iPod Music Link Adapter Kit Review (It's not good...)

[c0nsumer]

Hey everyone. I just finished a written review of the Honda Music Link iPod Adapter which I installed in my car. In short, it's really a poor piece of kit, and I have to strongly recommend that people don't buy it.

You can find the whole article here if you'd like to read it.

I'm going to attempt to contact Honda of America for comment about this. It's really a shame that such a promising (and pricey) piece of gear doesn't do what it purports to.

I don't want to see anyone else waste nearly US$200 buying what is in my opinion an awful piece of kit, so please, give this a read before you make that purchase.

-Steve

[acetech808]

HI Steve,
What would have happened if you didn't install the software to the ipod and just connected it to the car? Will it still work? Or is it that Honda wanted a piece of the pie and charge people to connect the ipod to their audio system? I'd figure it should have been an easy plug and play thing? Oh well. It is most likely cheaper for those who wants to listen to music off their ipod is to burn it on a cd.
Thanks for the useful update, I think I'll stick with my idea of burned on music on cd and keep the ipod at home.
Acetech808

[c0nsumer]

Originally Posted by acetech808

HI Steve,
What would have happened if you didn't install the software to the ipod and just connected it to the car? Will it still work?

It works, but your only option is to shuffle albums (play one album at a time randomly) or shuffle all songs (play all songs randomly). So, it'll work, but coming from my perspective (someone with a few thousand songs on their iPod who likes to listen to whole albums one at a time) it's not a good way to go.

Or is it that Honda wanted a piece of the pie and charge people to connect the ipod to their audio system? I'd figure it should have been an easy plug and play thing? Oh well. It is most likely cheaper for those who wants to listen to music off their ipod is to burn it on a cd.

I think it should have been a lot more plug-and-play, too. There are other adapters out the (the Harmon Kardon one comes to mind) which actually pull the info from the iPod. That's what this one should have done.

Thanks for the useful update, I think I'll stick with my idea of burned on music on cd and keep the ipod at home.

Sure thing. I'm just trying to keep others from wasting their money on this. Hopefully Honda will fix it, because it's a nice idea, but an awful implementation and end result.

-Steve

[acetech808]

I saw on some other cat. stereo Harmon Kardon makes an iPod adapter, Don't konw if that will work with the Honda system?

[martinez_josh]

What if you used the iPod music link in a civic without the navi? Does that make it more user friendly?

[c0nsumer]

Originally Posted by martinez_josh

What if you used the iPod music link in a civic without the navi? Does that make it more user friendly?

No. The Navigation system makes no difference... All use of the Music Link is done through the SEEK switch and the 1-6 buttons. The Navigation system plays no part in any of it.

-Steve

[skittleslegend]

You're the 5th person who has said they hated this piece. It's strange because the kit was co-designed by both Honda AND Apple. There's no excuse for it's poor performance and Honda should feel quite embarrassed considering its price and quality. Very un-Honda-like.

[LsedanX]

One great thing is it charges and play via one wire. i have had myh kit for about 2 months now and when i select option 6 ( shuffle all songs ) it will shuffle for like the 1st 100 songs then it will just play all the songs in order alphabetically. The TTS could be improved too. it only pronounces the 1st letter of the word and not the whole word! I also tried shuffling the song with the pod and plugging it in and it plays, but it doesnt shut off when the car shuts off. I paid 160 shipped. I kinda regret it but its the best thing out there right now. Fm xmitters suck in our cars, or at least my car.

[c0nsumer]

Originally Posted by skittleslegend

You're the 5th person who has said they hated this piece. It's strange because the kit was co-designed by both Honda AND Apple. There's no excuse for it's poor performance and Honda should feel quite embarrassed considering its price and quality. Very un-Honda-like.

I'm also the person who wrote this review of the Honda Music Link, which seems to be the first coheasive one out there.

I'm curious why you say that it was codeveloped by Apple. In my research, I've found no indication that Apple played any part in the development of it. Sure, on the Apple website there is mention that Honda vehicles support iPods, but nothing in the manual, included software, or on the PCB show any signs of Apple.

-Steve

[c0nsumer]

Originally Posted by LsedanX

One great thing is it charges and play via one wire. i have had myh kit for about 2 months now and when i select option 6 ( shuffle all songs ) it will shuffle for like the 1st 100 songs then it will just play all the songs in order alphabetically. The TTS could be improved too. it only pronounces the 1st letter of the word and not the whole word! I also tried shuffling the song with the pod and plugging it in and it plays, but it doesnt shut off when the car shuts off. I paid 160 shipped. I kinda regret it but its the best thing out there right now. Fm xmitters suck in our cars, or at least my car.

A better option, in my opinion, is a simple iPod mount fed into the Aux In. There are plenty of elegant ways to do this. Or, if you've got a bit of electronic and mechanical skill, you can build your own. If you want to see how I did mine, page through these images here: http://www.nuxx.net/gallery/v/stuffi...secondversion/.

-Steve

[PhoenixDown]

Disappointing to hear this... I was looking to get an ipod this week with the kit.

[1zach4]

i'll only be using my gf's 2gig and my 4gig to play so I purchased one because I don't have nearly as much music as some of you guys with 30 and 60gig Ipods. I mainly use mine when i'm working out, so I don't need a huge ipod.

[wing_gundam]

alright, i was gonna get the Aux in istalled but I cancelled today. Doesn't seem to be as reliable as I hoped. Thanks.

Im gonna wait a bit and maybe try the harmon kardon wifi solution. That looks interesting.

[c0nsumer]

Originally Posted by wing_gundam

alright, i was gonna get the Aux in istalled but I cancelled today. Doesn't seem to be as reliable as I hoped. Thanks.

Im gonna wait a bit and maybe try the harmon kardon wifi solution. That looks interesting.

The Aux In works great... It's the Honda Music Link which doesn't. For what it's worth, my custom iPod integration was done via the connector on the back side of the aux in. Sounds just as good as the Music Link (it's all analog, anyway) and without the problems.

[wing_gundam]

can you manipulate the songs via the steering wheel controls etc? can you choose artists and songs instead of playlists?

anyways its still cancelled, i can add it in later

[c0nsumer]

Originally Posted by wing_gundam

can you manipulate the songs via the steering wheel controls etc? can you choose artists and songs instead of playlists?

anyways its still cancelled, i can add it in later

Did you read the review I posted? All that info is included there.

[GregM]

Does anyone know of a customer that has had GOOD results with Honda's iPod link?

[CivicCilla]

That's so disappointing. I was really looking forward to getting one eventually, but:

-I have a 3G iPod...never was informed before that it's not compatible until now. :-(

-I was under the impression it displays the iPod text! I don't need it read to me. I'm just going to stick with making mp3 CDs for now I guess then. I kind of assumed it'd have the same sort of search and select as they do. The scroll wheel is so similar. I guess if I stick with MP3s then I can have my text, easy selection, and at least 6-7 albums. I would just use my aux in but too many wires needed when I want it to be charging too.

Majorly disappointing, thanks for the heads up.