I've yet to buy a Bluetooth-Ipod adapter (have a 2008 Carrera S and the new Iphone G3) and wonder if there is a comparision of the available products anywhere. I understand there are only three- Dension, Mobridge and NavTV/Tooki.

Are there others?

Does anyone know the advantages and disadvantages of each? For instance:

Compatibility- will they handle an Iphone G3 as phone and ipod?

FULL or limited ipod capability- sorting by artist, playlist, song etc., delays in switching songs etc.

Use or non use of factory CD changer- and the CD changer in the dash.

Storage of phone numbers, addresses, etc.

Ease of update; additional ports and inputs; ability to upload other information with data stick or computer etc.

Thanks in advance for any information provided. I'll try to compile this in a spreadsheet and pass along.

 

Great questions. Each product seems to have it's benefits and faults. And despite what you might hear - they all have their particular quirks. Acceptable for aftermarket, but its a fact.

Sometimes I think you need to be a programmer and write code for a living to make them work well.

My biggest concern is for best OEM look and feel - and most compatibility with available pcm functions. In other words the work-arounds like using the CD player functions to make a phone call drive me nuts.

Another question I would add is what are the prospects for bluetooth audio streaming from Iphone?

Whatever you decide George - at Eric's suggestion - I contacted Hurley's audio in McClean Virginia and they have a lot of experience with the Porsche MOST system. In fact I spoke to a Porsche Dealer in Arlington a few days ago that uses them as well for their upgrades.

 

I can speak a bit about the Dension, at least to your questions:

It is completely invisible in the vehicle, all iPod functions are done through your PCM, where it will display, artist, title, etc, and you control it from there. The main unit is up front in the trunk, the clip for iPod (included) is in the glove box, out of the way.

The Dension will work perfectly with your iPhone, as either a phone or iPod. When in iPod mode, it is connected to the iPod cable, so it will function as an iPod only. If removed from the cable, it will function as a bluetooth phone, routing calls through your PCM with the BTA1500. It cannot do both at the same time. To resolve, most folks end up buying a car-dedicated iPod so they can use the iPhone for calls. Pretty straightforward from there.

Dension is the only product I am aware of that allows retention of the factory oem cd changer in the loop.

Dension updates by USB port on the box, visible and easy access. Firmware is released periodically to add features, new vehicles, etc. You can also run other devices off the USB if desired.

Phone number storage is not a problem....no real limits. Blackberry's sometimes cause some issues as they store data differently than most other devices, but the iPhone should work just fine.

Hope that helps.

 

Wish it were all that simple.

 

I understand some people have had problems but it was that easy for me. I did a trunk self install with a 160gig USB hard drive. The Dension USB port provides power to the hard drive. Downloaded a freeware playlist creator.

Bluetooth is really a non-starter in a Cab.

Eric's support and customer service is A+

 

wait... so you can install a playlist creator in an external harddrive and play mp3's off of it on the dension?

 

I'll mirror rvklein's comments. I've had the denison in my car for a year and a half and I'm quite happy with it. I did the install myself -- it's a breeze if you don't care about running the ipod connector into the glove box. The device has performed flawlessly. Software updates are quick and painless to apply and the Denison software is under active development and improves with each release. Support from Eric has been top notch as well.

While you do get "full" functionality, using the PCM interface to search for tracks or artists is slow and unwieldy. This is entirely due to the PCM interface, though, and not a fault of the Denison or iPod specifically. The PCM was designed to cope with a cd changer (at most) and trying to use that user interface to navigate tens of thousands of songs with hundreds or thousands of artists is just a royal pain in the *** no matter how you slice it.

My normal use is to just select which playlist I want to hear and I do playlist management in iTunes. That works very well for me. If you prefer to listen to music differently you might not be as happy.

Worst case, you do have the option of using the denison as an expensive line in and just using the iPod's native interface.

I have no experience with the bluetooth phone integration though.

 

You use the playlist creator on your PC, save the playlists you create onto your USB hard drive (they are just files). Plug the USB harddrive into the Dension. Wait a few minutes for it to update it's database then you can select your playlists from the Dension's "all folders" option (CD1)

 

Dension works well, install was easy. ipod and bluetooth work well. I do not have an iphone, but it is supposed to work well. Updates are a breeze.
Eric's help is invaluable!
my .02!

 

I do have to ask, with today's MP3's, USB drives and Ipods, who still uses a CD changer?

I never even considered spec'ing a CD changer on my 09, or example, because a small USB pen drive plugged into the USB port on the 09 interface will give me more songs than the changer ever will.

For the pre-09's the iPod does that duty wonderfully, as do USB drives.

I was surprised, to some extent, that a CD Changer is still an available option on the cars. (no cassette or 8-track options though)

 

They should bring back the wire recorders!!

 

Thanks for all the responses- esp. Eric I really appreciate it. One other question- if I'm using the phone as an Ipod I certainly should be able to take an incoming call- directly through the phone, no?

As to CDs I think they sound better (at least on the home equipment or in the BMW they do) hence I want the option of at least keeping the one in the dash.

 

Anybody have personal experience with the mObridge? The installer I talked to prefers it over the other two for ipod and bt.

 

That's what I'm trying to find out too. A friend at work has the NAV TV/Tooki version and swears by it but I haven't had time to play with it in his car (a BMW).

 

NO.

As I stated, if the iPhone is connected to the cable as an iPod, iPod functionality supercedes all other functions. One or the other, but not both.