Connecting iPod to Honda Music Link

You can certainly contact me. My case number is 68483846.

I am also a software engineer, so I should have no problem working with you guys technically if you want to figure it out.

I have 2 IPOD's - a Video IPOD that was updated to the newer firmware, and a color photo IPOD that is using the previous version of the firmware.

The video IPOD does not work in with my Honda MusicLink since upgrading the firmware, while the color photo IPOD continues to work.

Well this now all makes sense.

I upgraded my itunes and when I went to change music around on my ipod my I-Link stopped working. ARGH.

When will Honda upgrade or patch the TTS software. it doesnt even automatically launch anymore.

So I just had a Honda MusicLink installed on my 2007 Honda Fit Sport today. While they were installing it I was at home stupidly updating my iTunes to 7.0 and my firmware to 1.2 and installing the Honda TTS software that came with the musiclink on my 60G Video iPod.
I go to pick the car up, plug the iPod in and nothing happens. "Disc 6" flashes at me annoyingly but I can't move through Disc 1-5 and I sure as heck can't play any music. The checkmark has appeared, with the pause symbol in the corner but I don't even know if it's charging. I tell the technician and he brings over his iPod which works fine on the Disc 5 and Disc 6 settings (of course, he has no Honda TTS installed on his iPod).
I have called Honda. They have a vauge notion of what I am talking about, their technicican recalls seeing some email sent out about iTunes 7 problems. He tells me to download the TTS software from the Honda website because it is updated and will fix the problem. Wrong. It's still 1.2 and I have wasted hours restoring my iPod, removing programs and reinstalling them.
I can't even find an old version of iTunes to downgrade to even if I felt inclined to take two steps back.
I'm really so mad I can't see straight. So what is to be done? I wouldn't be half so ticked if I could utilize the shuffle album/artist features they claim you can use without the TTS software but I can't even do that.... did I just throw $300 away or what?

Seething in Santa Cruz,CA

Angel,

I was only able to fix the problem by restoring my iPod firmware to version 1.1.2, which is on the iPod Updater from 6-28-2006. This has to be done on a computer running a version of iTunes earlier than 7.

I have, however, heard of another fix which I have not personally tried. On another forum, I have seen posts by two different individuals who claim that removing and then reinstalling the radio fuse in their Honda fixed the problem.

I have not tried it, since I successfully reverted to older iPod firmware and now everything works, and to try would require that I once again "upgrade" to firmware 1.2. I'm not ready to take that chance just yet. However, if I was currently running 1.2, I would try that fix first. The worst that could happen is that you will lose all your radio presets and have to re-enter the anti-theft code.

If you do try the fuse reset, please post your results here and let us know how it goes. If this is a fix, it is much simpler than all that software mess.

Dave

For reference, I am adding links to the posts in the other forums that I mentioned in my previous post.

http://forums.ilounge.com/showthread.php?p=1015309&posted=1#post1015309

http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9866&page=3

Dell Windows XP

Hey Guys,

This isn't a Music Link problem, it's an iPod software problem, I have an aftermarket Kenwood head unit on my Explorer hooked up to a KCA-IP500 iPod adapter and ever since I've installed this diabolical update, my iPod adapter will not play nice with my stereo, giving out an "Error 60" message, spent an hour and a half today after work at the apple store and tried to get them to re-flash the iPod - Well, they were able to revert it back to version 1.1.1 and yet it still wouldn't work in my car. I finally gave up on it and looked you guys up, glad I am not the only one having this problem... I hate this!!!

Now... Is there anybody out there that can call apple and have them fix this little problem we're having?? Tried calling, but since I am not AppleCare, they can't talk to me... (Well, if I pay them, they will...)

V.

iBook, Mac Mini, iPod Mac OS X (10.4.8) Use PC notebook all the time (I need CAD)

I tried pulling the fuse and nope, doesn't work on my Fit either. i was so hoping.. Um, if this is an Apple problem, why hasn't my Toyota friends had an issue? Also, in this forum there is some mention of not being able to recreate the problem in the lab, so the issue may not be totally widespread. My software engineering background tells me that the honda stereo is reading the ipod in one format while, since the update, Apple is providing in another. But that's just my guess. The answer lies not with Honda, or with Apple, but with the two vendors working together to solve it.

Question: I'm guessing that the last iTunes and iPod updates dealt with providing database coding for movie content. I also have extensive video files, pictures, and one movie (Pixar's Boundin'). Could it be that those iPods with multiple data types are the ones having the MusicLink issue?

Maybe there are some similarities between the Kenwood hardware and the Honda hardware as well, maybe Toyota uses a different system. Also, there have been people reporting that flashing back to 1.1.2 has solved the problem, and yet a few people report nothing happening after reverting back... Very sporadic error behavior.

I have talked to Apple today and they say they know nothing about it and it might be a couple of months until they come up with an update (bummer). Tried bumming an un-updated iPod at work to plug into my car but had no luck. ****!

Anybody had any luck!??

iBook, Mac Mini, iPod Mac OS X (10.4.8) Use PC notebook all the time (I need CAD)

I'm glad I read this thread because in my family we have 3 ipods - one 5th gen 80gb (doesn't work with the Music Link) a 4th gen 60gb (works with Music Link) and I just picked up an 8gb Nano (firmware 1.02) which thankfully works and I checked this thread so I will not "upgrade" the firmware on the Nano. Thanks for the helpful posts.

WOW!!!! so i just got off the phone with Honda. . . . . they have currently suspended the sales of MusicLinks. HOWEVER, and this is the good part, they are pretty sure the the incompatibilty has to do with iTunes 7 & the TTS software. I was also told that they are shooting to have a software update for the TTS available the end of November! ****, I hope so. In that case. KEEP CALLING HONDA. Let them know how many of us there are. Those of you with applecare. keep calling as well.

here's the honda muisclink website: http://musiclink.honda.com/

I'm glad they're working on it, but I don't see how it could be a problem with TTS and iTunes 7. I don't use the TTS software, and never have. The Music Link documentation even states plainly that use of the TTS is "optional." I have opted not to use it since day 1.

But when I had firmware 1.1.2 on my iPod, my iPod worked with my Music Link. When I "upgraded" to firmware 1.2, it quit working. When I reverted to firmware 1.1.2, it worked again.

Never did TTS enter the mix, though I have kept iTunes 7 throughout the whole mess. So I may not be a software engineer, but I'm pretty sure it's the iPod firmware. I am hoping that Apple will be able to find a solution, through another firmware update, that will solve the problem.

Otherwise, I am seriously contemplating going back to my Honda dealer and asking that they remove the Music Link and refund my money, so that I can go find another in-car solution that actually works.

Well, I finally broke down and called American Honda to gripe about this Music Link issue. The rep I spoke to was very nice, but said that the only issue they were aware of (and therefore addressing) was a conflict between Honda TTS software and iTunes 7.

I explained to her that my issue was that I don't use TTS, and I do use iTunes 7, but that upgrading to firmware 1.2 caused my iPod to quit working with Music Link. This stumped her, since apparently I am the only freak in the world who doesn't use TTS. So I now have a case number and have been referred to a regional representative, who is supposed to contact me in a few days.

I still think they're barking up the wrong tree by focusing on a conflict between TTS and iTunes. There may indeed be one, but I still think firmware 1.2 is at the root of it all. We'll see.

I am having the same problem in my '06 Acura RL. I have a 4-button iPod which works with AcuraLink, but which will not run the TTS software. I bought a 5th generation video iPod which shipped with version 1.2, and regardless of whether TTS is installed it will flash disc 06 indefinitely. It's a real bummer, because I bought the new iPod specifically to interface with the car...

You are right on. It is firmware 1.2 that is the root cause. I hope Apple is aware of this. All the TTS and iTunes 7 talk is got some distracted.

I did try the so called fuse fix but it made no difference.

I spoke to my Honda service adviser, and gave hime the North american Honda incident number, he said Honda is aware of the problem and was hopeful of a fix before the end of November. I guess its best to work through the dealer on this, but be sure to open up a ticket using the 800 number listed in this thread previously. Oh yeah, I tried the fuse bit at the dealer too. no such luck.