Harman/Kardon Drive and play device for iPod

[meall]

Hi,Any one tried the Harmon/kardon drive and play (www.driveandplay.com) in a Vibe?This gadget look interesting. I'm still searching for a solution for my iPod in my Car. This one is the coolest I ever saw.Thanks for any information.

[BlueCrush]

Very Cool! Bookmarked for future reference.

[jwalcik]

that looks interesting. my only question is how smooth the control is. the big downside to my current setup (alpine HU + alpine's ipod adapter) is that if you actually want to browse a long list of songs/artists/albums, it's *painfully* slow. i finally just broke my music up into about 8 playlists and just pick one of those and set it on random. works, but not quite ideal.

[orbix]

I just got one in from Crutchfield yesterday, and will be installing it this evening alongside a PIE GM12-AUXv2 as an aux-in adapter. I'll let you know what I find in general on the install, but having played around with the D+P, I've been very impressed. Browsing is quick, and the interface is great- My only issue is finding the best install point for the Vibe, as there are compartments everywhere there might be dead space in a normal vehicle.

[meall]

Any news on that? Anyone installed one in the Vibe? what,s the best install method?

[orbix]

Yeah- I've got one. I've had it for about 3 or 4 months now, and I've been thrilled with it.As for installation, I wanted to be able to easily return the car to stock when I sell, so no drilling or screws. I disconnected and removed the cigarette lighter from the console (everything I have runs on AC), then mounted the controller there with the included adhesive (which comes off without residue, btw, but holds well).The screen is fastened to the dash above the vents and factory head unit- The cable runs under the main stereo bezel. The 'brain' of the D+P lives in my glove box for now. You can pull an easy, ignition-switched power drop off of the wiring from the cigarette lighter in the dash- just use a couple of T taps if you want to be able to remove things easily.The iPod cable is run from the 'brain' down behind the shifter assembly to the floor of the car, where I fished it under the carpet and back up through the hole in the console where the other dc power jack should be. This way the iPod can be left in the car, but it's not as obvious that it's there, as it's in the armrest. If you've got the two-bin armrest, you might find a way to run the wire into the upper bin to keep the bottom bin open for larger stuff.I've been thinking about putting together some pictures of the install, but I don't know if there's enough interest to warrant the time... Let me know if you're interested!

[meall]

Thanks for the information, and I'M sure interested in the pictures!!!How did you connect the D+P to the factory radio?Thanks

[orbix]

I used a Peripheral aux-in unit (not sure which one, but it's not the aux-box- it's a GM-specific unit that was at least $40 cheaper at the time).You're actually in luck, as I forgot to plug the antenna back into the HU during the last time I had the mess open, so I'll get some pictures of the finished install, as well as a bit on the installation process.

[meall]

Do you have the GM part number of this AUX-IN unit?

[GormalVibe]

Please send pics because i am thinking about getting this system, and an very curious on how you have set this up. Thanks

[orbix]

It's not from GM- it's made by Peripheral, but it's specific to certain GM setups. I'll see about geting some pics taken either this evening or this weekend, depending on when I can find the time and the daylight to do the shots in.

[meall]

Can you give me more detail on this part? how much it costs you?Thanks

[orbix]

Hey- sorry it took so long to get back to you on this!The part is the P.I.E. GM12-AUXv2 Auxiliary Interface GM from Peripheral, and the product # from Crutchfield is 469GM12AX2. I paid $70 for mine, and it works like a dream. I've got an 05 base with the band button, so I can't guarantee it working with any other configuration, but the Peripheral site can give you more info.Actually, I'm pulling my gear out, as I'm selling the Vibe this weekend (buying a 1983 Porsche 944... Hell yes!), so if you're interested, I'd let it go for $40. Not selling the D+P, though. That goes with me- it's a damned sweet rig.

[orbix]

Damn... I've got pictures taken, but I couldn't get them to transfer off of my camera last night. I'll see about getting them posted tomorrow during some downtime at work.