Zune in car? TWO how to's and some professional tips....

[GarciaM25]

@Diazari - have a look at the specs, its miles more advanced than the Belkin kit you're referring to because of the digital signal being transmitted vs. analog from Belkin.... while the bluelife includes an iPod charging cable (boooo), it doesn't include a Zune one, so have another look at my first post of this thread, just editted it to include the update since i wasn't clear enough.... as far as radios go, i bought a $130 JVC with HD Radio built in on eBay for my daily driver (the Plan B vehicle), and that included the dash kit and wiring harness - make sure when you're looking that they have the aux in like you mentioned, the JVC is OPTIONAL, and for like $6 more, i found a knock-off one shipped from China - the JVC piece is around $45-55 elsewhere!

@FlatTopFoley - haha, that must have been one crazy angle on the camera lens to think those are 15's - they're only 10" subs, the 2005 Phoenix Gold XENON series, powered by 2 of the 4 channels from my 800watt PG XENON amp - the other two channels power the XENON components up front.... with as much Hushmat (Dynamat-like material) soundproofing the vehicle, you can't hear a thing from outside when the doors are closed and windows are up, but step inside and close it up.... prepare for the worst!

full mods list can be found at www.mikegarcia25.com/modslist

[Dizzy]

Excellent work! I'm taking a look at some of the stuff you're using and I'm going to have to invest.

Won't look as nice in my Sable, but it'll still sound pretty sweet

[mrazzino]

Those bluetooth kits are super cheap on eBay... I may have to get one.

Also, I bought a USB car plug charger thing a while ago, similar to the one you posted only it only has one female USB connector. Any item I plug into it does not charge. Is this the item's fault or my car? I'm thinking all car sockets are the same so it has to be the adapter. Other items work fine in my car.

So in short I think I need to buy a new USB adapter. I like the two slot approach!

And one last question - do the old docks work with the second gen Zunes?

Keep up the great work, I'll be workin on making my car more Zune integrated! FM quality sucks

[FlatTopFoley]

Originally Posted by GarciaM25

@Diazari - have a look at the specs, its miles more advanced than the Belkin kit you're referring to because of the digital signal being transmitted vs. analog from Belkin.... while the bluelife includes an iPod charging cable (boooo), it doesn't include a Zune one, so have another look at my first post of this thread, just editted it to include the update since i wasn't clear enough.... as far as radios go, i bought a $130 JVC with HD Radio built in on eBay for my daily driver (the Plan B vehicle), and that included the dash kit and wiring harness - make sure when you're looking that they have the aux in like you mentioned, the JVC is OPTIONAL, and for like $6 more, i found a knock-off one shipped from China - the JVC piece is around $45-55 elsewhere!

@FlatTopFoley - haha, that must have been one crazy angle on the camera lens to think those are 15's - they're only 10" subs, the 2005 Phoenix Gold XENON series, powered by 2 of the 4 channels from my 800watt PG XENON amp - the other two channels power the XENON components up front.... with as much Hushmat (Dynamat-like material) soundproofing the vehicle, you can't hear a thing from outside when the doors are closed and windows are up, but step inside and close it up.... prepare for the worst!

full mods list can be found at www.mikegarcia25.com/modslist

mini makes them look huge, thats all. How much hushmat did you have to buy? :p i need to dynamat my car but cant afford it ;p

[GarciaM25]

@Dizzy - "invest" is such a harsh word in this thread, i'm trying to show you how to "purchase" the right items for cheap! haha, thanks for the comments!

@mrazzino - i don't know much about the single USB port car chargers, but if the light comes on, it is getting power.... how much? well all hand-held products like the Zune and my cell phone powered off USB take only 5V, not the car's full 12V, so if its not even reading that much voltage, unscrew the bottom of the unit and see if the fuse is blown or damaged.... that could save you having to buy a new one and wait for the shipment! otherwise, chuck it and start fresh with one of those guys.... the old docks do in fact work with the new 2nd Gen Zune, that's what i'm using currently in my MINI since the picture in the first post shows the stolen 1st Gen i used to have....

@FlatTopFoley - the Hushmat was sponsored from the stereo shop i received all the equipment from in South Carolina, but it retailed for about $300 i believe.... that's a whole box of (30) 12.1" x 23" sheets weighing 38lbs total, so the car has approximately 58.1 sq feet of soundproofing material in it!

[BrianLikesZune]

Originally Posted by FlatTopFoley

while that is really cool, it has "pull me over police" written all over it :p shame too.

I originally thought that too, but I've had it for about 4 weeks, cops have definilty seen it in my car, I was at a red light with one, and I havnt gotten pulled over yet. So alls well that ends well I guess!

[Diazari]

Is it better to have the aux in behind the radio, or in front with the bluelife kit?

Also do you have any links to the radios?

[FlatTopFoley]

Originally Posted by Diazari

Is it better to have the aux in behind the radio, or in front with the bluelife kit?

Also do you have any links to the radios?

Its personal preference really. I have a front one with a 3.5mm jack running from the faceplate to the zune. the back ones work just as good too.

[xOPtimUsZErOx]

i have a 2002 honda civic can anyone think of some good ideas for a in car hook up

[skalogre]

Originally Posted by xOPtimUsZErOx

i have a 2002 honda civic can anyone think of some good ideas for a in car hook up

If you have the stock radio, buy a cheap aux-in adapter, run the cable to the Zune - or to a Zune dock. FM transmitters are crap, don't even bother.

[skalogre]

Originally Posted by mrazzino

Those bluetooth kits are super cheap on eBay... I may have to get one.

Also, I bought a USB car plug charger thing a while ago, similar to the one you posted only it only has one female USB connector. Any item I plug into it does not charge. Is this the item's fault or my car? I'm thinking all car sockets are the same so it has to be the adapter. Other items work fine in my car.

So in short I think I need to buy a new USB adapter. I like the two slot approach!

And one last question - do the old docks work with the second gen Zunes?

Keep up the great work, I'll be workin on making my car more Zune integrated! FM quality sucks

I am using a first generation dock with my new Zune 80. Just removed the silver plastic on the dock's surface.

[Untalaphet]

Originally Posted by GarciaM25

man i really need to take some video don't i? i'll start working on it when it isn't freezing cold in FLORIDA, what's that all about?

lol wow man tell me about it. In the 20s in central Florida on the third.

[Diazari]

Originally Posted by Untalaphet

lol wow man tell me about it. In the 20s in central Florida on the third.

It snowed in the morning in Florida......

[mrazzino]

Garcia: I just finished installing my Scosche bluelife kit. I have some questions for you to see if mine functions the same. First off, does your receiver take around 30 seconds to power up? I'm not talking about the bluetooth connecting the receiver and transmitter, but the actual unit plugged into the stereo powering up. Mine takes ~30 seconds after turning on the car, and calling tech support didn't help. Their response: "Thats normal".

Also, do you have a phone paired up with the bluetooth receiver? I tried doing it but could not connect. I don't think I have the right PIN for it, but tech support once again didn't help. He said try 0000 or 1234, neither working (I had already tried both before calling since that's standard.)

Any help you have would be appreciated. There does not seem to be much help out there on the 'net. The sound quality, by the way, is incredible!

[GarciaM25]

before i answer your question, just wanted to post links to the bluelife kit installed in my daily driver since i can't edit my first post, check out BOTH LINKS for captions:

FIRST PICTURE
SECOND PICTURE
check out the other pics in that album for more views of my daily driver!

now.... with that said, my bluelife is hardwired into my glovebox in an "always on" state (ie, not wired to my accessories but wired to the main 12V).... i never saw it take 30 seconds to "power up," but it may have and i just didn't know it.... doubt that's normal though, it may take 30 seconds to connect bluetooth, but not to just power!

i have multiple phones paired to the bluelife kit - usually mine is the one in operation, but sometimes when i'm on the road with the girl i'm dating, she'll connect her phone and my friend connected his phone to it when he took the car as a support vehicle for the MINI for a car show.... so no, i've not had any problems getting the bluelife kit to connect to a cell phone, the only problem i had was the range of the bluetooth receiver connecting to the Zune adapter.... other than that, the cell phone should connect off the standard 0000 passcode!

something sounds wrong with it, but hey, if you paid anywhere near what i paid for mine and the Zune connects to it ONLY, then you got one hell of a deal even still!!! see if Scosche will take it back, i know they don't like eBay sales, but they might if you work them right i guess....

[mrazzino]

Well, I messed around with it for a bit and found the missing section of my instruction manual online. My manual said nothing about pairing the phone or how to do that.

Anyways, here's what I had to do to fix everything. Unplug/turn off the bluetooth transmitter (the one connected to the Zune). Power on car. Pair phone. Then turn on transmitter. Now the receiver turns on immediately and pairs with my phone as soon as my car is on, and then as soon as I turn on the transmitter I am listening to my music. All of that for $35! Amazing.

Thank you so much for all your great ideas on how to get the Zune in the car! I just need to find some nice mounting spots in my car.. tiny tiny 2000 Dodge Neon with 0 dash space. I think I might have to rig up some cardboard or something ghetto, but I really don't want to. I have a great spot to mount on to but its a curved surface and there are no flat parts so I have to figure out how to get it flat.

Thanks again!

[GarciaM25]

Originally Posted by mrazzino

Thank you so much for all your great ideas on how to get the Zune in the car! I just need to find some nice mounting spots in my car.. tiny tiny 2000 Dodge Neon with 0 dash space. I think I might have to rig up some cardboard or something ghetto, but I really don't want to. I have a great spot to mount on to but its a curved surface and there are no flat parts so I have to figure out how to get it flat.

Thanks again!

glad to hear you got it working - there is no better in-car solution for the price in my opinion!

don't rule out VELCRO tape for a mounting solution! that stupid little clip and holder they give you is garbage and one time missing the tiny opening on the holder and the clip will rip it right off the dash.... pull off the metal clip and throw that with the holder in the trash - then grab some velcro tape from Home Depot or Lowe's and put the hook side on the back of the transponder that plugs into the Zune's headset jack.... mount the correct swivel holster on the front of it, slide the Zune right it, plug it all up and TA-DA! you have a completely removable solution to mount on your dash, no matter how curved it is (velcro is VERRRRRY tough!) so your passengers can remove it from the dash and play DJ for you!

[jfish3]

Sorry to revive a dead thread, but I have a few about the bluetooth setup. I plan to correct either my phone or my Zune (not at the same time) to the unit. Would I need two separate transmitters? Or can I opt to choose one transmitter for my Zune and use a 3.5mm to 2.5mm adapter to hook up my phone. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

[doraemon1123]

great tips

[appleguy91]

me, simple fm transmitter docking station found on ebay, for $5.00. thats including shipping