I-pod Plug In

[gs300ken]

Anyone have info for aftermarket I-pod /mp3 plug in for 2006 gs300?

[mrslay]

In order to play ur ipod on a gs300 you have to purchase either a ipod radio transmitter or a mp3 casette extention. The radio transmitter doesnt exactly give the best quality. But at the same time, over a period of time the casette extention makes a moderately high pitched noise when the casette needs to be switched around. I personally rather the casette extention.

[gs300ken]

In order to play ur ipod on a gs300 you have to purchase either a ipod radio transmitter or a mp3 casette extention. The radio transmitter doesnt exactly give the best quality. But at the same time, over a period of time the casette extention makes a moderately high pitched noise when the casette needs to be switched around. I personally rather the casette extention.

Thanks,

I understood that the Lexus dealer can install a hard wired plug to connect directly into the audio unit??

Do you know anything about that?

[george1614]

In order to play ur ipod on a gs300 you have to purchase either a ipod radio transmitter or a mp3 casette extention. The radio transmitter doesnt exactly give the best quality. But at the same time, over a period of time the casette extention makes a moderately high pitched noise when the casette needs to be switched around. I personally rather the casette extention.

Thanks,

I understood that the Lexus dealer can install a hard wired plug to connect directly into the audio unit??

Do you know anything about that?

I have a GS300 2006, and just installed an adapter...works great using the touch screen on your navigation.

look up vaistech.com

lexus or car stereo places will sell and install for you. the adapter is about $300 and installation is $200 - 300 depending where you go.

if you search the forums, you will find instructions how to do it your self.

I installed myself, not hard at all!

took me 30min to do....worth it!

Look here ~~~~~> http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...showtopic=24442

[SW03ES]

The vaistech is the way to go, I have it and it works great.

[GS-F]

Has anybody used

Dice HD-Radio

w/ iPod Integration

The HD DICE is Designed to Interface With Existing Factory (OEM) Car Radios.

It look very interesting because they let your radio get HD radio and add an ipod. I'd like to see if anyone has any feedback.

Thanks

[Auto Essentials]

The Dice piece seems to be god with the HD combo, However, the last Dice piece that we installed into an 05' Prius, locked up his nav & radio completely within 1 day of install. We ended up taking it back out of the car. We definitely would reccomend to go with the vaistech piece for Lexus & Toyota.

[jasontucker]

The Dice piece seems to be god with the HD combo, However, the last Dice piece that we installed into an 05' Prius, locked up his nav & radio completely within 1 day of install. We ended up taking it back out of the car. We definitely would reccomend to go with the vaistech piece for Lexus & Toyota.

Is the vaistech pretty easy to install? Good instructions? Any special tools? Am I going to break something?

[06GS300]

I, too, am interested in an ipod add-on and looking for feedback from anyone with the dice HD w/ipod or the vaistech or whatever else is out there.

/clicks subscribe to thread

[boB_2006_GS300]

I, too, am interested in an ipod add-on and looking for feedback from anyone with the dice HD w/ipod or the vaistech or whatever else is out there.

/clicks subscribe to thread

I have the vais and like it, but it only does playlists. at the time, it was the only

"real" option.

now the dice unit looks like it browses with all of the ipod options?

here's the link...

http://www.diceelectronics.com/ipod_integration.htm

I am curious to see if it works good, or at all on the gs with nav and ML sound?

If anyone gets this, or finds out new info, please post. at $169, it looks good, but I would like to hear from someone that trys it.

[johnnyvnyc]

Has anyone used this product from Peripheral Electronics:

http://www.peripheralelectronics.com/prodD...&strSearch=

It allows you to browse by artist and approximately $150 cheaper. If you have any feedback please let me know as I was thinking of purchasing an iPod solution in the next coming weeks.

[DArustik]

Viastech is very nice...there are potential problems when you have a sat radio tho.

[scotk]

I have the vais and like it, but it only does playlists.

Does it really only do playlists? I read that and it steered me away from getting it, just wanted to confirm that it's true.

[06GS300]

What are the options if you want one that also plays back video?

The Dice states:

Optional cradle with video out available

but it's pretty vague, nowhere else do they mention the video capabilities...

[06GS300]

http://support.diceelectronics.com/files/u...ual_rev_C01.pdf

The user manual shows that you can get an optional video out cable, it's not a seamless integration that includes a harness or whatnot to bridge it in to the Lexus factory screen. Time to go back to searching for a real bridge that gives all the desired features... songs, playlists, video, touchscreen, etc., etc...

[Stackin Chips]

I would go with VAISTECH or the Harman Kardon unit.

[tauphi6]

I just put in the DICE model in my 06 GS300 with Navi and it seems to work fine. The guy at Tweeter said he's never had a problem with DICE so i went on his recommendation. I'll keep you updated as the weeks progress in months.

E

[06GS300]

I ordered the DICE along with the video cradle from PriusChat, free shipping

http://priuschat.com/shop/product_info.php/products_id/66

http://priuschat.com/shop/product_info.php/products_id/68

I called DICE to make sure, it's the same ipod car integration unit for the Prius and the Lexus. I opted for the Dice because, among other reasons, it unlocks the ipod so you can use either the ipod or the touchscreen to interact with your files - the others on the market lock the ipod so you can only use the car's controls.

I found a guy on eBay that has the video tap for the 06 GS, it's expensive though compared to the other cars that have been tapped ($500 vs $200) because according to him this car requires a unit that is digital and imitates signals as opposed to the regular analog unit.

If anyone has other sources for the video tap on the 06+ GS please share as I've yet to order it but will probably order it soon.

[madyash]

I ordered the DICE along with the video cradle from PriusChat, free shipping

http://priuschat.com/shop/product_info.php/products_id/66

http://priuschat.com/shop/product_info.php/products_id/68

I called DICE to make sure, it's the same ipod car integration unit for the Prius and the Lexus. I opted for the Dice because, among other reasons, it unlocks the ipod so you can use either the ipod or the touchscreen to interact with your files - the others on the market lock the ipod so you can only use the car's controls.

I found a guy on eBay that has the video tap for the 06 GS, it's expensive though compared to the other cars that have been tapped ($500 vs $200) because according to him this car requires a unit that is digital and imitates signals as opposed to the regular analog unit.

If anyone has other sources for the video tap on the 06+ GS please share as I've yet to order it but will probably order it soon.

Did you install the DICE yet? Preliminary thoughts? Also, since adapters like this (i.e. the DICE, Vaistech, and Peripheral) work over the CD changer interface, I assume that the CD changer no longer works? More specifically, can you watch DVDs/play music AFTER the DICE (or similar unit) is installed?

Thanks!

[madyash]

I just put in the DICE model in my 06 GS300 with Navi and it seems to work fine. The guy at Tweeter said he's never had a problem with DICE so i went on his recommendation. I'll keep you updated as the weeks progress in months.

E

E,

Did you get it with or without the aux input? Also, how did you mount the iPod (if at all). Are you using the DICE cradle, something else, or leave the iPod lying lose?

[06GS300]

Did you install the DICE yet? Preliminary thoughts? Also, since adapters like this (i.e. the DICE, Vaistech, and Peripheral) work over the CD changer interface, I assume that the CD changer no longer works? More specifically, can you watch DVDs/play music AFTER the DICE (or similar unit) is installed?

Thanks!

Hey madyash it's arrived but I did not install it yet. I have been quite busy but maybe I'll do it tonight.

I plan to install the cradle between the shifter and the center console, there's enough room there and it looks like it'll fit very nicely and easy to reach and read if needed.

I didn't order my video tap yet ($500!) but I did get my sound problem from the other thread fixed so now I'm not as worried about ordering it as before.

Lastly, if I had to guess, I should still get use of my DVD / CD player with the DICE installed.

So far, my first impression of the DICE is very good. It came in a nice packaging and seems to be built with quality.

[madyash]

Did you install the DICE yet? Preliminary thoughts? Also, since adapters like this (i.e. the DICE, Vaistech, and Peripheral) work over the CD changer interface, I assume that the CD changer no longer works? More specifically, can you watch DVDs/play music AFTER the DICE (or similar unit) is installed?

Thanks!

Hey madyash it's arrived but I did not install it yet. I have been quite busy but maybe I'll do it tonight.

I plan to install the cradle between the shifter and the center console, there's enough room there and it looks like it'll fit very nicely and easy to reach and read if needed.

I didn't order my video tap yet ($500!) but I did get my sound problem from the other thread fixed so now I'm not as worried about ordering it as before.

Lastly, if I had to guess, I should still get use of my DVD / CD player with the DICE installed.

So far, my first impression of the DICE is very good. It came in a nice packaging and seems to be built with quality.

Hey 06GS300,

I read on another thread that you got your Dice installed. BTW, glad to hear that it also resolved your intermittent audio problems. So, initial thoughts on the Dice unit? Like it? Hate it? Love it? I'm thinking of ordering one and figured I'd wait to hear your feedback since you'd already ordered it... :)

Let us know if the DVD/CD works as it did before (i.e. no interference from the Dice unit), and please do post some pics of your install if you can. I'm curious to see where you keep it and how that's working for you....

Yash.

[06GS300]

Hey 06GS300,

I read on another thread that you got your Dice installed. BTW, glad to hear that it also resolved your intermittent audio problems. So, initial thoughts on the Dice unit? Like it? Hate it? Love it? I'm thinking of ordering one and figured I'd wait to hear your feedback since you'd already ordered it... :)

Let us know if the DVD/CD works as it did before (i.e. no interference from the Dice unit), and please do post some pics of your install if you can. I'm curious to see where you keep it and how that's working for you....

Yash.

Hey Yash,

Yes, it is installed! And the audio problems from the other issue are gone!

Initial thoughts are very good, I like the unit very much. It installed very easy, but I did not take any pics. I will tell you how I did it and hopefully it will be helpful for you and other people down the line.

To do it, you would pull the radio out like you do for the dvd bypass, you can see that thread for the steps to get the radio out. Once its pulled out, and your sitting in the drivers seat, you move it over to the side, towards the passengers seat so you can see the back of the radio. There is a harness close to you, on the left of the radio, all the way at the bottom (below the screen) that matches the harness the dice kit comes with. Pull that out and plug it into the dice harness. Then plug the other end of the dice into where it went.

There's another plug on the dice loom that has two wires going to it. I left that unplugged, wedged so it does not rattle. I think its surplus (don't you love extra parts!) for some setup that I didn't have. I do not have factory SAT fwiw, maybe it has something to do with that...

Anyway once you have it plugged in, you plug the other end into the black plastic dice module, and plug in the dock connector to your ipod and the module (plug everything in).

Connect your battery (yes I unplugged the battery, you may or may not - depending on how risky you feel), and turn on the car to make sure it works before you put everything back together. Click the disk button on the radio as if you want to play a disk, then press it again to switch to the ipod. CD CHANGER will appear on your screen. Navigate your ipod to some music and hit play. Confirm it works, do a little dance, and put it all back together the way it came out. I mounted the dice module in the center of the car, just south of the shifter there is a space where it fits perfectly. Then I ran the dock cable into the center console as a final resting place. I did purchase the video cradle but did not install it as I did not yet buy the $500 video tap, so ymmv here. To get the dock cable into the center console, this is what I did. Removed the seat air conditioner controls switch plate by pressing in the tabs with a flathead and prying it up. Now that that was out of the way, I took a belt hole puncher and put on the widest hole it has. This is the tool used to punch holes in a leather belt. I took the tool and punched a hole at the very top edge of the velvet center console bin where it meets the air conditioner swith plate. This is where I ran the wire through. If I did not put the hole there, the cable would have been severely pinched when I pressed the plate back down. With the module where I put it, there was plenty of cable to allow the driver or the passenger to use the ipod while your cruising around. Put it all back together and your done.

What I like about it is that it turns the ipod off when you turn off the car.

I still need to learn the hacks it does with the radio controls, its a learning curve to learn what does what but I have most of it figured out. I don't use playlists so I dont get a lot of song changing ability through the head unit (I probably need to learn it better, though). For now, I change my artists on the ipod and can toggle the songs with the track switches just above the ashtray, on the left by my right knee.

Hope this helps and if anyone has questions, fire away.

[madyash]

Glad to hear that it's working well for you! I'm probably going to order mine this week. I wanted to install over the Labor Day long weekend, but I'm obviously too late for that... :)

Just to confirm - pressing the disc button once accesses the in-dash 6-disc changer, and pressing it again switches to the iPod? So, the iPod and the factory changer are both fully functional after the install?

Thanks,

Yash.

Hey 06GS300,

I read on another thread that you got your Dice installed. BTW, glad to hear that it also resolved your intermittent audio problems. So, initial thoughts on the Dice unit? Like it? Hate it? Love it? I'm thinking of ordering one and figured I'd wait to hear your feedback since you'd already ordered it... :)

Let us know if the DVD/CD works as it did before (i.e. no interference from the Dice unit), and please do post some pics of your install if you can. I'm curious to see where you keep it and how that's working for you....

Yash.

Hey Yash,

Yes, it is installed! And the audio problems from the other issue are gone!

Initial thoughts are very good, I like the unit very much. It installed very easy, but I did not take any pics. I will tell you how I did it and hopefully it will be helpful for you and other people down the line.

To do it, you would pull the radio out like you do for the dvd bypass, you can see that thread for the steps to get the radio out. Once its pulled out, and your sitting in the drivers seat, you move it over to the side, towards the passengers seat so you can see the back of the radio. There is a harness close to you, on the left of the radio, all the way at the bottom (below the screen) that matches the harness the dice kit comes with. Pull that out and plug it into the dice harness. Then plug the other end of the dice into where it went.

There's another plug on the dice loom that has two wires going to it. I left that unplugged, wedged so it does not rattle. I think its surplus (don't you love extra parts!) for some setup that I didn't have. I do not have factory SAT fwiw, maybe it has something to do with that...

Anyway once you have it plugged in, you plug the other end into the black plastic dice module, and plug in the dock connector to your ipod and the module (plug everything in).

Connect your battery (yes I unplugged the battery, you may or may not - depending on how risky you feel), and turn on the car to make sure it works before you put everything back together. Click the disk button on the radio as if you want to play a disk, then press it again to switch to the ipod. CD CHANGER will appear on your screen. Navigate your ipod to some music and hit play. Confirm it works, do a little dance, and put it all back together the way it came out. I mounted the dice module in the center of the car, just south of the shifter there is a space where it fits perfectly. Then I ran the dock cable into the center console as a final resting place. I did purchase the video cradle but did not install it as I did not yet buy the $500 video tap, so ymmv here. To get the dock cable into the center console, this is what I did. Removed the seat air conditioner controls switch plate by pressing in the tabs with a flathead and prying it up. Now that that was out of the way, I took a belt hole puncher and put on the widest hole it has. This is the tool used to punch holes in a leather belt. I took the tool and punched a hole at the very top edge of the velvet center console bin where it meets the air conditioner swith plate. This is where I ran the wire through. If I did not put the hole there, the cable would have been severely pinched when I pressed the plate back down. With the module where I put it, there was plenty of cable to allow the driver or the passenger to use the ipod while your cruising around. Put it all back together and your done.

What I like about it is that it turns the ipod off when you turn off the car.

I still need to learn the hacks it does with the radio controls, its a learning curve to learn what does what but I have most of it figured out. I don't use playlists so I dont get a lot of song changing ability through the head unit (I probably need to learn it better, though). For now, I change my artists on the ipod and can toggle the songs with the track switches just above the ashtray, on the left by my right knee.

Hope this helps and if anyone has questions, fire away.

[06GS300]

Yes, both are fully functional!

It adds a new alias under that button that maps out to the ipod.

Each time you mash the "disk" button, it toggles between your in-dash changer and your ipod.

Go for it, you will be very happy, it does the job very well and the sound quality, volume, etc. is pristine.