"Group Buy" for Ipod Interfaces from Vais Technology

[Editorchops]

Hello Everybody,

I'm working on another "Group Buy" for Ipod Interfaces from Vais Technology. These units will work with the factory Navigation systems (2003-2005 4runner) and OEM Navigations units (2005 Camry and Solara) from OEMvalue. The model # is AIC-100i and lists for $369.00 on their site. The special "Group Buy" pricing is $256.49 for 10 or more units.

This is a link to the AIC-100i:
http://www.vaistech.com/aic100i.html

Thanks,

Editorchops

 

[sharp4runr]

Even with the group buy it is still twice as expensive as the USA Spec unit that seems to do the same. Does this unit also charge the Ipod like the USA Spec? It doesn't make mention on the site you listed but maybe I read it too fast...

I don't have the Navi, so I'm not sure if the USA Spec will work with the Navi

 

[slowginjoe]

the usa spec doesn't work with nav, that's why this unit is twice as much.

i may be interested in this group buy. just haven't heard anyone use this in the t4r yet.

with the cd text display on the nav screen, you wouldn't even have to mount the ipod anywhere like others have done since you don't need to see the ipod anymore. you could just sock it away in the glovebox or center console and control it with the steering wheel controls and see the display on the nav! cool...

 

[kglueck]

I'd be interested assuming that it does indeed display the text on my nav (I have the solara nav)...

 

[gRunner3]

I also would be interested. I've been watching their website for a while and it seems as if they only sell them for Lexus vehicles right now. And they don't seem to update their website too often which may indicate they work pretty slowly... so if we had a problem with our units it might take an awful long time to get resolved.

 

[mtnrunner]

I'm also interested in hooking up my ipod to my stereo but not for anywhere close to $250. Has anyone yet found a working alternative? I'd be happy with a harness that simply had a 1.8mm stereo input, I don't need to watch or navigate with anything except the ipod itself. Sure, it would be nice to have all these features but that's a lot of clams!

 

[mtnrunner]

After thinking about this and contacting vaistech.com, who tells me their unit does work with the 2004 T4R /Nav count me in!, (voting buttons don't seem to be working.)

However, please let us know where you are w/ regards to getting 10 interested buyers. Not sure how long I can wait!

 

[snap315]

Interested but have a Question...

I have a 2005 Nav with the 6 disk CD changer.

Will this unit work for my setup?

 

[mtnrunner]

Editorchops,

Any success on this? I missed on a group buy on priusonline and I think this may be the only option for a 2004 4Runner LTD owner with stock NAV.

Please update us

Thanks!

 

[Editorchops]

Ipod Interface "Group Buy"

Everybody who has been waiting for the Coastaletech Ipod interface looks like they're going to be waiting for a long time. I've called them on numerous occasions, they don't have any definitive answers.

I know a few of you are still interested in the VAIS ipod interface. This seems to be the only solution for using your Ipod with your OEM navigation. We can get this for $269.00, but we have to buy a minimum of 10. That's a $100 off the regular price. If anyone is still interested, reply to this thread.

Thanks,

Editorchops

 

[datavortex]

Multi-site Collaberation Buy

Ok, basically what I am seeing here is that several different sites are setting up mass buys of the AIC-100i. This includes this site, priuschat.com and priusonline.com, not to mention the 3-4 (maybe many more) Prius-owners at my office that are now interested, plus a couple people even emailed me.

It sounds like Eugene need about three weeks or so to fill his current backlog of orders. We can use that time to organize the next order. What I've done is setup a signup page so that there is a central location for everyone, from all the various origins, to put down their name for this great deal. This way we can have an easily maintained, public, authoritative list.

Please sign up here to indicate your interest. Specifically so far, I believe I am talking to you, Editorchops, sharp4runr, slowginjoe, kglueck, gRunner3, and mtnrunner.


You have until midnight, Monday night to sign up! This deal expires at Mon Sep 26 23:59:59 EDT 2005!


Please click the signup link if you need any additional information. You can email me at [email protected]. Thanks for signing up, let's save money!

 

[mtnrunner]

DataVortex,

CPL things:

I signed up at your link but the "list partipants" only shows me and not everyone else and I chked prior to signing and saw someone else so you may have an issue with that page.

What forum will you be updating or will you update via email?

Can you also confirm return policy with VAIS in the event this device does not function. I know that VAIS will return cost of unit less shipping on single orders but would like confirmation that the return policy is the same for devices acquired on a group buy.

Yes, Let's save some money!!! and thanks for setting this up!

 

[datavortex]

I signed up at your link but the "list partipants" only shows me and not everyone else and I chked prior to signing and saw someone else so you may have an issue with that page.

You're right! It was only displaying the most recent entry. Sorry about that. This is fixed now and no entries were lost. We have seven signups now and I'm expecting more.

What forum will you be updating or will you update via email?

Primary contact will come through email, so watch for that. I will update the forums too though.

Can you also confirm return policy with VAIS in the event this device does not function. I know that VAIS will return cost of unit less shipping on single orders but would like confirmation that the return policy is the same for devices acquired on a group buy.

Yes, Let's save some money!!! and thanks for setting this up!

No problem! I know that with the last buy the policy was unchanged, price minus shipping. But I cannot speak officially for the company, so you probably want to get that straight from Eugene's keyboard to get a sense of security.

Thanks.

 

[slowginjoe]

I'm in!

I found it kind of weird that Eugene didn't even know if this will display other language fonts on the screen or not. I thought he designed this unit?? I also found it odd that he didn't know if his unit receives ascii code from the ipod (in which case the other languages may not decode correctly) or plain pixel info from the ipod (displayed directly onto the nav screen with no decoding, which means other languages will work). I have some Japanese and Chinese music that displays in their respective languages correctly on the iPod screen. I sure hope the aic-100i will show them correctly on the nav screen! If anyone has it installed, could you please give it a try by switching to another language on your ipod really quick?

Also, Does anyone know how quickly you can scroll through a playlist of 99 songs with just the steering wheel control? I hope it's not too frustrating trying to get to song # 99!

 

[datavortex]

I'm in!
Also, Does anyone know how quickly you can scroll through a playlist of 99 songs with just the steering wheel control? I hope it's not too frustrating trying to get to song # 99!

Great!

As for the question - personally I would say, make your smart playlists REALLY smart, and only mess with it when you have to. I don't imagine getting to song 99 would be any worse than getting to track 99 on a CD, still lots of time spent holding the button though.

 

[gRunner3]

I signed up, too. It sounds like there will be a little bit of a wait while the other group buy order gets taken care of. But I'm ready as soon as VAIS is.

One thing I'm a little curious about that I didn't see answered on the Prius forums is if the fast forward and reverse functions work with this unit. I hope so but I guess it wouldn't be the end of the world if it didn't.

 

[datavortex]

31 Participants!

Thanks to all that signed up.

If you're interested the price is now down to $243, which is $127 off retail price. We can save up to an additional 20 bucks with more signups. If you were waiting for a low price, you got it!

 

[mtnrunner]

Talk about the Internet working for us! I outta buy everything like this! As of this post it looks like we're up to 39 units!

DataV, More ?s!:

I noticed your sign-up sheet has been updated to reflect make/model/year of car which may come into play for Eugene as I believe the wiring harness will differ car to car. Any chance you can update for all participants to expedite Eugene's readiness to ship? Or.. do you expect Eugene will simply ask each of us prior to shipping? (in which case nix that 1st idea)

Not sure what you mean by Obfuscated email address. I know what the word means but what's the value of a "confused" email address? .. or are you suggesting something like "bill at MS.com vs. [email protected]?"

At what point is the group buy closed? Is that up to Eugene, availability, or do we have a cut-off number in mind? I'd be in favor of cutting it off at 50-55 to prevent swamping VAIS too much with one buy ensuring that those who responded are accommodated and allowing for yet another group buy if so needed. (55 because invariably a few will be non-responsive in the end)

Again, Thanks for putting this together! Assuming our 4Runners with NAV and CD-TEXT work with this puppy we'll all be in iPod heaven!

 

[slowginjoe]

Does anyone know if the 2003 4runner nav has CD changer mode WITH CD text support? I've never had a changer in there so I have no idea. My nav interface is the color like the picture below taken from vais website, which they say is without CD text support (but my CDs in the single CD slot will show CD text):

Supposedly the nav with CD changer text support looks like this, with the green background, taken from vais webiste:

I'm pretty sure my nav will display the CD text in the CD changer mode since it does it for the single CD player, but these pictures from vais has me a little worried..

 

[mtnrunner]

Does anyone know if the 2003 4runner nav has CD changer mode WITH CD text support? I've never had a changer in there so I have no idea. My nav interface is the color like the picture below taken from vais website, which they say is without CD text support (but my CDs in the single CD slot will show CD text)

Slowgin, I have a 2004 with Nav and it shows "CD-TEXT" in the emblem on upper left side of unit. I'm hoping it will work too despite that I don't seem to get title info on CDs. We may have different units, the bottom right emblem on my HU reads "17010", what does yours read? Also, I tried using the pac-audio and no go on 12 pin port, Eugene says his uses the 20 pin port. Finger crossed!