iTronic with Iphone: First Impressions
#1
03-01-2012 | 12:10 PM
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iTronic with Iphone: First Impressions
I installed the iTronic Bluetooth/Ipod unit in my 2008 C2 coupe last weekend. I've now had a few days to play with the system using my iPhone 4.
What Works: charging. The iphone charges through the ipod connector with no error messages on the phone.
What doesn't work: voice dialing. I can't figure out a way to start voice dialing from the PCM. You can activate voice dialing from the phone, but the iTronic microphone doesn't work while in voice dialing mode.
The bluetooth connection to the phone works well and recognizes the phone in a few seconds. When on a call, you can hear the person you are speaking to clearly through the car speakers. The microphone seems to work well. No one has complained that they can't hear me (except when the radar detector is going off). You can initiate and end calls from the PCM or from the phone directly.
You have two options to play music from the iphone. You can play through the ipod connector, or you can stream using the bluetooth function. I haven't used the streaming function very much, but the sound quality doesn't seem to be much different than the direct connection and I have not had problems with the music dropping out when using the streaming function.
If you choose to stream music, the music menus (e.g. artist, playlist, album, etc.) are controlled from your phone. If you use the ipod connector, you can navigate the music menus from the PCM or you can unlock the phone menus and control the music from your phone. I have found that navigating the music menus through the PCM is a bit awkward. It uses the multiple CD menu with each CD being a separate music menu option (CD 6 is the system menu). I have found that it's easier to navigate using my iphone directly. By using the phone menus, I can also play pandora radio and other radio applications through the system.
My biggest complaint so far is that the system defaults to PCM control of the menus each time I hook my phone up. It's a bit of a pain having to go into the PCM menu every time to set the system up to allow me to navigate from the phone.
In any event, I was previously was using the Porsche installed FM modulator, so even with its quirks this system is a vast improvement.
What Works: charging. The iphone charges through the ipod connector with no error messages on the phone.
What doesn't work: voice dialing. I can't figure out a way to start voice dialing from the PCM. You can activate voice dialing from the phone, but the iTronic microphone doesn't work while in voice dialing mode.
The bluetooth connection to the phone works well and recognizes the phone in a few seconds. When on a call, you can hear the person you are speaking to clearly through the car speakers. The microphone seems to work well. No one has complained that they can't hear me (except when the radar detector is going off). You can initiate and end calls from the PCM or from the phone directly.
You have two options to play music from the iphone. You can play through the ipod connector, or you can stream using the bluetooth function. I haven't used the streaming function very much, but the sound quality doesn't seem to be much different than the direct connection and I have not had problems with the music dropping out when using the streaming function.
If you choose to stream music, the music menus (e.g. artist, playlist, album, etc.) are controlled from your phone. If you use the ipod connector, you can navigate the music menus from the PCM or you can unlock the phone menus and control the music from your phone. I have found that navigating the music menus through the PCM is a bit awkward. It uses the multiple CD menu with each CD being a separate music menu option (CD 6 is the system menu). I have found that it's easier to navigate using my iphone directly. By using the phone menus, I can also play pandora radio and other radio applications through the system.
My biggest complaint so far is that the system defaults to PCM control of the menus each time I hook my phone up. It's a bit of a pain having to go into the PCM menu every time to set the system up to allow me to navigate from the phone.
In any event, I was previously was using the Porsche installed FM modulator, so even with its quirks this system is a vast improvement.
#3
03-09-2012 | 09:43 PM
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Excellent review. Big jump from FM modulating.
I think there are a few units out there that can control Pandora and BT streaming music via the head unit. Perhaps there is a firmware update?
I think there are a few units out there that can control Pandora and BT streaming music via the head unit. Perhaps there is a firmware update?
Last edited by bbywu; 03-09-2012 at 10:01 PM.
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