For all you Zune owners

[Moses]

http://soundgate.com/index.php?request=product.details&categoryid=264&productid=595&usereferrer=1&

The SoundGate HONZNAUX1 lets you connect a Zune digital media player directly to the factory radio in many 1992-2007 Acura/Honda vehicles. The HONZNAUX1 supplies power, charges your Zune device, provides an additional auxiliary input, and allows for remote control of all Zune device functions via the REMCORE remote (sold separately). Please see "Does This Fit My Car?" or HONZNAUX1 Instructions for specific vehicle applications.

 

[spider2k]

its an aux in that charges a zune.

 

[Moses]

yes.

also has a remote to control zune.

they also carry one that charges and controls zune but it says it's for 03-09 models

 

[spider2k]

my point was it doesn't control the zune. the little dock does. no one makes a device that lets you control it from the radio like you can an ipod. they just took an aux adapter and paired it with a zune dock.

i just didn't want anyone to get the idea that this will work like a typical ipod interface. i had a customer show up with one of these and i was very disappointed with what it was.

ryan

 

[Cozmo]

my point was it doesn't control the zune. the little dock does. no one makes a device that lets you control it from the radio like you can an ipod. they just took an aux adapter and paired it with a zune dock.

ryan

That's the #1 reason why I'll probably never own a Zune and why it'll never overtake the ipod no matter what features the player itself contains.

 

[Olyar15]

Anyone know if the Ipod connector is patented or trademarked? Why couldn't MS or any of the other MP3 player manufacturers make a device that was compatible with the Ipod dock. That would provide us more of a choice.

 

[spider2k]

either that or why won't M$ jsut release the sepc or license it for 3rd party use. between this and the fact that the zune couldn't be seen as a mass storage device without hacking made me return mine.

 

[Cozmo]

either that or why won't M$ jsut release the sepc or license it for 3rd party use. between this and the fact that the zune couldn't be seen as a mass storage device without hacking made me return mine.

I doubt that is the problem.. there needs to be enough demand for a company to even WANT to build products to support the zune.. and my guess is that it isn't really there. MS needs to pay Alpine or Pioneer to build a head unit that interfaces with it directly.

 

[hofffam]

I doubt that is the problem.. there needs to be enough demand for a company to even WANT to build products to support the zune.. and my guess is that it isn't really there. MS needs to pay Alpine or Pioneer to build a head unit that interfaces with it directly.

I agree. I bet Microsoft will happily make the spec available to any company that wants to use it. Unfortunately Apple dominates this market. But I won't play their game because Apple is already as arrogant as can be.

I just want a good USB device. Apple is proprietary and will change the interface as they did with the iPhone.

 

[hpram99]

Unfortunately my wife and I greatly prefer the Zune to any iPod (besides the touch)

The lack of a proper interface is disappointing. We almost purchased a different company Zune adapter a few weeks back for my wife's MS3 and I thought to ask JUST IN CASE. Only to find out this wonderful $150 full control & text interface with $80 add-on for the Zune plug was no more than an aux-out with charging.

After a little research, a company stated that the Zune data stream is encrypted, and unless you can petition microsoft to allow you to produce something compatible with the interface, you'll never see a non-microsoft controller.

Regardless, My iPod will stay in the desk drawer, the Zune battery lasts long enough for the short car rides anyway.

 

[NSXrebel]

Unfortunately my wife and I greatly prefer the Zune to any iPod (besides the touch)

The lack of a proper interface is disappointing. We almost purchased a different company Zune adapter a few weeks back for my wife's MS3 and I thought to ask JUST IN CASE. Only to find out this wonderful $150 full control & text interface with $80 add-on for the Zune plug was no more than an aux-out with charging.

After a little research, a company stated that the Zune data stream is encrypted, and unless you can petition microsoft to allow you to produce something compatible with the interface, you'll never see a non-microsoft controller.

Regardless, My iPod will stay in the desk drawer, the Zune battery lasts long enough for the short car rides anyway.

Why would you prefer the Zune to the iPod for your car? The battery is a non-issue with the iPod as it is charged with the interface. You run everything of the headunit. Stick it in your glovebox and forget about it. Can't get any simpler than that.

Sure you can use USB thumbstick/drives with newer headunits, but can you take that drive with you and listen to music from it like you can an iPod?


Hofffam, Apple did not change the interface on the iPhone. You can still use any dock cable with any iPhone. The only thing they changed was the pins that are used to charge the iPhone 3G. The original iPhone used the firewire pins on the dock cable to charge the battery, even though you plugged it in using a USB cable. The iPhone 3G and newer iPods use the USB pins on the dock cable instead to charge the battery.

So you can still use a newer iPod/iPhone and plug it into an older accessory and have it work just fine. The only thing is you don't get is charging for the battery. That's pretty much a non-issue now since newer headunits don't need an interface adapter to hook up an iPod/iPhone, they have USB inputs.

They do make charge converters if you don't want to upgrade your older headunit that only supports Firewire charging.
Only $27.
http://cablejive.com/iphone_3g_charge_converter.html

 

[White92]

I waited several months for this adapter to finally be released. Once I saw the full specs, features and price, I was dissapointed. Like someone said above, it really is just an auxillary with charging functions.

It's been out for awhile and I decided to go a different route in my TSX with navi. I tapped into one wire and made a harness using $10 worth of wiring, etc.. and made an adapter that displays anything on the Zune screen up on the navi screen. Luckily the Zune has a TV out function so I can do that. I don't think it's possible on the iPod without a dock.

 

[NSXrebel]

I waited several months for this adapter to finally be released. Once I saw the full specs, features and price, I was dissapointed. Like someone said above, it really is just an auxillary with charging functions.

It's been out for awhile and I decided to go a different route in my TSX with navi. I tapped into one wire and made a harness using $10 worth of wiring, etc.. and made an adapter that displays anything on the Zune screen up on the navi screen. Luckily the Zune has a TV out function so I can do that. I don't think it's possible on the iPod without a dock.

You still can't control the Zune from your stereo or steering wheel controls, so that would be a deal breaker for me if I were to consider the Zune.

They already make AV cables for iPods/iPhones, so no need to tap or hack into your device. Most newer double din HU already display video from iPods/iPhones, no need for tapping in.

 

[White92]

True, but it's not a big deal for me to have my Zune in my cupholder and just use the skip button on it. I usually have it on random play anyway.

Most of the ipod adapters for cars that give you control of it over the car stereo controls are really strange to me. Like using the 3 and 6 preset buttons to change songs back and forth for example. Look at the instructions for this Soundgate adapter. http://soundgate.com/upload//productdocuments/0660.pdf

If you look on page 7 of the manual it shows how to control it through the car stereo buttons. Who wants to mess with that? I'd rather have my Zune just sitting out and using it's own controls.

 

[NSXrebel]

True, but it's not a big deal for me to have my Zune in my cupholder and just use the skip button on it. I usually have it on random play anyway.

Most of the ipod adapters for cars that give you control of it over the car stereo controls are really strange to me. Like using the 3 and 6 preset buttons to change songs back and forth for example. Look at the instructions for this Soundgate adapter. http://soundgate.com/upload//productdocuments/0660.pdf

If you look on page 7 of the manual it shows how to control it through the car stereo buttons. Who wants to mess with that? I'd rather have my Zune just sitting out and using it's own controls.

Well if that's the case you don't even need a Zune or iPhone nor any other expensive PMP. An iPod Shuffle or any similar cheap flash based mp3 player will do.