I am looking to put pressure on SCION/APPLE/PIONEER to fix the problem where when you start scrolling through which song/album you want to select, and then you take a couple of moments to actually drive, the thing resets to the beginning and you have to start all over. This actually forces you to try to keep controlling it if you started to select something new at a stoplight because you don't want to start from the beginning. This is a usability and safety concern and I could see them getting sued for this if someone wrecked.
Max

 

Nah.... there are disclaimers in the manual and stereo manual saying to use caution while using the stereo and watch out for distractions...

they'll never lose a suit about that.... BUT.... its an OEM stereo... so has OEM features.... if you want the great iPod interfaces, trying the aftermarket deck like the iva-w200 from alpine, which dominates when it comes to iPod integration...

Pioneer integration sucks on their own decks, and it can only be worst on the OEM options...

 

iono about that one... the 9800bt and the 8600mp have a purty good interface. i was playing with them for a while, and i really liked it. but thats just my .02 :D

 

My Pioneer deck sucked for integration... I was so glad to get rid of it... I had to sort through artists one click by one click...

with my IVA-W200, my interface looks super similiar to the iPods and I can got A-Z faster than my iPod can with the wheel!

I LOVE IT.... and I mean LOVE IT!

 

haha. thats the way it is with my deck right now (pioneer 8600mp). im just waiting till they integrate a full ipod video function into it. and somehow redesign the stuff so it can fit my custom (ghetto) mounts .. lol... but yeah the upper, newer decks are alot easier to nav through. which deck did you have?

 

I believe it was the 5800mp... decent low end deck, but man... I had to make playlists to do anything....

 

tell me about it.. thats what i have to do now... but i guess it isnt too bad since i dont listen to alot of music.. but it is a pain when i wanna listen to anything that starts with the middle of the alphabet. just kinda sit there.. pushing the **** down... and by the time i get to my destination. . "hey now i find the song" lol.

i looked up the iva-w200.. man the features on that look really good. but till i can cough up the cash imma just have to use my "custom" methods.. haha.

back to topic.. (whups. haah) any thing can be considered dangerous when your driving... the interface isnt even that bad (ive messed with my friends). granted its far from the best when compared to the aftermarket units they do say its one of the best OEM H/U.. which should say alot about other OEM ipod integrations. lol. i still think the best interface for the ipod period would be an aux input, the line out converter for the ipod and using the actual ipod. lol :D

 

it would be cool if there was a Queue function and a spinning **** for scrolling. oh well, that's why I just make playlists...

 

You shouldn't be messin' around with the radio while driving anyways! Choose a playlist and use your steering wheel controls to skip songs. That way you won't cause an accident because you were scrolling through your library looking for song that stars with a "Y."

If it's THAT important to you, pull over and select your song.

 

I think you guys are missing the point here. I do not wish to mess around with the radio while driving. If you are like any normal person, you would want change something while you have stopped driving i.e. stoplight... or even say you are a passenger and you actually can't make up your mind about what you want to select. Whether the driver is largely at fault is not the question, but this encourages you to drive unsafe and it makes no sense to not mimic the interface of the actual ipod. Also, scion brands itself as being this cool, customizable car. Give me the frigging firmware and let me do it myself. Maybe I'm the only computer science (human-computer interaction focus) graduate here, but they put absoletely no thought into this. If they don't want you messing with it while you are driving, then lock the navigation mechanism (not forward back), but don't make me start over.
Max

 

Not everybody who drives a scion is going to be the type of person who is going to make a playlist of all the cool new (crappy) singles out. I just want to get to an album without having to spend time to make playlists (yes the alphabet index does help, but isn't sufficient).
Max

 

SOrry to lump "you guys" together. NOt everyone's comments were asinine.

 

Even if the interface were the same, I still think it's unsafe to be fiddling around the iPod menus. American drivers have too many distractions as it is! I can only shift, talk on the cell phone, eat my cheeseburger, and read the newspaper at the same time (not really). I can't have an iPod competing for my attention too!

Well, if you can pull it off, power to ya! Of course, an easier (albiet more expensive) solution would be to get an aftermarket deck with iPod capabilities. I've seen some pretty cool touch screen LCD displays that might make things a little easier.

But my point still stands: your focus should be the road, not your gadgets.

 

My point is, I would focus on the road if the friggin thing wouldn't reset. Stop at a stop light, get to radiohead, stop at the next, get to Wolfmother and play! What's so hard!? :-)

 

Im probably gonna end up not using the ipod integration and use a 1/8 wire and my pod to navigate...I hate how i cant easily scroll through the song list to get to what i want.

 

Thermalzeal, I believe I'm going to do the same. I'm just ____ed off I paid the extra money for this junk. I assume the port that goes to the stereo is incompatible with other stereos? Unfortunately none of the cars at the dealer had the integration for me to try. I'm going to talk to the dealership as well and the consumer relations specialist.

 

While using the AUX input is an option, remember that most of the time, people hear engine noise through the speakers if they are also charging their iPod via the 12V outlet. I haven't been able to test this out because....well, I use my dock connection to the head unit.

 

your right titolito. i had the belkin charger/line out converter for my ipod before i have my current set up. and the sucker does make engine noise. i havent heard of one that doesnt. and to thermalzeal and mmoldenh.. good luck and drive safe. i did the same when i first got my tc.. OMG distractions hahaha.. but the interface was good though :p.