Play iPad thru radio?

Our new SE will be delivered soon.
Puzzled if we can play iPad music through the i's fancy sound system?

If I recall at dealer the cars's sound system had a USB slot, put iPads have no real USB interface ... Certainly not for audio.

Only way to get sound out of the iPad is either copper audio patch cord with mini jack standard for a PC's line out into a speaker or sound system's mini jack input. I don't recall seeing any sound-input jack on the car. Not so?

Other way out from the iPad is via Bluetooth to Bluetooth compatible speaker or amplifier.
Is that going to work?

Alex

My iPhone and iPod classic both work through USB... but it's passing data, not audio. For example, the Sound Check feature of iTunes seems to have no effect, nor does the EQ setting. This means the radio is reading the raw MP3/AAC files from the device and using them to play directly. Since the iPad works the same way as the iPhone for passing audio files over USB, it should function exactly the same.

aarond12 said:

My iPhone and iPod classic both work through USB... but it's passing data, not audio. For example, the Sound Check feature of iTunes seems to have no effect...

Click to expand...

I'guessing you MEANT to write "passes audio but not data"?

Guess I'll find out....... But how do you connect? Pair with it as a Bluetooth device?

Alex

I meant what I said: It passes DATA not AUDIO through the USB connector. I base this on the fact that neither Sound Check (which automatically normalizes the audio levels between tracks) nor the equalizer made any effect on the audio coming from the radio. This means the radio is essentially treating the i-device like any other USB memory stick.

I have a base ES, so no Bluetooth. I attach my i-device through the USB connector (that I added after I got the car). I don't have the premium audio system, just the one with the single-line LCD.

If you DO connect via Bluetooth, then that changes everything. You will likely be passing the audio stream from your i-device over Bluetooth audio (not data). Sound Check and EQ settings should (?) work at that point.

It's so easy to put all your favorite music on a $10 USB stick arranged into files and folders that I don't see much if any advantage to leaving your expensive iPad in the car as a temptation for thieves. A 4Gb stick will hold more than a thousand songs

Don

Don said:

It's so easy to put all your favorite music on a $10 USB stick arranged into files and folders that I don't see much if any advantage to leaving your expensive iPad in the car as a temptation for thieves. A 4Gb stick will hold more than a thousand songs

Don

Click to expand...

True, unless your daughter smashes your nano in a door so that the screen is ruined but it still function as a player :|

aarond12 said:

I have a base ES, so no Bluetooth. I attach my i-device through the USB connector (that I added after I got the car). I don't have the premium audio system, just the one with the single-line LCD......

Click to expand...

I apparently have the same setup as you (base ES). Didn't realize until the car arrived that it has no Bluetooth. My sound system is a single line LCD like yours. Not even a USB connector on mine yet (though I can, per a helpful post here on another thread I started here, buy and add that from Mitsu at just $125.)

Think what I'm NOW confused about re what you said above is this:
iPads have no USB output port. Neither does your idevice as far as I know.
So how are you getting your idevice's output into your Mitsu's USB input port? :?:
Sorry if I'm being dense .

Alex

Alex,

The 'standard' SE doesn't come with the USB port, nor with any Bluetooth - The USB was a $175 option and the Bluetooth was only available on the Premium SE's with the Nav package and the back-up camera. Pretty sure those came with the ChaDeMo Quick Charge port also, which you probably don't have either

All cars except the Premium SE's came with the single line stereo display, but the SE had a more powerful stereo than the ES model and it also has 8 speakers. The ES's don't

If your car has the foglights, brown upholstery, rear seat speakers and leather covered steering wheel, it's an SE package . . . . just not a Premium SE package. I think your car is the same as mine . . . . but mine came with the optional USB port. The Premium SE package added about $2750 to the SE price and that's a lot just to get the Nav package, Bluetooth and the ChaDeMo Quick Charge port

Don

acensor said:

Think what I'm NOW confused about re what you said above is this:
iPads have no USB output port. Neither does your idevice as far as I know.
So how are you getting your idevice's output into your Mitsu's USB input port? :?:
Sorry if I'm being dense .

Alex

Click to expand...

iPods, iPhones, and iPads don't have a USB port on the actual device, but each one comes with a cable that has the appropriate device connector at one end, and a standard USB plug at the other.
You use this lead to connect to the radio's USB port - at least that works for me from my iPhone to my Peugeot iOn's radio USB port.

Exactly. Use the USB cable that comes with your i-device to connect to the car's USB port (if/when installed). There have been some mixed reports with users of newer i-devices (e.g., iPad gen 4, iPod Touch 5, iPhone 5, iPad mini) with the Lightning connector, but it should still work.

aarond12 said:

Exactly. Use the USB cable that comes with your i-device to connect to the car's USB port (if/when installed)....

Click to expand...

Thanks!
---------------------------------

Hey, look at this other idea from JoeS on my other thread:

JoeS said:

, I simply use a small FM transmitter for my iPod ...

Click to expand...

I have an iPad, not an iPod.
Know if that FM transmitter idea works with iPads?
Would not be quite as high quality sound in theory, but cheaper (these FM transmitters are $20) and easier (no cables dragging around.)

Alex

Yes, the FM modulators work with iPads.

However, the audio quality from most FM modulators is terrible. Especially if you live in a city. I have a Belkin FM modulator and found one frequency that wouldn't have too much noise, unless I was driving a specific direction. Additionally, I had to turn up the radio nearly full volume to hear the audio.

This FM modulator is the best one I've ever used, and I bring it along for rental vehicles. Still, the audio quality difference between FM modulator to USB plug is night and day. Don't go cheap. You'll regret it.

I can say the nano works along with the new iPhone with the lightning connect. I thought all MiEV's came with a USB port. Shows you how much I know.

Applewins said:

I can say the nano works along with the new iPhone with the lightning connect. I thought all MiEV's came with a USB port. Shows you how much I know.

Click to expand...

I'll go back out to the car and pry again on the plastic cover of where the USB port would be, but it sure didn't swing open when I last tried. Seemed like it was just a plug/cover for were the USB port WOULD be.

Alex

aarond12 said:

Yes, the FM modulators work with iPads.

...the audio quality difference between FM modulator to USB plug is night and day. Don't go cheap. You'll regret it.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the caution. Guess the only counter to that is "the most I can waste on a modulator is about $20, and as you say I could use it on rental cars."

Alex

Really dumb question

Only way I have discovered to turn OFF the radio is to press the CD button.
That works, but (a) if a CD were in there it would play and I might want 'em both off, and (b) it seems that sometimes when I turn off radio with the CD button the one line LCD display shows "no CD" (or maybe it says "no disk"... can't remember right now) while other times the more useful display of the clock/time comes up.

And, by the way, the clock is in 24 hour clock mode -- which is OK but I prefer 12hour clock.

Didn't see much in the way of direction for the radio in the manual. Maybe didn't dig deep enough, but since some of you have the same radio that I have (the standard SE radio) hope you can quickly educate me on these basics.

Alex

acensor said:

Really dumb question

Only way I have discovered to turn OFF the radio is to press the CD button.

Click to expand...

You press AND HOLD the power/page button (upper right button). This is idiotic, I have no clue what moron decided it was okay to deliver a radio without a simple off button. On the road, where it's simply unsafe to hold your hand on the button for that long, the best thing is just to turn the volume down or (as you have done) switch to a non-inserted CD, and power off when you've come to a stop.

Overall, the radio has a user interface from hell (wait til you start trying to use the radio presets or random play on your USB source - yeah, it's there, but OMG), but it's worth learning for your own convenience - and to mystify friends.

This is covered in quite a bit of detail (though not the clearest language) in the manual; yes, it's buried, so I put a semi-permanent bookmark on that section with a partial post-it note. Find it, study it, mark it -- then use it to play with the sound system while you're safely parked ;-)

The radio clock only has the 24 hour mode - There is no way to switch it to 12 hour

Don

Vike said:

quote="acensor"]Really dumb question

Click to expand...

Overall, the radio has a user interface from hell (wait til you start trying to use the radio presets or random play on your USB source - yeah, it's there, but OMG), but it's worth learning for your own convenience - and to mystify friends. ;-)[/quote]

Thanks for the detail .... And especially for confirming that it's not me getting brain-rot... Amazing that in this day and age with so much known about what makes a usable interface they made it so convoluted. :roll: ..... With the purchase price they should have to include free a six week night school class on operating the radio, one week on climate controls, and three days on operating the remote. :?

Alex

aarond12 said:

My iPhone and iPod classic both work through USB... but it's passing data, not audio. For example, the Sound Check feature of iTunes seems to have no effect, nor does the EQ setting. This means the radio is reading the raw MP3/AAC files from the device and using them to play directly. Since the iPad works the same way as the iPhone for passing audio files over USB, it should function exactly the same.

Click to expand...

Hi Arond,

Hey, I tried burning my wife's MP3s onto a CD. They'll play in the CD player.
But finding them nested in folders .. Let alone folders within folders (such as ,classical, Bethovan, concertos) is going to be beyond her tolerance (and to be honest, mine too) with the sound system's totally Unintuitive one line LCD navigation.. Which most(?) of the time even after you navigate down to the mp3 doesn't even display the title.

So not yet having purchased and installed a USB port, and reading your comment about the i's audio reading iPhone & iPad files as raw data thur the USB port... Wonder if they too would be as un-navigable as on the CD?

If so, might be better of getting a $20 - $30 FM transmitter for her iPad ... That way she'd have full iPad friendly navigation of her collection... And no patch cord running from the iPad to the sound system. ???

Anyone's thoughts?

Alex