Has anyone found a bluetooth unit that supports the bluetooth stereo headset profile and integrates with the OEM head unit? To me, that seems like the best solution for an iPhone, though it's obviously not the best solution for any previous iPod product. I've search the forums and googled to no avail; but that might just mean that I'm not coming up with the necessary search string.

 

no it does not charge the 3g. you need that adapter inorder for it to charge and i have yet to try that

^
do you know where to get the adapter to make it charge the 3g?

 

I've done a lot of research and the XCarLink ipod integration kit seems to be the best way to connect iPhone 3G to my RX8. The kit is backordered but will be soon available here:
http://www.therpmstore.com/product_i...roducts_id=142

- The kit charges iPhone 3G
- Has an additional AUX input for other devices
- Has an optional Bluetooth addon for routing phone calls
- Retains the steering wheel controls

What more can anyone ask for? (am I missing anything?)

Is anyone using this kit? I have the following questions:

- Is the audio quality good?
- Should I get the bluetooth addon from XCarLink or instead get the Kensington LiquidAUX Bluetooth kit which is available for just $25 at Amazon. I want to compare the sound quality of the two bluetooth units.
- Do you have tips for installation so that I have a clean wire-free look

 

I just bought the xcarlink a few months ago. I am using it completley wire-fee by utilizing the bluetooth option. I like it because the sound quality is very good, it is uncluttered, and I like having the option of answering the phone with the supplied microphone. Also, if someone in the back seat wants to scroll through my music and change it, they can. Pandora internet radio is really cool too by the way.

Drawbacks of going wire fee:
A) does not charge the battery
B) cannot be controlled by the steering wheel.

I just wedged the unused wire that came with it under the console. If for some reason I ever need to charge it, I'll just use that wire.

Other than that, it works pretty well! I did have one non-working unit, but they replaced it (after 3 weeks of waiting for a new shipment, which seems to be the norm for them). I had to pay shipping back... that was annoying.

I'd just go with the bluetooth unit that comes with the xcarlink. It's integrated, only costs 15 dollars more than that other unit you mentioned, and it comes with a microphone if you want to use it. Plus, an all in one unit is less cluttered. I think you might run into problems if you do it the other way. The units are made to work together.

Your Friend,

Ryan

 

There doesnt seem to be a hands down solution for this issue.

NeoProlink eventually failed for me.

The quality was the cause.

When it did work (for a week) it was Iphone 3g heaven.

The steering wheel buttons worked
Radio buttons worked
Iphone charging & completely unlocked
You can set the playlist on the phone itself and then use the steering controls to move through songs
etc... etc... It was all great.

Until the main hub of the product fails. I mean fails in every way. You have to unplug everything and replug it all back in. If you use the aux input jack for audio devices, it works initially but when you go back to using your iphone as the source of audio, it doesnt work seamlessly. Sometimes it wont even recognize the phone all together. Very fussy...

Frustration was the end result specially knowing how close I was to getting what I wanted in that set up.

Maybe the true culprit here is our damn stock radios. If the radio was separate from the heater/AC controls, I along with most of you would have already gone with an aftermarket option.

 

wolf50000, I thought the XCarLink unit with bluetooth has AVCRP profile on it, so the steering wheel controls should work as they work when you actually use the ipod cable. Am I missing something?

 

FYI I bought the Scosche charging adapter and now my AudioLink works great. Charges the phone and everything. Only downside is the solid end of the dongle is now almost three inches long... but girls like big dongles, right?

 

Amazing RX8, my steering wheel controls don't work if the cord is not connected. I have never used the cord, I only use bluetooth and that's it.

By the way, Salamanth, a three inch dongle isn't that big.

Ryan