Yeah I know most of you have already done this, I finally got around to installing mine. I powered it from my cigarette lighter constant 12v source. The install was very easy, and when I checked it out, and hit the AUX button, it read DVD then PIE as expected and my IPod worked fine. After I put my car back together and checked again, and hit the AUX button , it now reads CRYSTL-LINE. It still works fine and plays mu IPod, it's just an odd display I have never heard of. I emailed Logjam tech so I'll see what they say. I was just wondering if anyone else had this happen??

 

Got a quick reply from LogJam, they told me to hit the AUX button again, and the display was DVD- then PIE, cool. Great support !!! So some radios do this and some radio stay on CRSYTL-LINE, mine swapped back, main thing it works great, listening to my IPod, looking forward to listening to Pandora when I get a smart phone soon.

 

Hey Tim, Glad you finally got it installed and working!

 

Hey guys so i was reading your posts about the Aux ipod connectors! Do you control the ipod through your stereo's controls or in the actual ipod???

 

I installed mine about a year ago, and it goes back and forth between PIE, CRYSTL-LINE, and nothing. It'll also sometimes not work whatsoever, but more often than not, it doesn't play anything out of the front driver's side speakers.

I wish I'd have saved my $100 and just bought a new receiver.

JR

 

I've also been looking into the PIE converter, but in all honesty, I have no desire for most of the features(charging, control through stereo, etc.) and don't want to pay for a converter box that has RCA which requires another adapter for 1/8". In my experience with guitar/amp/mic/PA mixer equipment, the more adapters and converters, the more chance for static interference and loss of signal.

Can I simply install a 1/8'' DIRECT line from the headphone output of an ipod directly into the AUX IN, I'm assuming splice or plug through the back of the shaker 500 unit? Unfortunately in the '06 there is no 1/8'' jack, those came out in '07 (why Ford included the AUX button without the feature on '06 is beyond me, and super annoying). I am not trying to get controls or display on the shaker, and I don't need a charging dock. I simply want 1/8" headphone out --> audio in. Seems to me it shouldn't be that hard to do, anyone know or try this out? Thanks!

 

The PIE that I have doesn't do any charging, control, or anything else, it's simply an RCA jack that allows you to connect a RCA-to-1/8" cable to it.

For not much more money, you could install a nice dual-DIN head unit that'll look better than the OEM stereo and work better, plus give you a lot of input options, like USB, RCA, and SD-card. That's the road I'm headed down. I'm tired of the 'Skipper 500' and the PIE, so I'm going to drop a Pioneer AVH-P3300BT with a touchscreen in mine. If I can afford it, or I can find a really good deal, I'm going to go with the Pioneer AVIC-X920BT, which includes Bluetooth and navigation. Otherwise, I can use the turn-by-turn navigation from Google Maps on my Droid via the video output, and simply display them from the video source.

JR

 

hmmm interesting option, I've read a few other people going this direction too...do you know if it's a simple swap i.e. plug'n'play? or does this install require new wiring, harnesses, etc.? I wonder if the faceplate matches up or will there be unsightly gaps (happened in my girlfriend's eclipse with aftermarket stereo).

 

It depends on if you go with a single DIN or dual DIN receiver. Personally, I love the way the dual DIN receivers look, especially if they're touch screen, like the Pioneer I posted. It's basically just a flat black expanse, with just a trim bezel to separate things.

I still haven't done an install in a Mustang, yet, but the way I understand it, if you have the Shaker systems, you need an 'adapter' harness, in addition to the standard wiring that the stereo itself will include. The adapter harness is PAC (Pacific Accessory Corporation) part number C2R-FRD1. It includes the necessary connections for the speakers, power, ground, illumination, VSS, and several others, plus includes RCAs that connect to the sub-out of the aftermarket stereo (to utilize the factory amps and subs) and a ground-loop isolator so that you don't get a 'pop' in your speakers when you turn on an auxiliary until. Most new stereos include RCAs, USB, and other auxiliary inputs, so that's probably not necessary. I've got one of these PAC units, which I just walked myself though, though, like I said, I haven't installed it, yet. I still need to buy the stereo and the faceplate.

The only other thing that you need to note is that if you install a DVD player, like the Pioneer I posted, law states that you can't use the DVD player while the vehicle is in motion, and it can only be used when the parking brake is engaged. Of course, this would preclude you from using the turn-by-turn navigation that I mentioned. To get around this, there are numerous write-ups on the internet on how to trick the system into thinking that the parking brake is engaged. The standard disclaimer applies, in that this is deemed illegal, and I will not be held liable for any actions on your part.

JR

 

I wish I could afford a new head unit myself, but right now I am loving my PIE adaptor, iPhone 4, and Pandora! I submit for the money I have spent, it dosnt get any better, and I can mix my channels, couldn't even do that with Sirius radio

 

@runfox: does your PIE charge iphone4??

I just got a 2006 mustang with shaker 500. I am looking to buy the same unit for aux, it says i can control my player from the console, but wondering if it can recognize / charge an iphone4
_______________________________

Newbie: 06 mustang | screaming yellow | Upgrades: still in thoughts as to what to go for first

 

The PIE doesn't do any charging. See my post above. It's ONLY a set of RCA inputs.

JR

 

$610 at Amazon seems like a good deal on the 920....
http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-AVIC-X...1510327&sr=8-2

 

I just had the 3300bt put in mine, I think it works great and if you have an iPhone you can get a nav app for 3 bucks and have nav on the screen. I use motion x and it works better than my garmin. I got everything needed for the install for 500. Sonic electronics has the 3300bt for 400 shipped which includes install get, then you can get the PAC harness and video cable from amazon for another 100 and your good to go.

 

Well as with anything you get what you pay for, and so my PIE party is over, my adapter now does not work, when I hit aux all I get is " no aux input"!! So I guess one day I will install a switch on the hot wire to power it off and reset it, I was hoping I had a good one and would not have to do that!

 

We have had our PIE adapter on our '06 pony since early 2006. Over all the years and > 160k miles we have had to reset the heat unit due the the lost PIE around 5 times (best guess).

All I do is pull the fuse for the head unit from the under the hood fuse box and leave it out for a while. I think the least I left it out was 30 minutes.

I keep saying I'm going to add a switch so I can do it without the fuse method but I just never got to it...

We thought about changing the head unit since the CD player stopped working. We hadn't used the CD player in almost a year so who knows when it really died. Since we primarily use the PIE adapter with a Zune HD we may just save our money instead of changing the head unit.

~Mark

 

Thanks Mark, so I guess even with updates or whatever the PIE will still need to be reset occasionally !

Well I'm in the same thought as you, I never use my 6 CD changer, carrying a case of CD's ,burning tracks of music on CD's, more hassle than it's worth! All that's pretty much history when you can listen to streaming music of your choice, commercial free.

I had sirius radio for a while, but the fee's got old, with the PIE and my iPhone, I listen to Pandora free, no commercials, and I can mix the channels, somthing I could not do with Sirius. So I have to reset the PIE, I am still thinking of installing an in line switch in the power line.

The main thing I would love to have with a new head unit is bluetooth sysnc with my phone, a big display is nice, but hands free phone and Pandora would be great, but that wil have to wait for now.

 

Was this a hard install cause I need to install a aux input into my mustang also

 

The hardest part is getting the radio out, which means you pulling the center stack.

I followed instructions I found for removing the radio so it wasn't that bad. Then I also did a little soldering since I ran an RCA to 1/8 stereo (female) wire to we could plug just plug a stereo 1/8 wire between the Zune and the aux input.

~Mark

 

I have an 06 with Shaker 1000 and wanted the aux/usb input for Ipod and smart phone/Pandora. I had a Kenwood deck(less than year old) I just pulled out of a car I sold. Figured I would spend about $40 and buy the Metra 99-5807 in dash receiver kit and Metra 70-5521 wire harness. Installed it yesterday. Easiest stereo install I have ever done. Everything works good and sounds great. Now I have control of the subs. Taco Bill's write up swayed me this way. Glad I did it. For a little more then the price of the PIE you can get an Alpine single din deck and the Metra kits.