Interesting thought regarding UART on iCruze

[DoubleSh0t]

I purchased the Monster iCruze for $99 because I couldn't afford the MP3YourCar kit. The only thing that's disapointing is the fact that it looks your display and controls.

The connector used from the iPod to the iCruze unit is a DB-9 Serial connector. Serial connectors use something called UART (Universal Asynchronous Reciever / Transmitter). From "Whatis.com" : A UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter) is the microchip with programming that controls a computer's interface to its attached serial devices. Specifically, it provides the computer with the RS-232C Data Terminal Equipment (DTE) interface so that it can "talk" to and exchange data with modems and other serial devices.

The DB-9 is a very common connector. Each PC has atleast one, usually two. Perhaps it's possible to connect to the iCruze in order to disable the locking of the iPod via the firmware

Does anyone with more technical knoweldge have some insight or ideas about whether this is a feasible idea?

[Uncle Rico]

If I understand your post correctly, you are talking about connecting the iCruze to the serial port on your computer? Is the serial interface for the iCruze used to communicate to the iPod or is it just for firmware upgrades? If it is used as the iPod interface, you would need some sort of iPod emulator software for your computer, so the serial port on the computer is seen as an iPod by the iCruze. Otherwise, I would imagine the iCruze would give you a communication error or say "no iPod." Now, if you could emulate the iPod, then you can capture the bits being transferred, and if you have programming knowldege you may be able to decipher what's going on. However, I'm not sure how you'd go about downloading the existing firmware from the iCruze to reverse engineer it or modify it.

[DoubleSh0t]

That's what I was hoping someone would be able to help with. I work at an electronics company, so I'm going to speak with the people in the engineering department and see if they have an idea on it. Thanks for the insight.

[CSteinola]

The beauty of the iCruze is it puts the iPod into Advanced Remote mode (hence the inability to control your iPod via the clickwheel, etc... it's actually the iPod itself that locks the controls in this mode, not the iCruze).

This mode typically allows a properly installed iCruze to control your iPod via the buttons on your car's stereo headunit. In which case, why would you care whether you can use the clickwheel.

[DoubleSh0t]

Because I'd like to be able to pick the song I want to listen to, not have to scroll through my library of 2600 songs divided up in to 6 playlists. If a particular song is at the bottom of my selected playlist, I'd have to hit next 433 (2600/6) times in order to reach it. That's what I'm trying to avoid. Other units do not do this (mp3yourcar.com), so it has to be the iCruze telling the iPod to switch into Advanced Remote mode. Either that or the mp3yourcar variety tells it NOT to go into Advanced Remote mode.