USB / iPod Adapter?

HDD NAV doesnt get USB by default, it is still accessory.

 

I am also interested in finding out the built in tuners capabilities as far as the XM/Sirius merger. Specifically, if the built in tuner is able to receive Howard 100/101. I know right after the merger you had to get an addon best of Sirius package if you were an XM only subscriber.

EDIT: Nevermind.....I found my answer in another thread.....such a n00b!

 

I still say USB is the way to go, because it allows you to control your iPod/iPhone and charge them at the same time. That bluetooth stereo connection is just going to sap the battery life of an iPhone. Toyota, please make the USB available in all packages!

 

Just a quick note for those who don't know the specifics of Bluetooth audio and the iPhone - the feature won't be available until the iPhone 3.0 OS comes out (within 2 months or so) - A2DP bluetooth profile is required to stream audio.

FWIW, the audio quality suffers a lot with A2DP, AFAIK.

Dave

 

So even with your blackberry, you have to PLUG IT IN to charge? That defeats the purpose to the stereo bluetooth! If you have to plug in your device, wouldn't it make more sense if you could control it too? Better to have a full blown USB port.

 

You all really should investigate things before making such statements.

I'm 100% alongside Toyota in their choice of well known and implemented standards instead of using custom proprietary solutions, be it for iPod and iPhone or whatever.

By choosing and adopting an industry standard protocol, they support a world of devices, and not just 1 or 2 of your choice. What kind of car manufacturer would they be if they would only allow their customers to use this or that music player after all?

I don't give a damn for iPhone or iPod, I've said it in the past, they are very poor technological gadgets with very cool interfaces that attracts naive end customers, that's all. I don't want to buy a car that forces me to buy specific hardware, that would be terrible.

Bluetooth on the other hand is a well known and implemented standard. There are thousands of devices that support Bluetooth, and they are free to implement the many profiles Bluetooth supports. That's why it is called a standard. That's why it is written by industry leaders, that's why it works with devices of many brands/manufacturers.

If you would at least use Google to search about A2DP, you would find for example this site who lists devices supporting the standard: Home - A2DP, Bluetooth Stereo Headsets, Bluetooth Headphones, Wireless devices, Gadgets Review, Nokia Headsets, Plantronics, Motorola, Jabra, Sony, iTech
You would find out that there are over a hundred mobile phones supporting it already: A2DP Mobile Phones and Handhelds - A2DP, Bluetooth Stereo Headsets, Bluetooth Headphones, Wireless devices, Gadgets Review, Nokia Headsets, Plantronics, Motorola, Jabra, Sony, iTech
And you could find many other devices, literally thousand of them supporting A2DP. So why are you complaining so much about 1 particular phone? A phone who (finally) is going to adopt A2DP soon anyhow???

More than that, you complain about not being able to control your device remotely. Once again, you don't do your home work and expect others to do it for you. Try a bit harder next time. It is quite easy to complain, it is a lot harder to support your claims!

A2DP uses Bluetooth AVRCP (Audio/Video Remote Control Profile) to get not only the music you want to listen but also audio information, like track name and number, etc, at the same time that it permits you to CONTROL YOUR DEVICE in dozens of ways, and most probably your device won't even support all of those ways! What about that?!

Check chapter 4 on this document for metadata: http://www.bluetooth.com/NR/rdonlyres/2740A92C-FFDE-4E52-A7A6-6B14AC9B26A8/6540/AVRCP_SPEC_V14.pdf, and check those tables with all the commands that can be sent with Bluetooth A2DP with AVRCP to your device and back... and you tell me why are you all bitching so much about this.

Check your facts next time before posting. Toyota took the right path, and made the right decision. The A2DP capability is as much good as it is the hands-free capability with your mobile phone.
You also don't get to charge your phone while using it with bluetooth, and that was never a problem, was it?

 

You should do some research as well, as the iPod interface is a USB interface. So try again. In fact I'd venture to say that 100% of all music players are USB interfaced.

Stereo bluetooth uses TWO bluetooth channels running continueously, if you don't see how that's different from using your bluethooth for the phone, then you're a lost cause. Don't you think its redundant to have to plug your musicplayer/phone in to get power?

This has nothing to do with iPod/iPhone compatibility. And anyway, why ignore the best selling mp3 player of all time? That's just ridiculous.

 

BTW, I see now that this is about Apple haters not really the Prius.

I stand by my opinion that the Toyota should port in a USB interface. It just makes too much sense.

 

It's the protocol that matters, not the physical interface, can't you see it? It does not matter what kind of interface you use, you must support a standard for passing along the song tittles, track change requests, etc, etc. And this AFAIK does not exist for USB interfaces. It does not matter if all music players have USB interface, simply because there is not a common language/commands (protocol) you can use with them all!

Sure, you have iPod interfaces, sure they are USB, sure they won't work with my mobile phone nor with the other thousands that are not iPhones, that is crazy! Why should a car embrace and support a single device?

I was comparing the bluetooth connection with your phone for making calls with bluetooth connection to listen/control music because both allow you to control the device, both allow you to get info from the device (for example network coverage and battery soc in your mobile phone bluetooth profile), and both allow you to send and receive sound. There is a lot in common there. I was not referring to stereo sound at all, that is not the point, can't you see???

The beauty of this is that you can do it all without even taking your device out of your pocket! My mobile phone has a MP3 player. I have a 4GB memory card in it. It supports bluetooth and A2DP. With only one device I can make calls and listen to music, even without having to touch it! Having to hook it up with a cable would be like going back to stone age!

I don't need power on my device, I have it charged all the time, and I charge it when I'm long enough in the same place to do it. Usually I have my mobile phone connected to my laptop at work with the infamous USB cable that allows me to charge it up during the day. Others might choose to charge it up at night while sleeping. There is no need at all to charge it or to have it connected to power while in the Prius.

The best selling MP3 player of all time??? LoL give me a break! Anyway, I'm not saying Toyota should ignore the iPod or iPhone. I'm saying it is not Toyota job to adopt devices who are intentionaly ignoring industry standards and going with proprietary solutions. It was not Toyota who was at fault, it was Apple, by ignoring industry standards and focusing only on user interface. It seems they are learning, good for them, and good for you that love them.

You were wrong about a lot of things, mainly the statement that you could not control the bluetooth device remotely. The least you could do was to ammend yourself and admit the error. Oh well... some never learn...

 

Man, don't take this personally, and don't take this as a "hater" problem, just be precise and support your statements. It's all I'm asking!

I don't hate Apple, I never said that. I only said I did not like the iPhone. One does not mean the other. Just because I don't like the device does not mean I hate the manufacturer! Why on earth are you making these statements?

Just FYI, I also don't like the mobile phones the company to whom I work produces, I buy from our competition, and I do like my company, I'm happy to work there, mobile phones is just a small part of what we do. Is this a good example for you to understand or what?

Again, please document yourself and understand once and for all, USB is just the means to connect to a device, it says nothing about what and how you communicate to it. You speak English by using your mouth, tong and vocal cords. So do the Chinese. That does not mean they understand you or that you understand them, does it?

 

You don't hate Apple, right, do I have to quote your statement about what you think about the iPod?

Sure make a USB port with ipod protocols on it as well. There are you satisfied. I think, YOU'RE the one taking it personally by the volume of your post.

Here in America the greatest country in the world, iPods rule the mp3 market, so why not cater to it? I guess its just the way we Americans do things, majority rule, democracy.

 

The whole premise of this thread is why Toyota is not putting in a WIRED interface for STEREO streaming/control to the radio! What the heck does the handsfree phone bluetooth have to do with anything.

Let me simplify it for you.

Prius no USB.
Prius has bluetooth stereo streaming.
Bluetooth streaming battery hog.
Must plug player/phone to charge.
Defeats premise of bluetooth stereo.

Hope that is simple enough for you.

 

Don't you have to plug in USB? So where is the problem using bluetooth and a 12 volt adapter? You don't, as HTMLSpinnr points out need to plug in for short journeys as you can charge your device on a craddle or via USB at home or office.

Personally I like radio. I listen to local radio when I travel, I learn things about the place I am traveling through that way.

 

As Tideland Prius says, I think you are confusing iPod integration with USB integration.
All the USB players I know except the iPod use the "USB Mass Storage" protocol to comunicate to a host (a computer or any other). The iPod uses a propietary protocol.
If you plug a standard USB player onto a PC, you'll be able to access all the files on it, play them, move, delete, etc. If you connect an iPod to a PC, you can't do anything of this! That's because Apple protects the music on the iPod from being copied onto another PC.
So if Toyota wants to use a "standard" USB connector to plug ANY player, it will have to deal with 2 scenarios: iPod and the whole rest of devices.
For me it is a much better approach to support a standard like AD2P Bluetooth streaming. Many (if not all) the newest phones support this and it is very convenient. You don't have to plug it in. If your battery is low, then yes, you'll have to plug it to charge, just as you do now.
What I really would like to have is a standard USB port to plug a standard pen drive and play music from it. You can leave it plugged so you won't have to think about it.
And I DO have an iPod, but I prefer standards over propietary protocols.
(BTW, I like my iPod, i like Apple, but I always use my phone to play music with my bluetooth stereo headsed. It is more convenient for me)