My fiance got me the Harman Kardon Drive and Play for my Ipod...so I thought I would post some pics of the install. This thing powers the ipod and gives you complete control over it with similar functions to the ipod controls on the player itself.

Here is the brain all wired up:



Here is the controller:



Here is the screen:



This is a blurry shot but it shows how the screen lights up:




Here is the ipod (located in the glove box on the center console...I put back the cup holders after I took the picture, and yes I haven't taken the plastic off the ipod yet):



Here are my FI gauges just for the heck of it:



Gauges lit up (the boost gauges is dimmer for some reason, I need to fix that):




And here is one last shot:




I mounted the screen down low so people could not see it well from outside the car. Plus I have enough going on with the FI gauges, fahreheit screen in the dash and sometimes I run my ipaq/Navman for navigation as well.

Sorry for the shotty pix but the work and the photos had to be done in my condo parking garage.

JB

 

very nice!

 

Did you hard wire it into the antenna or are you using the transmitter?

 

I did not use the antenna option. I have a Pioneer DVD deck with additional RCA inputs...so I used the Red/White connections from the Drive and Play and connected those to the brain of the Pioneer deck.

Also today I moved the ipod back into the storage area behind the passenger seat so I can lock it up when I am away from the car.

JB

 

What screen is that you're using? I ask cuz I'm trying t find one that fits perfectly in the NAV area....just like yours.

 

that controller doesnt get in the way of your elbow when you're shifting?

 

The screen is a fahrenheit LCD...many posts on this if you do a search.

The control **** is getting in the way a bit when I shift...so I will be re-locating it to below the AC controls this weekend.

JB

 

Outstanding! A couple questions...

1. What about relocating the iPod control into the ashtray compartment? "IF" it could fit, you would have a nifty cover to close over it too!

2. Can you see the Harmon Kardon screen in that location without leaning over? What about your knees?

3. How are you playing a song from the iPod "and" have video to it? Maybe I'm just not up to date on the iPod, since mine is one of the original models... Is it one of the new video enabled iPods?

Very cool!

 

The ipod controller might fit in the ashtray compartment, but it would be difficult to operate as the wheel on it spins so you can scroll the ipod menu.

What I almost did is put the screen itself in the ashtray spot. It fits perfectly flush but leaves about a 1/4 inch on each side...you would need to fill that somehow or it would look bad.

I can see the screen fine from where I sit...I can see it from the side of the steering wheel and also through the open space in the steering wheel.

I do have the video ipod...but this Harman Kardon unit doesn't support video. I had previously had the Apple cable that runs video/audio out of the ipod...and I had that hooked up to my screen. It worked ok...but the sound quality was pretty bad (had to crank up the ipod sound and the volume on the stereo).

This harman kardon unit must work as an amp of some kind, because the ipod sound is much louder running through this unit rather than straight from the ipod into the RCA inputs on the deck itself.

Best thing about this Harman Kardon unit so far is that it charges the ipod...so I never have to take it out of the car unless I want to add music to it.

J

 

hey so how do you like the unit in terms of user friendliness, integration, sound, and navigation? i have the iPod connector for my Kenwood and it's god aweful...i need something easier to use...

is the navigation speedy?

 

That big A/F gauge is really really intrusive i think... just imo voicing my useless opinions

 

It is about as fast of the ipod itself. The sound is great...navigation is fine, about equal to the ipod itself.

All in all I would say it is worth the money.

JB

 

that's good to hear...i had read some reviews that the interface was a little slow or sluggish and that it had location memory problems - as in it couldn't remember the last song you left it at? all i care about, really, is the ability to list the songs of a particular folder or playist and pick the ones i want...the Kenwood does NOT do this or at least i have no idea how to...and the interface is extremely slow because it attaches to the CD Changer controls and unfortunately i dont' think the CD Changer input was designed for all the stuff an iPod can do