Great news for Alpine HU Owners

Leddy

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That'll be me then!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif

Alpine are now shipping the most comprehensive Ipod link for their AI-Net head units. Yippeee!!!!

On-line reviews are average though, as navigating thousands of songs through the Alpines controls can be fiddly - but it is still the best Ipod-Hu interface available. The Alpine handles the Ipods functionality better than any other hu cable to date. Plus there is a promise of tighter, more functional integration for the 2005 Alpine line up.

Available from 11/10/04.

For more details see here
 
@ £69.99 for the adapter plus £300 for the ipod it makes Audis mp3 solution look massively overpriced.
 
you can get a 15gb ipod for under £200, more then enough for most people. The pioneer AV-X1 (tft/dvd/nav) HU has a proper connection for the ipod, so you don't need any adapters or anything. Anyway, as i said on another thread my new HU will be a alpine with a ipod and connection, much better then a music keg or similar.
 
Right listen up gentleman,

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to find this at the cheapest price, with a cradle, suggest the best place in the A3 to mount all the components and report back here. Chop chop!
 
Forget the HU hardlink. Get the Radio transmitter, (the iTrip), for the iPod, and tune in your FM radio.

Ok, it's illegal to sell/buy them in this country, but get one from mail order from the States or Japan!!!
 
Oh yeah 'cos I really want to lose quality by running it over FM, run the ipod off batteries and navigate a tiny lcd Ipod screen while driving. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
 
I use the iTrip in my car and to be honest its a bit of a pain in the ****, I bought the belkin cup holder which does fit lovely in the cup holder above the radio and the position is convienient in the new A3 but actually using it while driving is a bit of a pain and I never know whether to use the backlight all the time which burns the batterys double quick or leave it off meaning you cant see it. Also the quality is a bit poor, when listening to Oasis, 'phonics etc it goes very crackly. (might say something about the music I guess, but ipods arent that clever.
 
I've taken the plunge and ordered the Alpine link, should be here today or tomorrow and I'll fit at the weekend.

I'll post a review next week. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif
 
Okay, I finally got round to installing my ipod link.

I ran the AI-NET cable from the rear of the HU to the adapter box which I hid behind the glove box and then ran the cable to the ipod through a hole in the bottom right of the glove box. Like this, the ipod can stay in the right hand side of the glove box where it won’t rattle around and out of sight of scallies!

Initial plug-in was disappointing, the display on my HU said ERROR2. This, apparently, is a software conflict. A firmware upgrade on my 3G ipod later and everything was functional.

First impression was that navigating through all the albums on my ipod was laborious, I have 6gb of 160kbps mp3’s, navigating 40gb would be even worse!!! The trouble is with the current Alpine HU’s not being designed with this application in mind. To find your desired album/artist, first you have to select your search type by pressing the 1-6 buttons (their functions are described in the user manual) then press the search button either once or twice, then use the rotary dial to select your artist/album/file. This brings in another issue, the rotary dial is not speed sensitive, it doesn’t matter how quickly you rotate it, it still scrolls through the files at the same speed – slowly.

That being said the level of integration is more comprehensive than anything currently available. All file information is displayed on the HU, you can even scroll through and select your playlists, the cable even charges your ipod.

I am generally pleased with this adapter/connector, what I think is essential is that you set-up your playlists as these are easiest to scroll through. It just means that playing an album on a whim can be painfully slow to set up.

Alpine have suggested on their website, that the 2005 range of HU’s will have a higher level of integration. I would expect to see much more intuitive searching, in time the need for an external box will surely disappear too.

It’s also surely a matter of time before the ipod is available as a wireless device, then compatible wireless HU’s would negate the need to strip your dash too. Combine this with wireless on your mobile and muting/handsfree integration will become a lot less hassle.
 
I got hold of an itrip so i could use the ipod in my 4, bad idea. Reception was crap, was to do with the placement of the antennae in the car, "in" being the operative word (and under the fuel tank apparently). Better off using a cable to plug directly into the HU, like the ice link.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Leddy said:
Okay, I finally got round to installing my ipod link.

I ran the AI-NET cable from the rear of the HU to the adapter box which I hid behind the glove box and then ran the cable to the ipod through a hole in the bottom right of the glove box. Like this, the ipod can stay in the right hand side of the glove box where it won’t rattle around and out of sight of scallies!

Initial plug-in was disappointing, the display on my HU said ERROR2. This, apparently, is a software conflict. A firmware upgrade on my 3G ipod later and everything was functional.

First impression was that navigating through all the albums on my ipod was laborious, I have 6gb of 160kbps mp3’s, navigating 40gb would be even worse!!! The trouble is with the current Alpine HU’s not being designed with this application in mind. To find your desired album/artist, first you have to select your search type by pressing the 1-6 buttons (their functions are described in the user manual) then press the search button either once or twice, then use the rotary dial to select your artist/album/file. This brings in another issue, the rotary dial is not speed sensitive, it doesn’t matter how quickly you rotate it, it still scrolls through the files at the same speed – slowly.

That being said the level of integration is more comprehensive than anything currently available. All file information is displayed on the HU, you can even scroll through and select your playlists, the cable even charges your ipod.

I am generally pleased with this adapter/connector, what I think is essential is that you set-up your playlists as these are easiest to scroll through. It just means that playing an album on a whim can be painfully slow to set up.

Alpine have suggested on their website, that the 2005 range of HU’s will have a higher level of integration. I would expect to see much more intuitive searching, in time the need for an external box will surely disappear too.

It’s also surely a matter of time before the ipod is available as a wireless device, then compatible wireless HU’s would negate the need to strip your dash too. Combine this with wireless on your mobile and muting/handsfree integration will become a lot less hassle.


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Sorry to trouble you mate, a few questions if you dont mind. I currently have a 3g ipod and have the concert stereo in my car, i use the itrip which is quite good but on a night its really hard to read the screen with the back light.

I have weighed up the options and im now really stuck, should I go for a new alpine head unit with the ipod adaptor? or phatnoise? what sort of costs am I looking at? Thanks for any help.
 
any recomendations on the head unit? Not fussed on price, one which is easily compatible with Bose (if that is possible!!!!!!!!!)
plus are any of the Alpine screens iPod compatible (could kill 2 birds with one stone!!)
 
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Leddy said:
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neilsafc2 said:
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monty77 said:
For me the whole point of the Alpine solution is:

IPod can be hidden in the boot, not cluttering up the dash
FULL control over the ipod
Display of all ID3 info

...also a great excuse to install a better HU too!

A

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I do tend to agree as the A3 has very few places to put the ipod anyway.
I would like to have it hidden from view in the glovebox and put a new head unit in.

How much will a new alpine head unit and the ipod adaptor cost??

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Budget £200 - £250 for the Alpine HU and approx. £70 for the ipod link.

I am having one small issue with the connection now, the Ipod runs flat, even though the link is supposed to charge it! - ******!

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I've had this a couple of times. IPod fails to respond but after charging indoors and reconnecting all is ok again...put mine down to dodgy connector but keeping an eye on it.

www.caraudiodirect.co.uk do bundles I believe...

A
 
leddy did you get the charge bit sorted. Have you anything keeping your ipod in place in the glove box as im worried it might move around.
 
Not sorted the charge issue yet, am a little stumped really, as there is only one way to wire it all up. I have the ipod in the right hand side compartment on the glove box, and have put it in the ipod case it came with. Seems pretty secure.

As regards recommendations, any of the 2004 range AI-Net compatible head units should be fine. Worth checking the Apine site for compatibility and functionality regarding specific HU's (link in 1st post in this thread)
 
Leddy: Can I ask how you passed the cable from the HU to the iPod in the glovebox? Did you have to drill a hole? Got any pics?
 
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monty77 said:
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neilsafc2 said:
leddy would this one be a good one to go for?
http://www.dabs.com/uk/channels/incar/alpine/productView.htm?quicklinx=37SR


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That's a nice HU but stretch to the 9835 if you possibly can as the display is MUCH nicer.

Adam

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Right after umming and ahhing I have decided to go for this.

One question, is there any difference between the CDA-9835R and the CDA-9835????

What does the R stand for as I have looked but cant find out, the price of the one with the R is quite a lot more while you can get the 9835 for an Ok price on e-bay but dont fancy getting an old model which wont let the Ipod link work. Hope that makes sense.

I have seen photos of the 9835 on e-bay and the 9835R on the alpine site, they look identical but do have the number on the front so there is 2 different sorts.

Cheers
 
R = RDS compatible.

Check the front panels and you will see that the non-R's do not have the RDS symbol. I think that this also means you may have problems with some UK radio frequencies. As i mentioned on your other post - VW forums - the R version can be had for appx £350 from uk retailers. Just go and ask them for their best price, worked for me /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
The R is the UK version of the HU. I have a non-R (bought from the US in the summer) .. as previously stated you lose RDS but you change the tuning 'zone' from the menu so you can pick up UK radio stations as normal - you just dont get traffic announcements or station names.

Works great with the IPOD interface, I use one myself.

Adam