Our 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander and it's super-trick MMCS audio/navigation system will let one listen to an iPod or MP3 player, but the way forward isn't as obvious or convenient as we've seen in other vehicles.
1) A standard mini plug won't work. You'll need a cord with the RCA-type jacks shown on the left - much more bulk when coiled-up and stored. It'll need to be a long one, as we'll soon see.
2) Selecting the "Aux" input while motoring along causes the improperly translated phrase "Cannot be displayed during the driving" to appear on the MMCS screen. Displayed? Huh? Consultation with the manual uncovers numerous references to watching DVDs, which you can't do while driving, but nothing about listening to audio. Which explains...
3) Your cord must be connected to a jack in the back seat area, at the floor, under a cover labeled "video." There is no handy place to plug in an MP3 player up front where the driver can actually reach it. You must go in through the rear door to hook the cord up, ignoring the yellow-coded video fitting that your stereo cord won't have. And if it's dark you'll need a flashlight, as the top-hinged cover effectively shades the jack from the dome light.
Even though the Aux input layout and owner's manual description of our MMCS system assumes you'll be using video, the AUX input will work with your iPod or MP3 player. We've seen better.
Dan Edmunds, Director of Vehicle Testing @ 9,343 miles
estreka says:
04:21 PM, 08/10/07
That's quite an inconvience. Most head units have aux jacks nowadays.
blueguydotcom says:
04:30 PM, 08/10/07
Doesn't seem much worse than the dash/console based Aux inputs in most cars today.
In my 2003 330i I installed the aux input in the glovebox. This was a much better solution than my 07 Cooper with an Aux in the center console. In the glovebox, I'd plug in my iPod, attach an AirClick RF remote adapter to the iPod's base and with a remote by my stickshift I controlled the iPod. The best part - I could leave the iPod plugged in and it'd be unnoticed by passerby as it was hidden in the glovebox.
With most of today's the poorly conceived dash/console-based Aux inputs your iPod is left in plain view for passerby.
BMW does get props for putting the aux connector in the center glovebox on the e9x cars. At least there you can leave it hidden from plain view and still mess with it easily physically should you need to change something.
zoomzoom22 says:
08:07 PM, 08/10/07
That's quite a design flaw in a car that seems to otherwise be Mitsu's best design in a while (I personally find the new Eclipse to be awkward looking). My dad's Civic SI has a much more intuitive jack. Just plug and go. Honda dealers will even help you get a cord if you ask them. I wish my Mazda had one.
firstwagon says:
10:49 PM, 08/10/07
I like having the aux jack on the face plate. Sure it's in plain view but that also means the driver can use it. When you park the car, unplug the player and toss it in the glovebox. Easy.
chavis10 says:
07:42 AM, 08/11/07
2 points:
I think you guys are forgetting that most input solutions don't provide video connections. While the location might be odd, the increased functionality more than make up for it.
Secondly, this is a higher quality connection if you use the iPod's line out (dock connector with an adapter). Simply connecting to an aux input through the headphone port of the music player results in sub-optimal sounds because the player amplifies that signal assuming your listening with earphones. Using line out RCA jacks bypasses any such equalization and let's the car's AMP handle all of the work. This way, your car gets a pure PCM stream that's as close as you can get to CD quality.
qqt414 says:
11:41 AM, 08/11/07
As an owner of an 07 outlander with the MMCS. i dont really mind that its behind there as i just route the wire around.under the seat up to my cupholders with a few inches of slack so its pretty neat and tidy. Chavis is correct in his assessment of cleaner sound using RCA cable and man does the sound system sound good with my ipod!
The one thing i don't get is that Mitsubishi put the rca outputs in the 2nd row in the Outlander, but in the new Lancer GTS put the RCA outputs in the dash under the A/C controls which i feel is more convenient. Im guessing its probably because the Outlander has the option for the DVD entertainment for the 2nd row so they put the outputs there.
actualsize says:
11:31 AM, 08/12/07
RCA or mini-jack, I want my iPod or MP3 connection up front. And I don't much care if it's visible. The main thing is that it's easy to access and use.
Having the front screen display video when parked is a useless feature for me. Who really needs this?
I'd even go one step further and say this configuration shouldn't be allowed, as someone will figure out a hack to make the front video screen work while driving - a huge safety hazard for the rest of us.
I want video while moving in the back, via a second screen, and an all-the-time iPod connection up front. This is how my family rolls. The Mitsu seems configured for JDM usage patterns.
ih8hyundai says:
05:22 PM, 08/12/07
My question is...Will it let you play movies you have on your iPod on one of the video screens. That would be sweet.
actualsize says:
06:40 PM, 08/12/07
Dunno. I have but a Nano.
boxermike says:
09:20 AM, 08/13/07
Good question, ih8hyundai; by all accounts it SHOULD work with the proper cables. If I can track down said cable I'll give it a try!
craigm3 says:
06:44 AM, 08/24/07
1h8hyundai - yes, you can play iPod movies on the screen, assuming you have the rear one installed. The front screen will not display while the car is in mortion. It is nice, because if you have the right cables you can watch and/or listen to the iPod through the same jack.