ipod issues

Try hooking your IPOD to your home stereo while powered to see if you get hissing then.
If you do, then it's probably not a problem with your power cord and may be a problem with your IPOD.

I have an IPOD Nano which can play 14 hours on a charge.
I charge it from my PC at work or home and haven't found a need to have power for it available in the car.

 

Well, I hope that it's as simple as level settings. You should set the output of the iPod to it's maximum level, and only decrease if you hear clipping or distortion. Use the Prius's volume control as normal.
In maximizing the iPod's output, you're increasing the signal to noise ratio.

Dave

 

you don't really NEED to have it plugged in for power... just charge it before you get in the car and use it without the power cable. When it needs a charge listen to a CD or the Radio while it charges. then unplug it and listen again!

just curious do you have your ipod in a case to break the grounding?

 

Might be that the power cable isn't providing the proper power. I've heard of these power cables malfuctioning and ruining the iPod. Unless you are driving in a 24 hour marathon, I would just use it without the cord. Better to be out the $25 than $200, $300 or $400.

Steve

 

most likely, what's happening is you're hearing noise caused by a difference in grounding between the audio socket and the power socket. with the car stationary, try turning on the windshield wipers and listening to hear if your noise fluctuates. i bet it will.

there are a couple of potential solutions, the simplest of which is to simply not use power. the most effective would be to get a 1:1 isolation transformer to put in line between the power plug and the ipod. try searching google, or go to a place like car toys.

hope this helps.

sam

 

i bet your volume is too low. i have to crank the volume all the way up to play my 20gig on the home stereo or with my drive+play

 

Unfortunately, I get the same thing. It's not the iPod or the power cable. It's the car. The power receptical is passing on all the noise that is in your cars electrical system. Either find that isolation transformer that was mentioned, or possibly a line filter would nuke it.

The power adapter I have for my iPod has a dock connector on it and supplies line-out which I feed directly into the mp3 input - so, I don't adjust the vol from the iPod at all - but I still have the problem.

Actually, if you read your Prius manual it states right in the manual that if you hear noise when listening to something plugged into the power outlet to run it on battery. So they KNEW that had the problem and COULD have fixed it with a bit more engineering, but chose to save the few pennies and just put a line in the manual.

oh well... guess I'll use battery except if I need to charge.

The REAL question for people out there is: Does this happen with the VAIStech integrated solution? I am thinking of getting that and it charges the iPod while playing, so will I have the same problem???? anyone know?

cheers, Gary

 

Could you hook your IPOD to your home stereo while powered to see if you get hissing.
So far, no one has posted that they have run this simple test to eliminate the (remote) possibility.

 

From the Prius 2006 Owners Manual:

When using a portable audio device connected to the power outlet or cigarette lighter, noise may occur during playback. If this happens, use the power source of the portable audio device.

Real helpful, eh

 

Before blaming the car, why not perform the simple test above and let us know the results?

 

I had the same problem with my $5 iPod power adapter from axshop.com. Adjusting the volumes helped, but the buzzing was always there (when charging). Once I upgraded to a Belkin charger/line-out amp combo (~$30), the problem went away. I'm usually one to say that cheap is the same as name brand, but in this case, there was a distinct difference.

 

Post 196255

 

I have gotten rid of the "hiss" by purchasing a 70 watt power inverter and plugging it in next to the auxillary jack.

No problem anymore!

 

I run my iPod through my home stereo all the time while it's plugged in. Sound is crystal clear.

 

I have this problem as well with my U2 iPod in my U2 Prius ;-) The source of the problem is obvious: creation of a ground loop from the car power supply through iPod into AUX input. You need iPod power supply that provides for ground isolation. Anyone found one yet compact enough to fit in the center console?

 

Thanks for the reply.
I expected this to be the case but it's only fair to test before ruling it out.
UDAMAN! B)