Zune integration

jumbosrule

jumbosrule

Fully FX Invested
Premium
Location
Redondo Beach, CA
Car
2003 FX35T
Name
Brad
I know I'm in the minority and don't have Apple anything but I loooove my Microsoft Zune. It has been with me for just over 43,000 song plays, contains every song from every CD I ever bought (I ripped them all myself) and every photo I have ever snapped. I have a dock on my desk at work and another on my desk at home. I have used the cassette player adapter to listen to the Zune in the car but the sound and control are not the best. I'm thinking it's time to integrate the Zune with the recent addition of the Pioneer AVIC-F500BT.

Went to soundgate's website and found the zune adapter:

http://soundgate.com/index.php?request=product.details&categoryid=309&productid=629&usereferrer=1&

Anybody out there try this? Might have to go to the Zune forums, lol. Just trying to see if anybody in the FX world has Zune integration experience!
 
I have a SoundGate, but not exactly as your setup. Just thought I chime in on my SoundGate usage.

I have a first generation Zune integrated into the fammobil (Toyo Sienna) using SoundGate AUX3 to a PIE TOY03-AUX to OEM head. The reason for the SoudGate is for additional Aux inputs because the PIE only have one input. So with the SoundGate, I have a DVD player hook into it via RCA, Zune via BELKIN F8M026 adapter with 3.5mm to RCA adapter, and a spare RCA input for HD camcorder if the kids want to watch recordings. I need to throw in a couple of inline noise surpressors to reduce the ground loop noise. Sounds quality... I said good (not the greatest), a little low in volume. Definitely way better than cassette adpater or FM modulation. I'm sure if a SoundGate go directly into the head unit, should be much better. With this setup, all Zune control is via the Zune. I wonder if the SoundGate for FX allows Zune control via the head unit. Ooh your headunit is the Pioneer.. hum, I highly doubt it would. I believe your Pioneer feed thru the OEM SAT correct? if that's the case. I really doubt the Zune can be controlled via OEM head.

I'm sure there other adapters out these days provide multi aux inputs now, but I just don't want to spend anymore on the fammobil. All my funding goes to the FX now lol.
 
la_fx35 said:
I have a first generation Zune integrated into the fammobil (Toyo Sienna) using SoundGate AUX3 to a PIE TOY03-AUX to OEM head. The reason for the SoudGate is for additional Aux inputs because the PIE only have one input. So with the SoundGate, I have a DVD player hook into it via RCA, Zune via BELKIN F8M026 adapter with 3.5mm to RCA adapter, and a spare RCA input for HD camcorder if the kids want to watch recordings. I need to throw in a couple of inline noise surpressors to reduce the ground loop noise. Sounds quality... I said good (not the greatest), a little low in volume. Definitely way better than cassette adpater or FM modulation. I'm sure if a SoundGate go directly into the head unit, should be much better. With this setup, all Zune control is via the Zune. I wonder if the SoundGate for FX allows Zune control via the head unit. Ooh your headunit is the Pioneer.. hum, I highly doubt it would. I believe your Pioneer feed thru the OEM SAT correct? if that's the case. I really doubt the Zune can be controlled via OEM head.
Click to expand...

Great info - thanks! I think I agree with you after reading up on my Pioneer more. It interfaces with an iPod and allows control, but not a Zune. Think I am just out of luck for control with the stuff I have right now. On the up side, I can wire the connection to a convenient location to make seeing and controlling the Zune a little easier. With the soundgate, at least there won't be wires everywhere - just a single connection to the Zune.

Last night I loaded up a SD card and a memory stick to test out the aux input on the Pioneer. Works great - all song data is present on screen and I can scroll through the files/songs on screen.

After reading up more on the sound quality output of the Pioneer, it seems they make an amplifier to be used when "permanently" installing the unit. Using this extra peice of gear is what allows the Nav volume to reduce for voice over playing music - or muting music during a phone call using the unit.

http://www.pioneer.eu/eur/products/archive/ND-G500/index.html

Luckily it's only $40.
 
Wow good price on the amp. Hey, since the Pioneer capable play through SD and MS. Why not copy all mp3 from Zune into one these media. One less device to hide/put away when leaving the car. I currently using the GROM Audio adapter via OEM head thru SAT channel. GROM takes USB, Aux input & Ipod. I wonder if there any adapter to convert SD or MS to USB. Since USB is much cheaper, then you can dump all MP3 off the Zune and play them thru the USB via the SD/MS adapter. That will be cool. Good luck.
 
Yeah - I did find a good price on the amp! Only took about 20 minutes of searching discount electronics stores to find it, with free shipping! I paid $200 for the F500BT on eBay. Retail is for $700, but I see it for $499 all the time. The great deals on these two components justified the purchase of the Audiocontrol EQLs (got both of them for $280 together). That, and all this gear can stay in the system no matter what I upgrade in the future.

Good idea on just transferring music to storage! I guess SD cards and memory sticks are getting larger in storage capacity. My entire music collection is only about 65gb, compressed at 128kpbs. Of course, I would love better than 256kbps compression on MP3 files. Files would be larger but storage is so cheap these days... having my entire collection in the car at all times sounds nice. Thanks for the suggestion! I'm going to look for big capacity USB memory sticks.

Well that might have just killed the Zune integration thread...
 
Haha, the Zune integration just got killed. The Pioneer AVIC-F500BT do take USB drive. So load a decent size USB drive and hook it up the Pioneer and your ready to go. Love the Solid State External drive with USB connection if price comes down some more.
 
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