New iPhone 4 inserts are available - our shipments should be in Monday, so let us know if you need one…individual inserts are $4/ea to make your spec.dock work perfectly with your new iPhone. They are also available at your local Apple store or online in a 3-pack:Apple Store Linkor2point5 LinkWe’re also getting two iPhone 4 units in our hands Thursday to test them with the spec.dock and all the interface options we offer to make sure there are no hiccups! Stay tuned for any issues we uncover, but we’re expecting this to be an easy upgrade…Update 06/24/10We got our hands on an iPhone 4 to run some tests with this morning, and can confirm that DICE, Dension and USASpec …

I finally got a chance to test out the information I received as far as the ability of the Dension Gateway 300 and 500 products to charge the iPhone 3G by using the already-existing dock connector cable that has a blue end, and I can happily confirm that this is indeed the case. Over time, Dension has supplied three connector colors - grey, green and blue. I tested all three, and only the blue cable will charge the iPhone 3G properly on the Gateway 300 and 500. I also was able to test this functionality through the Dension BT1000 Bluetooth unit, and can confirm that this works properly as well.You still get the “This accessory not made to work with …

A few months ago, I built an Apple TV remote into an NES controller for a friend of mine in appreciation for some graphic design work he did for the company, and I was very pleased with the results, so I decided that a perfect Christmas gift for another friend would be an Apple TV remote in a different piece of old tech. My original thought was to get an Atari 2600 controller and add a button to the top of the joystick to give full access to the Apple Remote’s features, but I wasn’t able to find one in time, so I decided that an Atari 2600 cartridge might actually be a more interesting choice, since there is plenty …

Just a quick note to amend the post below - we’ve confirmed that DICE has been supplying us with USB-charging enabled interface cables for a month or so now (they have a blue connector on the interface side), but we were awaiting the arrival of the updated interface boxes that must be paired with these cables to allow charging of the iPhone 3G, iPod Touch 2nd gen and iPod Nano 4th gen. We now have these interface boxes available, so all new orders that come packaged with a DICE interface will be USB-ready. For existing customers, we will be offering the same upgrade program mentioned below, and DICE is going to be accepting older interface boxes directly for an upgrade …

Today, we received a shipment of the new USB charging cable from USASpec which finally addresses the issue a lot of our customers were having where their iPhone 3G, 4th generation iPod Nano or 2nd generation iPod Touch would work perfectly with their installed USASpec/2point5 integration package except for one major feature - charging. Since July 11th when we discovered this problem, we’ve been in touch with USASpec as they went through the development and manufacturing process of these replacement cables, and I’m pleased to say that they are here and that they work as described! From here on out, any of our spec.dock packages that are bundled with a USASpec interface (most BMWs and most Audis along with all …

Just a quick note to announce the addition of yet another new spec.dock model to the lineup…We now have a model for the B5 chassis Volkswagen Passat (1998-2004) that fits in the ashtray and still allows the ashtray lid to close completely. Click here to enter your vehicle information and see which package is right for you! Thanks as always for everyone’s support of our growing company, and we hope to put something together for your car soon!

One of our customers was kind enough to do some research on his own and drop me a line today regarding the charging issues for the iPhone 3G which have been discussed in detail here over the past couple of months. I mentioned in an earlier post that Dension has two models that (with the right cable) will work just fine. Here’s a copy of the information that showed up in my inbox this morning:Dear Customer,

Do you already have a GW100 or you are planning to buy one.
If don’t have a Dension device I recommend you to buy a new GW100 (slightly redesigned hardware). The item number starts with GW16xxx and not GW15xxx.
The GW16xxx has been tested and works properly …

I’m not sure if this obscure bit of information flew right past anyone, but it looks like the iPod Touch 2G and iPod Nano 4G have continued Apple’s trend toward dropping FireWire charging altogether, according to their spec sheets:It doesn’t really come as a surprise at all, and as I’ve mentioned a lot recently, the industry is quickly catching up, so we’ll be ready soon with updated spec.docks that will enable everything from the iPhone 3G forward to play and charge flawlessly. More to come…

For those of you wondering and waiting for the new iPhone 3G charging cables to be released by the various interface manufacturers out there, the current word is:1) USASpec should have their cable “available in September,” according to their website.2) DICE should have their cable ready around the second week in September according to their support department.3) Supposedly, Dension Gateway 500 and 300 units using the blue (not the green) connecting cable can already charge the iPhone 3G. I should be getting my hands into a car to test this Thursday or Friday, so any information I gather will be posted here.4) Dension is updating the Gateway 100 firmware to support use of the blue connecting cable to enable iPhone …

I’m not sure how I ran across this mod - probably on one of my daily visit(s) to Gizmodo if memory serves - but I thought the concept was pretty interesting, having been introduced like many of us to home gaming consoles via the original NES. I really liked the thought of repurposing such an iconic piece of consumer electronics gear into something that could still be used daily, and I’ve got a good friend who filled the requirements for owning such a gadget, which are owning an Apple TV, and having a strange loyalty to Nintendo’s games and consoles - I’m pretty sure he’s owned them all through the years! So, I thought I’d try my hand at the …

Just a brief note amending the post below: As we suspected, many of the major aftermarket iPod/iPhone interface manufacturers - DICE Electronics, USASpec, Peripheral and PIE - are already developing replacement docking cables for their interfaces that will hand charging duties over to USB at 5volts to support the iPhone 3G’s new requirements. According to the limited information we have so far, the new cables will not require replacing the actual interface modules or the wiring connections to the vehicle, but will simply replace the connection between the iPod/iPhone and the module, making this an easy upgrade. They expect to have these new cables available anywhere from 6 weeks to three months…more information to come as we receive it!As we …

I came to work this morning with my new iPhone 3G and began testing all the interfaces and cables we currently package with our spec.dock product, and quickly realized that Apple has removed the ability to charge the new device via FireWire. For a while now, Apple has been transitioning away from FireWire syncing for iPods and iPhones, but the physical ability to charge at 12volts via the FireWire charging pins was still there…until now.This is a problem, as nearly all the vehicle interfaces - OEM and aftermarket - use 12volt charging since the vehicle’s electrical system is already running between 11.5 and 14.5 volts, eliminating the need for extra electronics to step that voltage down to the 5volts that …

Click on over to Gizmodo for up to the minute coverage of Steve Jobs’ Keynote speech today, where details about the seemingly inevitable iPhone update and a few other products/changes will be announced. It’s likely to be really exciting news, so make sure you don’t miss it!

Looks like Gizmodo has spilled the beans, and that we should all start preparing our wallets for the apparently imminent release of the 3G iPhone in a few weeks! As usual, the rumors are swirling in anticipation of Steve Jobs’ keynote at the WWDC that we’ll quite possibly finally have (at the very least) 3G and GPS on this second iteration of the iPhone, which would be the answer to the only real issues I have with what is now my second iPhone (I needed more capacity - what can I say)…I can’t seem to keep myself from trying to stay on top of every little tidbit Gizmodo posts about this rumored update, so this news definitely gets me a …

A new book from noted Mac publisher O’Reilly hit shelves a few weeks ago titled “Big Book of Apple Hacks,” and the Volkswagen GTI MacMini made it into these pages as the example of how to truly integrate Apple’s diminutive computer into a vehicle environment! I haven’t personally seen the completed section as of yet, but I contributed a lot of information and photos, so I’m sure it’s pretty informative. More details on this installation can be seen under the tech category here, but I’m sure the book is awesome as well, so stop into your local bookstore and give it a once-over…

We have a product over here at 2point5 that really doesn’t get near the attention that it should, as we haven’t really necessarily explained what it is and what it does…I thought now was as good a time as any to explain the versatility of the flush.dock in vehicles that we may not necessarily have a specific spec.dock model for.The flush.dock is essentially a drop-in iPod/iPhone dock for any vehicle application where there is sufficient space for its diminutive size to fit in. The length and width when viewed from above are roughly 3″ by 1.25″, and the required mounting depth is about one inch. The flush.dock can come equipped with simple audio/video output and charging leads, or can come …

We’ve finally finished all of our testing with iPhone, iPod Touch, iPod Nano, iPod Classic and iPod Shuffle, and can confirm resolutely that the spec.dock is compatible with Apple’s entire current iPod lineup as well as any iPod 3g or newer including iPod Mini. The only exception is that the 1st generation iPod shuffle is not compatible, and the current iPod Shuffle is only compatible via the use of Griffin’s Dock Adapter made specifically for the shuffle, which only works with our auxiliary packages (any package whose model number ends in “AVPKG.” Just wanted to let everyone know…If you’re interested in learning more, please

Just a quick update - we’re getting reports that some interface products (by interface products I mean Dension, DICE, Neo, USASpec, Alpine, Kenwood, Pioneer, etc.) work with iPhone perfectly, some charge but don’t output audio, some output audio but don’t charge, some don’t work at all…Looks like it’s time for a little hands-on testing to answer these questions once and for all! We have access to just about every iPod vehicle interface product out there, so please keep checking in for definitive answers as to what vehicle interface products absolutely work with iPhone as intended and which do not. Rest assured we’ll be on it…Happy fourth to everybody! We’ll be back at it on Thursday.

Over here at 2point5, we are still gathering information about exactly what the iPhone’s compatibility is with our entire line of spec.dock products, but the initial reports are looking pretty good for all of you out there who have gotten your hands on one of our innovative automotive iPod [iPhone?] docking solutions or are thinking about jumping on the bandwagon. Here’s the tentative scoop thus far:You hop in your car with your iPhone and drop it in the dock (we have iPhone inserts available that snap into the spec.dock to cradle the phone very nicely)…and it begins to charge while linking up with the integrated audio/control interface connected to your car. You’ll be prompted with this message:Decline the invitation to …

I’m sure everybody is tired of seeing the 300m as the last post for months, but I can explain…One of the members of the team at HiFi Buys here in Atlanta (Randy Lively) and myself (Matt Turner) have set off on our own and formed a new company dedicated to providing integrated solutions for electronic enhancements that improve the total in-car experience. Our company is 2point5 (named for the width of the typical iPod dock opening), and our primary focus right now is on the development, production, marketing and sales of our premier product - spec.dock - which is essentially a drop-in vehicle-specific iPod dock for most of today’s popular vehicles. As of right now, we cover many BMW, Porsche, …

Tonight before we left after another long day, we mocked up the entire install in the 300m project car to see how far we have gotten and to make some final decisions on seams, finishes and design for the interior. The only parts left to fabricate are the left and right door panels, although there is (a lot) of finish sanding and test fitting - not to mention wiring - to accomplish before we can start sending parts and the car out for paint and powdercoating as well as beginning to upholster other pieces of trim. We’re really pleased with the outcome thus far, so enjoy the photos and please keep checking for (near) future updates. Make sure to click …

We’ve been on the audio/video portion of the project for exactly two weeks now and are very pleased with the progress on the 300m we are building for CES. Almost every portion of the fabricated interior panels have been framed, fiberglassed and roughed in with body filler. The overhead door rotation mechanism was installed Tuesday and is working perfectly, and we are looking forward to testing the xb-5 logic circuit that was built specifically to run the doors on Monday. We’re right in the middle of the project, so look forward to big changes in the following weeks. I’ll update every chance I get (weekly is likely) so that the process and the time involved is clear. Have fun checking …

I mentioned this project briefly (and vaguely) in a few previous posts, and am now ready to let everyone see a few choice shots of our biggest undertaking to date. This 300m is undergoing radical modifications to take it from dad’s sports sedan to a one of a kind show vehicle that is slated to make its debut at the 2006 International CES in Las Vegas this January. We have already stripped the 300m of all its original interior panels and accessories (few will make their way back to the car) and have trailered the vehicle to ASK Research and Development (an Atlanta-based machine shop and engineering facility) for extensive door modifications. Before we can start any of the interior …

I recently took a little iPod-related trip to the west coast and brought back some pretty cool images. The installation was in a 2006 Infiniti M45 and allowed the iPod photo to display slideshow images on the factory navigation screen through a little electronic trickery. Make sure to click the post title for more images and email info@tunertricks.com with any questions.

I’ve really been anticipating this moment, and it’s finally here (although the website says that retail copies of this issue are not yet available). Make:, a relatively new publication from O’Reilly, has a feature article on the GTi Mac Mini installation in my own vehicle that I posted on multiple times in March and April. Thanks to P. Torrone for picking up the story and for keeping in touch with me as it progressed. I really appreciate the exposure! I can’t wait to get my hands on a hard copy of this issue. If you haven’t seen this magazine yet, you should really check it out regardless, as it’s actually a quarterly publication that is more like a softcover book …

This vehicle was actually done a few weeks ago, but we’ve been so busy attending to all the projects on hand that I’m just now getting to putting it up, but it’s definitely worth taking a look at. The car is a 2006 Infiniti M45 that we added an Escort Passport SR7/ZR3 integrated radar detection and laser detection/shifting system to. This is the same customer who owns the Aston Martin DB9 featured in May, and he came back to us to make sure that the display and controls for this system would blend into the interior and not be obtrusive in any way. Typically, we would locate the display in the rearview mirror on such a vehicle, but the design …

It’s almost as if the guy that posts on this site just lost interest or something, eh? Actually, we’ve been extremely busy here building drop-in iPod docks, handling the daily flow of cars in and out of the bay and putting the finishing touches on a pretty cool project - an S-Class Mercedes with an entirely hand-fabricated custom trunk housing a ridiculous audio system and a custom interior including reupholstered seats, painted dash trim, a modified rear deck and an Eclipse double-DIN head unit in the factory radios’ former dash location.
When this vehicle came to us, there was already a system installed in the trunk with a one-piece painted fiberglass tub trimming it all out and the head unit was …

As I’ve mentioned before in other tech posts, I really disliked from the outset that I had to use a power inverter to run the MacMini installed in my 2001 GTi. My thinking is that it was a rather convoluted solution to take an electrical system’s output that is 12 to 14v DC, convert it to 110v AC and then step it back down to 18v DC through the MacMini’s power supply brick to make the computer function in an automotive environment. I got numerous emails and comments (ahhh, slashdot) about this aspect of the install as well, seconding my thoughts on how cool it would be if somebody out there made an 18v power supply designed for the MacMini …

Well, most of the major hurdles facing this project from the outset and the ways that I overcame them have been detailed in the tech posts I have written thus far and have published over the last couple of weeks. Although there were really a seemingly endless number of hours spent modifying, fabricating and wiring to finish this project (or at least finish it to the point you’ve seen here), I’ve tried to just cover the most challenging ones - rather than go into minute detail on every single aspect of the integration. By the way, I’ve really been enjoying answering the questions (and listening to the advice of) the many people emailing me directly about the more intricate details …

Sorry these updates are slow in coming - I’ve had a ton of emails to answer (thanks to everyone for their questions and information) and a lot of site issues to deal with. I’ve got a few more detailed photos of different portions of the install up my sleeve, so keep an eye out for more posts! This post will go into a little detail on the fabrication of the aluminum bezel that surrounds the Xenarc 700tsv monitor and OEM climate controls. I’ve had more than a few questions about this, so hopefully this will get some of you going on your own projects.
As mentioned in the previous tech post, I originally wanted the MacMini to live in the dash …

Sorry about the delay in posting, folks. I got slashdotted and my entire site went down Saturday night through Sunday morning. We’ve just now gotten access back to the post entry page, so I figured I’d go into a little detail about why the MacMini is in the glovebox (because that wasn’t the original plan) and how I got it in there.

I’m not sure why it seems like such an appealing idea to me, but I have always wanted the dash in my car to have just two a/v devices in it: No radio, no dancing equalizer lights - just a simple interface consisting of a touchscreen and a slot to load CDs and DVDs into. I had a setup …

As part one of the tech info posts on the GTi MacMini install, I wanted to put up a few pictures and a description of the process of moving the power button and power indicator. This is going to be pretty wordy, so click at your own risk…

The first issue I saw with the MacMini in a car environment was the fact that Apple located the power button for the computer on the back of the chassis. This makes total sense for them to do, since Macs are usually put to sleep instead of being shut down after each use. However, in a car, you really can’t let the computer sleep constantly without supplementing the vehicle’s electrical system in some …

Well, it kept me from posting regularly, took about two weeks to plan and occupied nearly every night for about three weeks, but the big project I’ve been promising to post on is done…finally. I actually finished it last week, but wanted to make sure I had covered all the bases and that everything was working properly before putting the car back together and photographing it (thanks to Ryan for the quick shoot).

When the dimensions for the MacMini were announced, I immediately got to work figuring out what the best way to integrate one into my own car would be. If I was going to put a Mac in my car, I wanted to make sure it had all of …

Just installed one of these units on Tuesday, and the best thing about it is that, um, it works! The tuner itself is pretty small (about the size of an Alpine KCA-420i iPod interface) and includes an Ai-Net pass-through for connecting an iPod or a changer easily. The iPod adapter worked flawlessly, as did the Sirius, with the only aberration being that I had to make sure the Alpine head unit’s tuner was set to Area 1 (this can be found in the setup menu) to make it recognize the Sirius tuner. The only other issue I had with the SIR-ALP1 at all is that it is not powered by the Ai-Net buss, requiring a hard connection to memory power …

While the iPod docks seem to get the most attention around here, and I’m really enjoying making them fit in everything from old Mercedes to new Porsche Turbos, there’s another neat little integration idea that I had a couple of years back and do a lot of as well. Some of you may have seen these before, but here it is for newer visitors that may not have…the Escort Passport SR-7 display in the rearview mirror.
I did one of these in my own car about three years ago and had no idea how much my customers would like the idea. I have since done about forty of these in various BMWs, Mercedes, Aston Martins, Ferraris, Porsches, Range Rovers, Audis, VWs, …