Glove box ipod adapter vs arm rest aux input?

ericsmithcpa · 05-20-2009, 12:04 AM

What's the big difference between the "ipod interface adapter" in the glove compartment, and the auxiliary input in the arm rest? Is the extra $300 for the ipod adapter in the glove compartment just for the convenience of being able to skip the songs with the steering wheel controls?

JayKay335i · 05-20-2009, 12:31 AM

Thats a question for you to answer. Changing songs without having to pickup the ipod is the only difference.

ericsmithcpa · 05-20-2009, 01:04 AM

Thanks, that's kind of what I thought, seems like a waste...

cwhitpan · 05-20-2009, 05:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ericsmithcpa

Thanks, that's kind of what I thought, seems like a waste...

I thought so too, but it turns on and off with the car, remembers your spot, and also charges your ipod.

I guess all that is not a big deal if you take your ipod in and out all the time, but I don't as I listed to a lot of either books or playslists here.

If you go with the glovebox, ask them to route it to the console, I did that with an extension cable and a very happy with it. Plus I still have the AUX if I need it.

Like everything else, it is personal choice and how you will use it.

JayKay335i · 05-20-2009, 09:45 AM

Its true. Or you could just have a $5 aux cable and press stop and play. But its all up to you.

lvVIVAlv · 05-20-2009, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JayKay335i

Its true. Or you could just have a $5 aux cable and press stop and play. But its all up to you.

+1 .

basically as the others have said here-it really depends on if you can justify paying for the the interface to control the ipod from the steering wheel, or pay $5 for the aux cable-do the ipos manually thusly saving yourself $150 to $300 bucks for other future mods to your 330i

TaTaToothy · 05-20-2009, 10:26 AM

In fairness it provides more functionality than that - it allows you to see track names in your head unit and navigate by artist, album, etc. It also charges the iPod.

For me this is a no-brainer, because I have an 80GB Classic that contains my entire record collection in my glove box. I just leave it in there at all times, though I pull it out every couple of weeks to re-sync it to add new music, podcasts, etc. Navigating that volume of music from the iPod would be unwieldy, and totally unsafe while driving. I negotiated the installation of the iPod integration kit when I bought my CPO car, but to me it's totally worthwhile.

Kevro · 05-20-2009, 10:27 AM

There is a big difference in sound quality between a dock connector and the headphone jack. The dock connector uses a line-out signal, and the headphone jack is amplified inside the iPod, and then amplified again by the car, which degrades the signal.

So you could buy the iPod controller for the car for $300, or get a line-out dock cable for much less money (dock connector on one end, 3.5mm headphone plug on the other), and get much better sound quality than a regular aux cable.

RambleJ · 05-20-2009, 10:28 AM

I elected to have the iPod armrest adapter and have no regrets.. I get to charge my iPod on road trips, on my way to the gym. Its a really expensive car charger

And I can also search through my song categories on my Idrive.
Worth it

GreenThree · 05-20-2009, 10:32 AM

Yea, I opted for just the aux input. Prob not worth the $300 IMO for the adapter. The only gripe is the location. Have to open the armrest everytime to change a song and its awk when driving. But then again, it does tuck away nicely in the armrest.

yomama69 · 05-20-2009, 11:32 AM

Just buy the Kensington adapter with remote control. Does the same exact thing, but instead of pressing the button on the streering wheel, you press one on the remote. The only thing it doesn't do is show the track on the screen. It's 30 dollars at Buy.com.

05-20-2009, 12:04 AM	#1
ericsmithcpa New Member 2 Rep 17 Posts Drives: 2006 330i Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Houston, TX iTrader: (0)	Glove box ipod adapter vs arm rest aux input? What's the big difference between the "ipod interface adapter" in the glove compartment, and the auxiliary input in the arm rest? Is the extra $300 for the ipod adapter in the glove compartment just for the convenience of being able to skip the songs with the steering wheel controls?
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05-20-2009, 12:31 AM	#2
JayKay335i Banned 189 Rep 5,046 Posts Drives: ///M323 DCT Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: North Dakota; its best DUHHHHHH iTrader: (1)	Thats a question for you to answer. Changing songs without having to pickup the ipod is the only difference.
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05-20-2009, 01:04 AM	#3
ericsmithcpa New Member 2 Rep 17 Posts Drives: 2006 330i Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Houston, TX iTrader: (0)	Thanks, that's kind of what I thought, seems like a waste...
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05-20-2009, 09:45 AM	#5
JayKay335i Banned 189 Rep 5,046 Posts Drives: ///M323 DCT Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: North Dakota; its best DUHHHHHH iTrader: (1)	Its true. Or you could just have a $5 aux cable and press stop and play. But its all up to you.
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05-20-2009, 10:26 AM	#7
TaTaToothy First Lieutenant 11 Rep 327 Posts Drives: 2006 330i and 2002 M3 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Minneapolis, MN iTrader: (1)	In fairness it provides more functionality than that - it allows you to see track names in your head unit and navigate by artist, album, etc. It also charges the iPod. For me this is a no-brainer, because I have an 80GB Classic that contains my entire record collection in my glove box. I just leave it in there at all times, though I pull it out every couple of weeks to re-sync it to add new music, podcasts, etc. Navigating that volume of music from the iPod would be unwieldy, and totally unsafe while driving. I negotiated the installation of the iPod integration kit when I bought my CPO car, but to me it's totally worthwhile. __________________ 2006 330i - 6MT - Monaco Blue over black and burl walnut - Sport, Premium and Cold Weather packages and Comfort Access 2002 M3 - 6MT - Jet Black over black leather - Xenon, power seats and H/K - no sunroof
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05-20-2009, 10:27 AM	#8
Kevro Enlisted Member 3 Rep 48 Posts Drives: E90 M3 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: PA iTrader: (0)	There is a big difference in sound quality between a dock connector and the headphone jack. The dock connector uses a line-out signal, and the headphone jack is amplified inside the iPod, and then amplified again by the car, which degrades the signal. So you could buy the iPod controller for the car for $300, or get a line-out dock cable for much less money (dock connector on one end, 3.5mm headphone plug on the other), and get much better sound quality than a regular aux cable.
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05-20-2009, 10:28 AM	#9
RambleJ Colonel 58 Rep 2,014 Posts Drives: F10 535i M-sport Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Back in teh so cal iTrader: (2)	I elected to have the iPod armrest adapter and have no regrets.. I get to charge my iPod on road trips, on my way to the gym. Its a really expensive car charger And I can also search through my song categories on my Idrive. Worth it
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05-20-2009, 10:32 AM	#10
GreenThree Colonel 210 Rep 2,110 Posts Drives: 2011 e90 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Boston, MA iTrader: (0)	Yea, I opted for just the aux input. Prob not worth the $300 IMO for the adapter. The only gripe is the location. Have to open the armrest everytime to change a song and its awk when driving. But then again, it does tuck away nicely in the armrest. __________________ 2015 335xi \| Mineral Grey Metallic \| Black Dakota Leather \| NAV \| SportLine \| ZPP \| ZDA \| ZCW \| Munich Build Retired: 2008, 2011, 2013 328xi
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05-20-2009, 11:32 AM	#11
yomama69 Banned 60 Rep 688 Posts Drives: 2007 E90 335i Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Austin, Texas iTrader: (0)	Just buy the Kensington adapter with remote control. Does the same exact thing, but instead of pressing the button on the streering wheel, you press one on the remote. The only thing it doesn't do is show the track on the screen. It's 30 dollars at Buy.com.
	Appreciate 0 Quote