Mini Review: Griffin AutoPilot for iPod

[FlyingPenguin]

Since I'm using an iPod touch now as my primary MP3 player/PDA I wanted a less awkward method to connect it to the car's auxiliary input. It seemed silly to have to connect TWO wires to the iPod (power and audio) when I know there's an audio pass-through via the data/charge jack.

I also wanted some kind of remote control so I didn't have to look down at the touch screen while driving.

I looked at some wireless remotes that clamp to the steering wheel but none of them really look practical. Then I came across the Griffin AutoPilot: http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/autopilot

It retails for $50 but I found it on Amazon for $32 and it qualifies for free shipping: http://www.amazon.com/Griffin-Technolog ... _e_title_3

One cable connects the iPod to the AutoPilot which plugs into your lighter socket, and then there's an audio jack on the side of the AutoPilot that connects to your car's auxiliary audio input. The Autopilot has play/pause/FFWD/REW buttons on it's top that are easy to use without looking down at it. The remote works even if the iPod is locked.

One of the best features is that the Autopilot automatically pauses the iPod when the power is turned off to the the lighter outlet (on my Camry and most modern cars, the outlets are turned off when you turn off the ignition) so I don't have to worry about pausing the iPod before leaving the car.

Whether this device works for you will depend on the location of your lighter jack. Mine happens to be in a very convenient spot.

Overall rating 5 stars. For $32 it's also not ridiculously over-priced like most iPod accessories.

BTW: My iPod is sitting on one of those no-slide gel pads they're always selling at flea markets. They really work. It just stays there.

[EvilHorace]

How's the sound quality? I've heard that wireless isn't very good.

With either a Touch or iPhone, the safest way to listen to music in a car is to have it in songs, shuffle mode. That way, it's like a radio in that you never know what'll play next and to skip a tune, all you need to do is shake it which can be done w/o looking.

I have all the artwork for everything now and after a year of having it laying on the seat, found that it works best if the top is tilted upwards. I now wired a spare socket to it with battery voltage, Touch screen saver at 5 minutes and use a holder for it that plugs into a cig lighter (there are other variations), it's then tilted and where I want it. At a glance, I can see what's playing that way. All I need to to is touch the screen, pause, backwords, forwards buttons there too at your fingertips. I just pause it whenever leaving the car but even if I forget, not a big deal really.
With the direct connect method, separate power cord connected to a switched outlet, everytime the power was switched I'd have to unplug, replug the Belkin power supply cord.
In songs, shuffle mode, if you do hear a tune and want to switch it to that album, easy too while driving. Just touch the upper R corner and select anything in that list and it'll play through that CD. It's no less distracting than changing CDs. My biggest problem with small screen anything these days is that with age, my eyes are getting worse and I can't read small screens w/o glasses. That's why it's just easiest to keep it in song, shuffle mode. My only complaint with that is that you need to adjust the bass often when you have subwoofers as bass is often very different from one album track to another. They can equalize volume for MP3s but not bass, at least nothing I've seen yet.

[FlyingPenguin]

It's not wireless. It's hardwired to my auxiliary input jack. I would never use wireless unless I had absolutely no choice. Nowadays just about any radio can be retrofitted with an auxiliary jack even if it didn't come with one from the factory.

As for control, my problem is I don't listen to music, I listen to podcasts which don't always play in order (sometimes you need to play newest to oldest) and often I need to rewind to catch something I missed, or fast forward past a boring part or a commercial. So yeah, I'm on the controls a lot. And with a podcast, it's a bit of a disaster if I leave it running when I leave the car.