Toyota Tundra Forum

TRENT310 · #31 (**permalink**) 10-08-2009, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dixondn

For those of us that have older 2008's and such you can buy a fairly full featured USB interface from www.vaistech.com called the MultimediaLinq. Its a little expensive at $300'ish but the cost of a iPod running through the Aux port equals out. You can store your music on mini thumb drives or MicroSD with USB adapters. Alternatly you can buy it witha 40GB or 80GB hardrive and have your 45,000 songs in your truck at all time. Works through the head unit display and make the head unit think its a CD Changer or MD Play.

I feel that would only be truly worth it if you had the OEM navigation system with a screen to display the tag info and such. If not, for $300 you could probably replace the whole radio with something with more features and perfect integration (no need to emulate a CD changer). Or if you really love the stock radio, or if it's so tightly integrated into the dashboard that it's not compliant with any spec and you would never find a dash kit or aftermarket radio to fit. But our Tundras are standards compliant, thank goodness.

dixondn · #32 (**permalink**) 10-17-2009, 06:42 PM

I have the JBL Navigation and even though I though about replacing it. It is extremely integrated into the truck with Bluetooth and voice commands plus it JAMS. I have purchased the RF 360 and an Alpine PXE-650 to start building a aftermarket amps and speaker package but I think the head unit stays.

rarjar · #33 (**permalink**) 10-17-2009, 08:16 PM

dixon, there are parts you can substitute for the the Bluetooth and voice commands (e.g., Scosche) depending on which aftermarket HU you buy.

re.ac.tor · #34 (**permalink**) 11-02-2009, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TRENT310

Well I tried a few decks and had to return them (it felt weird returning a radio with like an inch missing off the harness wires, although store staff assured me that was ok) and almost gave up...I even put the OEM radio back while I figured out what to do. The other reason was that I wanted to mount my radio scanner at the same time in the 2-space slot, no better place for it. I thought yeah this technology should be perfected by now and every unit should have a perfect tuner. Well no.

I eventually settled on the JVC KD-R400 which had USB and Aux but not too many other features that would induce noise. Oh, and low cost. (Install pic, as seen on the other forum I frequent.)
You bet it was weird demanding a quality AM tuner at electronics stores. People gave me weird looks and one person actually finally had to ask WHY. Well a lot of my favourite radio stations are from small rural towns. And the good conductive soil makes that easy to pick up. If you live in a mountainous region, well, physics still prevails and you can't get much even with a great tuner.

The evening I got it installed I was quite surprised because I was picking up stations from all across the prairie provinces... one of the farthest was from Manitoba.

It also mutes the audio when it detects mass amounts of 60Hz interference from power lines, which is nice. It also has a better, more parametrically adjustable EQ which I like, although that's probably just me again with my weird audio dynamics preferences.

The stock Delphi radio is acceptable in terms of distant AM reception but isn't as good at rejecting the strong local stations on adjacent frequencies. It's sitting on my shelf at home and I built a shrink-tube wiring harness and use it as a radio because it's still working properly. Thing runs really hot though, insufficient heatsinking. Or they expected it to be mounted right next to the air conditioner or something.

TRENT310,

Very interesting information. Thanks for the links and the radios look good installed. Did you install them yourself or have the store do it??

re.ac.tor

Huntduc2 · #35 (**permalink**) 12-13-2009, 07:59 PM

There is an ipod interface kit available from Toyota for the 2010's that's supposed to allow you to leave the ipod in the glove box and have complete control of the unit through the Nav/Audio screen and steering wheel controls. Costs around $200. Anyone bought one of these?
Part #Model: PT545-00082

re.ac.tor · #36 (**permalink**) 12-13-2009, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Huntduc2

There is an ipod interface kit available from Toyota for the 2010's that's supposed to allow you to leave the ipod in the glove box and have complete control of the unit through the Nav/Audio screen and steering wheel controls. Costs around $200. Anyone bought one of these?
Part #Model: PT545-00082

Huntduc2,

I have seen that but, IMHO it is not worth the $200. I am happy with the USB input on the front of the dash (not as stealthy as the glove box) and happy with controlling the iPod from the head unit as well as being able to change volume, songs and power from the steering wheel. To each their own but, other than stealth I do not see a lot of value there.

My two cents!

re.ac.tor

p.s. - I have been keeping my eye out for a black USB to iPod cable to improve on the stealth (the white cable that comes with the iPod sticks out like a sore thumb, LOL!)

constableBiggles · #37 (**permalink**) 01-25-2010, 10:06 AM

I'm actually a 2010 Camry guy (*sneaks in*) with the JBL audio package, but a quick Google search makes me think that we're having similar iPod issues and receiving the same "Error 5" messages...

I've tried using two iPods with the car so far...
- iPod nano (3rd generation, 8GB, bought April '08)
- iPod touch (3rd generation, 32GB, bought Dec '09)

Though, I've noticed that it's not always due to a single error. I think it's a catch-all error message which represents when the Toyota interface wants to give up on trying to read the ipod.

I've also noticed that I will get the error if it tries to read an audio file with special characters. For instance:
- A podcast "No Agenda" has its Artist label set to "Adam Curry & John Dvorak" ...in this case, it was the "&" which was causing the error 5.
--- So as a fix I went through my entire library and searched and removed any "&" or ";" from the file name, artist, and description... THIS FIXED my issue I had for a while.

But now I'm still getting the error 5 even after cleaning-up my audio text.

It's VERY frustrating!

Especially the people having issues when browsing to specific artists, look through the naming strings-- change any name with anything that looks like it may be an odd letter or symbol. MOST of the time this trick works for me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by re.ac.tor

p.s. - I have been keeping my eye out for a black USB to iPod cable to improve on the stealth (the white cable that comes with the iPod sticks out like a sore thumb, LOL!)

Best Buy caries a black USB/iPod cable... $20 I believe.

re.ac.tor · #38 (**permalink**) 01-26-2010, 03:40 AM

Thanks for contributing Constable Biggles and welcome to the forum! All are welcome here.

It is frustrating - I have e-mailed my service advisior (with the pics I have in this thread) and the last time I was in there for an oil change (last week) he did not have any new information.

I get the Error 5, USB Error, iPod Error on an alternating basis. And I have almost gotten into this routine when starting the Tundra:

Turn the key to ACC and hit Source button until I get to the iPod - get my Error 5 and then crank the truck up. This works almost all of time.

One of these days I may just have to upgrade the audio head unit and be done with it!

Thanks for the tip about the cable too - I will have to check BB out (had not been there yet)!

re.ac.tor

constableBiggles · #39 (**permalink**) 01-26-2010, 08:55 AM

Haha, no sweat. I'll have to try the ACC trick, that's a new angle I haven't thought of.

...and I can't believe I'd contemplate this for a car that's not even a year-old; but is there an aftermarket head unit which would replace the one in the JBL package?

thanks for the forum!

re.ac.tor · #40 (**permalink**) 01-26-2010, 10:07 PM

Not sure about the '10 Camry. Probably would have to check with your local audio shop or Crutchfield. The Tundra has room for a double DIN unit and many are installing those made by Alpine, Kenwood, Pioneer, Sony, etc.

re.ac.tor

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