Upgrade from harman/kardon Drive+Play iPod Adapter

The Pioneer DEH-P980BT has proven to be a wonderful upgrade to the sound system in the car.  The Drive + Play iPod unit too has proven to be very useful and provides a handy way to incorporate an iPod into the system.  But I was a little tired of the cluttered dash area.  Functionally it was great but it wasn't very neat:

One of my passengers pointed out that the passenger side air bag might deploy and launch the array of devices into someone's face.  Two reasons not to leave the set up the way it was.

I visited Best Buy and noticed the same Pioneer CD-IB100II iPod Adapter sitting on the shelf that had been there the last several times I had visited.  It was one of their "open box" bargain deals, with a 20% discount.  I decided to look at it and found it complete though quite soiled from what appeared to be extended use.  I had in my pocket a $10 Best Buy gift certificate and if I could make a sharp deal on this soiled but otherwise apparently intact unit, it might be worth purchasing.  I approached the department head and after some chit-chat got him to give me an additional 25% off.  Combined with my gift card (that I had gotten as a bonus for a purchase I had made) I ended up the proud owner of an iPod interface for my stereo.  It cost me a fraction of what just the cable cost me for the Jeep Commander.

I took it home, cleaned it up, read the manual and decided to install it.  I crimped a spade connector and an eye connector on the power and ground wires.  Then I fished the IP-Bus connector up to the back of the head unit, the power leads to the auxiliary fuse box, and the iPod connector to the inside of the console.

With everything still hanging out of the dash and with the floor panel wide open for easy access to the auxiliary fuse panel, I put the power on and the iPod came up right away, with all the normal iPod functions running out of the head unit display and controlled by the head unit knob.  This enables me to remove the Drive + Play from the Crossfire and install it in either the Commander (unlikely) or the Wrangler (most likely).

The hook up took only a few minutes.  What took the most time was the messing about to get access to all the different connections.  Still, it took me less than an hour from start to finish.  Of course, I have been in and out of the dash so many times it's getting routine.  The iPod data displays nicely on the head unit.  When I change to any other sound source (including the Phone) the iPod is paused.  No more fumbling with the pause button!

Pioneer CD-IB100II Operation Manual

 

Play and Control iPod® via Your Headunit
“iPod” is a lineup of digital audio players from Apple Computer, Inc. Despite the light weight and compact size — most iPods are pocket size — the Hard Disk Drive can hold up to 10,000 songs* downloaded from a computer. Pioneer's CD-IB100II iPod adapter permits direct control and playback of iPod through our “iPod® Adapter Ready” headunits. Compatible Pioneer headunits can be connected with an iPod via this dedicated adapter, and using the touch panel or soft keys, listeners can play iPod-recorded songs with the following convenient functions:

• Text Information Display
  Song/album titles, artist names, and track length — memorized by connected iPod — are conveniently displayed on the monitor or headunit display. This capability also permits multiple “search” functions, making it a snap to find a song to play back.
   

• Multiple “Search” Functions
  Just like looking for files stored on a PC, iPod-recorded songs may be sorted according to registered playlists, genres, artists, or albums to ensure easy access to each music file.
   

• Repeat Playback
  The Repeat Playback function offers two options — repeat playing of a particular song or playback of all tunes from a specified playlist.
   

• “Shuffle Songs” Function for Random Playback
  Everybody's favorite option for mixing things up, Shuffle Songs randomly plays the songs in the iPod music library. Every song is a pleasant surprise, and the more files that are stored in the iPod, the greater the surprise.

   *When files in 128kbps AAC format are recorded in a 40GB Hard Disk.

   Compatibility
  For use with Pioneer “iPod® Adapter Ready” Headunits and AV Receivers. Compatible models include:

• Full Touch-Panel Control models: AVIC-Z1, AVIC-N3, AVH-P7800DVD, AVH-P6800DVD, AVH-P5700DVD

• Full Rotary Commander Control models: DEH-P9800BT, DEH-P980BT, DEH-P880PRS, DEH-P7800MP, DEH-P780MP, DEH-P6800MP, DEH-P680MP

   The following models can control the CD-IB100II through "External Unit Control", with some limitations in operation and display.  Please consult the owners manual for more details.

• AVIC-D2, AVIC-N2, AVIC-D1, AVH-P7600DVD, AVH-P7500DVD, AVH-P6600DVD, DVH-P5000MP

• DEH-P5800MP, DEH-P580MP, DEH-P4800MP, DEH-P480MP, DEH-P3800MP

• DEH-P9600MP, DEH-P8600MP, DEH-P80MP, DEH-P7700MP, DEH-P6700MP, DEH-P4700MP, DEH-P3700MP, FH-P5000MP, FH-P4200MP, DEH-P77DH, DEH-P47DH

• DEX-P9, DEH-P960MP, DEH-P860MP, DEH-P8MP, DEH-P770MP, DEH-P670MP, and DEH-P470MP

• “External Unit” Compatibility with many additional Pioneer Headunit and AV Receiver models.

   Compatible with iPod models featuring Dock Connector

 

The beauty of the IP-BUS connectors on the Pioneer is that you can daisy chain from one external devices to the next using the single IP-BUS input on the back of the head unit.  Each component requires its own power and ground but with the auxiliary fuse panel I installed, that was also very easy - just plug the yellow into the always on side and add the ground wire to the ground post, run the satellite antenna and Poof!  Done.

In the process I removed the Harman/Kardon Drive + Play items.  I will install them in the Jeep since the Pioneer head unit there does not support the iPod Adapter and I had found that using the iPod with a cable and separate power cord was cumbersome.  So I can reuse the Drive + Play and have only one redundant XM Radio (that cost me $9 in an online promotion).

With the Drive + Play and XM radios removed, the wiring scheme is greatly simplified. I left the AUX mini jack available outside the dash for guests or future indeterminate devices.  It took me longer to update the wiring charts (below) than to do the actual work.  But given the slight complexity, it will be handy later when my memory fades, what's going on with all this stuff!

Updated Fuse Box Layout

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Here is a logical view of the stereo system

Pioneer / Infinity Sound System   Radio Devices   External Devices   Sat Antenna   Antenna   USB Device iPod Music Phone   Generic Device   Cable   Cable Splitter   USB Cable iPod Cable Blue Tooth   Mini Cable                                         Source XM   External 1   External 2 iPod   BT Audio Phone   Aux                               XM Satellite Radio   HD Radio   USB                                           AM   FM     CD                                                                                                                                                               Sub     Head Unit IP-BUS                                     Out               Rear   Blue Tooth In                                           Front  Auxiliary Stereo Cable                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Factory Tweeter                   Factory Power Amp           Factory Tweeter Front Factory Mid-range                               Factory Mid-range   Factory Sub-Woofer                 Left Added Speakers Right         Factory Sub-Woofer                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Rear Speaker Array                                 Speaker Array                                                                                                                                                                                   Sub         Powered Sub-Woofer

 

The wiring chart below illustrates the configuration and additional pages added to the web site explain the Pioneer DEH-980BT head unit, iPod Adapter, XM Tuner, HD Radio, USB Adapter, Infinity 3022cf rear speaker array, and Infinity Basslink installations. 

Here is the updated component layout and wiring.  The major components may be clicked to see more details about them.

Some views of the de-cluttered dash