use modifry's dash mount and attach a bracketron to it. perfect.

http://www.amazon.com/Bracketron-PHV...6843693&sr=8-1

 

Going to purchAse this today. Still debating on the 80 or 40 dollar one. That little doc feature looks really convenient

 

I've been scouring the web for a clean solution that would address this and I've come to a two part solution. My requirements are simple...

• The solution needs to be reversible, so the car can be put back to stock form in the future if necessary.
• The solution should allow for any smartphone model to be mountable, with minimal modifications/hassle.
• The solution should allow for any smartphone model to swivel between Portrait and Landscape modes.

I currently use an iPhone 4S, but that could change in the future and I don't want to have something in the car that sandbags me into specific gadgetry for the life of the car.

I'm doing this in two steps, because I want to first see how I like the location for a while... This also lets me determine how large a bracket/mount I can install in that location without it getting too clunky. I started with something simple, that does not include charging as part of the solution.

Step 1: Required Components...

• Modifry Dash Bracket
• Rokform - Rokbed v3 iPhone Case
• Rokform - Rokbed v3 Magnet Kit
• Rokform - Lil Rok Magnetic Mount

Below is the result. It's really simple, and so far, I like it. I did notice that given the position of the magnet on the Rokbed v3 case, I can only rotate the case/iPhone clockwise when putting it in Landscape mode. If I try to rotate the case/iPhone counter-clockwise, the top of the case/iPhone bumps up against the HVAC bezel. This prevents the magnets from staying flush against one another, and this means the device is not secure against the bracket. I could always move the Lil' Rok Magnet further to the right on the Modifry Bracket, but it would have to be right at the edge of the bracket, and would cover up some of the AMPS holes. Since I don't suspect I'll be using Landscape mode that much, I did not think it was worth it.

Below are some photos of the installation. I apologize for the awful quality...but that's about as good as it gets with an iPhone in low light.

You can see in photo #5, when the case is put in Landscape mode by turning it counter-clockwise from Portrait, the top of the case rests on the HVAC bezel. I think it's fine for an empty case, but with the weight of the phone, I do not think it would remain secure during any amount of normal driving.

 

Step 2: Required Components:

• Alpine iDA-X305S Digital Media Receiver
• Alpine KCE-250BT
• Modifry Dash Control Interface (Wired)
• Modifry DCI Plug-N-Play Harness
• Dice Electronics G2 Cradle (DCR-50)
• ProClip Tilt Swivel Mount - Tilt Swivel Mount

I'll likely tackle this in the coming months. I'm not married to any of these devices/components just yet, and if something better presents itself, I'm open to changing my plans. And obviously, if I changed smartphone models, the G2 Cradle would be useless; I am prepared to buy a new cradle if necessary. The reason I like the G2 is because the iPod cable stays behind the cradle, minimizing visible wiring. Some modifications would be required to the G2 Cradle and the ProClip swivel mount to make them work well together.

I did also consider the Alpine KCE-400BT, but it has one feature that I do not like or want: Bluetooth Music Streaming. I suspect 90% of the customers would want this feature, but I don't like that functionality for a few reasons:

1. I have a Marantz SR6004 receiver at home which also has Bluetooth Music Streaming capabilities. I have noticed that the audio quality suffers a bit if the phone is not ideally placed in the room, and left stationary. Even then, there are intermittent moments with digital noise. Very irritating.
2. When using the streaming functionality, the volume controls on the phone and receiver act independently. I think this just muddies the water and makes for a sloppy effect after installation.
3. When streaming audio via Bluetooth, selecting the music must be done through the iPhone only. In the case of my Marantz SR6004, there is no user interface produced by or on the receiver for selecting a playlist, song, album, artist, etc. This is probably fine in a car like the S2000, where the entire solution is aftermarket. But in my friend's Acura MDX, their phone connects to the vehicle for Bluetooth phone calls and stereo purposes, even if they plug it into the USB port. The problem in that situation is that when connected through the USB port, the MDX dash controls give the driver a nice interface for music selection. If the device connects to the vehicle via Bluetooth, again the phone is the UI for all music selections. I think that defeats the purpose of an in-dash solution/interface. And again, the volume controls act independently.

Since I am looking to have a charging solution for my smartphone built into the car as well, it seems logical that docking the smartphone would also allow the head unit to use its native interface for iPod control/playback. And if I use the phone for GPS, a phone call, or any other purpose while driving, the music would continue to play and be available through the Alpine head unit.

I believe the KCE-400BT does allow for a second iPod connection to the Alpine head unit. That might come in handy if I ever change smartphones, or want a large capacity iPod dedicated to being in the car with 100% of my music... But I think the three points above are more irritating to me than being restricted to the music on my smartphone.

Sorry this is so long... I just prefer to put it all down in a single post.

Thoughts or suggestions anyone?

 

I'd just use a ProClip device mount with swivel (instead of the other device mounts mentioned above but you'll still need the Modifry bracket). If you change devices all you need to do is change the device mount. It sounds like you'd want one with a pass through dock connector for your iPhone.

Not sure why you have both the Dice mount (which has a ball for tilt swivel) and the ProClip tilt/swivel on your list. They're redundant.

Logic has nothing to do with it. It's all personal preference. I prefer to use the iPod interface on my head unit. My wife does not. Both of our mounts charge and handle line out audio from our iPhones. You can go either way and it's up to you to determine what you prefer and how you set it all up.

 

You're right about wanting a pass-through connector for the smartphone, but I haven't seen too many others like the Dice G2 Cradle, with the wire connection in the rear of the mount. Having the connection on the bottom of the mount isn't the end of the world, but like you said, it's all about personal preference. If possible, I'd like to conceal the wiring.

With regards to the Dice mount and the Pro-Clip mount, it's actually only partially redundant. The Dice G2 Cradle can tilt/rotate on 2 axes, but not 3. The G2 will tilt left to right, or floor to ceiling. It is incapable of simply rotating clockwise or counter-clockwise without first removing the device, and using a screwdriver to loosen the screw holding it in either Landscape or Portrait modes. I could be wrong about this, but I read it in a review of the G2 Cradle, so I just assume that is an accurate assessment of its limitations. (Amazon Customer Review: Dice DCR-50)

If Pro-Clip made a pass-through connector with the ball mount, I'd gladly just get that alone. I've also considered using some off the shelf sheet metal to fabricate my own smartphone dock...but I just don't think I'm talented enough to make it aesthetically pleasing.

 

Wow good info! My main goal is to find a mount that can be used in both portrait and landscape mode while will using my existing case. I switch between a case with a belt clip and a custom s2000 case. I love that case that comes with the magnetic mount but I can't justify switching between three cases just to use my modifry mount.

 

I'm trying to figure out a very clean way to mount an iPhone in a sleeve to the dash as well. I can't say that I'm a huge fan of any of these solutions yet. Call me OCD but I don't like to have wires hanging around nor do I want anything to look to bulky. I like the use of Modifry's bracekt but am still looking for the ideal mount. I want it to fit with a sleeve and charge so I can use an Alpine head unit with Pandora and not crush my battery.

I'm thinking about trying to fab up my own mount. Any one know how the 30 pin pass through works in the Dice G2 Cradle? I'm thinking about buy one of these (from the link below) and tearing it apart.
http://www.ebay.com/...#ht_3632wt_1396

Opinions/thoughts?