The Alpine iPod adapter is out now, if anyone is interested check out.
http://www.alpine-usa.com/
If you have one please share your experience.

 

I plan on getting it.. but the thing has been delayed for so long coming out, I can't believe it's actually shipping!

I found a place with them here in Oregon that can have it to me by tomorrow, hopefully I'll get it installed before the weekend is out or early next week.

 

Yes, it's long overdue and about time it's actually out. If you get one if you could take some pictures and report back with you experience with it, that would be great.
What kind of head unit are you going to run with it?

 

I've got one that should be in tomorrow around noon and I'm getting it installed then as well. I just put an Alpine 9835 in my car about two weeks ago so it will be going with that.

 

Too bad it took so long, I gave up and got a Kenwood Exelon deck instead.

 

Steve,

I was wondering about the size....where are you going to install it?

 

To be determined

But seriously I have no idea.. it is kind of big, I'll have to see once I have the actual unit, I'll let you guys know where it ends up going.

 

can't wait to pick one up! anyone know what the price is?

 

The retail price is $99.99, but you could probably pick it up cheaper at some outlets.

 

Got it installed.. I ended up putting it in the passenger floorboard just under the carpet/floor mat at the very end, just about the only place it would fit.

The unit works pretty good I've only had a little time to play with it, I wired the connector to my glove box so I can just leave the iPod in there.

 

Awesome thanks!

 

I'm getting conflicting information on this unit. What iPods work with this? I have a 15GB Touch Wheel with all the updated software. Will it work? What iPods are you guys using? Crutchfield says only the newest models work.

John

 

It's compatible with any iPod with a dock connection. Does your have a dock connection on the bottom? Or firewire?

 

It has the dock on the bottom. I'm using the dock wire connected right to the bottom.

 

is the $20 something dollar wireless radio adaptor all that bad?

 

no...I have the iTrip and like it alot....but the prob with FM transmitters is sound quality and interference

 

Compared to this, yes. This adapter lets you, access artist, playlist and song information on the head unit. It also should sound heaps better because of the direct connection. Many people complain about getting the FM tuners to come in just right, some also use the iPod's battery power.
This also charges the ipod at the same time. So if before you were looking at an auto power adapter for an ipod $20-$40, plus an FM tuner $20-$40, then this is a pretty good deal. However you do have to have a compatible Alpine head unit.
Lets hope other manufactures follow Alpine and BMW's lead and integrate iPod functions into their products.

 

that's neat, too bad the ipod sounds like ****.. and yes I do have one.. a 20 gig connected to the input on my Nakamichi cd45z via a y connector. My brother's Neo Juke box sounds so much better.. oh well.. at least it's portable.

 

How does an iPod sound like ****?

 

good question.. specially since it's so expensive.. my guess is they went all out with the physical design to make it elegant and software for ease of use but went a bit cheapo with the electronics, most likely the D/A conversion I don't know. Like I said before, I have compared it to my brother's Neo Jukebox mp3 player (his system is very similar to mine) and his just sounds more airy, more open. I even tried a TDK portable mp3 CD player and thought is sounded a bit better, not by much though. Saying it sounds like ****, was harsh, I was just disappointed when I plugged it in for the first time in my car. The CD player sounds a zillion times better, of course that's expected. It's still my favorite as a portable device though (some say the Rio Karma sounds better). It's just not my favorite for the car.

 

Could it have anything to do with the bit rate of the media playing?

 

I doubt it. I use Exact Audio Copy with Lame V3.96.1 @ 160 kbps VBR with all my rips.

 

It will work with iPod or iPod mini, I believe the box said that the iPod had to be a 3rd generation (they are on 4th right now). It connects via the dock connection on the bottom.

 

what cha talkin about willis?????

i use my ipod with my shure E3cs and the sound is unbelievable

 

Yeah, I don't know how. I've never heard an ipod that sounded bad unless it was connected to an fm transmitter with the volume turned all the way up on the ipod - and that's expected. Mine sounds amazing, I couldn't live without it at this point.