I know I should probably post this in the Electronics section but thought the LS section would be more helpful. Installed the unit in a ML-equipped car and have a couple of issues that others may have come across or corrected or remember seeing a thread about with resolution .... (i did my searching but did not find answers).

- When the unit initializes and connects to an iPhone, it starts skipping disks from 1 through 7 in a loop. Begins at 1, goes through 7 and then back to 1 and on and on. Music played from the phone via iTunes or Pandora plays but only on certain occasions does the skipping stop and a stagnant disk number used to play the music. Because of the continuous loop of disk skips, the screen never turns off.

- When the issue of disk skipping exists, there is no channel text displayed on the screen and thus, the steering wheel buttons do not control the skipping of a song. When disk skipping issue does not occur, the steering buttons work perfectly re: skip a song on Pandora or go forward/backward if using albums on iTunes.

I have tried resetting unit, turning bluetooth off and on when powering ignition up, turning radio off and on and a bunch of other sequenced tests to see if there is a method to ensuring that the car turns on, bluetooths connect (to phone and to SL3b), radio powers on and a song played on the iPhone plays as well as displays text on the screen (if screen is on) as well as allowing use of steering buttons. But nothing has worked to solve the issue. It isn't a bad issue but it does irritate me to some extent that I cannot control using the buttons instead of looking for phone whilst driving.

Vaistech has been most helpful in working with me but is probably as stumped as I am at this, even after we tried an alternate box to ensure the original maybe didn't have an internal software issue.

Anyone willing to throw some light on this? Or even tell me to just man up and live with this? No - I shall not plan on replacing this with a FM transmitter nor a cassette adapter nor a Grom.

Thanks for your help.

 

the SL3B has given me a lot of problems with streaming music. right now it's working but sometimes it starts playing whatever it wants on iTunes Radio. Ive noticed when it's working it reads Disc 1 and Track 1 at all times. Eugene hasn't been able to help my case.

 

I would exchange the SL3b for the VaisTech MML unit rather than waste more time trying to solve the issue.

 

Or get a Grom unit. Nobody seems to be complaing about them having issues, including myself. Their also cheaper. I don't know about Vaistech but Grom provides regular firmware updates to work with new devices done easily with a usb memory stick.

 

Which Grom unit do you have?

 

That's something I think possible - hardwired and working as opposed to the Bluetooth juggling.

 

I have this unit:

http://www.gromaudio.com/store/andro...interface.html

I don't like to stream via Bluetooth as there is notable sound quality difference. Just a personal preference. So, I just got the $100 Android kit and use the 1/8" cable with my iPhone. Makes it easier to share the connection too. I also use a memory stick and can access music from the USB port. It will power a full hard drive or charge your phone. It's useful to get yourself a USB extension as the box needs to live near the head unit. Then you can run the cables below the 12v connector in the center glove box for a really clean look and functionality.

 

On the Grom kit, you just run the headphone jack to get the sound there and use the smartphone to control tracks?

I know for myself, the aftermarket kits that tie into the factory stereo have always been really glitchy when it comes to making a digital connection with an iPod or smartphone. They also seem to do a bad job of making updates.

I never have issues though when I just make an analog connection.

 

Anybody try this one?

I just want an analog connection, this seems like a good cheap solution.

 

Under USB the advancing of track works on the steering wheel. So does Bluetooth if you want it. Under analog it does not and you are not compressing and uncompressing your music again.

 

Do things like Pandora or other internet radio type apps work through the USB connection?

I definitely think a headphone jack is not ideal for sound quality but my experience with it has been pretty good. My issue with the digital connections is they seem to always be buggy if there's say a different cable, new operating system, etc.

 

No streaming under USB. Actually, the 1/8" or any cable method is ideal for sound quality. You are already loosing quality when streaming. You can set your bitrate to high but even then the more times the file has to be converted before it hits your speakers the more you will loose. The technology is advancing it's getting better, slowly. It is a very reliable connection. I never have problems.

 

I think sometimes though there's extra conversions going on, usually you want a digital signal to stay digital until the final step when it goes into an analog signal for the speakers.

I know on a home theater receiver, I could hear more detail when I went from a CD player to my receiver with an optical (digital) signal than I could with the same CD player with analog RCA cables. I guess it all depends what conversion steps the car's receiver makes.

Truthfully, I'm not so much of a golden ear that I care all that much anymore. Satellite radio is honestly garbage (worse than the lowest Mp3 compression) and all the music on my iPhone or iPod derived from compressed MP3 anyway. I'm more of a Podcast guy anyway.

I'm far more interested in having a reliable connection that doesn't crash. Usually I do much better when all the "digital" control is through the device rather than through the head unit.

 

If you can maintain 328 kbps or higher it will sound really good. This why the CD player sounds great too.

 

I prefer the VaisTech MML high-end audio integration device, and have in each of my LS's. Never had any problem. The sound is superior distortion-free, wide-range frequency response. USB connection for iphone / ipod or flash drive; plays internet radio and music through music apps on phone. Display and control on dash multi-screen, or control with steering wheel radio controls, or on the phone device itself. VaisTech does firmware updates. I custom installed a USB port inside the center armrest console next to the 12-volt outlet for concealed yet easy access for both driver and passenger. Charges device while plugged in too; wireless and 1/8" pin cable interfaces don't. And you can see playlist and song title info on multi-screen with MML.
Here is a pic of the USB port in the center armrest console: