[RunsWithScissors]

Good stuff coming down the road (pun intended) from Alpine - interesting solution...

http://www.vwvortex.com/artman/publi...icle_650.shtml

Alpine Launches World’s First Car Audio Head Units to Allow True Integration

 

[lindrone]

Pictures here as well:

http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/do...40528/alps.htm

 

[NeilPeart]

This will provide the final incentive to archive all my CDs into lossless and ditch MP3 forever (my Kenwood Excelon KDC-X569 uses MP3 discs, so I keep 'em around).

P.S. lindrone, you truly are the Canaling King (nobody else is insane enough to try the ProPhonic 2X-S, UE-10, E5 and ER-4S)!

 

[nogrot]

A coworker of mine got this system a couple months ago and seems to really like it. I haven't been able to see/hear it yet though. Just more evidence on the iPod changing the way people look at music, in my opinion.

 

[lindrone]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NeilPeart P.S. lindrone, you truly are the Canaling King (nobody else is insane enough to try the ProPhonic 2X-S, UE-10, E5 and ER-4S)!

LOL, the worst part is, it's completely meaningless when we have our meets and such... won't fit in anyone else's ears

Anyway, back on topic.. I was really hoping that Alpine would come up with a solution that's more.. integrated, I suppose? Like a dock that's integrated into the dash?

With that wire into that huge box (which is just a sort of a control 'bridge' into Alpine's standard cd control type of deal...), it is just slightly better than ICE-Link. It better be able to compete in pricing as well.

 

[ITZBITZ]

Looks like it is just using it as a firewire or USB drive, as indicated by the Do Not Disconnect. They could in theory do this with any DAP that offered disk access via USB Mass Storage.

Still, pretty slick way to handle it IMHO.

 

[rt297]

How is this box better than using their own Ai-Net cable for $15.00 from Crutchfield? I use that solution, and only have one cable to the line out on the iPod. More companies need to have direct mini inputs either on the front or back or their units for MP3 players, and ID3 recognition.

 

[nogrot]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rt297 How is this box better than using their own Ai-Net cable for $15.00 from Crutchfield? I use that solution, and only have one cable to the line out on the iPod. More companies need to have direct mini inputs either on the front or back or their units for MP3 players, and ID3 recognition.

I think you're missing one of the key points of this particular player: it plugs straight into the iPod, and controls all the music from the head unit itself. This is not simply using the output of the iPod's player, it's using the iPod like a music archive. At least that's how I have come to understand it.

It sounds like the $15 cable might be a good purchase for those not wanting to go crazy though.