USA-Spec PA12-BMW beats Dice Silverline

Originally Posted by suprtran

Yes, Ice-Link IS a Dension product. It has worked flawlessly with text display, steering wheel controls, access to all playlists. So simple, yet works.

I believe the still sell it online out of the UK but I was got confused with the different product they have available. That was 5 months ago, so I my memory could be faulty.

Also if memory serves, the Dension also maps playlists to the CD buttons?

Originally Posted by steve.325i

I agree there are definitely pros & cons.

Overall the two PROS that outweigh any of the CONS:

1. USA-Spec sounds better - Dice robs the bass even when it's not injecting noise.
2. USA-Spec plays music - Dice doesn't all the time.

okok, one more ...

3. - NO BATTERY RESET !!!

a. Funny you said that, Dice has never robbed my music of bass or treble, etc. The way to find-out is scroll through your EQ settings on your Ipod and listen if there is any variance - you can then play with the settings on the radio for further tuning. Dice has been perfect for me there. NO BASS loss at all!

b. My Dice unit has always played music once I understood how to configure the pins on the unit wrt my radio's year of production. To date, it still plays music..

c. Battery reset is due to b. above..once you set the pins accordingly you are good to go..

Note: My biggest gripe with Dice was the static noise, known as tic-tac-tic-tac. Once members here discovered the trick to move the pin2 to pin 3 on the BMW harness (in the trunk) my static noise is history. Dice has been flawless ever since...

My last gripe with Dice is that it takes time to scroll through artists - I have many of them and it's a pain there..

Originally Posted by steve.325i

I believe the still sell it online out of the UK but I was got confused with the different product they have available. That was 5 months ago, so I my memory could be faulty.

Also if memory serves, the Dension also maps playlists to the CD buttons?

Yes, it does map the first 5 playlists to the first 5 CD buttons. The 6th is used to scroll through genre/artist/album/etc. selections. I hardly use the CD buttons to scroll through my playlists.

Originally Posted by glovesoff

Don't just look at the USA-Spec! Look at the Peripheral iPod interface kit. It's what I have in my car and I LOVE it. I can actually browse through the iPod like it's meant to be browsed, without dealing with the head unit. And I can switch songs and what not from the head unit/steering wheel if I want to.

http://peripheralelectronics.com/?ProductId=357

http://www.amazon.com/Peripheral-Int.../dp/B00112E9K8

so like you, i won't have to buy a new head unit? interesting info!

Originally Posted by steve.325i

I agree there are definitely pros & cons.

Overall the two PROS that outweigh any of the CONS:

1. USA-Spec sounds better - Dice robs the bass even when it's not injecting noise.
2. USA-Spec plays music - Dice doesn't all the time.

okok, one more ...

3. - NO BATTERY RESET !!!

what are the cons?

Originally Posted by Many330i

a. Funny you said that, Dice has never robbed my music of bass or treble, etc. The way to find-out is scroll through your EQ settings on your Ipod and listen if there is any variance - you can then play with the settings on the radio for further tuning. Dice has been perfect for me there. NO BASS loss at all!

b. My Dice unit has always played music once I understood how to configure the pins on the unit wrt my radio's year of production. To date, it still plays music..

c. Battery reset is due to b. above..once you set the pins accordingly you are good to go..

Note: My biggest gripe with Dice was the static noise, known as tic-tac-tic-tac. Once members here discovered the trick to move the pin2 to pin 3 on the BMW harness (in the trunk) my static noise is history. Dice has been flawless ever since...

My last gripe with Dice is that it takes time to scroll through artists - I have many of them and it's a pain there..

Do you have a DIY for that?? That's the only issue I've had with my DICE

Originally Posted by Cobra

what are the cons?

Of the top of my head, USA-Spec CONS

1. Only four playlists mapped directly to CD buttons 1 through 4 - I like this but I know other people complain about it.

2. Song Title & Artist are limited to 16 characters - not 32 like the Dice.

3. It cost less. No wait! that's a PRO!

4. It does not display album name.

5. No browsing by Artist or Album.

Oh, another PRO for the USA-Spec. It automatically bookmarks your spot in a playlist, so when you got to another playlist & then come back, you continue from the same song.

Do you lose your bookmarks when you leave the car? That's my main gripe with the Dice. When you press playlist, album, or artist buttons after starting the car, it starts from the beginning of the list.

Originally Posted by Many330i

Note: My biggest gripe with Dice was the static noise, known as tic-tac-tic-tac. Once members here discovered the trick to move the pin2 to pin 3 on the BMW harness (in the trunk) my static noise is history. Dice has been flawless ever since...

omg - I assume you are talking about pins 2-3 on the 6 pin connector. These are the ground returns for the twisted pair audio that are being used as a return path for the k-bus instead of the digital ground.

I was gripping back in January that Dice had a ground return issue & I was told I was full of it.

Well this is definitely NOT a recommended solution, but hey, if it works.

Dice should fix the problem IN THE DICE!!!

Originally Posted by steve.325i

omg - I assume you are talking about pins 2-3 on the 6 pin connector. These are the ground returns for the twisted pair audio that are being used as a return path for the k-bus instead of the digital ground.

I was gripping back in January that Dice had a ground return issue & I was told I was full of it.

Well this is definitely NOT a recommended solution, but hey, if it works.

Dice should fix the problem IN THE DICE!!!

Or using the radio interface harness would've been the solution.

Originally Posted by MitchSF

Do you lose your bookmarks when you leave the car? That's my main gripe with the Dice. When you press playlist, album, or artist buttons after starting the car, it starts from the beginning of the list.

I know what you mean. Hit the wrong button with the Dice & you have just lost your spot in your play list.

The USA-Spec remembers the last played position in all four playlists ... even when you remove the iPod for reprogramming.

Originally Posted by tom @ eas

Or using the radio interface harness would've been the solution.

I have read a few complaints about noise when used with the radio interface, but I agree, the complaints are usually accompanied with the trunk interface.

Originally Posted by steve.325i

Dice should fix the problem IN THE DICE!!!

Originally Posted by tom @ eas

Or using the radio interface harness would've been the solution.

Not if he wanted to keep his changer or Sirius...

BTW, I've been pretty vocal on the forums about my issues with all the various Dice / Icelink products throughout the years and their reliability issues...

Anyhow, if someone has a GROM unit and someone has an OEM latest generation iPod adapter, could you also make youtube videos please? (there are already videos for the Intravee II). We should organize them into a single thread that has operational videos showing features etc, as well as links to installs etc. I feel this would much more constructive than having members and sponsors argue all the time about whose ipod adapter is the best etc...

Originally Posted by Many330i

Note: My biggest gripe with Dice was the static noise, known as tic-tac-tic-tac. Once members here discovered the trick to move the pin2 to pin 3 on the BMW harness (in the trunk) my static noise is history. Dice has been flawless ever since...

Originally Posted by steve.325i

omg - I assume you are talking about pins 2-3 on the 6 pin connector. These are the ground returns for the twisted pair audio that are being used as a return path for the k-bus instead of the digital ground.

I was gripping back in January that Dice had a ground return issue & I was told I was full of it.

Well this is definitely NOT a recommended solution, but hey, if it works.

Dice should fix the problem IN THE DICE!!!

I discovered this (and posted about it) with regards to the Dice and the Sirius slave cable. It you are slaving a Sirius or Changer off the Dice, its easy to swap pins 2 and 3 on the factory slave cable... That clears up the noise issue with that too...

Originally Posted by steve.325i

Oh, I didn't talk about that in my video because I don't use it but yes it has an aux in - not a 1/8" like the Dice, it has two RCA plugs like on the back of a stereo.

Here's the part you are not going to like though. I am 99% positive that you loose a playlist button when you select that option through the switches on the USA-Spec module.

I have the USA spec as well and I love it. The instructions say that if you use the AUX you lose the direct mode which is to control the ipod from the device. I upgraded my radio and run a seperate AUX just in case I might be using a different device such as a blackberry or some other DAP.

I've had the GROM unit. This was the radio connection. Mine didn't have the USB connection. GROM has excellent customer service, but I kept on having problems with mine. The audio kept on getting garbled or it would just plain lose connection and I would have to take out the radio to disconnect and reconnect...pain. I returned mine 6 times before I finally got a refund.

I've been using the USA spec for a couple of months now and had no problems at all. I've read in other threads that the OEM BMW ipod adapter is a bastardized version of the USA spec.

My only issue with USA spec is that I wished it was a radio connection instead of the cd changer connection in the trunk. It was a pain the run the cables under the carpet. I don't know about anyone else, but I had to remove my seats to run the cable (I don't have fold down seats). At the end it was worth it. I installed the unit underneath the center console. The instructions say to install the device where it can be accessible. I did have to modify the coin holder to make everything fit so if you go this route, be warned, it's not rocket science but it's not a walk in the park either. If I were to do it over again, I would have just installed everything in the trunk and left my ipod in there. I never use the ipod itself, the radio controls are pretty good and the install could have taken about 10 min.

I have no experience with DICE so I can't comment on it. The USA spec works and very well. Seems pretty bulletproof to me. I bought mine at pacificstereo.com for $120.

Originally Posted by jkwon

If I were to do it over again, I would have just installed everything in the trunk and left my ipod in there. I never use the ipod itself, the radio controls are pretty good and the install could have taken about 10 min.

I have said the same thing myself. If I hadn't have installed the Dice in the rear ashtray compartment already, I would have just stuck the USA-Spec in the trunk. I have no need to access it. It's always on.

wait so does anyone have the DIY for switching pin2 and pin3 in the trunk interface of the DICE in order to stop the dit-dit-dit sound that is so very annoying?

Originally Posted by MJRMatt330

wait so does anyone have the DIY for switching pin2 and pin3 in the trunk interface of the DICE in order to stop the dit-dit-dit sound that is so very annoying?

+1 also, does this "pin swap" work if you don't have Sirius? Or is it only for the applications where Sirius is being used?

checked their site about iPhone compatibility;
"Yes, all our models with the new and older iPhones, including the new 3G iPone. They also correctly charge all the new 3G iPhones." (some missing words and letter but I get it)

Also important for iPhone users when getting a call;
"The sound from the stereo will automatically mute and the phones ring will be heard over the factory radio speakers. When the call answered on the iPhone, it will enter privacy mode and the iPhone operates as it normally does during a call. No sound will come from the stereo system. Once a call is completed the sound returns to the factory radio."

Some lessons learned trying to get a stealth install. I tried to install my USA spec ipod cable through the armrest following this DIY:

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthr...tealth+install

For anyone that's interested in trying. DO NOT DO IT!!! The USA spec cable is bigger and thicker than the denison cable and it just won't fit. I've spent hours trying to make it fit and tore up some of the trim. Now I just have the cable dangling on the side of the center console and connect it to the ipod when needed.

Running the cable under the carpet is also a big time chore. The connection to the unit is about an inch or so in diameter. The carpet also has some foam underneath it which makes it difficult to pull the wire through. I didn't have fish tape like the above posted DIY. I used a regular wire hanger and taped the connector to it.