Here's a pic of the install - the wire comes into the center armrest and hooks up to the ipod. Hope the pics help....

 

let me try again here....

 

Nice...do you press the sat source to access the ipod?

 

Actually it's king of intresting how it works - it takes the place of the AUX - and acts like a CD changer - using disk #5 - so you lose 1 disk slot in your 6 cd player - no big deal - I'll trade one cd for 4 gig of music. When you use the steering wheel control to cycle through AM FM1 etc...you first come to your CD player (no you don't lose that) and the next choice which also looks like the CD player - except it's missing the #5 CD and the music is coming from the IPOD. All in all I'm happy with it - it allows me to move from track to track using the steering wheel controls and allows me to keep it hidden in the center compartment. It dosen't do shuffle and moving from playlist to playlist is slow but it works. Oh and moving from track to track is quick - no real significant delay. For $180 it was a better deal then the VAIS unit - for those of us without NAV.

 

nice pics, going to do my install this weekend on my non nav.

 

I would also like to know this. I have an ES350 and just ordered the VAIS SLI unit. I am hoping the installer can do a nav hack to get this working again. But I'd rather not if I don't have to.

 

hmm... there's a sale over at PriusChat (www.priuschat.com). The DICE iPod kit that we're installing is $135. Is it the same unit for the IS as the Prius?

 

...maybe. But the DICE unit is turning out not to work so well with the 2IS.

 

i just talked with the guy from dice and he said the text would not work...hmm...

 

This is what i call a half upgrade. Theres a japan part called iVideo for ipod that allows touchscreen control and viewing of video and control of playlist from lexus nav screen. That is wayy better.

 

I have a guy coming over from Dice tomorrow to my shop to install the unit finally. I finally got fed up with the annoying wires in my center console. I got the unit shipped to my house for 160. Which kinda sucks cause the guy from dice was going to get me the unit and install it for 2bills. O well, you live and you learn. I am going to take pics of the final product when he is done tomorrow.

 

So what is the verdict for those with stock nav? Vais or Dice? Basically looking for one module to play my music clearly, display text and song titles, and easy to use. Thank you!

 

What are you talking about? What iVideo?

BTW, welcome lol.

 

I have to find the specifics on a forum again. It showed a device that hooks up the the NAVI and displays what is nomally viewed on the ipod screen; hence, you can view videos from the ipod on the navi. It may even come with a remote to control the ipod through that device. I'll look into it and get back to you.

 

All things being equal, I like the VAIS unit because unlike the DICE unite, VAIS:
* Skips that I Agree screen
* Doesn't take over a DVD changer slot
* Emulating MP3-CD is more versatile

Given that, I'd wish that the VAIS unit was smaller, and allow a mode where I can control the ipod directly.