To simply play your ipod through the cr-814 (without trying to charge the ipod or control it from the cr-814) is very easy to accomplish. In fact I have fitted cr-814's into both of my 240's alonf with 6 disk cd changers and I am able to also play an ipod through the unit as you described. They work and sound great!

The way to do it is NOT to use the mbus connector for the cd changer (in my case I wanted to keep it available for attaching the cd changers anyway) - rather, use the connector for an EQ - The cr-814 (and quite a few other volvo radios too) has a jack on the back where an accesory EQ can be added. The jack has a jumper/plug in it when no EQ is attached. the radio sends the pre-amp signals out to the EQ and then they are sent back to the radio to be sent to the external amp and speakers. The plug is just a set of jumpers when no EQ is used. A simple cable that can interrupt the signal from the radio and input the signal from the ipod's headphone jack is all that is needed.

A few years ago my son (then a struggling college physics/electronics student - now about to enter graduate school as a struggling quantum physicist!) figured this out and made up cables for our cars - he made up some extras that I posted in the for sale section here as a plug and play way to add a music player input some time ago- but most folks understandable opt to go with a modern radio. In any case I still have a couple of these cables around and can ship one to you for $15 if you like. In my opinion the cr-814 with a 6 disk changer (which are pretty readily available these days for cheap) and one of these cables really lets you have your cake and eat it too!! -- great sound, original factory look and compatible with a modern ipod/music player (or virtually any any other device with a headphone jack).

Jim