Bah, my Alpine has packed in, so.. anyone seen these?

aaronjb · July 29, 2005, 12:22

Coming back from JAE on Sunday my Alpine head unit decided that it doesn't want to play CDs anymore (when it'll read a disc, it will track - the time goes up - but no sound, and nothing on the little graphic EQ thingy. I get static on the radio though, so the amp stage is working, and I could listen to the radio if I plugged the aerial in s:oops: :oops: s:oops: ). Anyway..

I was thinking about saving up for the Alpine iPod head unit dooberry, when I came across this:

http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=4501

Anyone read any reviews of their iPod interface? I know Pioneer isn't quite Alpine, but it's a damn sight cheaper than the Alpine iPod kit!

[edit] Ooh, I see Kenwood do an iPod interface now too, and the Alpine and Pioneer boxes can be bought seperately from the head units.

Too much choice, and too little money to buy one! Bah.

Anonymous · July 29, 2005, 12:31

Not got a clue about those kits Aaron, but Lee's selling an Alpine head unit if you fancy a replacement?

Anonymous · July 29, 2005, 12:37

Hey that looks good! Kerstie was looking to use her ipod in the car, the astra has a standard H/U that can be swapped out.

Shame my new motor has an intergrated thingy.

Presumably Kenwood are crap?
http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=4271&cadid=9c6d70f08acf4b9cac5c2935fcb28514

ninjinski · July 29, 2005, 12:48

Just a thought - My DVD player at home was not working recently - went to buy a new one when the guy mentioned cleaning the heads - bough a cleaning CD - basically one with a bit of cloth attached - and now its back to top form - may not be whats wrong but worth a try.

aaronjb · July 29, 2005, 12:59

Quote from: "Ekona"Not got a clue about those kits Aaron, but Lee's selling an Alpine head unit if you fancy a replacement?

I hadn't spotted that.. hmm.. Think I'll get hold of a cleaning CD first, but that would certainly be cheaper than buying a new new headunit (er, if you see what I mean)

Quote from: "cstevens"Shame my new motor has an intergrated thingy.

Well, that's what you get for having a Taste Bypass when it comes to cars s:P

s:P

Quote from: "cstevens"Presumably Kenwood are crap?
http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=4271&cadid=9c6d70f08acf4b9cac5c2935fcb28514

Kenwood are like the Alba of the car world.. heh s:)

s:) They're ok - usually overloaded with spangly whizzy shiney things to keep NovaBoy happy, and have an ok sound quality, but not generally on a par with Alpine or Pioneer (at least, they never used to be). Usually cheap(er) though.

Quote from: "ninjinski"Just a thought - My DVD player at home was not working recently - went to buy a new one when the guy mentioned cleaning the heads - bough a cleaning CD - basically one with a bit of cloth attached - and now its back to top form - may not be whats wrong but worth a try.

I think I'll try that - what I couldn't figure out was how it was tracking the CD and yet not pick any sound up, if it was the head.. Very strange, but it's worth a shot for the sake of a few quid isn't it.

Ta s:)

s:)

ninjinski · July 29, 2005, 22:11

Quote from: "ninjinski"Just a thought - My DVD player at home was not working recently - went to buy a new one when the guy mentioned cleaning the heads - bough a cleaning CD - basically one with a bit of cloth attached - and now its back to top form - may not be whats wrong but worth a try.

Quote from: "aaronjb "I think I'll try that - what I couldn't figure out was how it was tracking the CD and yet not pick any sound up, if it was the head.. Very strange, but it's worth a shot for the sake of a few quid isn't it.

Ta s:) s:)

DO IT! The cleaning disk saved me for a £500 impulse buy of the new Denon surround system. Thank christ!!!!! s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

aaronjb · July 30, 2005, 12:53

Quote from: "ninjinski"DO IT! The cleaning disk saved me for a £500 impulse buy of the new Denon surround system. Thank christ!!!!! s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

Tried it.. but no go s:(

s:( Sadly the only kind of CD I could find was one with little brushes on, which you are meant to listen to the instructions on (which didn't work so well in the car, obviously.. so tried it indoors), then forward to track 11 and let it do it's thing..

Put it in the car, skipped to track 11 and it just went round and round and round.. but made no difference at all s:(

s:(

So next thing is to pull the head unit out of the car, take the lid off it and see if the head is actually tracking on the CD..

ninjinski · July 30, 2005, 13:15

Pants!! thats a pity, worth a try though just in case! s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

aaronjb · July 30, 2005, 13:46

Quote from: "ninjinski"Pants!! thats a pity, worth a try though just in case! s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

Indeed - the cleaning CD was only £2 in Asda, so it's no great loss s:)

s:)

Chris · July 30, 2005, 14:38

It's times like these when I almost wish I'd bought an ipod, instead of the sony mp3 player i got... Still hopefully it wont be long before there is an adapter or something s8)

s8) or i could always use the line out somehow i suppose...[/i]

ninjinski · July 30, 2005, 16:46

Quote from: "Chris"It's times like these when I wish I'd bought an ipod...

erm no as they pack in something serious too - don't think I know anyones whose has'nt been problematic (including mine) both batteries and disks are cr*p!!

Maybe the newer models are better but time will tell... s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

Chris · July 30, 2005, 17:01

yeah, heard about the reliability and have also had problems linking them to pc's - just some of the reasons that i didn't get one in the end!! s:wink: :wink: s:wink: