I was just looking at the new 2007 Pioneer product line and came across this thing. It allows you to connect USB drives or MP3 players like the Ipod to any newer IP Bus head unit, and it says it supports Ipod direct control like the new Pioneer head units.
I'm just wondering if the Ipod interface would be faster using this adapter. I've always been curious if the slowness was caused by the IP bus or just poor software. Has anyone tried one of these yet?
Can't say for sure til it ships, but I doubt it will make any difference in speed on the Z1/2 because it still connects via the IP-bus and a hideaway box. On the D3 and the 07 CD players, it is just a direct cable
iPod doesn't support control via USB, so I bet it puts the iPod in Disk mode and uses the same indexing method it uses for flash drives.
It possibly could be faster, but I think it depends on the hideaway box itself since it has to do the translation to IP-Bus.
Wow, that sounds amazing.
If I had known this was coming out, I would've definitely bought a different mp3 player a month ago rather than the iPod Video (I thought the only way to get on-screen output/control was the iPod interface).
Ahhhh, such is life 
In a way, it's still cheaper to use an iPod. $120 vs. $50. That $70 is a long way to the price of an iPod. Apple sells refurb 20GB iPods for $99.
Although since it's USB... if its indexing/internal database is any good, then you should be able to plug in a cheap $30 40GB USB-powered external laptop drive to it. How well that works will depend on its indexing ability though.
I would actually prefer that over an iPod because I prefer just copying my music folder over. I use XPlay2 instead of iTunes because it makes my iPod act more like a generic MP3 player where it syncs automatically to my music directory without any kind of "front end" software.
It says it requires a CD-IU50 too. I did a search on Pioneer's site but it did not get any hits. Any ideas what the CD-IU50 is?
OK, answered my own question. It is the actual cable. So you have to buy the adapter and the cable separately.
It says it offers "direct control". I wonder what that entails?
Here is a link to their "uBUS"
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pna/v3/pg/top/cat/article/0,,2076_310069607_405683232,00.html
EDIT: Looks like it does work with the Z1:
Using as an external unit
The following head units operate this unit as
an external unit. For more details about the external
unit, refer to the head unit’s manual.
! 1KEY to 6KEY doesn’t be used to operate
this unit.
Head unit group 4
The following head units are navigation units
featuring touch panel key operation.
AVIC-D2, AVIC-N2, AVIC-N3, AVIC-Z1
Link to the manual too:
External control usually means it works like crap. Like the CDIB100 on the N1 or D series. Or the CDBTB100 bluetooth on anything but the two models it was meant for. On screen interface will likely be awful
Bummer. Yeah, external device = bad.
Yep, works like crap is a good way to put it.
Basically, no point to buy it if it works as an external device.
So does anybody with a Z1 want to pony up the 100 bucks and try one of these things? LOL They're available on Ebay now. I'd try one myself, but I don't know where I'd put it until I get a new car.
I'm really curious how the Ipod interface looks. Since the Ipod doesn't support control over USB, I don't see how it could use the same Ipod interface the standard Ipod adapter uses.
If it works as an external device, then I'd guess all the source indicator will show is:
Ext-1
The place where titles and such show will say:
Ipod0001
And that's it. Pioneer's "External Device" mode sucks.
Bummer... Well, no sense spending the money on this then. I guess it is OK for those that don't have or want an actual "iPod" then they too can connect to the Z1.
Did you notice that it won't even display directories that don't have music in them? So, don't even think about connecting that USB thumb drive to try and run some kind of app... It only lists supported music files, which, by the way, does not include Apple lossless files.
I'm assuming this wouldn't work for the Microsoft Zune, due to the lack of software for it? If it works ill try it.
If Zune has a disk mode via USB, it should work.