so now i cant see what the f#$K im listining to on the i pod .
what a pain in the ass .
if you have one with the cd changer working please do tell.

 

[fenderbender]

Car Toy's didn't do there Job!!!

Easy fix....You need to find the Dice unit and unplug the 8 prong cable leading to your nav unit....leave it unplugged for 10-20 sec and plug it back in.

This reboots the dice controller and all should be working fine.

you could try to disconect your negative battery cable and see if that reboots it as well ??? that reboots your nav unit if you have problems with it.

All in all, I'm kinda worried about my dice, I have been having problems with my Nav/climate control:

when the I pod locks up and I fuss with it to getting going again then shut the LC off....opon start up, the Toyota emblem comes up on the nav screen, then it goes blank, there's no info on the climate control and when I push climate, I get "A/C unit is disconected" message on the screen.

I disconnect the battery and the nav reboots.....it's happened 3 times when the Ipod goes on the fritz....I've disconected the Ipod and havent had any problems. Don't know if the two are related....waiting to see if it happens again.

good luck.

 

[jonah]

thanks ill try that . oh now i find that i have no am stations ...
sweet...

 

[dukerules]

Resurrecting this thread...
can anyone who's done the DICE install in a NAV-equipped cruiser comment on how it's been working long-term? It sounds like a pretty good unit, except I am worried about it messing with NAV or climate control functionality. If tht's the case, I'll just stick with my POC cassette adapter.

 

[fenderbender]

I've had the DICE for almost a year with out any problems to any other systems.

Not the best interface in the world but does work as stated...... Locks up occasionally and requires a reboot of the Ipod.

You need to organize your playlists on your Ipod so its easy to scroll through on the nav system....I'd much prefer to just plug it in and control with the ipod, but such is life.


Personally I don't use it much any more since I have sirius satellite, and I'm sick of all my music on my Ipod (10,000 songs and I can't find one I want to listen to ) .... but if the tape player plug in works for you I'd just stick with that.

 

[David Hamilton]

doesn't work with external CD player

Had the unit installed last week at Best Buy and the installer ran into a problem with the CD changer not working. I have a 2002 LC with the changer located in the center console. Called Dice's technical line and found out that the external CD changer will not work with their integration kit, only the indash CD player. I don't want to loose my CD changer, so I'm having to ship it back. Bummer!!!

 

[FATrabbit]

Has anyone with the DICE unit had success hooking up sat. radio? I would be more interested in a way of hooking up sat. radio that isn't FM modulated, while maintaining CD charger functionality.

In my previous LC, I had a Sportster installed that was FM modulated, but was disappointed with the sound quality, being as my previous car before that had an aftermarket deck with a true connection to sat. radio.

 

[Liam]

i put one of these in my 98 cruiser about two years ago so i could hook up my Sirius through my speakers....works awesome. It also has another port to hook up an ipod, DVD player or what have you. In my 98 you toggle by using the CD button...

luve it..

 

[FATrabbit]

i put one of these in my 98 cruiser about two years ago so i could hook up my Sirius through my speakers....works awesome. It also has another port to hook up an ipod, DVD player or what have you. In my 98 you toggle by using the CD button...

luve it..

Do you have a changer or in-dash?

 

[Liam]

Do you have a changer or in-dash?

i have the factory CD player and Sirius player hooked into it. No CD changer, but i am sure i could hook one up. That is what the device was originally intended for.

 

[FATrabbit]

This thread is slightly confusing: the OPs pictures show a model with no in-dash CD player, meaning he has a changer. He states that both the Ipod and cd changer work, others have stated the contrary in this thread. Also, you (BeefBarley) say that the Sirius works (which is really what I have more interest in) through the DICE, but fender bender's Sirius did not work and he ended up having to modulate it.

I am on the verge of ordering this thing, but need to have the Sirius connection confirmed! Not that I don't believe you Beef ;p

Guess I will call Dice and ask about the CD changer issue.

 

[Liam]

This thread is slightly confusing: the OPs pictures show a model with no in-dash CD player, meaning he has a changer. He states that both the Ipod and cd changer work, others have stated the contrary in this thread. Also, you (BeefBarley) say that the Sirius works (which is really what I have more interest in) through the DICE, but fender bender's Sirius did not work and he ended up having to modulate it.

I am on the verge of ordering this thing, but need to have the Sirius connection confirmed! Not that I don't believe you Beef ;p

Guess I will call Dice and ask about the CD changer issue.

I have been using it for 2 years so i KNOW it works (with my 98 100) with Sirius. As i said, i have the factory radio/CD/Tape unit and once you hook up the DICE unit to your factory radio/CD/Tape unit and to your Sirius unit how you get it to work is pushing the CD button twice. The first time you push it your CD plays, the second time you push it your 1st AUX plays and if you have a second AUX hooked to the DICE you push the CD button a third time and the 3rd AUX comes up.

fairly simple....

I bought the DICE unit through Crutchfield and had a professional install it for $75.

 

[jonah]

i have the dice thing and they had to chop my cd changer and i have no song info in my screen .
i have post/bitched about this in the past.
car toys put it in a year ago and last week ny nav went crazy see other post,
all in all its cool but not without problems.

have fun...

 

[Liam]

i have the dice thing and they had to chop my cd changer and i have no song info in my screen .
i have post/bitched about this in the past.
car toys put it in a year ago and last week ny nav went crazy see other post,
all in all its cool but not without problems.

have fun...

it must be an issue with later 100's. I've had zero issues and it works like a champ. I've had my Sirius and ipod hooked up to it at the same time.......

maybe when you get into the 100's after 99 then you run into issues...

 

[FATrabbit]

well......that.......just......sucks

I am never going to get sat. radio hooked up direct...

 

[Liam]

well......that.......just......sucks

I am never going to get sat. radio hooked up direct...

do this.....call crutchfield and talk to their tech. Tell them you want to hook your Sirius up and want it hard wired in - is there anything that would let you do this....
they have all the info that is out there and will tell you exactly what you need. If i recall correctly i had to buy a new plug that hooked into the back of the radio and went to the DICE...
Crutchfield will give you every option and walk you through it......they are not the cheapest, but as in most instances the information is free.....