WTB: 6-disk changer for E46

[rumatt]

Anyone got anything available? :dunno:

[bren]

Why not an Ipod? :?

[rumatt]

a) I'm stupid
b) I'm lazy
c) I don't have an ipod

You pick. :dunno:

A used 6-disk changer is about $150 on fanatics. What is the cheapest ipod solution that will allow me to use the steering wheel controls? My car isn't "ipod-ready".

[ZBB]

a) I'm stupid
b) I'm lazy
c) I don't have an ipod

You pick. :dunno:

A used 6-disk changer is about $150 on fanatics. What is the cheapest ipod solution that will allow me to use the steering wheel controls? My car isn't "ipod-ready".


Let's see... Dension ICE Link for $199 & an iPod Nano for $199 new...

Since you're consideriing used, you could win this bid on ebay for the Dension - currently at $40:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Denison-icelink-1-1-ipod-adapter-for-BMW-vehicles_W0QQitemZ5813169664QQcategoryZ58350QQssPa geNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

And you could probably pick up a used iPod Mini for ~$100...

Would be close in price to a used changer, but you'd have better functionality.

[rumatt]

Hmm. That's icelink 1.1 The latest is 2.0. Anyone know if the differences are substantial?

I'm also considering a used phatbox for $350. I'm told the integration with the wheel controls may be better, and I have no desire to have the ipod sitting in the cabin. I'd likely hide it in the trunk or something stupid.

EDIT: 1.1 doesn't display the song in the dash.

[ZBB]

You're right-- that is the older ICE Link... The current hardware for BMW is ICE Link Plus. Version 1 wasn't upgradeable, and I believe Version 1.1 is similar to Plus (where you can mix and match a cradle or butt-plug, but may not have the ability to display info on the screen.) BTW, the BMW firmware is what is now V2, but I don't think it will work on the 1.1 hardware...

Edit: This review talks about the differences: http://www.motoringfile.com/2004/11/23/dension_introduces_the_ice62link_plus

If you're willing to go to $350... I'd say go with a new ICE Link and find a used iPod.

I haven't used a phatbox -- price is just too high. But I've had my ICE Link for 6 weeks now and its great. The newest firmware has BMW on-screen display as an option (default is off), but once its on, its great -- buttons 1-5 select the first 5 playlists, and button 6 brings up a menu where you can search for a specific artist, other playlists, etc. RND button puts it in shuffle mode, etc.

As far as where to put it, you could put it in the sunglass cubby above the ashtray -- Dension sells a butt-plug as an alternative to the cradle. You could hook up the iPod, and close the door and it wouldn't be seen. Or you could get the Euro center console that replaces the cupholders and put it in there...

[rumatt]

buttons 1-5 select the first 5 playlists, and button 6 brings up a menu where you can search for a specific artist, other playlists, etc. RND button puts it in shuffle mode, etc.

Hmm, that sounds pretty good actually. Not quite like Phatbox's functionality, but livable.


As far as where to put it, you could put it in the sunglass cubby above the ashtray

Why not just put it in the trunk? Rumor has it this is what Plaz does. :eeps:

But if I'm just going to leave it in the trunk, a 20 GB phatbox for $350 seems to make more sense than an icelink + 4 GB ipod for $400.

[Terri Kennedy]

But if I'm just going to leave it in the trunk, a 20 GB phatbox for $350 seems to make more sense than an icelink + 4 GB ipod for $400.Also, you can now upgrade the hard disk in the PhatBox yourself - see http://www.phathack.com. I'm running 120GB drives in mine now.

Also, you could pick up the VW/Audi version of the PhatBox (on blow-out sale for $119 at dealers),a Blitzsafe adapter direct from Blitzsafe, and make up the cable yourself. That may or may nor represent a savings over the $350-used-BMW-PhatBox, but it is certainly more plentiful.

If you didn't want to deal with making the cable, changing the firmware, etc. I'd be glad to help you (particularly if it gets that Bentley off my desk :D).

[rumatt]

particularly if it gets that Bentley off my desk
:lol: :p


Also, you could pick up the VW/Audi version of the PhatBox (on blow-out sale for $119 at dealers),a Blitzsafe adapter direct from Blitzsafe, and make up the cable yourself.
Hmmm, thanks for the offer to help.. This seems like a good option, assuming we don't fry your phatbox and end up with nothing in the end. Have you actually done this before (making your own cable :speechle: )

Any idea how much the Blitzsafe adapter is? $100 maybe? I spent sometime looking at their site and can't find anything.

The 20GB phatbox for $350 had already sold BTW.


EDIT: one more reason I'm interested in either a 6-disk changer or a phatbox is that even if I had an IPOD, I wouldn't remove it from the car very often, if ever. Many people don't recommend this for IPOD's, saying that leaving them in a hot car isn't a good idea.

[Terri Kennedy]

Hmmm, thanks for the offer to help.. This seems like a good option, assuming we don't fry your phatbox and end up with nothing in the end. Have you actually done this before (making your own cable :speechle: )I haven't made that particular cable, but I can easily get the parts needed to do so. Have you seen the rest of my setup (here (http://www.tmk.com/media))? Cables aren't a problem :D.
Any idea how much the Blitzsafe adapter is? $100 maybe? I spent sometime looking at their site and can't find anything.It is a BMW/ALP DMX V.1 (http://www.blitzsafe.com/blitz_catalog/blitz_interfaces/blitz_installnotes/inst_bmwalp_dmxv1/inst_bmwalp_dmxv1.html) with a minor modification.

Enfig.com (http://enfigpics.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/BMW_ALP_DMX_V1.html) has it for $99.99, as does Logjam (http://www.logjamelectronics.com/blitzbmwalpdmxv1.html). I may be able to get it for a better price if I go up to Blitzsafe and talk to Ira.
The 20GB phatbox for $350 had already sold BTW.Yup, they tend to get away pretty quickly.

I could sell you the VW/Audi PhatBox if you can't find one online. They come with 10GB drives by default, but we could put a larger one in.

Let's take further discussions to email, as it probably isn't interesting to the rest of the folks here...

[rumatt]

Have you seen the rest of my setup (here (http://www.tmk.com/media))? Cables aren't a problem :D.

:jawdrop:


Let's take further discussions to email, as it probably isn't interesting to the rest of the folks here...

Will do.

[clyde]

Terry, can you give a summary of what happened with Phatnoise and the removal of their forums? I wasn't following too closely, but I know that you and some others were working pretty hard at hacking the system, and then... :dunno:

Also, it's good to hear that there is a Blitzsafe solution that doesn't need to go through Phatnoise. It always kind of rankled me that you could only get one for a BMW through Phatnoise...and only if you were the original customer.

[Terri Kennedy]

Terry, can you give a summary of what happened with Phatnoise and the removal of their forums? I wasn't following too closely, but I know that you and some others were working pretty hard at hacking the system, and then... :dunno:I did the PhatVoice software, which actually was encouraged by PhatNoise. I also was the first to use a non-blessed disk drive, just to prove it could be done. Neither of those were related to the demise of the forums, though...

A couple of things were going on at the same time that led to the forums being closed:

1) PhatNoise was in the process of being bought by HK, presumably to concentrate on OEM licensing deals like the one PhatNoise did with GM. I don't see a lot of retail sales for them in the future (once existing stock is gone).

2) VW/Audi (one of their largest OEM customers) came out with new cars that didn't use the same audio bus as the existing cars that the PhatBox supported. For whatever reason, they didn't make a deal with PhatNoise to support those new cars. This led to a huge blowout sale of the VW/Audi units (car dealers were selling them for $119 or so). This caused a huge influx of new users with questions (and complaints) in the forums.

Also, around the same time, the PhatHack folks (here (http://www.phathack.com)) came up with a different way to use 3rd-party drives in the PhatBox. I don't think that was one of the reasons the official forums closed, though, as PhatNoise didn't try to shut that site down.

Once the PhatNoise forums closed, the PhatHack folks added additional forums for unofficial support for the PhatNoise products. That's where the action is these days.

It is a shame PhatNoise didn't leave the old forums up in read-only mode, but that's their right.
Also, it's good to hear that there is a Blitzsafe solution that doesn't need to go through Phatnoise. It always kind of rankled me that you could only get one for a BMW through Phatnoise...and only if you were the original customer.It always worked - that's the part that PhatNoise uses (there's one jumper change inside).

PhatNoise was protecting their OEMs by not allowing conversions from the OEM units (Keg/VW/Audi/etc.) to retail units, and vice versa. Most of the retail PhatBox versions just need a cable - the BMW one is weird because of the i-bus. The PhatHack site has pinouts for many of the cables.

[clyde]

Thanks, Terry! :thumbup:

[ZBB]

Terry -
Cool update. I had considered a Phatbox a couple years ago, but lost interest after we got our first iPod (wow -- almost 3 years ago) and was able to connect it to the car using the simple aux-in adapter from Blitzsafe. Interesting to see how things have progressed since then.

Almost makes you wonder if a phatbox "light" could be made that uses an iPod for the HD and keeps their interface...