I recently found out about a product that allows you to hook up an iPod through the CD changer port and use the steering wheel buttons to control your iPod. It looks very cool but they currently do not have a version that will work with our cars. If we send them a few e-mails we maybe be able to persuade them into making a version that will work with the RX-8.

ICE-Link: iPod

 

I sent them email a couple of weeks ago, but still haven't heard a response. It definitely looks like a cool product (supports the steering wheel controls *woot!*)

 

Something like this would make me a bit happier with the head unit's limitations.

Wouldn't the Ford unit be using the same signals?

 

Sound like a wonderful stuff... please post if installed and worked... will persue... iPod is nice man. (Takahashi putting it down for his XMas list next to the MazdaSpeed Kit)

 

Ford would be as likely to use the same signals as GM would. Signals can even be different between radio trim levels in the same car.

This setup is just like other setups like the Kenwood music keg, or anything that hooks into a cd changer plug. Although the RX8 head unit seems to have an input for a TV tuner, it doesn't seem to have an input for a CD changer. This will probably be a problem, because the controls for a CD changer are not the same as those for a TV tuner. And that's if the company figures out how to get a signal in via that port to begin with.

As for the steering wheel controls, they don't do a separate connection for those. If a car has steering wheel controls, they just tie into the head unit (and work like a remote control), and the head unit sends the same signals to the CD changer whether the button was pushed on the steering wheel or the head unit.

---jps

 

If they were developing one for the modular system in the mazdas, I'd expect them to hijack the tape/md protocols, not a cd changer protocol.

 

That is what I was envisioning.

IMO, if they have the knowledge/skill to reverse engineer a CD changer connection they should be able to do the same for the MD/Tape connector on the botton of the head unit.

 

The thing is, very few of these companies actually reverse engineer CD changer controls. They get the information (they normally license it) from the companies that make the equipment, like Alpine, Pioneer, Sony, etc..

So, unless Pioneer is going to license that information, and unless there is enough demand for such a production, it probably won't be available for the Mazda6/RX8 head units.

---jps

 

Sputnik,
You were right, I just received a response from Dension and they said that they have no plans to make a model that will work with any Mazda. Bummer...

 

I sent an email to the folks who make the Ice-Link device for the iPod, asking if they have plans to make one for the RX-8. In case you don't know the Ice-Link is a device which allows you to connect the iPod to your car's CD Changer, allowing you to then use your steering wheel controls to control the iPod (check it out at http://icelink.densionusa.com/).

If you want to see this device made, email them at info@densionusa.com! Here's the response I got:

 

Must be great to be in a position to demand that all of your costs are covered before you start. I got a similar response.

I'll serve them right if a competitor takes their market away from them

 

Wonder what they mean by "get enough dedicated Mazda owners together to do this"? Pre-orders?

 

I don't know - but it seems to me that they're been quite greedy to expect the market to go to them with the money before they build something and even demostrate that they can do a quality job.

It can't be that difficult.

 

The marketplace for this kind of device is limited, in fact, it's very limited right now while there aren't many cars out there yet. So, before a company will start spending time, money, and effort designing and developing a product, they need to make sure that there is a reasonable chance that there is enough interest in the product that they can at least recoup their investment, if not some profit. If they do not, they will be out of business pretty quickly.

They are not asking for donations, they are not asking for pre-payment, they are looking for information on how many people would be interested. This is not greed, this is how responsible people run their business.

---jps

 

If their responses contained information that indicated how many units would be required as a minimum or anything else helpful I could possibly agree with you.

 

Well, I don't see the product as having a limited market.. Mazda seems to be using a similiar system in the 6 and the 3 and probably the rest of the line to follow.

Don't worry, someone will figure out that it will benefit more than just the 8 and get on it..

 

I also sent an email for an RX-8 version. I have been wanting to get an iPod for my car and this would work well with it.

 

Guys, this is a very standard business decision. You gotta respect them for at least being honest about it. No one would make a product for which there were insufficient demand to recover their start-up costs. The way to deal with this is to send them an email asking for them to do it for the Rx-8. I just did. It will give them the level of comfort they need to invest in the product that we want to buy. By the way, the email address posted is wrong. It is info@densionusa.com, not denison.