Honda iPod iPhone integration kit

Review:
Part DICE Electronics i-Honda R3
Car 2006 Honda Accord
Retail price $169

Get it from here!!!

Today I tested the DICE Electronics i-Honda-R3 Honda iPod integration kit in a 2006 Honda Accord with aux button *2 and without navigation display*1. The kit is made for 2003-2009 Honda Accords and it was very easy to install.
In the package was a Honda interface unit, a wire harness with a Honda Molex plug, an iPod docking cable, and a user manual. I used a 160 GB iPod Classic and 16gb 3Gs iPhone to test the unit.

The installation steps
1) Locate radio code in case you have to disconnect power plug
2) Remove plastic trim around the shifter
3) Remove the “not an ashtray” pocket
4) Unscrew the 2 Phillips head screws under the large pocket
5) Configure dip switches for car I used Honda Sat emulation (both dip switches off)
6) Configure dip switches for iPod I used smart mode(switch 1 off and switch 2 on)
7) Plug in the DICE Honda Sat plug into the head unit
8) Route the iPod cable and drill small hole in the center console pocket for the iPod cable
9) Connect the cables to the control unit
10) Test the unit
11) Re-install the factory parts
Operation
1) Use the sat button to activate
2) Tune buttons change tracks
3) Preset buttons change mode.
a. 1 is for Track mode
b. 2 is for Playlist mode
c. 3 is for Artist mode
d. 4 is for Album mode
e. 5 is for iPod or Aux mode
f. 6 is for Text Scrolling options
4) Display Mode button toggles between text fields
5) Scan button enables or disables shuffle

The I-Honda-R3 works with a large variety of vehicles.
Honda
2003-2009 Accord
2006-2009 Civic
2005-2009 CRV
2003-2009 Element EX\SC
2005-2009 Odyssey
2006-2009 Pilot
2006-2009 Ridgeline
2004-2009 S2000
Acura
2005-2009 MDX
2007-2009 RDX
2005-2009 RL
2004-2008 TL
2004-2008 TSX
Pros
Controls from the head unit
Works with iPod Touch FW 3.1
Great sound quality
Charges the newer 5v iPods
Text on radios with the SAT button and the R4 kit will display information on the head-unit makes it very user friendly
“Smart Mode” enables selectable controls through head-unit or iPod
Allows factory steering wheel controls to operate the iPod functions
Extra 1/8th” Aux input

Cons
There are a lot of features so the learning curve takes longer than normal
No mount or cradle
To use the controls on the iPod Touch I had to slide to unlock the unit before I used the controls on the iPod in “Smart Mode”.


*1 If the radio comes with navigation then use the i-Honda-r4
*2 Factory head-unit must have SAT button to use SAT mode and factory Sat cannot be retained