2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS: Bitchin' iPod Interface

It'll also help to use the much smaller list of artists than songs, but that is smart-taking some cues from the device it links up with.

Yay for proper & easy to use iPod Controls!

That dashboard is horr.....just kidding, I don't use my iPod much because I have to run it through my rear dvd aux inputs but that looks like a nice system.

GM may yet survive if they keep paying attention to the little things that keep us happy.

The reason GM can do this with the Camaro, and indeed all of its new vehicles (they share a radio) is that what you see in the dashboard isn't a radio / cd player at all, it's a receiver - just like you'd have in a home theater system.

The iPod interfase is controlled by the PDIM system, which is located beneith the center console. GM itself makes and programs these devices, so they don't have to rely on an OEM to deliver features they want. GM can take any ideas they have and immediately impliment them, without having to go through OEM channels.

You guys should grab a current generation Garmin GPS and pair it up to the Bluetooth system. It'll automatically lower the music, announce your GPS' directions, then bring your music back up. Clever, eh?

You can also access an iPod touch or iPhone mp3 library by pairing it up via Bluetooth. With the iPhone 3.1 software, you can even gain SYNC like capability by giving your iPhone commands via your Bluetooth headset. How brilliant is that?

The reason GM can do this with the Camaro, and indeed all of its new vehicles (they share a radio) is that what you see in the dashboard isn't a radio / cd player at all, it's a receiver - just like you'd have in a home theater system.

The iPod interfase is controlled by the PDIM system, which is located beneith the center console. GM itself makes and programs these devices, so they don't have to rely on an OEM to deliver features they want. GM can take any ideas they have and immediately impliment them, without having to go through OEM channels.

You guys should grab a current generation Garmin GPS and pair it up to the Bluetooth system. It'll automatically lower the music, announce your GPS' directions, then bring your music back up. Clever, eh?

You can also access an iPod touch or iPhone mp3 library by pairing it up via Bluetooth. With the iPhone 3.1 software, you can even gain SYNC like capability by giving your iPhone commands via your Bluetooth headset. How brilliant is that?

Well done GM! I've been a Camaro fan for a while (clearly) and I didn't even know about that.

And I still am apparently the only person here who really likes the center stack controls. In my opinion, they're about as intuitive as it gets. Yes, I'll agree with the rest of you that the gauges are absolute crap, but I'm a big fan of the center stack.

THAT's the way it should be done! The other automakers/stereo manufacturers should take note!!

The system JBL uses on new Toyotas with the premium audio infuriates me because of the exhasperating slowness of searching for an artist, which is a shame given that it performs nicely in all other ways.

Thumbs up to GM for taking the little things that make an iPod functional and applying them to their cars, especially ones that are marketed to a younger audience.

the center stack is growing on me after seeing these zoomed in pictures... looks to be nicely made of good materials.

semi-funny pun, but you're dating yourself.

as am I because I got it...

Good feature. I use this on my actual iPod on a daily basis, as I imagine others do too.

@stovt001
Sorry to break it to you but I've also always liked the Camaro so you're no longer the only one.

That seems to be an excellent Ipod interface. Way to go GM!

I don't think it is fair to ignore the voice commands of the Flex. I have a 250GB USB drive with over 11,000 songs from I don't even know how many artist or albums. The Sync voice command interface has proven to be very reliable in getting the album, artist, or genre that I want. Mind you this database of songs had undergone some work a couple of years back in getting the meta tag data better than its original state in order to function with an iPod. As long as the meta tag data is complete I don't see why voice commands don't trump the scroll and hunt method. At some point in time everyone has to clean up the meta tag data for digital music to be indexed as intended, voice command or otherwise.

However I must give points to the Camero for having the quicker Alpha Acceleration setup. If you have to use your hands it is a much better solution than anything else that I have seen.

I think this exemplifies the GM we've known and still do know. There are times when GM will have absolute moments of brilliance but the rest of the industry will be ignoring it in favor of a more hyped solution (for example, Ford's SYNC, which up until recently has had top operate through nasty toothpick displays)

Meanwhile, GM's stupid decision on the Camaro's wheel will likely get more press than this ever will.

@Jedi:

I don't think anyone is ignoring SYNC, we're just giving praise where it's due.

If every post compared one car's performace against another, instead of learning about each car's strengths and weaknesses (the point of this blog) it'd just be an endless stream of "but it's not as fast as the GT-R"

I stand by my voice command dismissal. All you have to do to see my point is try to access an artist (or phone book entry or geographic name) with a name that isn't standard english.

Try Sade (pronounced Sharday), Bjork or a band with an all-caps name like LCD Soundsystem or CAKE. Sync won't respond to "Cake" or the spelled-out "C-A-K-E". After messing around for a long time I finally discovered it would recognize "K-ah K-ee". I finally went into iTunes and renamed all of the CAKE entries as Cake. But I can't do that with the band EMF.

And then there's the people's names in my phonebook I have to deliberately mispronounce -- many of whom work alongside me in the office.

Frankly, I don't have time for it, and I feel like an ass using voice recognition, even when I'm alone in the car.

This feature is GREAT! I wish all cars had this! So simple, and yet so effective.

I wonder if I could put this in a Challenger somehow?!

I believe this interface is shared on all new GM cars with the new USB port.

Dan:

In the Flex if you press the letter combo button more than once you will jump to the next alphabetical letter (i.e. if you press the A-F button once you get 'A' twice you get 'B' etc.).

I do agree that having the songs and artists appear in the same order and folders as on my IPOD is better than the Flex's system.

Nicely thought out GM.

2,000 songs? Piker. I'm over 4,800 on my 30gb Zen Vision and it's only a little more than half full.

@bkochuck:
What's wrong with "dating yourself" (in context please)? You should be proud and happy that you've made it this far, a lot of people do not for one reason or another.

On topic... that "radio" IS nice. I'm surprised those features are not advertised.

I like the center stack and I'm prepared to be flamed. Then again group think has never been my thing.

My understanding is that the new GM vehicles are compatible with Zune as well. MAny vehicles are only designed to control iPods.

I also agree that voice commands are not reliable nor preferrable to an easy physical control interface.

You'll find the A4 does this too... its iPod integration is a lot like the Camaro's, except you have a bigger, hi-resolution screen. Twirl the knob faster and it skips larger blocks of songs, showing you the select song titles along the way. Pause and it returns to the alphabetical listing.

I'd like the feature to "queue up" songs though. But even the iPod itself doesn't have that. Also, I cannot for the life of me figure out why Audi insists on making "down" counter-clockwise on their MMI. That's opposite the iPod--and a lot more people are used to the iPod's way than Audi's way. Though I've adjusted now.

@zsh: True about the Flex, but that still represents a hammered sequence of touchsrceen virtual button presses. A twist-knob is so much faster, is far less distracting and provides feedback via the detents.

@1487: Haven't tried a Zune, but that could well be true on account of the USB-based connection method. Although one could argue that iPod-only connections are the only type automakers need to worry about from a development cost standpoint.

There are some 170 million iPods out there, but only 3.2 million Zunes. And Zune sales are falling while iPod sales continue to rise. Apple reported that they sold 27.1 million new iPods and iPhones in the first quarter of fiscal 2009 alone.

http://www.cliczune.com/2009/02/reality-check-zune-sales-numbers.html

http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2009/01/21results.html

@1487: I have to agree, who cares about a Zune? It's never been a legitimate contender any more so than the other iPod knockoffs in existence.

That is a nice stack, and THIS Zune owner appreciates any recognition thrown his way. But I'd be happy enough just to have the USB port.

Hmm, I wonder if the new Zune HD has Bluetooth...?

I wasn't suggesting that I liked Zune or that it outsells ipod. I was saying that most car systems are not compatible with other MP3 players but GM's is apparently. It cannot hurt to offer people more options. Besides, a lot of people hate apple and its products so GM can cater to that set.