Pictures of GM PAL Ipod controller
01-26-2008, 01:47 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 07-31-2007
Location: MI
Posts: 101
Pictures of GM PAL Ipod controller
I bought the new "PAL", personal audio link, available from GM accessories
for the HHR so you can put your Ipod in the top glovebox where it will charge
the battery and allow you to run the Ipod using your factory steering wheel
controls and the buttons on your factory radio. Band button will cycle radio
from am to fm to Ipod. It uses the XM connection in the radio which both the single and 6 CD radios have even tho they do NOT have XM.
If you have XM, the install needs a Tech II to program a small change in
software. If you radio does not have XM like mine, it is an easy install tho
it does take the removal of a pin in the radio harness and splicing it to the
Ipod GM harness.
Here is the controller which mounts on heater box in passenger footwell.
The part number is 19171028 and about $130 or so from GMpartsdirect.
The sound is excellent and I am still learning how to use. Some have reported if yourIpod has lots of music, it can take awhile to search and find. So far
I see minimal delays. I am using a 8GB Ipod Nano.
turbofreak
for the HHR so you can put your Ipod in the top glovebox where it will charge
the battery and allow you to run the Ipod using your factory steering wheel
controls and the buttons on your factory radio. Band button will cycle radio
from am to fm to Ipod. It uses the XM connection in the radio which both the single and 6 CD radios have even tho they do NOT have XM.
If you have XM, the install needs a Tech II to program a small change in
software. If you radio does not have XM like mine, it is an easy install tho
it does take the removal of a pin in the radio harness and splicing it to the
Ipod GM harness.
Here is the controller which mounts on heater box in passenger footwell.
The part number is 19171028 and about $130 or so from GMpartsdirect.
The sound is excellent and I am still learning how to use. Some have reported if yourIpod has lots of music, it can take awhile to search and find. So far
I see minimal delays. I am using a 8GB Ipod Nano.
turbofreak
Last edited by HillsdaleHHR; 01-27-2008 at 10:21 AM. Reason: reduced pic sizes
01-26-2008, 02:07 PM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: 09-14-2007
Location: SoCAL & Louisville, KY
Posts: 3,365
I love having the PAL attachment (came with car when I bought it). Santa brought Blackie a Nano iPod and it sounds great through the stock stereo (i think at least!).
I found putting music on playlists makes it easier to find what I want to listen to. Once you figure out how it works from the controls, it is pretty easy to use and those buttons on the steering wheel are cool.
Downsides, (well, more just getting used to really)--having to 'hold' the button for about 2 seconds to get it to change songs--no light touch there, but all that does is switch it to the radio.
Also, it is best to set up what you want to listen to before you start driving--hence why i have playlists
I found putting music on playlists makes it easier to find what I want to listen to. Once you figure out how it works from the controls, it is pretty easy to use and those buttons on the steering wheel are cool.
Downsides, (well, more just getting used to really)--having to 'hold' the button for about 2 seconds to get it to change songs--no light touch there, but all that does is switch it to the radio.
Also, it is best to set up what you want to listen to before you start driving--hence why i have playlists
01-27-2008, 06:41 PM
#3
Member
Join Date: 01-18-2008
Location: Decatur, IL
Posts: 68
I had the PAL put it once we bought the HHR before we took it home even because I didn't want to use the one dashboard charger and the aux-in. The HHR is kind of small enough already in the front seat, I don't want to cramp it up with more cables.
I LOVE having it in the dashboard compartment, out of the way. I also love the sound (I have the enhanced sound package w/ 7 speakers). I've got a pretty big beef with how it sorts through music. I which is was a little more of a robust interface, where you could use the wheel like it is on the iPod. I have two iPods, one is now my dedicated CarPod. It's a 20gb, but I filled it with maybe 12GB of music. It's slow to load up songs and artists. And once you get to an artist, you can't sort by album. It just pulls up the first song from that artists. Sometimes I have 80-110 songs of one artists, so that's a huge pain. I'm getting used to it though. Playlists would be a good idea, but I like listening to full albums.
I LOVE having it in the dashboard compartment, out of the way. I also love the sound (I have the enhanced sound package w/ 7 speakers). I've got a pretty big beef with how it sorts through music. I which is was a little more of a robust interface, where you could use the wheel like it is on the iPod. I have two iPods, one is now my dedicated CarPod. It's a 20gb, but I filled it with maybe 12GB of music. It's slow to load up songs and artists. And once you get to an artist, you can't sort by album. It just pulls up the first song from that artists. Sometimes I have 80-110 songs of one artists, so that's a huge pain. I'm getting used to it though. Playlists would be a good idea, but I like listening to full albums.
01-27-2008, 07:42 PM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: 01-02-2008
Location: Nashville, TN
Posts: 1,529
I'm going to add the PAL to mine. I have an 80GB iPod video. It's about a third full so far with over 3,000 songs and 6 full-length movies. My personal preference is to program each album as a playlist -- as I, too, like to listen to full albums. It sounds to me like this will come in very handy once the PAL is installed and I need to select music from my iPod using the steering wheel controls and stereo interface.
01-28-2008, 08:40 AM
#6
Member
Join Date: 01-18-2008
Location: Decatur, IL
Posts: 68
I don't know if it would work with an iPhone.
Tim, if you make all your albums into playlists, then it won't be any faster to navigate to them. It'll actually take much longer.
When you browse to a specific artists, their songs are still in order in album appearance, you just can't select which album. So if the first album on there is 12 songs, you have to skip to the 13th track to start the next album and so on. It's a hassle, but once you get there it plays the album from start to finish no problem.
The interface works quite well, just has a 1-2 delay everytime you do something. I'm sure the less info on the iPod the better, but I can't imagine trimming down my music collection any more. I already went from 45gb to 12gb for the car. Come on.
Tim, if you make all your albums into playlists, then it won't be any faster to navigate to them. It'll actually take much longer.
When you browse to a specific artists, their songs are still in order in album appearance, you just can't select which album. So if the first album on there is 12 songs, you have to skip to the 13th track to start the next album and so on. It's a hassle, but once you get there it plays the album from start to finish no problem.
The interface works quite well, just has a 1-2 delay everytime you do something. I'm sure the less info on the iPod the better, but I can't imagine trimming down my music collection any more. I already went from 45gb to 12gb for the car. Come on.
01-28-2008, 12:42 PM
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: 01-02-2008
Location: Nashville, TN
Posts: 1,529
I don't know if it would work with an iPhone.
Tim, if you make all your albums into playlists, then it won't be any faster to navigate to them. It'll actually take much longer.
When you browse to a specific artists, their songs are still in order in album appearance, you just can't select which album. So if the first album on there is 12 songs, you have to skip to the 13th track to start the next album and so on. It's a hassle, but once you get there it plays the album from start to finish no problem.
Tim, if you make all your albums into playlists, then it won't be any faster to navigate to them. It'll actually take much longer.
When you browse to a specific artists, their songs are still in order in album appearance, you just can't select which album. So if the first album on there is 12 songs, you have to skip to the 13th track to start the next album and so on. It's a hassle, but once you get there it plays the album from start to finish no problem.
01-28-2008, 01:36 PM
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: 09-14-2007
Location: SoCAL & Louisville, KY
Posts: 3,365
You can search by album, artist, playlist, genre, songs, etc. just like on the iPod. I also set mine to shuffle the playlist I'm listening to.
It takes a little getting used to, and it is best to set what you want to listen to before you start to drive, but it does sound fine with the enhanced system (I haven't blown the 7 speakers out yet with the loud punk-rock i listen to!)
It takes a little getting used to, and it is best to set what you want to listen to before you start to drive, but it does sound fine with the enhanced system (I haven't blown the 7 speakers out yet with the loud punk-rock i listen to!)
01-28-2008, 02:09 PM
#9
Founding Member
Join Date: 11-23-2007
Location: Texas
Posts: 8,210
GM just released PAL for the 2006 HHR if anyone is interested. Here are the updated instructions and listing of radios that can have PAL added.
HHR / Solstice Accessories PAL: Usage Expansion / Revised Installation
Usage of the HHR / Solstice Accessories Personal Audio Link (PAL) (P/N 19171028) has been expanded to include 2006 model year. As a result, installation instruction sheets have been revised to call-out specific steps in determining if the vehicle is equipped with XM radio as well as which radio package is installed on the vehicle – as the PAL is NOT compatible with vehicles equipped with a base radio (RPO U1C).
A copy of the revised instruction sheets were sent to ADIs (via e-mail) on 01/18/08 and will be included in all future shipments of HHR / Solstice Accessories Personal Audio Link Packages.
Install Sheet Addendum for 2006 HHR:
· For proper PAL operation with the radio, the latest radio software needs to be in the radio. Use the SPID Label to determine which radio (RPO US8 or US9) is installed on the vehicle and whether the vehicle is equipped with an audio amplifier (RPO UW5 or UQ3).
· Determine whether vehicle has factory installed XM (RPO U2K) by checking the Service Parts ID (SPID) label in the vehicle glovebox. (If it does be sure to include steps 16 through 21 in the installation process)
· If XM is not present, check the SPID label to determine the radio in the vehicle. PAL requires a US8 or US9 radio. It is not compatible with the U1C base radio.
· If possible have an iPod available for testing.
HHR / Solstice Accessories PAL: Usage Expansion / Revised Installation
Usage of the HHR / Solstice Accessories Personal Audio Link (PAL) (P/N 19171028) has been expanded to include 2006 model year. As a result, installation instruction sheets have been revised to call-out specific steps in determining if the vehicle is equipped with XM radio as well as which radio package is installed on the vehicle – as the PAL is NOT compatible with vehicles equipped with a base radio (RPO U1C).
A copy of the revised instruction sheets were sent to ADIs (via e-mail) on 01/18/08 and will be included in all future shipments of HHR / Solstice Accessories Personal Audio Link Packages.
Install Sheet Addendum for 2006 HHR:
· For proper PAL operation with the radio, the latest radio software needs to be in the radio. Use the SPID Label to determine which radio (RPO US8 or US9) is installed on the vehicle and whether the vehicle is equipped with an audio amplifier (RPO UW5 or UQ3).
· Determine whether vehicle has factory installed XM (RPO U2K) by checking the Service Parts ID (SPID) label in the vehicle glovebox. (If it does be sure to include steps 16 through 21 in the installation process)
· If XM is not present, check the SPID label to determine the radio in the vehicle. PAL requires a US8 or US9 radio. It is not compatible with the U1C base radio.
· If possible have an iPod available for testing.
01-28-2008, 02:30 PM
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: 01-01-2008
Location: Windsor, Ca
Posts: 991
I have a 06 2LT with the premium sound package.
I am going to buy a PAL.
so from what I understand, it will come with complete installation instructions, and all hardware needed?
Thanks for the updates...I have a 4GB Ipod nano...that's all I really need...any more than that, and I'd spend more time flipping through sub-catagories than listeing to music.
I also plan to DL some "books on tape" for the commute to/from work.
It's mostly the charging capability along with the user-options through the factory controls that I am interested in...plugging it in to the aux port doesnt allow those two features, so I am getting the PAL.
I am going to buy a PAL.
so from what I understand, it will come with complete installation instructions, and all hardware needed?
Thanks for the updates...I have a 4GB Ipod nano...that's all I really need...any more than that, and I'd spend more time flipping through sub-catagories than listeing to music.
I also plan to DL some "books on tape" for the commute to/from work.
It's mostly the charging capability along with the user-options through the factory controls that I am interested in...plugging it in to the aux port doesnt allow those two features, so I am getting the PAL.