Griffin SmartDeck for iPod - Anyone got one yet?

I was looking into it while I'm waiting for the VIAS group buy. I didn't find any stores that sold it. Tried Best Buy, Circuit City with no luck. It can be ordered online though. It says it also adjusts the volume which if it worked good would be nice. I have a cheap adapter and every once in a while it pops when I hit bumps. And anything that uses the tape deck will have lots of hiss. The controls would be great because I find myself clicking "next song" alot.

 

I bought one last weekend at a local Apple Store (I also bought the iFM add-on at the same time). It seems to be about 80% effective with my Prius:

1) Sound transmission appears to be much better than with the Monster unit I was using before. My nominal volume level has dropped into the low 20's in quiet environments (from mid-30's) and only goes up to about 30, rather than 40, in noiser ones. Except during skips (see below, I can't hear any background noice from the unit--unlike the Monster)..

2) The autu-pause function is great. If you change modes, power down, or pull the unit out of the car's deck, the iPod goes into pause mode.

3) The skip function is somewhat chancy. It always starts, but, in reverse, never stops, and in forward, stops about 80% of the time. While the process is happening, there is quite a bit of noise emenating from the sound system. Note the iPod actually performs 3 functions when the button is pushed on the steering wheel--pause, skip (forward or back), play. When it sticks, you just hit the pause/play on the iPod. I'm finding it easier to just reach into the cup holder and hit the iPod's button.

Because of items 1) and 2), I think that it is a great unit for those with tape decks in their Prius and an appropriate iPod.

You can also find a review of the unit here.

 

Note that your link and picture are for a new version which might not be out yet. The original version connected to the earphone and aux connector on the top of the iPod. This new version uses the dock connector on the bottom. Part of the reason for this change is that the new iPods altered the placement of the connectors that had been on the top.

 

I'm not sure what happens if you hit forward twice.

I have the one that uses the earplug and remote sockets at the top. I was not aware of the dock version. It would have some advantages and disadvantages. The main advantages are that it would supply line volume at all times, no matter what the iPod volume control indicated. It also should work on the newer iPods (Nano and Video) that don't have the remote socket at the top. However, since the dock is also used for power connection, it would prevent you from using the Remote Deck and recharging at the same time.

 

I'm going to try to hit up the local Apple store near me to find it. If this doesn't work, I think I'll try to save up for a more permanent solution, ie VAIS.

 

Although not a permanent solution I got this which is an FM transmitter. I had the Monster one, as well as previously owning the Griffin one, and this one is hands down the best. I have yet to notice interference AND it is cheap. Just a suggestion.

Also, in talking to the man who installed my SiriusPrius, there is a solution where they hardwire an FM transmitter into the radio and whenever the iPod is on it disables the radios normal antenna. In doing this it reduces chances of interference. Not the same as being able to control via MFD but personally I like these solutions far better than having to create playlists.

 

I purchased one from the Apple Store. Unfortunately, it did not work in my Prius (2005). Everytime I inserted it, the stereo tried to recognize it, but ejected it. I could hear the mechanism flip sides, fast forward, but then it would eject it.

So, I REALLY wanted one of these, but had to return it.

 

I tried it for about a week. It didn't reject it, but i could very rarely get the RW to work properly. Returned.

 

I preordered the new smartdeck from Griffen over the summer and it arrived yesterday. Unfortunately, I had the same experience listed above -- no sound at all, the cassette attempts to play, then fast forwards and ejects.

 

I'm having similar experiences with the original Smart Deck version. Mine at least stays in the cassette player, but the skip forward/back track ability totally does not work. Has anyone gotten the dock connector version? Does that work any better with the Prius cassette adapter?

 

I just got the headphone/remote version of the smartdeck, and am having a slightly different problem. I have a 2005 Prius BC package, and when I turn on my iPod while hooked up to the smartdeck, it plays each song for a few seconds, then pauses, then skips to the next song, and repeats that process. It's as thought the smartdeck thinks it's constantly being fast forwarded, even though the tape deck sounds to me like it's playing normally. I tried it in a Honda Pilot, and it had the no-audio-fast-foward-eject behavior that others have mentioned. But, it does work in my parents' fancy dual-deck rack component system! I guess I'll be returning mine. Too bad, I've been waiting for months to be able to control my ipod from the steering wheel.

 

Yeah, I have the 2005 Prius BC as well and have the skipping problem you mentioned. The only way around it is to switch the mode selector on the SmartDeck to scan mode, but then you can't skip tracks at all from the steering wheel.

 

This can help with sitting properly in a cup holder.
Belkin TuneDok

I actually e-mailed Griffin about their original SmartDeck, which I had major issues with the design. First, for the audio source should be the line out (i.e. from the dock connector on 3G iPods et. all) not the volume-controlled headphone output which can clip. Second, they should attach it to the dock connector, with an optional power connector for charging, so that if you want to charge and play, you only need to connect one connector, not one for headphones/remote and one for dock/charging. Lastly, it should be integrated into something like the TuneDok, so that I can just drop my iPod in without fiddling around, trying to pick up a connector and connecting, much like how easy it is to drop an iPod into the cradle. They do make this sort of thing for FM transmitters, but not tape deck car kits (minus the nice/easy TuneDok iPod mounting option), which seems odd to me. It literally boggles my mind that there's about a million iPod accessories out there, just for hooking an iPod to a car, and no one has figured out to put ease-of-use iPod connection with a good charging/audio connection solution and basically corner the market...

Anyhow, I apologize for the rant.

 

I use just a standard Sony cassette adapter for my XM radio right now. In general it's OK, but the problem I have is that when it's cold out, say below 40, the adapter makes a loud rattling noise for the first couple of minutes. The colder it is, the longer the rattling lasts. It's quite annoying.