LLaPan

For the last month, I have been avidly reading, on both the Lexus forums and the Vaistech forums, about Vaistech's two very exciting new products, the SL2iC and the soon to be released MediaLinq*Plus (ML+). I have a Lexus 2008 ES 350 with 5th Gen Navigation (map ver. 10.1); non-Mark Levinson stereo system; in-dash 6 CD (not DVD) changer; paired iPhone 4, ver 4.2.1, not jailbroken.

Although I love the features of SL2iC, I was at first intrigued by the yet to be released ML+ due to its better quality (digital) audio, better quality video output, and its ability to access additional media via a USB port. However, Vaistech's ML+ forum shows a recent post by the forum administrator, VTech, that I was dismayed to read. Apparently the ML+ DOES NOT unlock the Navigation or Bluetooth controls on my Lexus Nav while I'm driving. The SL2iC DOES have the Nav and BT unlock feature. As a result, I am now very much leaning toward purchasing the SL2iC, because those unlock features are at the top of my "gotta have" list.*

Now, my remaining questions are:
(A) Are there plans in the very near future to add the unlocking of Nav and BT to the ML+? *( I can't for the life of me figure out why it isn't included already!)

(B) Will all advertised features of SL2iC work properly on my particular 2008 ES350 / iPhone 4.2.1--without any other modifications (outside of properly installing the SL2iC, of course)?

The Sl2iC's many features are discussed in a bunch of different forum posts sprinkled throughout both Lexus forums and Vaistech's product forums. The features of the ML+ are also discussed in those same forums. Therefore, I want to make sure that I haven't confused the ML+ features with the SL2iC features). *Thus, I have detailed below the features I expect to gain by installing the SL2iC-- even though*I haven't installed any*modifications whatsoever (neither 3rd party hardware or software) on my stock 5th Gen Navigation system / unjailbroken iPhone 4.2.1. *Please correct me if I have misunderstood or misstate any features, which I am listing below:

(1)*Nav and BT unlock is turned on via a touch screen button (for use of all related features while driving) *Some of those features which would be unlocked are:
(a) Addresses can be entered on the Nav touch screen while in motion;
(b) Telephone numbers can be entered using the touch screen while the car is in motion;
(c) While the car is in motion, Point of Interest lists, such as lists of nearby restaurants or retail shops, can be explored (opened by touch) on the touch screen so that the corresponding submenu list can be viewed and any one of the resulting sub-list POIs can be selected as a navigation destination, or so that the address and telephone number for a specific POI on the list can be viewed.

(2) SL2iC will allow me to watch my IPhone's iPod videos through the Nav screen *(I understand that actually picking the videos to watch on my Nav screen is controlled via my iPhone's iPod application, not the Nav touch screen).

(3)*SL2iC's native iPod interface will allow me to control all iPod functions of my iPhone, via the Nav touchscreen, while the car is in motion; nothing will be grayed out / nothing will be non-functioning due to car being in motion. This availability includes song / artist / playlist browsing; picking a song, artist or album via the Nav touch screen, then hearing the chosen music through my car's stereo system and seeing the resulting display of the chosen song info.*

(4) SL2iC will pause iPod music when BT phone call comes in and will resume music once I hang up phone call.

(5) Video display unlock is accessed by inputting a code via the Nav touch screen. *(The choice to enter the unlock code is likewise accessed via a button on the Nav touchscreen).

(6) The video unlock function and the Nav and BT unlock function BOTH can be turned on while the car is moving.

(7) Nav/BT unlock can be turned off while the car is moving.

(8) Video unlock stays on until I shut the car off.

(9) Audio quality coming from iPhone/iPod and playing through my car stereo is better via SL2iC (even though not as good as ML+)--rather than if iPhone/iPod is simply played through standard AUX port to my car stereo.

I would really love to hear from both Vaistech engineers and from people who have actual first hand knowledge about the SL2iC; in other words people who have had the Sl2iC installed on their own cars or who have witnessed its workings in someone else's car.

Thanks.

votru

iTrader: (7)

Very good question as I'm interested in a SL2iC from Vaistech as well but haven't heard any info or update regard the group buy either. Anyway, you should get better response once the mod move to correct forums.

brociouz

iTrader: (65)

I would also like to ask:

1. For those of us with ML+Nav, will the SL2iC allow us to play DVDs while in motion?

2. When we enable the Nav override, does it disable the GPS tracking until after the override is turned back off?