iPhone to head unit connection

[Toptrump]

For the last few years I have used my trusty Alpine 9850Ri in my cars.  The reason for this product is its ability to provide full speed and charge functions to my iPods.

I owned and used an original iPhone 2G model without problems for the last 12 months and before that several ipods.  But since the lovely and shiny new iPhone 3GS was released and I upgraded I am as they say...."without music"! 

Upon plugging my new shiny toy into my head unit I was left with dead phone, that would not even switch on and took me over 45 minutes to get into DFU mode to perform a system restore.  Now I have been searching around the web for quite some time now looking for an answer which does not seem to exist.  i.e.  How the heck do I get this damn thing to play through my car head unit?

I have tried an iTrip, but frankly their quality is no where near as good as a direct connection.  And I don't like the fact I have to keep changing stations when I travel up and down the country and on top of that all the new ones require plugging into the 12v socket.  Which leaves me without power for my TomTom.  I aren't saying that I am ruling it out but it has to be a last resort.

New Alpine units are coming out saying they still have full speed and control over iPods.  Are they using new cables with the new pin outs on them?  i have tried their webpage and it is not that good and they do not have any way of contacting their support people to ask the question, since the cable from head unit to iPod is only a cable plugged in the back and surely can be replaced with a new one that works.

I also have the armrest in my car which houses the 6 disc changer which of course does not work since I have replaced the head unit.  Is there a way I can do something here and go back to the original head unit and use a iPod connection here.  I notice there was a thread regarding replacing unit but it is actually going to work with the new phone?

I really am stuck on a way forward, does anybody have any ideas or stuck in a similar situation?  Since you are generally all techno nuts as well.

[DanoGTI]

I'm in the same boat tbh.

Cr@ppy RCD300, and an iphone & ipod touch

At the moment I'm using a Belkin FM jobby. Not ideal.

The big problem is the H/U. It is rubbish.

Easy way is to buy a replacement, but expensive.
I'm also looking at a Bluetooth Parrot 9200 so the music can come from the iphone.... not ideal for the Touch, but a cheaper option.

Not much else available tbh

dan

[winrya]

Don't have the answer you are looking for but the 3g and 3gs have different batteries to the older 2g versions and as such that's why the majority of ipod/itouch designed accessories don't work with them.  They are programmed to reject accessories as not to risk destroying them by overcharging them

[Webby]

I too have an iphone 3G, and today I had an Alpine W203Ri fitted in my GTi. Works perfectly via the supplied cable, which is "Full Speed".
This should solve you problem, and you can pick them up for just under £200 - Bargain!