[s-cars] drive+play iPod controller

[Varon H. Fugman]

Has anyone installed a harman/kardon drive+play iPod controller in an urS?
Mine just arrived from Crutchfield and I've been playing with it in the
living room (powered by the 12V battery from my cordless weed wacker!)  This
thing is going to be fantastic for iPod control in the car!

 

Wondering if anyone has installed one in an S4/S6 and where you mounted the
control knob and the display.  Looks like the obvious place for the control
know is between the diff-lock button and shifter. will cover up part of the
diff-lock picture, but that should be OK.  (Not sure what the spacing is
like on a '95.5 and up with the lighter socket in that location.)

 

Installation pictures typically show the display mounted on top of the
dashboard (attached with an adhesive disc), but there wouldn't be a good way
to hid the wire without (gasp) drilling a hole in the top of the dashboard.
I'm about to remove my Nokia hands free kit (long overdue for a new cell
phone), so I'm thinking of mounting the display in place of the phone
cradle, which is to the right of the three vents in the center stack.

 

BTW, there is a $50 mail-in rebate on the drive+play thru Nov. 22.  With
street prices having dropped to $150, this makes the after-rebate cost $100.
Also, if you order from Crutchfield, they will throw in the hard-wired RF
modulator module for free, a $30 value.  Note that you will probably need a
pair of antenna adaptors to go between the VW/Audi antenna connector and a
standard Motorola plug and back.  These were $15 for both from Crutchfield.

 

Also, for those that are extremely style-conscious about their automotive
interiors, there is a company on the web that will modify a drive+play to
change the backlight to a color of your choice instead of the standard blue.
I think they charge $80 for this service, although I'm pretty sure this
modification would void the harman/kardon warranty.  Red backlighting to
complement the dashboard lighting would be pretty slick, though!

 

Varon

'95 S6 with iPod integration just around the corner

 

P.S. There was some discussion a few weeks ago about a good place to mount a
satellite radio display.  I don't think anybody mentioned to the right of
the center stack vents.  You should be able to use a bracket designed for
cell phone mounts for a clean install without drilling any holes.  Bracket
is made specifically for Audi models including 100/A6.  The center stack
vents to have to be removed to install the bracket.