VAIS Technology replacement for the discontinued AIC - 100i iPod adapter: SoundLinQ (Model SLI) - Auxillary Input Adapter with Apple iPod interface One change Eugene told me is that a ground loop interruptor is built in to the replacement unit so an "after market" interruptor will no longer be necessary.
Thanks for the pointer! Looking over the product page and the FAQ sheet, I see very little that's different from the AIC-100i. Perhaps the location of the connectors is a bit different? I don't remember the thin horizontal connector on the far left, next to the 2 iPod harness connections. Anyone talked to Eugene to ask what's been changed in the SLI? (The VAIS FAQ still needs some serious grammar editting. (Or better translation services.))
In this case, it is a device that stops the hum from the hard drive noise in the iPod. This is arguably attributable to a problem with the iPod (which Apple denies) that is brought out by the AIC-100i. You should buy one and install it with the AIC-100i. I tried it first without it and regret doing so. The part number for the common Radio Shack version is printed on the back of the install manual that comes with the AIC-100i, which I seem to have misplaced...
As mentioned in the first post, Eugene said there is an internal ground loop interrupter. He also tried to tell me other changes but I was on a cell phone and could not hear him well. I'll let you know any other changes once I get the unit.
I would like to add that since this noise is from the hard drive that new iPods with flash memory may not need a ground loop isolator. I have the iPod Photo with a hard drive and the isolator from Radio Shack (which I added the day after install and therefore heard the noise between songs) did the trick. So now the new adapter has this built in to save you about $15.00.
Does anyone think the new unit looks smaller? Easier to fit below the right vent where I squeezed mine in.
