Alpine to Release iPod Interface in Autumn 2004

jeblucas writes "Not to be outdone by the recent iPod your BMW news, Alpine updated the details on their iPod interface for those of us who want to spend cash on the sound system, rather than the logo. Apparently announced in January (?), this should be available this fall. Sweet! You can ask for more info by emailing Alpine directly."

Comments

"restores lost detail"?

[zalas]

Alpine says that the "MediaXpander" technology featured on its system "restores lost detail" to compressed digital media, as well. Alpine's receivers also sport the company's "Bass Engine" technology, which it says will tune the system for the best sound quality in the vehicle.
Does anyone know how this would actually work? Is this kind of like postprocessing for video files but applied to audio? Or is this just more marketing hype for an equalizer/dynamics expander?

Three words: Toyota Prius interface

[Samir Gupta]

It would be the ultimate geek tech marriage: the ultimate geek music player with the ultimate geek car.

Apparently, these guys have modded the Prius audio/touch screen system to control a XM receiver, complete with onscreen title display, so I imagine it can't be that hard to support an iPod as well, right, especially if Apple were to help?

iTrip sort of works...

[unclejeb]

Seriously, I wouldn't mind a decent car stereo interface considering my iTrip tends to get interference forcing me to constantly move things around all the time. I have tried the tape cassette thingy too but things get pretty hairy when my feet get tangled up in the cable. Makes it hard to concentrate while digging about the passenger seat area for my sunglasses (or cell phone).

Re:WGARA

[boristdog]

Because then you lose (1) the head-unit control of the iPod, and (2) the song/artist information on the head-unit display.

Uh, shouldn't you just be putting your MP3 player on "shuffle" before you drive and then concentrate on driving?
(1)If a song comes on you don't like...why the hell is it on your MP3 player?!
(2)Shouldn't you know what the hell is on your own MP3 player? If you don't and finding out the song/artist is so freaking important, you should pull over to find out. Otherwise, keep your damn eyes on the road.

Aux Jack on your current car stereo + Dumb Wire

[billstewart]

Most car stereos I've seen or owned had an Auxiliary Input Jack that you could use to plug in a cable from another device. They're not always installed correctly in the dashboard, but they're usually there somewhere. That's especially useful for something like an iPod that you want to take with you rather than permanently mounting in the car, and if do you want to hide it in your glove compartment, that's a good match for the aux jack that was left behind the dashboard because the stereo installers didn't feel like mounting it in the dashboard.

Another relatively simple approach, if your car stereo has a cassette player, is those adapters that look like a cassette tape with a wire out the back. Not sure how good they sound, though.