Alpine iDA-X001 Digital Media Receiver

[Raistlin]

Fingers crossed that it works for you Erik.

My IDA-X001 is in transit now and will be delivered to me tomorrow but I'm not going to fit it until the bluetooth adaptor arrives.

[biggles]

Yay! Mine just arrived by UPS!

[Raistlin]

Ha

Mine just arrived by City Link

Halfrauds say my bluetooth adaptor will be here next week

[biggles]

Had mine installed today and I am quite pleased with the results. The Autloeads PC99-X30 together with the PC99-ALP worked without any problems. Only two annoyances remain to be fixed and maybe someone has some advice to offer:

1. The dimmer lead to the Alpine was not connected to the Alpine ISO block. There was a dimmer lead on the cars ISO block that was routed on through the autoleads adapter so I just cut the lead in the ladder and connected it to the loose lead on the Alpine HU.

It seemed to work until I adjusted the dimmer level and found out that the HUs brightness adjusts INVERSELY to that of the instruments.I.e. if I crank up the instrument brightness the HU gets darker and vice versa. I can only hope this is a requirement of the Symphony (or maybe all OEM HU:s) and that I will get proper voltages if I patch the illumination lead somwhere else - but where?

2. The space between the A/C fascia and the Iovox single-din fascia is a bit large. I suspect this has to do with the bottom hooks of the fascia adapter being pushed down to much bu the HU cage. Anyone seen this before?

Here is a picture of the final result anyway:

[Raistlin]

I'm pleased to hear that the autoleads solution weorked Erik

I didn't have the problem of the large gap below the fascia plate with my present Alpine unit.

I connected my lighting dimmer lead directly to the wiring at the back of the dimmer rheostat and it worked as it should.

What is your opinion of the IPOD controls?

[biggles]

Originally Posted by Raistlin

I'm pleased to hear that the autoleads solution weorked Erik

I didn't have the problem of the large gap below the fascia plate with my present Alpine unit.

I connected my lighting dimmer lead directly to the wiring at the back of the dimmer rheostat and it worked as it should.

What is your opinion of the IPOD controls?

I'll have a second look at the fascia adapter to see what might cause the gap. My primary suspicion are as I said the "hooks" at the bottom that secures the panel to the console. Do you have the Kenwood or Iovox type fascia adapter?

Good idea to go directly for the rheostat. Was it difficult to get at?

I haven't played around with the HU very much yet but the controls work fine and you can do pretty much anything you need but there are a few things that could be better in my opinion:

1. There is a big "search" button in the center of the jog wheel that you hardly ever use. It would have been better to swap that button for the "ENT" button that you use all the time.

2. I miss the possibility to add to the on-the-go playlist while playing. This is something we do quite a lot if we are two in the car (handling the iPod while driving is not recommended). Now, the iPod needs to be disconnected to manage that playlist.

I'll probably have more to add once I have used it a little more.

3. The buttons to the left have a blueish tint causing them to turn pinkish with red illumination. Not a really perfect match to the 75...

[Raistlin]

From what I can see, your fascia panel is the same as mine.

I bought mine second hand though so not sure what it is.

Dimmer rheostar is easy to get to - just drop the steering column lower shroud and you can piggy-back onto it and it is then a simple task to run a wire from there into the centre console.

[biggles]

Another thing: To my taste the HU is a bit too far recessed into the fascia adapter. Are there standard size spacers to fix that? Something like 5 mm would be perfect.

[biggles]

Originally Posted by biggles

Another thing: To my taste the HU is a bit too far recessed into the fascia adapter. Are there standard size spacers to fix that? Something like 5 mm would be perfect.

Ah! Found some. Autoleads appearently has a some. It was just a matter if feeding Google with the right words.

[biggles]

Originally Posted by Raistlin

Dimmer rheostar is easy to get to - just drop the steering column lower shroud and you can piggy-back onto it and it is then a simple task to run a wire from there into the centre console.

Okay... Lowering the shroud wasn't any problem and neither was getting at the light switch assembly. But the light switch pack is connected to a control box to which a wiring loom as thick as my leg is connected. On to the classical bomb defuser question: Which wire should I cut?