I've been reading the ipod threads trying to get this figured out. Here's what I want to do: plug my phone in with one connector and have it charge and play music. I need to keep the phone handy, so I don't want/need the radio to control the iphone.

I can buy the apple video cable and that will supply me with a ipod/iphone connector at one end and RCA jacks + USB for the other end. Price tag is $50. I figure I can then get a USB car charger (another $20?) and be done. Except...can I hook up the RCA jacks to the back of the stock radio?

I'm willing to solder. I'm unwilling to fork over another $150 for an adapter box.

 

I dont think you can hook up rcas to the back of the stock deck. Well at least not for my01...

easiest way would be to upgrade the deck to an aftermarket.

 

The most cost effective way of doing this is to buy a aftermarket headunit, get a aux cable and lighter adapter charger for it. Besides that there is no real other good way of doing anything with a stock head unit.

 

Get a deck with a USB cable, charges and reads the iPod.

 

It matters which Iphone you have, the 3G does not charge with most cable and after market accessories.

 

It's the 3G. A USB charger should do the trick. My understanding is that older car accessories were using the firewire (12v) pins.

 

On my MY00 i have a ipod adapter installed by the previous owner but it doesn't work for the iphone. I have the first gen iphone if it makes a difference.

 

I bought the Neo unit for my stock '02 (yes, it was $150+ but at least I'm not fiddling with RCA jacks AND a charging cable AND all 2-3 of those wires in the cabin). I e-mailed their support guys and they said they're currently making a cable that will charge the 3G. The Neo unit was a tight fit behind the stock head unit but it's definitely doable. Controls work both on the iPhone itself as well as the stock dash-controls. I'm really liking it.

It plays music from my 3G iPhone but it doesn't charge it. I'll have to contact them again at mp3yourcar.com to see if they've made the cable yet or not. My only other gripe right now, and I'm not sure if it's the cable, but when you plug it in it'll kick over to Mp3 mode and the screen will go black on you twice (over the course of 7-10 seconds) and then the screen shows and it starts playing.

 

But at >$150 you might as well get a head unit that inputs and controls an iPod directly! It isn't that hard to hide the iPod cable (ran mine to the glove box).