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Hatchbacks Mazda3 Mazda3 Audio and Entertainment System Questions
121 messages, Last post on Oct 24, 2009 at 5:24 PM
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Thanks. I read those instructions and they were better than nothing. But really folks - why do we put up with this? All I needed was a way to get the iPod to play thru the car's speakers directly - without using RF. I don't need to power the iPod, I don't need another way to navigate the iPod. I just want a way to hear it thru the car stereo without FM tuning it. Why is it so hard? This lame adapter Mazda came out with puts my entire music collection behind a wall of babel. They call this an interface?? I call it a waste! All I needed was a male headphone jack that connected to the stereo's amp for crying out loud! I am an extremely unhappy customer. Myself and every person on this forum had to search for instructions and those instructions STILL have to be correctly translated. This adapter is a SHAM!
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Replying to: madatmazda (Nov 08, 2006 2:41 pm) I don't know what model year Mazda you have, but don't the '07 models include as standard equipment an 'aux in' jack (and a power plug) in the center console? |
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| Want to put in satellite radio and have heard with the aux input it should be easy to get the lil portable tuner. How much more equipment is there, i dont want my brand new car looking like a dj booth with a ton of wires all over the place. Would i be better off just hard wiring it in? | |
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Well I sort of feel better now that I see it's not just me w/ the ipod issues followed by the blank look of the Mazda sales and service people you think they would know a little more about the product they are selling and/or fixing. I just bought the 07 GT w/ the aux jack in the arm rest and which I thought was kool and was assured by the salesmen that I could control it through the steering wheel and was a deciding factor between getting a year end deal on the 06 or spending a few extra bucks and saving lives by keeping my eyes on the road and not the ipod. I was at the Mazda service center today and they said I needed some adapter that costs close to $200 Does anyone know hopefully more than the people who a certified to service these cars what is needed to control my ipod through the steering wheel
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| Is the brand name of the faulty iPod adapter Neo ProLink (PODMAZV1)? Are there other brands available? I'm thinking of buying the Neo Prolink online. The company claims "You can not only move between tracks from the factory radio, you can skip between playlists, albums, and artists as well." I would have my local car audio store install it for me. No need for Mazda customer service if anything goes wrong. Any advice? | |
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Replying to: notthe1 (Dec 01, 2006 12:19 am) Using nothing but the aux port in the 2007 Mazda3, the only steering wheel control you have is the volume -- and that's only if you have a a special cable that plugs in from the aux port to the iPod's docking port (not headphone port), which costs about $30. The one being sold by Mazda is a true iPod integration kit that allows you to use the steering wheel controls to skip through the first 5-6 playlists you have, as if they were CDs in your CD changer. However, because you can control the iPod through the stereo or steering wheel controls, use of the iPod controls are disabled (or at least they are on other similar systems). It also charges your iPod while it's plugged in. Most car companies now have their own branded product for true iPod integration, but they all work the same way -- that is, the system gets plugged in to the back of your stereo system (usually at the expense of losing your CD changer or satellite radio); the stereo/steering wheel controls will control the iPod, but only to some extent; the first 5-6 playlists are treated as if they are CDs in your CD changer and the tracks can be set to play at random, with the last "playlist" being the entire contents of the iPod; the iPod controls are disabled while plugged in; and the iPod is charged while plugged in. Hope this helps.
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Replying to: mazda3_fan (Dec 06, 2006 11:36 am)
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Most of these so-called "iPod integration kits" are, for lack of a better term, absolute junk. Unless the car is designed from the beginning with the iPod in mind, the solution is always going to be somewhat of a hack. That's exactly what the Mazda iPod kit is: a very expensive hack. Here's what I would do: connect the iPod (via the dock connector) to a Belkin auto charger (Belkin part # F8V7058-APL-BLK) that plugs into the cigarette lighter in the M3's center console. Then run a line-in cable from the belkin charger to the Aux in port inside the M3's center console. Place your iPod in one of the cup holders using Belkin's TuneDok (Belking part # F8E467-BLK). Or, get a ProClip from www.proclipusa.com and mount the iPod on the dash next to the climate control system. This way, you only have one cable that connects to your iPod, and it will always be charged. Granted, you don't get full integration with the stereo, but you can at least use the volume knob of the radio or the volume buttons on the steering wheel to control the iPod volume. And most importantly, you can use the iPod and its scroll wheel to access your music. Trying to use the Mazda3 stereo to select songs/playlists is slow and clunky anyway. Hopefully car manufacturers will wise up and start making truly elegant solutions, but until then, this is the way to go, IMHO.
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Replying to: archmikus (Dec 08, 2006 10:54 am) Thanks!
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Replying to: ryanseu (Dec 07, 2006 6:42 pm) It's called the PocketDock Line Out USB (http://www.sendstation.com/) and the sound quality is amazing. Cables To Go also has a similar product for less (http://www.cablestogo.com/product.asp?cat%5Fid=2033&sku=35508), however, it does not give you any charging options. With the PocketDock, if you buy a USB car charger and regular USB cable, you can also charge your iPod while it's plugged in. Hope this helps. |
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