Sony Xplod (CDX-GT820IP) Ipod Communication error

I have the same problem as you, if I hit play and slowly push the connector in but not all the way I can get sound but I still get the communication error. I guess I should have returned the stereo for a differnet model but my return period is up so I guess I am out of luck unless I purchase a new stereo

I have the Sony CDX-GT620IP and can't quite figure out why it works at times and not others. I will connect it get comm error, another time it will start playing the first song in my music library and not let me do anything else (skip song, shuffle...). After I downloaded the new software update the other night I was able to play my ipod and set the stereo to shuffle and thought I was good to go, but after disconnecting the ipod and reconnecting it didn't work again. Most of the time I just get the comm error. Any Ideas?

Hi there! I'm facing similar problems too! When I connect my Ipod 4th Gen into my Ipod enable sony Xplod car audio (CDX-GT55IPS), it will read the Ipod, then after quite some times later it'll return a comms err message. Any one has a solution to this?

It's most likely that the Sony Receiver is not compatible with the iPod.
Contact Sony and see if they are releasing an update to make it work.

I don't think its an issue on the headunit as I've seen through this discussion forum and there are quite a number of headunit facing similar problems too. So I think Apple should be working to solve this problem with a patch.

I think Apple should be working to solve this problem with a patch.

Why would Apple patch iPods to work with 3rd party products? Apple does not claim the iPod is compatible with your rehead unit.
Sony claims their head unit is compatible with the iPod.

The iPod spec tells developers how to make their products compatible with iPods. The Sony spec does not tell Apple how to make the iPod compatible.

Anyway, send your suggestions here -> http://www.apple.com/feedback/

At what point does Apple supply the specs to 3rd party developers? Do they let them know in advance when they are planning on releasing a new generation of Ipod? Do you know what they changed in the iPod nano 4th Gen that is different from the other versions that makes it incompatible?

Developers get the specs when they decide they want to develop for the iPod.
The only thing I know for sure was changed was the charging pins.

Well if you said that they had only changed the charging pin, then why issit that Ipod Nano 3rd generation is able to communicate it without problem but not the 4th generation? I'm sure they had change something with the firmware which causes the comms err.

Verified this issue also happens with CDX-GT620IP. Same exact symptoms. System attempts connection, logo appears (partially), 10 seconds goes by and head unit gives up with comms error.

It is significantly easier / reasonable for Apple to recognize these communications issues and enhance their firmware to add backwards compatibility with head units. Asking people to change their head units (considerably more costly than an ipod), or upgrade firmware on their head units (more difficult or even impossible compared to doing the same on the ipod) is just silly.

Will test on a CDX-GT420IP tomorrow and report findings here.

The iPod spec tells developers how to make their products compatible with iPods. The Sony spec does not tell Apple how to make the iPod compatible.

Yes, and since Sony (and others) obviously followed the spec, as demonstrated by the fact that the head units work with all other generations of iPods (even Touch and iPhone), it may very well be the new Nano that is not properly adhering to their own spec.

I just bought a brand new Ipod nano so I could use with my Sony Deck. Sometimes it charges and sometimes it doesn't. Also I can play one or two songs and then it freezes. I only got the stereo about 6 months ago brand new. Does anyone know if a fix has been released for this.

I'm having the same problem with my 6 month old Sony CDX-GT620IP and the 4th Generation Nano. I purchased the Scosche passport charging adapter for iPod & iPhone, but it didn't solve the problem. The CDX-GT620IP still reflects a communication error.

All of my older iPods still work with the CDX-GT620IP. Let's hope Apple comes out with a patch that will allow us to use the new nanos our the head units. Most of us probably selected these head units specifically to use our iPods.

Not sure if this thread is really still going or not, but here's what I found on Sony's site for the CDX-GT820IP; which I recently got just after getting the 4G iPod Nano:

http://esupport.sony.com/perl/news-item.pl?news_id=43&mdl=CDXGT820IP

A lot of iPods are listed; but not the 4G nano... It's a shame. I have an older 2nd generation nano that works great with the deck... it takes less than two seconds for it to recognize that the iPod's been connected and start playing music. Problem is, the older nano is my husband's, so I have to convince him to let me load "my" music on his ipod... who'd have thought we'd be fighting over who got to use the old one!!

Anyway, hope this helps...

Apple changed the pin connections on the 4th generation Nano and for the Ipod Touch 2nd Generation. Supposedly, there were power surges with the older ipods and that's why Apple changed the pin connections on the newer models. That's why the Ipod Touch 2G and Ipod Nano 4g don't work with the Sony XPLOD CDX-GT820IP and loads of other ipod stereo docks, clock radios and charging devices. Apple should really be the company to design something to fix this since they are the ones that changed the pin connectors and now all our ipod compatible gadgets are no longer ipod compatible. Scosche came out with an adapter called the Scosche Passport that seemed like it would be a fix for this problem but I ordered one and I keep getting the same error message when I used it on the Sony Xplod. Ironically, it does work with a Sharper Image Tower Speaker Dock that I have but that's not what I bought it for. I read somewhere that Griffin made a similar adapter but I didn't pay much attention since I had the Scosche on order. Many people are having problems with this and other gadgets so hopefully some company will be wise enough to develop a universal adapter and get Apple to advertise it if Apple doesn't have plans for one.