PDA

View Full Version : Alpine iPod Interface, KCA-420i

sunrain
2004-07-13, 11:26
I just got an email this morning from Alpine with more information about their car interface. Looks cool.

http://www.alpine-usa.com/ipod/
Spart
2004-07-14, 16:43
Definitely a lot better than the iPod-BMW method. Plus, you can install it in any car.

I really, really want to replace my Pioneer head unit with a spiffy new Alpine now.

:D
sunrain
2004-07-16, 14:44
Definitely a lot better than the iPod-BMW method. Plus, you can install it in any car.

I really, really want to replace my Pioneer head unit with a spiffy new Alpine now.

:D

Definitely cheaper than replacing my Honda with a BMW. :)

I agree though. I'll be heading down to my local Alpine dealer this fall with my cc.
alcimedes
2004-07-16, 18:54
i know they say it will work with any 2004 Alpine head unit, however I haven't seen whether or not it will work with the older 2002 - 2003 units.
Gargoyle
2004-07-17, 16:36
I am thinking not...


plug in your *iPod or iPod mini into a compatible 2004 Alpine Ai-NET head unit


I think the Ai-NET is a fairly new thing.
ThunderPoit
2004-07-20, 17:32
sony have anything similar?
nguyenhm16
2004-07-22, 07:02
Sony will never have such a device. They might have one to connect their new iPod competitor (the digital Walkman). Sony always goes it alone - MemoryStick, ATRAC, etc. Like their Minidisc players, even their crappy new iPod killers force you to transcode everything to ATRAC (WMA or MP3).
ThunderPoit
2004-07-22, 08:26
actually, i didn't mean sony directly, i remember seeing a device a while ago that would plug your ipod into a wide variety of head units, including some sony models. however, the unit itself was very limited in the features it provided, as it could only skip to the next or previous songs w/ the head unit's controls.
stangmatt66
2004-07-22, 11:56
I can't replace the head unit in my car....damn Mazda! I wanna play my iPod in the car too!! MAZDA, YOUR HEAR ME! ;)
alcimedes
2004-07-22, 12:34
what car do you have? i replaced my protege's head unit with an Alpine a few years back no problem.
dfiler
2004-07-23, 14:13
I too wonder if it will work with older alpine heads. Although... damn this thing is huge! I'll have to take apart my entire dash and mount it above the steering column as all my free space is already occupied by crossovers and such.

Still... i think I'll hold out for alpine compatability from Dension. They use a much smaller box to translate different manufacturer CD changer signals into iPod control codes. Sure, it doesn't sound as cool as the alpine search feature but it seems workable without trying to do too much.

Hopefully, Alpine's interface is exactly the same as the iPod but with limmited display area... Yet, from looking at the alpine literature, it seems that their interface is a cheap gimmick. The iPod has a 'browse' interface, not a 'search' interface.