Photo Request: Center Console of 2004 EX V-6 w/ NAV and MP3

[TheBar1]

Would some kind soul out there please post a phot of what the center console of a 2004 EX V-6 w/ NAV looks like when you add the optional MP3 player?

I'm guessing that this modification eliminates the CD storage bay, but I'm curious whether the MP3 player is integrated into the NAV screen and/or dashboard screen.

Thanks in advance,

Justin

[princess]

I'm sure that it's intergrated with the nav screen since that's how you control the audio system. Looking at the pictures at honda.com it seems to use up the top half of the storage bin. It leaves you a small one without a door.

[TheBar1]

Hi, Princess.

That was my thinking too.

It would be interesting to know if the tags (artist, song name)from the MP3 files appear on the NAV screen or message center area...

Justin

[princess]

That would be my guess, but maybe you could call a dealer. If they've installed one, they should know. On the '03 Nav screen it can show which CD & track you're playing. I would think as long as it's the Honda MP3 for the '04 it would use the screen for all the displays including artist/song stuff.

We ended up giving away the MP3 we'd put in the Pilot. We just weren't happy with the sound. He'd tried everything as far as changes in loading the music into it. It was a Neo jukebox. Great idea, just didn't have the quality we wanted.

If sound quality is an issue for you, the first thing to replace is the speakers! They use pretty cheap ones! BUT make sure the new ones will fit, they didn't leave a lot of room in the doors. The Infinitys required totally different mounting, but they did go in. So far we've left the tweeters in the dash alone. They are handling the sound fine.:)

[mtnagel]

I'm new to the forum, so I just saw your post. I haven't even taken delivery of my Accord yet, but I did get the mp3 player, but I don't have the navigation system. Mine will be a V6 EX coupe. I can take a picture of it when I get it at the end of the month if you are still interested.

Here's the picture from the Honda website:
http://www.hondacars.com/images/2004/accord_coupe/customize/ACRD204208_mid.jpg

I think it's too bad that the factory CD player couldn't just be upgraded to play mp3's. It does look like it replaces half the storage area. I don't love the way they do it, but I've said that my next car will have an mp3 player and so I had to get it. I'm in the process of converting most of my CD collection (around 500 CD's) to mp3's because I have a DVD player in my home stereo that plays them, I have a portable CD player that plays them and I have a boombox at work that plays them, so the only place I still needed it was my car.

What's weird is that it doesn't even have a display. I sure hope it displays the title somewhere.

Matt

[TheBar1]

Hi, Matt. Welcome!

I was specifically interested in the NAV integration of the MP3 player since it is different from Accords without NAV. Since writing my original post, I subsequently heard that the factory MP3 player does not relay tags for the driver to see, and that the playback is pretty annoying (no folder navigation, playlists, or anything like that).

Of course none of this feedback is what I would consider to be "authoritative", so I'd be interested to hear your perspective when you get your player.

Based on my current set-up, I'm leaning in the direction of having the XM Radio disconnected so I can hard-wire an audio-in for a stand-alone MP3 player (like an iPod or iRiver). There are a handful of websites that detail a do-it-yourself approach for this, but it ain't pretty. With a hard-wired input, the NAV screen is basically supposed to behave like there's a CD changer connected to the system - so no tags either, but at least I could get them on the stand-alone unit itself.

The only other way I could seen hooking a stand-alone MP3 up is using an FM transmitter (wildly mixed results from what I've read), buying the Cassette Deck add-on from Honda and then buying a tape adapter, or buying the DVD-RES and using the audio inputs that are installed with that (I think I've read it comes with these someplace).

All in all, it's annoying, especially when you consider that Honda was smart enough to include an audio input on the Element!

[mtnagel]

I found the manual on another website http://www.handa-accessories.com/accord/mp3op.pdf.

It says, "Information on file names, tags, etc cannot be displayed".

That is a little annoying. I know this whole mp3 thing is relatively new (although I have had my Rio Volt portable CD/mp3 player for at least 3 years now), but I bought an RCA mp3 boombox for work last year and it can show the filename at least. And I only paid like 60 bucks for that thing, not over $500!! Even if it didn't integrate into the display on the regular CD player, the least they could have done is put a display on the actual mp3 unit. Or, like I said before, they should have just made the factory player play mp3 cds and then you could have loaded 6 discs or mp3's and never hear the same song for like 3 days!

Well, I guess I should have researched it a little more, but I really wanted it and I guess I let the coolness factor win me over. Although, I don't think that there was on in the 2 Accords I test drove to even try out.

TheBar, wouldn't it be easier to just buy an aftermarket receiver that can play mp3 cd's? Although, I guess you would lose the 6 disc capability? Although, if you are like me, I don't think I would get an aftermarket one because I like how the factory blend into the dash better than any aftermarket one could.

Matt

[TheBar1]

Actually I'm more in favor of the hard-drive MP3 player option than the MP3 CD option. Like you, I am interested in keeping the factory radio in place, particularly with all the steering wheel controls and such. I wish XM was better quality & value, or I would seriously consider keeping it for my musical fix. By doing the mod for the audio inputs, you basically have to disconnect the XM radio from the head unit.

Here is one of the do-it-yourself links that I came across for adding the audio inputs to the factory head unit. Tricky, but clearly doable...

http://www.distantcreations.com/accordipod/

I too wish the in-dash changer could play MP3 CDs on it's own. That would be sweet!

Justin