[normalizer]

Anybody taken the plunge on one of the audio adapters from blitzsafe? if so, share the details and your review please.

Am about to order one but for $125+ I'd like to not be the first guinea pig.

[mistanfo]

Crutchfield carries the Blitzsafe adaptor, USD79.95, shipping would be USD5.99 We have tested them to work in the BMW's, have not tried them in the Mini YET. Blitzsafe has been a reliable brand over the years (they made the only Toyota to Panasonic adaptor for years), so I do not see a problem with a new piece. I am sure that a local Blitzsafe dealer could also get this piece to you for less than MSRP. Now, for disclosure, yes, I do work at Crutchfield, in the retail store in Charlottesville. I have lusted after a first generation Mini for years, and next year, may purchase a new Cooper S.

[normalizer]

This is GREAT news! I just checked the Crutchfield website and no adapter is listed for the MINI, could be it's so new it's not been added yet.

Do you happen to know the product number?

[mistanfo]

The Blitzsafe adaptor is stock number 572BMWDMX1. This adaptor allows for interface with the Alpine changer stock number 500CHMS630. I just talked to our vehicle researchers (yes, we have 2 full time employees to measure and check vehicles for kit fit/ adaptor integration, etc). Hope that this helps. Happy motoring!

[normalizer]

Well, you just sold something for Crutchfield.... called and ordered it, came to $85 with shipping. I will post my review when I get it, assuming I have the car by then. If it doesn't work they said I have 30 days to send it back so that's a relief.

[noahe]

Just putting my nose in the thread, so I can see how it turns out. If your happy, I'm ordering one next.

[mistanfo]

Not sure if we ship to Canada these days. I know that we used to, but I think that we may have stopped due to the various problems with customs, etc. However, feel free to call them and see what they say. I work in the retail store, so I don't deal with any shipping issues.

[noahe]

I'll find a way. I have relatives in Texas.

[normalizer]

and you admit that publicly?

it's okay, I'm from Tennessee.... it's just like Texas but with worse teeth.

[noahe]

None of them were born in Texas. Making up pretty good time with the cowboy hats, cowboy boots, and the gun-rack in the car...

How's the song go? "That's right, you're not from Texas, Texas loves you anyway."

Anyways, back on topic, maybe Blitzsafe has a Canadian distributor. I've sent them an email about it.

[yippie42]

Mistanfo-can you tell me how this thing is hook-up? I am looking at the sony PNP and I have a CD player. I'm not real familiar with all the satellite gear available-nor is anyone I know (of course I MUST be the first on the block to have it).

[normalizer]

The Sony PNP hooks up in one of 3 ways.... through an aux input, cassette tape adapter, or FM modulator.

I have the modulator in my truck and it's okay but not great. Cassette is worse, using an aux input jack would be ideal. Hang on about a week and I'll tell you how mine goes with the blitzsafe adapter, if it works well it would be THE way to do it. Install the XM gear up front somewhere and run a headphone extension from your gear to the jack the adapter creates in the back.

One problem I forsee using the FM modulator in the MINI is that the MINI does not use a standard motorola type antennae jack. I am sure there are adapters for that too but the less adapters one uses the bettter.

The PNP has the receiver itself built into it, unlike some of the other addon units out there that have a remote face and controller you stick to your dash and a receiver you hide under the seat, in the glovebox, etc.... the PNP is all selfcontained. It's a little noisy from a fan or something that hums in it but when the car is running you'd never notice it.

The new 2003 models are supposed to be ready for Sirius satellite radio, which I've not personally used but have reasons of my own to not want it anyway. Costs a bit more per month than XM and you don't get the variety or number of channels that XM offers. The benefit of Sirius is that it is completely commercial free.

If you want satellite radio and don't care which, XM or Sirius, I'd go for Sirius if you had the new radio that is ready for it. If not and you have to spend the money on new equipment go with XM. More bang for the buck.

[yippie42]

Ok- but were does the adapter plug into in the back? I don't have a CD changer...

[mistanfo]

It will depend on which Sony PNP XM unit you have. Do you have the FM Modulated type, or the type with a cassette adaptor? If you have the type with the cassette adaptor, you can use the Blitzsafe adaptor for it's aux input. Otherwise, you would need the FM modulated system, shich, as previously mentioned, will require a variety of adaptors to integrate with the non Motorola standard ant. fittings.

[Nowhere]

I'm interested in how it turns out too. I'm thinking about getting one of the newest iPods when they're available. Haven't decided between the 10 and 20GB model yet. Thanks for being our test subject Normalizer

Chris

[normalizer]

All the Sony PNP units send the sound from the radio to your stereo using a standard headphone type jack, which has the modulator, cassette adapter, whatever plugged into that.

You just run some patchcord from the front of the car to the rear, plug the front into the xm radio and the rear into the aux input the adapter creates.

You don't have a cd-changer but the car is allready wired for it. In the rear of the car, on the right side, is a little door that opens up and has wiring tucked away in it. About halfway through it is a small plug, which the changer plugs into. The adapter plugs into that and creates an aux input as well as another changer plug, so that if you ever do get a changer you can still use both. According to Blitzsafe, the aux input shows up on the radio as another changer. You can't control it with the headunit but you can use it for the added sound source.

[yippie42]

It sounds like an awful lot of pieces parts and cord. I don't have a cassette play-yeah ironically for the first time in my life I have a car with a CD player in it and now I wish for a cassette!-life is bitter-sweet...anyway, maybe I should just bite the bullet and get an aftermarket stereo (Alpine makes a model or two that fit) with a CD player and xm satellite ready. Of course I still need the antenna but it's a few less parts floating around the car. I just don't trust anyone to take the dash apart and install a new stereo-most people have never even SEEN a mini yet-let alone know it's wiring! And I've noticed Crutchfield doesn't even have wiring harness yet for our MINIs so that means splicing into the car wiring-which makes me a wee leary.
I want the satellite so d*&m bad though! I sold my old MP3 player because of the cassette thing (couldn't listen to it in the car). The iPod is awesome yes but again-how to play.
ugh choices choices choices. I've spent so much dough on accessories for my car as it is...she's better dressed than I am!

[normalizer]

If you don't that the multifunction steering wheel it's a no brainer, swap out the headunit. I do have the MFSW so don't want to lose it's controlability with the wheel....

If you do get a headunit with satellite you will still need the antennae as well as the satellite receiver, just like the PNP... as far as I know nobody makes a radio that gets satellite without an external receiver module. It's no big deal, just tuck it under a seat or behind one of the covers in the boot and you're off. Saw somebody's installation of a Sirius radio where they ran the wire from the sat antennae with the wire from the MINI's antennae, looked preety sweet though I'd still get the thruglass antennae myself, don't want any rain seeping in.

You might want to take your car to a good stereo shop and have the install guy look it over to get some ideas as to how to install the stuff, might not be half the nightmare for him as it would be for you. I know I am fairly clueless when it comes to installing stuff myself, just gotta find a good shop to do it.

[OhioCowboy]

Quote:

Originally posted by normalizer
You just run some patchcord from the front of the car to the rear, plug the front into the xm radio and the rear into the aux input the adapter creates.....
The adapter plugs into that and creates an aux input as well as another changer plug, so that if you ever do get a changer you can still use both. According to Blitzsafe, the aux input shows up on the radio as another changer. You can't control it with the headunit but you can use it for the added sound source.

I have the factory MINI changer, told it's an Alpine, and have a Sony Walkman CD/Mp3 player. Are you saying that I will be able to connect the Mp3 player into the Blitzsafe aux input? Would the headunit treat the Mp3 disk as a single disk and thereby playing all the Mp3s on the disk?
That would be good enough for my needs..!

[normalizer]

if it works as I understand it to, it will show up as a changer on the headunit and that's all. You'll still need to control whatever you plug in directly, not through the headunit. You'll be able to adjust the volume exiting the stereo but will want to adjust what goes into the heaunit from whatever source you are using. All it does is create an aux unput listed on the headunit as a changer, or second changer if you allready have one.
For instance: I'll have my Ipod sitting in the cupholder, when I want to change the MP3 I'm listening to I still have to do it through the Ipod.

The benefit of the adapter is that allows you to keep your factory stereo but input other sources of audio without losing too much, if any, audio quality.

If it works, and works well enough to reccomend to others, I'll be jacking my Ipod, XM radio, and possibly a police scanner/2-way ham radio into it. Just a matter of plugging and unplugging the jacks from one source to another.

Crutchfield said I should expect to see it monday-ish. I'll post my report after I've had a chance to play with it.