# Pictures of IceLink / iPod install??



## Interactive (Nov 12, 2004)

I'm about to pull the trigger on an IceLinkPlus for my '02 530. I'm absolutely agonizing over whether to get the cable connector or the Active Cradle. In general, I MUCH prefer to have things fixed mounted. I definitely want the iPod accessible so I can interact with the UI on there as well. At the same time, I'm not really sure that I like any of the standard install locations in the 530. Since we don't have the option of the "eurotray" (which is the BEST install option IMHO). I'm a bit concerned with leaving something out in the open when parked at unsafe locations (mall, grocery store, etc) At these times, I would most likely remove the ipod and stash it somewhere but that would still leave the active cradle in the open making it a potential target and it's a PIA to have to remove the iPod all the time. The perfect world would be to find an ideal location where the active cradle could be installed AND concealed.

I'm at a loss and I'm getting analysis paralysis.

Can you guys share some pictures of the interior of your cabin with the active cradle or cable installed with your ipod? I know I'm not the only one who's agonized over this decision....


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## Rob530iA (Dec 6, 2003)

I know what you mean. I just got my ice>Link Plus for my 2003 530i with DSP. I thought it would be nice to see the iPod and since I have the black 60GB Video iPod I wanted it displayed. But since it's black and probably can scratch easy, I ordered the Agent 18 hard case to protect my little baby. I wasn't sure if it would fit any of the cradles with the case so I ordered mine with the connector and was planning on putting it in the glove box. Now I'm not so sure how easy it will be to get in/out. If I had the Euro Dash conversion I would consider the side pocket but I don't, at least not yet.

If I use the glove box that probably means I will have to remove some things in there to make it easier to get in/out. Let me know what you come up with.

Also, if you plan on interacting with your iPod, then you won't be able to use the Steering wheel controls. I haven't installed mine yet but I was told it goes into a mode like when it's attached to a computer.


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## el_duderino (Aug 1, 2005)

I think you're wanking a bit. 

The empty cradle is not a theft target. 

OBVIOUSLY leaving the iPod in plain site in your car is a theft target, but that's hardly the Icelink's fault. 

We installed an Icelink into an 03 5-series yesterday afternoon with a cradle... I will get pics this afternoon for you.


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## Interactive (Nov 12, 2004)

Rob530iA said:


> Also, if you plan on interacting with your iPod, then you won't be able to use the Steering wheel controls. I haven't installed mine yet but I was told it goes into a mode like when it's attached to a computer.


This is news to me....I thought you could use either interface at the same time!? If this is true then I guess there's very little reason to keep it exposed if you're going to use the steering wheel controls. Although I still think I may be inclined to use the iPod interface. I'm not a huge playlist guy so I'd rather just go to artist/album ..... and I think that may be easier on the ipod itself.

Ok, so where are the photos people?? Let me see how you mounted this thing.


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## Interactive (Nov 12, 2004)

el_duderino said:


> I think you're wanking a bit.
> 
> The empty cradle is not a theft target.
> 
> ...


I pretty much agree with you. Most theives probably won't even know what it is without the iPod exposed. However, I look at the way I drive....I'm impuslive and impatient. When I'm running around town visiting customers, running errands, etc, I just think it may be a pain in the butt to keep taking the thing in and out of the cradle and hiding it somewhere in the car. Plus, I suspect that's going to cause undue wear on the connector on the iPod. But maybe I'm making a bigger deal of it than necessary. I admit it, I analyze this crap WAY more than I should. But then again, isn't that why these forums exist, so we could all obsess over making just the right decision??


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## Interactive (Nov 12, 2004)

One more thing I just thought of...the active cradle was made for older generation iPods. I believe that it's technically compatible with the 5G video, but I haven't seen the two together. Has anyone? Has Dension made an adapter or a totally different cradle?


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## tom @ eas (May 5, 2004)

Interactive said:


> I pretty much agree with you. Most theives probably won't even know what it is without the iPod exposed. However, I look at the way I drive....I'm impuslive and impatient. When I'm running around town visiting customers, running errands, etc, I just think it may be a pain in the butt to keep taking the thing in and out of the cradle and hiding it somewhere in the car. Plus, I suspect that's going to cause undue wear on the connector on the iPod. But maybe I'm making a bigger deal of it than necessary. I admit it, I analyze this crap WAY more than I should. But then again, isn't that why these forums exist, so we could all obsess over making just the right decision??


Either interface shouldn't cause damage to the connector. I prefer the docking cable so that I do not have to remove my iPod case when connecting to the ice>Link.

Since all interaction is performed via the steering wheel or radio, the iPod really doesn't need to be seen - it can be stored away safely.


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## tom @ eas (May 5, 2004)

Interactive said:


> One more thing I just thought of...the active cradle was made for older generation iPods. I believe that it's technically compatible with the 5G video, but I haven't seen the two together. Has anyone? Has Dension made an adapter or a totally different cradle?


It will fit with the Video (5G) iPod, but it's not a *perfect* fit. The 5G iPod is more chiseled in design and about 1-2mm slimmer. Dension is in the works for a new spacer/cradle for the new iPods.

I prefer the docking cable anyway for a 100% stealth install. Then it appears the BMW is doing all the work, not the ice>Link.


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## Jim Seattle (Dec 20, 2001)

Interactive said:


> Can you guys share some pictures of the interior of your cabin with the active cradle or cable installed with your ipod? I know I'm not the only one who's agonized over this decision....


Some Pictures from Kris L site:
http://www.linquist.net/gallery2/PrivateGalleries/330i/


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## greySquirrel (Nov 17, 2005)

Just finished the install of the trunk mounted kit from Best Buy. (Don't get me started on why they couldn't install it there even after I asked them too, but if you get some 50/50 line from the install guys here in Houston at the Baybrook mall location, they're out of their minds). Some poor guy with a blue Z3 got the shaft too and I think they convinced him to buy a more expensive replacement.

I didn't realize it at the time of purchase that there were two types of connectors but I like the dock that came in my kit. I've got the 30Gig Video iPod and it fits fine in the cradle. Not perfect but well enough. It's in my glove box and I'm still trying to flesh out the mounting of the cradle in my head. If you want info on how I got the wire to the glove box let me know. 

Right now the iPod is in the cradle and face down in the glovebox. Not too worried about scratches since there's a layer of felt like material on the inside of the box. I've only got a couple of CDs in there, but the manual keeps the cradle nice and snug all the way to the far left. More than likely I'll use some kind of cubicle wall clip to clamp the cradle to the left side of the glove box. There's a little divider that separates the flashlight from the rest of the box. So the final mount will have the iPod in the cradle with the screen facing the left wall of the glove box and be angled slightly up (15 to 30 degrees from horizontal) when the glove box is full open. Easier in my mind and in brief tests to remove and replace. No need to view the screen once the text selector is in place. I know this sucks with no pictures but again it's all lines and numbers in my head. When I start the process I'll take some pictures.

I love it though. Rivals the Sirius in my girlfriend's car. Seriously.


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## Interactive (Nov 12, 2004)

I'm still tinkering with the unit I picked up from BB just to test functionality. I must admit I'm struggling the most with deciding if I like interfacing with the ipod exclusively through the car's controls. And even if I do wind up using the full interface of the IceLink through the car rather than the ipod's controls, I still like seeing the ipod UI while songs are playing. I'm just so underwhelmed with the BMW alpha-numeric displays with their limited screens, when the ipod is sitting in the car with me, I feel like I'm leaving something out not having it in view.

I dunno...maybe after the new-ness of this stuff wears off, I'll care less about seeing the gadget and just get back to listening to music. But for now, I think I'm leaning towards mounting the Dension cradle in open view next to my radio controls.


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## greySquirrel (Nov 17, 2005)

Okay, so I finished this thing today. Finally. I was in the same boat as Interactive. Had this Dension kit from Best Buy, they couldn't install it, but I still wanted to check and see how it worked while I had it (just to make sure it's what I wanted).

Here was the only rule: No holes in the glovebox. I tried to make it happen with something like a cubical clip but it was so big I had to give up on it. My girlfriend told me to use Velcro like right off the bat, but with the felt like covering in my glovebox, I dismissed it off-hand. Which made it all the more difficult to admit she had a pretty good idea when it worked.

I went to Lowe's and picked up some industrial strength hook and loop fastener. First things first: remove the glove box from the housing. Should be two snap pins from the right and left side (one is a strap and the other is a dampening rod). The glove box should pull off when you remove four screws (with washers) from under the box. I then traced the face of the dock on some paper. The paper circle is bigger than a single strip of the velcro, so I had to cut the circle in half and tape it to the back of the velcro so that I could cut it. I guess if you had thinner strips then the paper template would have to cut into more pieces.

So for me it was half circles of the loop (soft side) and affixed to the left wall of the golvebox. When the halves are put together, obviously it makes a full circle, which not only gives me a little room to fudge but also allows me to clock the dock to the appropriate angle that I want. The front face of the dock only has three surfaces to attach to the glovebox, so I affixed the hook to it. I was hesistant to use the Velcro only because I felt that it wouldn't handle the force of me pushing the iPod into the dock or hold back when I pulled the iPod out. But when I thought it through, since I'm putting force in the shear vector, it works quite well.

Here are some pics to show how it looks.


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## Interactive (Nov 12, 2004)

Mr. Squirrel: Very nice install. That worked out pretty good and I suspect it's real easy to insert and remove the iPod. I was thinking of doing the same thing but was going to just install the mount with screw(s) to the glovebox. I should probably be more concerned about holes in there but I'm not really... But yours was a good solution to get away with no drilling at all (I just hope you never admitted to your girlfriend that it was a good idea of HERS).

How did you run the wires up to the glove box?

I'd also be interested in hearing from other E39 owners who've mounted this thing in the glovebox...


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## greySquirrel (Nov 17, 2005)

Just call me gS. And me admit that she was right? Never. Plus, her comment included the word "somehow". But the devil's in the details right? Just cause a guy says some should invent a machine that somehow makes artificial light doesn't make him Thomas Edison. Anyway, it's extremely easy to remove and replace the iPod. It's actually better than I expected. My girl and I hit the gym about 3 or 4 times a week and my iPod comes is a must on the treadmill so I needed something that would allow me to take it out fairly easily. On that subject, I would agree that after a while the text display on the iPod loses it's novelty. Everything you need is on the display, regardless of it's size. Plus I didn't like the dock cluttering up my cockpit. How I ran the cable? Hmm, alright here it goes. 

Anyway, the kit from Best Buy was a trunk install kit versus the dash mount. So from the driver side of my trunk I ran the ice>Link wire along that side of the trunk under the carpet to the back seat. I lifted the back seat (lift the front edge and it should snap up, then pull out - but be careful that the metal loops on the back edge don't scrape the rear armrests when you remove it from the car) and crossed the cable over to the passenger side under the seat. The tricky part was getting the wire from the trunk to under the seat all the while staying under the carpet. Luckily, my seats folded down and my brother was there to help me so that I didn't break the plastic connector that attaches to the signal converter (the flat piece in the ice>Link kit. Try to find an opening that will let you pass the plastic connector through. I found it between the folding seats, but again if you have seats that don't fold, you're on your own.

When the rear bench seat is removed you should see other wires run under the seat too so that should give you a little comfort in running it there. With the rear seat removed there should be an opening in the door foot well (plastic trim at the bottom of the door opening). For ideal placement you should remove this trim. I would recommend getting specific directions from some place like the service manual, but it snaps up at the front (the end towards the glovebox) end of the footwell trim and then the whole trim piece slides forward - away from the rear seat - to release from the clips. Oh, and again be careful sliding it forward. It was a bitch and then gave way and I scratched the other plastic trim piece that connects the footwell trim to the glovebox. I suggest that once the front of the footwell trim is popped out, that you cover the front with a towel or cloth before attempting to slide it forward just in case it gives way. 

Once removed you should see a wiring conduit already under the trim. Hijack some space and run it along there. Putting the long lower footwell piece back in was nearly impossible for me. So what we did was pull the white plastic tabs out (manual says using pliers they should snap out with some force applied), put them in place on the long trim piece and then snap the trim with tabs connected back into place. There's one more trim piece before you get to the glove box housing. I'm not sure how that connecting trim piece comes out 'cause my brother did it. But the deepest part of the footwell front trim (edge furthest away from the door opening popped right out when I pulled. I never fully removed it because there was enough room to tuck the cable underneath the trim and snap that piece back into place. 

So at this point, I've got the cable tucked and everything back into place (the rear seat goes in the reverse of how you removed it). After all this trouble, I didn't want to stop being anal now. So I removed the entire glovebox housing (with the box open, you should see six or seven screws holding the housing to the dash. Once the screws are removed and with some gently wiggling, the housing should come out. If you want to remove the housing from the car there's a couple of wiring bundles for dash lights that need to be unclipped. With the housing removed, a space within the dash should be exposed. This is where I tucked all of the excess wiring. 

Man this is long. Anyway, I went against my one rule and drilled a single hole in the housing - the housing not the box (you should remove the box to find a good place to drill - recall the four screws and two snap clips for box removal) big enough to let the dock connector (the dock comes permanently connected to a cable and terminates in an s-video type connector - this is the one I'm talking about). A good location in the housing won't be visible with the box installed again. The dock cable then comes from housing and goes up and over into the box. Do this with the box still removed so that you have the room to get the dock between the housing and the box. I left a little slack in the dock cable in case I needed to pull it out and see it. This was more pertinent before the velcro install. If you look in the pictures of the final install you can see the excess coiled and zip tied. You may just want to push it back into the opening in the dash behind the housing. 

So there it is. No pictures, which sucks, but with all these words it should be clear. . . mud. :thumbup:


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## Interactive (Nov 12, 2004)

greySquirrel said:


> So there it is. No pictures, which sucks, but with all these words it should be clear. . . mud. :thumbup:


Actually that makes a lot of sense. My biggest curiosity was whether you went up to the dash through the console or along the door sills. Looks like you chose the latter which probably makes sense. I have a 530 but I'm sure the process will be similar.

Now I need to make the final decision to stick with the active cradle or get the cable version from Tom and just leave it sitting in its case. (Which I also haven't selected yet...)

My wife tells me I spend too much time thinging about this stuff.....

...but what the hell does she know anyway?


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## jluzbet (Mar 20, 2003)

Nice work... Now looks like I will move mine from the console... Ill post some pict later on on my location...


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