mr_markski

I am about to install a CDA-9855 and the Ipod Interface in my 2000 W210 today, does anybody here have the module installed in their car which keeps the steering wheel controls active? I've seen the module on ebay, but I just want to see if anybody already has it. Any good?


If you want to see what I'm talking about:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...sPageName=WDVW

Thanks ahead of time

Mark

M1M2M3

The car I bought 01 clk55 has an alpine radio in it, I'm not sure which one it is, I just got the car yesterday. My radio controls don't work so I want something like thisl. I'll check on it further, but I noticed on the list of makes it works with they left off mercedes.

mr_markski

Good catch. When i bought the Ipod Module at Goodguys, the Sales Manager was telling me that Alpine has one of thier own but i have yet to see it. I wonder if you have to remove the HU just to put it in. Does this controller even exsist?

dtkw

Alpine has one to work with their HU and if you have a display unit, it would show the songs list and what's not on the display instead of the small screen on the iPod. I saw it in some audio catalog before.

wnycec

I spoke to the people at Pac Audio and they told me that they have not produced an interface which connects the volume button to ur head unit just yet - within the year something should be in the works...

http://www.pac-audio.com/products/swi.htm

M1M2M3

on another note I was checking out the Alpine website and saw that they have an Ipod connection http://www.alpine-usa.com/. I plan on getting it it's only $100. I'm tired of carrying a ton of CDs around.

mr_markski

I got the interface KCA-420i. Works like a charm but the only thing is, if you categorize your IPOD music by Genre, you have to get used to searching because the interface doesn't let you search that way. Its takes some getting used to. The 9855 is cool but there so mush stuff to learn on it. The Glide Touch is cool but it can get a little frustrating from it being ultra sensitive.

mr_markski

Okay its been about a week now and I'm getting the hang of using the Ipod Module for the Alpine HU's and the KCA-420i is a little disappointing. It turns out that the HU will only take in 255 songs per playlist. You can scan through your Ipod but only 255 songs can be used and Alpine chooses the songs for you. The way around it is to make a bunch of playlists so you can listen to all the music in your Ipod. I have a 3G 20 gig version and I have about 1900 songs on it. I separate my music via Genre. In using the Alpine system, you can only get everything to play by separating the music through playlists.

I hope someday there will be somekind of download from Alpine that will expand the software so ou don't have to do it this way. You can see more about this at Ipodlounge.com

The sound quality is pretty good though, its still way better than any FM transmitter gadgets.

Just my 2 cents, I hope it helps anyone out there thinking about doing what I did.



Mark

Barada

^^^ How old is your KCA420I?

mr_markski

I got it about a month ago at Goodguys. Why is there another version?

CDP

mr_markski,

you got the same headunit and ipod interface that I'm planning to get soon. Could you let me know how you like it and what not.

mr_markski

Its a pretty cool set-up,I just got it about a month ago. The Glide touch is the only thing that gets me. Its ultra-sensitive. Using it while driving could get some taking used to. That and the limitations of the HU/IPod interface only being able to hold 255 per playlist. I have a lot of mixtapes in my Ipod so i have to seaprate them to be able to play them. Check out this link to see what I mean:

http://www.ipodlounge.com/index.php/...cb4fb78bde081/

The functions on the deck are very good, I think It does what I want it to do. Now I just contemplating redoing the door speakers and maybe adding another 12. So far its all good, better than it was stock. You should be able to get the Interface and the deck for about $550 retail. I got mine at Bestbuy for $404 and the interface at Goodguys for a $100. Its looks clean installed, it doesn't stick out that much. I forgot it was a detachable face, but then again I never pull it out.

Hope that helps

Mark

CDP

That was a very good write up!

I'm getting it for sure. I just wanted to get your opinions about the products before hand. I was considering Pioneer for awhile, but I'm honestly not liking their products anymore.

I've searched some ebay sellers for the products and they were from respectable sellers which my friends buy from and I could basically get the set up for less than 500 shipped.

So are you able to flip through songs on the ipod with the headunit without the playlist? I never really found that out for myself. Thanks for taking the time to post your thoughts!

mr_markski

You can definetly flip through songs radomly from the Head unit but...again it will only pick up 255 songs that it will keep playing. You won't be able to get to the other ones unless you create some playlists. Once you figure out how you want to do it its all good.

Another thing that kind of trips me out is that the Head Unit creates a list that is labeled NO SUPPORT, that is a group of songs that can be played but I think it puts songs in that folder that have long titles that cannot be fully displayed on the deck. I'm just hoping that some day there's a software update that will eliminate these little problems. I just think sometimes that Alpine should have put a little more thought to how people use thier Ipods because I think there's alot more potential that this set-up can do but it just not supported by Alpine.

The next step? Satellite Radio.

"You want to play? You got to Pay!"

Mark