iPod Installation Hack

My wife gave me an iPod for my birthday, which (as she fully knew and expected!) started me on a near-obsessive quest to get it hooked up in the Boxster. I researched the hookup options, and ordered an Auxiliary Cable Kit directly from Becker. This would allow me to hook up any auxiliary audio source, directly to my CDR-220, and it would then give me a new program source ("AUX"). And in addition, the cable would allow me to hook up a cell phone someday (to feed the cell phone audio through the stereo, and also auto-mute the playing source when the phone rings!).

Well, unfortunately, I didn't find out until I read the installation instructions, that you CANNOT use the kit if you already have a CD changer hooked up, because it plugs in to the same pins of the connector on the back of the CDR-220. I just got my CD changer last winter (see hack above), and did NOT want to part with it. Becker was nice enough to take the Auxiliary Cable Kit back and give me a full refund, including the original shipping charges that I paid with the order -- I had to pay to ship the kit back to them, but hey, that was MORE than fair.

So . . . how to have my cake (CD changer) and eat it (iPod) too? I posted this question on Porsche Pete's Boxster Board, and (as is usually the case), found a solution from another member. JR sent me a link to his installation instructions -- 4 years ago he hooked up his Nomad MP3 player, along with his CD changer, and it's been working fine ever since.

I ended up doing pretty much the same thing JR did in terms of the wiring . . . i.e.:

I tapped into the common ground, left audio, and right audio wires that were leading from the CD changer into the CDR-220, and ran a 3-conductor wire to an audio connector (I used a 3.5mm audio plug -- you'll see why when you read below);
I cut the power lead form the CDR-220 to the CD changer, and ran the ends of that cut wire to the two poles of a SPST switch (I used a generic Radio Shack dashboard switch; I would have preferred something a bit smaller, and may replace it).

With this wiring done, I could use the switch to cut the power to the CD changer, and that made it safe to plug the iPod in to the audio connector, select "AUX" as my input source in the CDR-220, and listen to the tunes on my iPod. To use the CD changer, I just need to unplug the audio cable form the iPod, flip the switch to re-enable power to the CD changer, and select "CDC" on the CDR-220. Whenever switching between the iPod and CD changer, it's necessary to power the CD-220 off and back on, so that it properly senses the presence or absence of the CD changer. Small price to pay to be able to have my cake and eat it too!

To complete my installation, I ordered these aftermarket items:

An imp from SiK, Inc. -- this nifty cable plugs into the dock connector of my 3G iPod, and has two connectors on the other end: one is a 12V power plug that goes into my cigarette lighter to power the iPod, and the other is a 3.5mm audio jack, into which I plug the 3.5mm audio plug that I wired to the CDR-220.
A pair of products from ProClip USA -- an angled mount designed specifically to clip onto the passenger side panel of the Boxster console, and a tilt-swivel holder designed specifically for my 3G iPod model.

The wires tuck behind the ProClip brackets, and the CD changer kill switch is attached to the side with velcro.