[Northern Sol]

Up here in the Great White North they lock you into three year contracts for your "smart phone" service. By going for three years the "phone is free"! Obviously this makes as much sense as saying we have "free health care" We don't! We do have high personnel taxes (IMO) and sales taxes that pay for it. :willy: I don't want to open a health care debate as our system has been good to me and my family.

I would like open this thread about an iPhone with the PAL ( personnel audio link) from GM. When it comes to technology calling me a Luddite would be kind.:cryin: So if my questions / thoughts come across as :willy::willy::willy: be nice!:thumbs:

As I mentioned my contract is up in the spring. I have an iPad which I love and I will want to replace my not so smart 3 year old phone with the latest iPhone. Ok, now here comes the dumbass questions....
1) When I search old threads and GM they all refer to to PAL with an iPod. I assuming the answer is yes but please confirm....PAL will work with an iPhone 4 instead of an iPod? It will dock etc with the PAL system?
2) If correct and it does work is it worth it? I want to be able to listen to my "geezer music" and control it from the steering wheel ( skip, pause etc) just like I would when I play a cd.

3) Any other comments/thoughts/ on PAL are appreciated.:thumbs:

I have a 2007 GXP factory monsoon system with cd and XM.
Thanks for helping Northern Sol advance into the 21st century!!!:thumbs: Next will be Facebook.....nah I would prefer to be a Luddite when it comes to that!!:devil:

 

[Alan_L]

I have the PAL and it's junk, only used it for a couple weeks. To be honest just plugging it into the auxiliary port much better.

 

[Northern Sol]

I have the PAL and it's junk, only used it for a couple weeks. To be honest just plugging it into the auxiliary port much better.

Wow...I wondered about that! So just buy the "portable music player cable" part # 88965274 from Crate Engine for $12.75 versus $200 plus for PAL.:willy:
Thank you!!!:thumbs:

 

[Rusty Boltz]

Wow...I wondered about that! So just buy the "portable music player cable" part # 88965274 from Crate Engine for $12.75 versus $200 plus for PAL.:willy:
Thank you!!!:thumbs:

You don't have to go to Crate Engine Depot. It uses a standard auxiliary cable. I got mine at Wal-Mart(Electronics Dept.).

 

[AggreSol]

Aux cable is the way to go. I only use aux cables and never had problems. You can get them from any electronic store


Sent from my iPhone using AutoGuide.com Free App

 

[Northern Sol]

Thanks everyone for the feedback!:thumbs:

 

[rob the elder]

The aux cable works great. The only downside is you have to control your iPhone manually and it does not charge while playing

You can get a plug in charger separately for the phone. Or you can get a GM radio with the USB interface.

 

[jackl]

The aux cable works great. The only downside is you have to control your iPhone manually and it does not charge while playing

You can get a plug in charger separately for the phone. Or you can get a GM radio with the USB interface.

:agree: Although I dont have the PAL setup in my 2006 Sol, the Aux cable works great. With the iPhone 5 you use the same Aux cable and then just add an iPhone car charger for iPhone 5 (when they come out)! That is the config the I have and use. Controlling the iPhone on the actual iphone is not an issue as it is just one finger away in the Kudo holder/mount.

 

[mwhited]

I "had" the PAL unit installed in my 2008 GXP and I agree - it's junk. It NEVER worked as claimed. I had it removed after two months as it affected the overall use of the radio - everytime you would start the car, it would go back to the iPod, not where you last left it, so you would have to select SAT or FM EVERYTIME you started the car. PITA.

Much better to just plug into the front of the radio.

 

[Northern Sol]

:agree: Although I dont have the PAL setup in my 2006 Sol, the Aux cable works great. With the iPhone 5 you use the same Aux cable and then just add an iPhone car charger for iPhone 5 (when they come out)! That is the config the I have and use. Controlling the iPhone on the actual iphone is not an issue as it is just one finger away in the Kudo holder/mount.

Thanks Jackl!!! Seeing I have the Kuda mount ( love it ) this is the way I will go.:thumbs:

 

[Northern Sol]

I "had" the PAL unit installed in my 2008 GXP and I agree - it's junk. It NEVER worked as claimed. I had it removed after two months as it affected the overall use of the radio - everytime you would start the car, it would go back to the iPod, not where you last left it, so you would have to select SAT or FM EVERYTIME you started the car. PITA.

Much better to just plug into the front of the radio.

Thanks for the feedback!!! I will pass on the PAL unit. This is why I love this Forum...... You get your questions answered and armed with the information you can make the right decision!!!!:thumbs:

 

[Alan_L]

I "had" the PAL unit installed in my 2008 GXP and I agree - it's junk. It NEVER worked as claimed. I had it removed after two months as it affected the overall use of the radio - everytime you would start the car, it would go back to the iPod, not where you last left it, so you would have to select SAT or FM EVERYTIME you started the car. PITA.

Much better to just plug into the front of the radio.

Don't know if you ever tried using onstar with yours but everytime it would give you a direction it would go to the PAL even of nothing was plugged in. Then when trying to control the iPod using the radion controls it was seriously about as fast as trying to run a modern program on a out of date computer. Then the reason I bought it was so I could just plug my spare iPod in and leave it in the car since one of the PAL's benefits is that it also charges the iPod, well I guess it was only the early ones because I had a second gen nano and it just displayed "charging not compatible with this device."

 

[Black_Out]

Wow...I wondered about that! So just buy the "portable music player cable" part # 88965274 from Crate Engine for $12.75 versus $200 plus for PAL.:willy:
Thank you!!!:thumbs:

Wow... talked about "getting plugged".... yikes!

Agree about just buying an aux cable from WallyWorld. Or, throw in a cheapie one from Amazon if you're doing some online shopping for the holidays.

For the better integration though, which would allow you to control an ipod with your steering wheel, I would pick up a used USB radio from a Chevy HHR or Pontiac G6.

 

[Rusty Boltz]

I drive a vehicle at work that has the GM radio with USB. When I plugged in my Iphone it displayed "device not supported". Aux cable works fine on the same radio.

 

[crappa]

Glad to hear you are going to pass on the PAL. I have had mine since I have owned the car (Jan 2008), and it just sucks. I ended up with a bracket I mounted to a piece of PVC that fits in the 12VDC outlet that holds my iPad. With a cord I bought from Best Buy that has a USB and an ⅛ inch stereo plug, I am able to keep the iPod charged while listening through the Aux jack. I installed an outlet under the center console and use a dual USB port charger. It also supplies power to my Garmin.

That iPod no longer works, but my iPhone 5 fits in there just fine (the Dashhawk is no longer mounted there) and attaches electrically via a lightning adaptor. Plays music through the stereo and charges. This is new, and i haven't used it as a phone yet while in the mount.

 

[Northern Sol]

Once again thank you everyone for the great insights in your responses. I am really glad I asked!!! I think it is safe to say that PAL is not our friend':willy:

 

[rob the elder]

I picked up a new / refurbished USB G6 radio for the Wife's Sky. My painter pulled the faceplate and painted it black to match the center stack and installed it for me. Now I cant get my wife out of her car. It sounds MUCH better than the stock Monsoon radio because the firmware boosts the audio significantly. It has a much better sound as a result. And its USB port allows full control and functionality of any iPod or iPhone. It cost me a lot less than any after market radio and works freat. Same form factor. The only down side is the USB port is on the left rather than the right. I addressed this by picking up a black USB cable and running the cable straight down from the USB port to the joint between the dash and the bottom of the radio. Judicious use of a plastic panel removal tool will open up a gap just big enough for the USB cable to be inserted so its out of the way.

Store Index Shop Now

Since they are either new stock or refurbished / new condition they are plug and play with no dealer fiddeling required.

They have a Cobalt USB radio there for $180 US but I have seen several different models including the G6 radio.

 

[abie915]

I have the PAL in my car and its working exactly as its supposed to. I had some trouble with the installation which turned out to be a bad PAL harness, but once that was replaced everything worked great.

I have old iPhone that I leave permanently plugged into the car. Very easy to use, the steering wheel buttons can be used to skip/repeat tracks and the track name/artist info shows up on the radio.

 

[lil goat]

You can get a digital converter with built in amp to place between the iPhone and the input on the factory radio, really improves sound quality and cleans things up and has an eq built in.I use this one on my Harley with headphones works great.

Fiio E6 Headphone Amplifier

The adapter cable is separate about $40 for everything

 

[Northern Sol]

You can get a digital converter with built in amp to place between the iPhone and the input on the factory radio, really improves sound quality and cleans things up and has an eq built in.I use this one on my Harley with headphones works great.

Fiio E6 Headphone Amplifier

The adapter cable is separate about $40 for everything

Thanks for this info. This looks like a really good idea!:thumbs: