Where to buy Ice Link for iPod

[benathon]

So what are the advantages/disadvantages of the Ice Link compared to the one offered by BMW? price/warranty/installation?

[UCrewX5]

Originally Posted by benathon

So what are the advantages/disadvantages of the Ice Link compared to the one offered by BMW? price/warranty/installation?

Well, for starters it is available for all X5's regardless of whether you have Nav or DSP, whereas the BMW kit is only for 2003 and newer without DSP and without Nav.

As for features, the one thing I really like is that it displays song/artist tags on the Screen/MID, which the BMW system cannot do at this time.

[JCL]

Originally Posted by benathon

So what are the advantages/disadvantages of the Ice Link compared to the one offered by BMW? price/warranty/installation?

Lots of previous posts on this, search on IceLink.

The most significant feature of the Dension product is the ability to display artist/song info tags on either the OBC, Nav, or radio display.

A second feature is the ability to alternate between the IcLink user interface (with 5 playlists, and all steering wheel controls) or the original IPod interface (with all the original playlists, but then you are back to using the click wheel interface, and looking at the IPod display). I use the IceLink user interface, with song titles and artist displaying on the radio. I don't believe that it is safe to drive while searching for a song on an IPod, but that is just me.

A third feature is that the Dension product works with more combinations of DSP/Nav/etc than the BMW kit; that didn't matter in my installation, but it will be the most important point for many.

Can't comment on price, as I don't know what the BMW kit is going for.

As to warranty, I don't see how connecting a device to the changer plug on the back of the radio can harm the radio. Of course, you need to make sure that the quality of the install is good, as any problems would likely be install-related rather than product-related. I did it myself, if you can remove the radio to get to the wiring harness you can complete the install.

Jeff

[Zeke013]

Originally Posted by UCrewX5

I believe that when you install the Ice Link you lose the CD Changer. But that begs the question, if you have the Ice Link then why would you evern need a CD Changer?

True.

But I actually meant that "2005" wan't available as an ordering option on the website. I should have been clearer.

[LeMansX5]

Question for DensionUSA and Icelink users: I read on HackTheIBUS yahoo group somebody posting that Icelink drains the battery (82ma drawn by Icelink in idle) when left parked to the point that it can kill battery in a matter of few days. Anyone experience this?

[bimmerfan]

Originally Posted by LeMansX5

If you have a Best Buy around you they can install as well.

Hmm... I don't know if I would trust best buy to take my BMW apart... In that case I would probably just do it myself.

[JCL]

Originally Posted by LeMansX5

Question for DensionUSA and Icelink users: I read on HackTheIBUS yahoo group somebody posting that Icelink drains the battery (82ma drawn by Icelink in idle) when left parked to the point that it can kill battery in a matter of few days. Anyone experience this?

I have had no such problems. I leave the vehicle for up to 10 days regularly. I don't have DSP on my X5 with the IceLink Plus, and the DSP units have a separate module, but I couldn't see it using enough power to matter.

Jeff

[UCrewX5]

Originally Posted by Zeke013

True.

But I actually meant that "2005" wan't available as an ordering option on the website. I should have been clearer.

Probably just an oversight. 2005 should be the same as 2004.