So years ago, with advice from this very forum, I bought a generic iPod adapter for my 2006 Prius. It worked (works) perfectly! It powers/charges the iPods I have, while allowing them to play through the Aux port. This is all I need - nothing fancy like the DICE or any of the others. Controlling the music through the iPod works just fine, and is simple and cheap. The big deal was that this was the first device I tried that would power the iPod and NOT create the feedback ground loop. Fast-forward to last month when a friend had an iPhone that was very low on battery. I told him to just plug it into my adapter. It plugged right in... and failed to charge. The phone was dead right when he needed it the most. So the question is... while I await the new iPhone that should be announced any day - is there an adapter similar to the simple one I have that will work with an iPhone as well as an iPod? Does anybody know why this one will NOT work with an iPhone? Thanks! added: It appears that there is a hack for the Belkin adapter here: Belkin Auto Kit "Hack" for iPhone! (How To) [Archive] - MacRumors Forums Does the collective know if this unit is ground isolated to prevent the hum?
If it's old enough, Apple upped the voltage required for charging - can't remember when exactly. Newer products would work fine. I haven't shopped for such a solution lately, but I bet Belkin has something current. - D
Thanks Don - It appears that Belkin is selling pretty much the same thing they always did. They call it an "ipod" adapter with no mention of the iPhone which seems odd if it worked with the phone as well. Most folks I know with an iPhone use it as their iPod these days.
If your Belkin iPod adapter is old and uses FireWire based charging (at ~12 volts), it won't charge iPhones other than the 1st gen. See iPhone and iPod touch: Charging the battery. Current ones uses USB based charging at 5 volts. I have car 2 FM transmitters w/dock connector (no longer needed) that came out well before even the 1st gen iPhone and not surprisingly, they can't charge my former iPhone 3G nor 4, likely because they cheaped and went the Firewire method since cars have a ~12 volt bus. They charge my (very old) 4th gen click wheel iPod just fine and IIRC, my 6th gen iPod Classic as well.
Now you got me curious: Belkin : iPhone : In-Car I like the Dual Auto Charger - two USB plugs instead of one. - D
I have 2 of the Belkin units shown in the link that darelldd posted. The Belkin worked great with my 3rd Gen iPod and 1st Gen iPod Nano, but when I replaced the Nano with a 5th Gen iPod Nano it no longer will work. I resorted to using the headphone jack to connect to the Aux port in the Prius and using a simple USB charger (no playthrough capability) for the power. I don't use the iPhone to play music in the car, but I know that the USB charger works with the iPhone because we used it while on vacation last summer.
I have experienced several docking stations that won't play the Iphone 4 but were fine with the 3. I beleive there is slightly different wiring to adapt to the higher charge requirement.
Darell - As others have said, Apple changed the charging protocol a while back - they actually did it in the middle of the production run of the 3G - my wife had one that worked with our chargers - there was some sort of problem with the first one so AT&T swapped it out for a new one that had the new charging protocol. I do not think that you say just which car adapter you use, but I have something similar from Radio Shack - the brand is Gigaware which I believe is a Radio Shack house brand. This does work with the newer phones as I had a friend charge an iphone 4 with it. I took a quick look on their web site and did not see it on their web site, but I have seen them recently in store - they are about $30. Hope this helps.
Thanks, Steve. I'll poke around and see if I can turn one up. Does this device charge AND connect to the Aux port of the Prius?
Have you considered the TomTom car kit? I use it with a ProClip mount and run the wires through the air vent to the DC connect and Aux port. It charges the IPhone 4 and plays GPS instructions, phone calls and music through the car stereo speakers. I was delighted to learn that the IPhone 4s has the same physical specs as the predecessor so it should fit without modification.
Well, I hadn't considered it... because I'd never heard of it before! Thanks for the tip. I'll check it out. We're talking about this item, correct?http://www.amazon.com/dp/product/B002X2F2N8?tag=priuschatcom-20
That is it. I use it with ProClip mount with wires hidden. The kit has it's own audio out port so no need to use that on the top of the IPhone. I can't post link so google ProClip TomTom Mount.
