Ipod for your jeep

Since it seems we are moving to the ipod age. Those thinking of installing an ipod to commander. maximo
http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2006/jan/08chrysler.html

It's only supposed to work in the vehicles that have the J1850 Computer not ours with the Can B system that the WK and XK have:(

I just got an ipod and all I did was buy a "transdock" and plug into the cig lighter, slip in the ipod , tune to the right frequency and voila! Very clear, easy. Now we can all go back to the age of an am/fm radio and chuck all the cd's. I am as happy with the ipod as I am with the commander.

I just got the standard factory radio in my commander. I didn't want to upgrade because later I am going to be putting in a nice aftermarket system. However, I am suprised by the quality of the standard stereo. Sounds much better than most new cars come with. Anyways, a great feature is the aux in on the front of the player. Plug one line in and you get a direct connection between your ipod and stereo to stream whatever your bitrate is. Which makes for much better quality. While the radio frequency are only radio quality (64bit). Does the upgraded factory systems have this aux in?

I just got the standard factory radio in my commander. I didn't want to upgrade because later I am going to be putting in a nice aftermarket system. However, I am suprised by the quality of the standard stereo. Sounds much better than most new cars come with. Anyways, a great feature is the aux in on the front of the player. Plug one line in and you get a direct connection between your ipod and stereo to stream whatever your bitrate is. Which makes for much better quality. While the radio frequency are only radio quality (64bit). Does the upgraded factory systems have this aux in?

i have nav and there is no aux in

i wish it did, but the 6CD changer plays MP3 cds...so I have just loaded up a bunch of CD-Rs with about 100-150MP3s on each.

I am in the same boat as aglio but I have been using CD-RW's so that I can re-write them when i get new songs. I have that NAV unit too and I wish there was a good way to add an iPod. The FM transmitters don't work well enough for my ears. But the mp3 capabilities in the radio are good enough for me right now!

Personally I find the aux port in the factory radio is exemplary for and iPod. Also, I drove a Commander with the upgraded system and it did not have the aux port
http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/4797/n11650200123003192235348nn.jpg

If you do not have an auxiliary port on the front of your radio, it is because you have a DVD player. The iPod can be played through the radio speakers by using a Y-splitter audio cable that plugs into the audio input jacks on the DVD player and then pressing the mode button until the auxiliary input is recognized (the iPod must be playing for this to occur). However, for all you iPod lovers, and I include myself in that population, I was disappointed when I conducted a comparison between the same song on CD and my iPod...the compression diminishes the sound quality to the point where it is noticeable. I have since purchased two 12 CD visor holders and gone back to CDs...in my Commander at least. I still love my iPod Shuffle for running and weightlifting and the iPod Mini for the beach.

I use my ipod by going through the dvd player. It works pretty good. As far as fm modulators the "Trasndock" is far superior to any other fm modulator I have used. If you have the navigation but not the dvd player I don't know of anything else besides the transdock. I use a little remote on my ipod and keep it in the center console using the transdock in my car.

We recently purchased a Commander with the "upgraded" RAQ 6-disk MP3 playing head unit and wanted to be able to plug in our iPod, but the RAQ has no auxiliary input and we have not had good luck with the iPod FM transmitter accessories.

We found a brand new REF single disk head unit on eBay for $36 that was removed by somebody to upgrade to a NAV unit. It looks identical to the RAQ model and has the same power output and the auxilary input is right in the lower left corner as pictured above. The install was extremely easy - just remove the 16 hex head screws on the front of the dash and gently pry the front fascia off the rest of the dash to get access to remove the 4 screws securing the radio and complete the swap. The only drawbacks are that you lose the 6 disk changer and MP3 capability (which you probably don't need if you're using your iPod) and the "info" button that allows you to see the artist name and song title from some FM stations.

For the money, it's a lot less expensive than the Apple/Chrysler product you referenced above or any other aftermarket kit and it's easy and free to install yourself. Plus, it's a factory radio that looks and sounds exactly like the RAQ model. If you decide to go this route, just search for 'Jeep AUX radio' or 'Jeep REF radio' on eBay. Take care...

Brandon

i have nav and there is no aux in

Me too. Its nice that you pay more but lose the aux in. :confused: Pretty lame.

The 2008 navigation system will have an auxillary in, voice recognition, 2D/3D modes, touch screen, 20Gb hard drive, DVD video while in park, Gracenote, etc.

http://www.wkjeeps.com/wk_nav_2.htm

It will unfortunately not be compatible with the 2006 and 2007 Commanders.

Wiggidy,

Where did you find the cable that you used to connect your IPOD to you stereo unit? I am looking for something like that for the XK and have had no luck.

kidatforty,

I got the TransDock and am getting a lot of static noise from the engine on my WK. Do you get static?

Thanks,

Chuck

Wiggidy,

Where did you find the cable that you used to connect your IPOD to you stereo unit? I am looking for something like that for the XK and have had no luck.

kidatforty,

I got the TransDock and am getting a lot of static noise from the engine on my WK. Do you get static?

Thanks,

Chuck
Same problem here with the docking system. I just went to our local elecronics store and baught a little package with diferent connectors and cables. only like 12 bucks. I have a red/black audio cable in my aux in the dvd in the back, connected to an extention that goes straight into iPod or car charger adapter.

I had my dealer here in town order me one of the Ipod integration kits for my 2006 Commander 65th Anniversary Edition. It should be in this week...I will let y'all know how it works out.

I would hold off on the iPod integration kit (part # 82210181)... Yes, it does work with the CAN NAV systems.... But it uses FM modulation for the connection, which totally sucks

although there is no clean place to link an ipod in ours (has nav, dvd, back up camera) both the front cd player and dvd player can handle mp3 discs. this means that my kids can listen to what they like, and my wife and i can listen to what we like. not a big deal to dump your favorite 200 songs onto a cd, so i don't mind no 'aux input' jack.

Yeah...I started having second thoughts on the IPod integration kit...so I called my dealer and let him know that I would not be able to do it at this time. Instead I ordered a Pioneer DEH-P4800MP along with the Pioneer Ipod adapter from Crutchfield for $189.99 with free shipping...:)

I have the NAV sys but don't have the DVD; I would think that the DVD has to use an input on the head unit. Wouldn't that input be available for an iPod? I'm thinking that there has to at the very least be a way to simply direct connect even if it not a sophisticated integration such as it displaying on the NAV unit.

-mike

although there is no clean place to link an ipod in ours (has nav, dvd, back up camera) both the front cd player and dvd player can handle mp3 discs. this means that my kids can listen to what they like, and my wife and i can listen to what we like. not a big deal to dump your favorite 200 songs onto a cd, so i don't mind no 'aux input' jack.

With the DVD (VES) option, you can plug your Ipod into the aux inputs of the DVD player. Then switch the nav unit's mode to "VES". This doesn't allow you to play a DVD for the kids at the same time but it is one option for connecting an iPod to your head unit. Another option would be to add an FM transmitter to the iPod and then use a shutoff relay on the FM antenna of your Jeep.

GCT00427 - You can pick up a 3.5mm to 3.5mm stereo jack cable at any audio/video/computer store (Best Buy, Radio Shack, Frye's, etc.).

Most of the ones I found were a minimum of 6 ft. long - Radio Shack had a foot long cable but it was tan. So I bought the jacks, scavenged cable from a set of defuct headphones, and made myself a cable that is exactly the right length to reach from the aux. jack to the iPod mounted on a bracket just beside/below the ignition. Looks as good as a random wire sticking out of the dash can possibly look.

Using a right angle plug on the receiver end of the cable helps keep the profile low and keeps the cable out of the way of controls because you can point it over to the left.

http://www.webjones.net/img2/commander_ipod.jpg

The right angle end (plugged into the radio) came from a busted set of sony headphones. The plug in the iPod is one bought from Radio Shack to which I soldered the wires. The iPod is in its belt clip and clipped to a L-shaped metal bracket that I made - It is bolted to the side of the console with two stainless round-head hex bolts to match the Commander style as closely as possible (just drilled holes into the plastic and let the bolts self-tap).

I have the NAV with the VES system but can't get the VES tab to work on the screen or the I-Pod to work using the RCA plugs. Help!:(

Tony

I have the NAV with the VES system but can't get the VES tab to work on the screen or the I-Pod to work using the RCA plugs. Help!:(

Tony
The iPod has to be in play mode to start off. Then click the mode button to use your aux. If iPod isn't playing then the aux won't pick it up.

Some folks would rather hardwire their ipod than use an FM modulator; this post includes a link to a CNET Tutorial, with pictures and video, that shows how to hard wire an ipod to a stereo unit. Hope some of you find it helpful.

http://jeepcommander.blogspot.com/2006/12/hook-up-your-ipod-to-your-jeep.html

Some folks would rather hardwire their ipod than use an FM modulator; this post includes a link to a CNET Tutorial, with pictures and video, that shows how to hard wire an ipod to a stereo unit. Hope some of you find it helpful.

http://jeepcommander.blogspot.com/2006/12/hook-up-your-ipod-to-your-jeep.html
There's some good info there.

There's some good info there.

YES it is ... thanks for posting that. *bookmarks the page*

I have the NAV with the VES system but can't get the VES tab to work on the screen or the I-Pod to work using the RCA plugs. Help!:(

Tony

you will also need to have the volume all the way up on your ipod.

The volume on my iPod doesn't affect anything. All the way down or up, doesn't matter. I have it pluged in a power adapter with a volume control that does matter though. It's on the plug that goes in the lighter outlet. I have that 3/4 the way up.