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  #1  
Old 06-10-2005, 12:46 PM
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Completed the installation of the Ice Link Plus

I've had the Ice Link Plus installed in my 2001 X5 (with nav and without DSP) for a few weeks now, but it wasn't a permanent install as I was still mulling where to mount the unit. Dension gives you several options that maximize the flexibility and choices.

One of the options, which is what I've been using the last few weeks, is basically what they call their docking cable. It's basically a pigtail cable with an iPod interface jack on the end and you can use the cable to put the iPod wherever you choose. This is what you would use if you decided that you wanted it mounted in the cup holder area, for example.

Another option is a docking cradle. The docking cradle could be mounted next to the radio/nav screen if you wanted visibility to the iPod itself. Personally, I like the stealth approach. Noone but you knows its there, which keeps it from being a target for thieves. So what I did was mount the cradle in the console bin that is below the armrest. I had previously replaced my bin that had the cassette holder with the empty bin, so there is more than enough space to mount the iPod there and still have plenty of storage for other things. Here's a couple pictures of the mounting approach that I used:







The Dension software configurations give you three options for displaying song tag information. One is to have no song tag information displayed at all. A second choice is to have the information displayed in the dash OBD area, which looks like this:



A third choice is to have the information displayed on the Nav screen (or on the radio MID if you don't have nav) , which looks like this.



Personally I have been running with the song tag information displayed in the dash OBD display area. If you display it on the nav screen then it more or less overrides anything else displayed in that area of the screen, which I didn't care for since I prefer to see the nav map displayed during normal driving situations. It only takes a minute to change the configuration, though, so that's convenient.

As for the install, it really is a simple DIY. All you need to do is remove the CD changer and plug the Ice Link connectors into the cables you removed from the back of the CD changer. Then just fish the cables to the front and you are all set. If you have a 2000 to 2002 with DSP then you will also need to wire in an additional component so that the audio works properly. Those with DSP on a 2003 and newer don't have to worry about this since BMW changed over from a digital DSP system to an analog DSP system starting with MY2003 (that's what 2003 and newer don't have the coax cable to the CD changer, BTW).



Finally, here's another picture of the iPod in it's final home. It's very easy to take it in and out of the cradle, and where it's mounted gives me the stealth look I was going for.



Enjoy!!

Jeff
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Old 06-10-2005, 02:01 PM
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Cool Jeff! I thought about putting my Audiovox Sirius unit in the storage bin but there'd be nowhere to show the display. I agree the OBD is the way to go with the Denison unit. On my last trip to Dallas I set the StealthOne only to display there and it worked better for me than using the Nav or both.

I will take pics of my new set up with the Starmate and the Zen PMC to post here, probably next week.
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Old 06-10-2005, 02:33 PM
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Awesome review - thanks Jeff!
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Old 06-10-2005, 03:56 PM
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Awesome Jeff!! Great idea!!

Hmmm.....Ice Link.....
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Old 06-10-2005, 06:09 PM
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Excellent review jeff!!
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Old 06-20-2005, 12:16 PM
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UCrew,

What firmware do you have, 2.B1?? I ask because my IceLink will not send to the nav and Dension is telling me to downgrade the firmware to 2.7???

I have to admit that I am not being blown away by Dension tech support so far.
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Old 06-20-2005, 12:26 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RealShakaZulu
UCrew,

What firmware do you have, 2.B1?? I ask because my IceLink will not send to the nav and Dension is telling me to downgrade the firmware to 2.7???

I have to admit that I am not being blown away by Dension tech support so far.
At this time, ID3 will not send to the nav unless you downgrade to v2.07. By downgraging, you run the risk of the ice>Link Plus "dropping off" if your X5 uses the Becker BM53 radio unit since firmware AB2 addresses this issue.

We are working on getting ID3 text back on the NAV screen, but keep in mind you can write ID3 text to the OBC screen below your gauges in the meantime.
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Old 06-20-2005, 01:39 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RealShakaZulu
UCrew,

What firmware do you have, 2.B1?? I ask because my IceLink will not send to the nav and Dension is telling me to downgrade the firmware to 2.7???

I have to admit that I am not being blown away by Dension tech support so far.
I am running firmware AB2 at the moment.

Prior to loading the AB2 firmware I was experiencing the dropping back to radio mode several times an hour. I loaded the AB2 firmware last week and it markedly improved the drops that I was having. We took a trip to Akron, Ohio for the weekend, which is about 3 hours from home. So I had about 7 hours of drive time this past weekend and during that time I only experienced a drop back to the radio twice. So it's not perfect, but it's a lot better than it was.

As Tom referenced, with the AB2 firmware you cannot display to the nav screen. However, I didn't care for that mode anyway and prefered having the ID3 tag information displayed in the OBD in the dash. So that was no big deal to me. The AB2 firmware isn't quite as stable as the original firmware that I had when it comes to ID3 tag display, though. When I first start the vehicle it displays the song tags just fine. However, if I do anything that disrupts the i-bus traffic (such as changing modes from CD to radio and back to CD, or changing to "random" mode, or changing playlists) then I lose the ID3 display until the car is turned off and then back on. I've communicated with Dension's tech support and they are working on this.
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Old 07-02-2005, 03:19 PM
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Cool

I just installed the Ice Link plus FW 2B1 in my 2005 X5 with DSP and Nave. Can someone tell me how to enable OBD text? The executable on Dension’s website says it's only good with FW 2.07 or earlier.

Plus I'm encountering the drop off to radio issue. Is there a fix?

I think the Ice Link is a good idea, but it appears that Dension needs to get their act together. When I placed my order via their website I was billed for $70 for the Radio Shack DSP converter even though the 2005 radio with DSP no longer requires this hardware.
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Old 07-02-2005, 04:36 PM
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Very nice, Jeff! I agree with your choice for a stealth mount. I wish I had an iPod, I got a freebie Creative Zen from work so I use that as my mp3 player, and they have no decent in-car options that I'm aware of.

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