Alpine's head unit supports iPods, DivX playback and everything else
By Thomas Ricker 
posted April 11th 2008 2:15AM
posted April 11th 2008 2:15AM
When you call your product a Mobile Multimedia Solution it had better offer up a pretty robust set of connectivity options; especially when it costs $1,100. In that manner, Alpine's new WXGA touch-screen IVA-W505 doesn't disappoint. The 7-inch DVD/CD/MP3/AAC/WMA/DivX AV head unit offers Bluetooth hands-free connectivity and touch control over all your in-car digital media sources. The list includes HD/Sat radio (with iTunes tagging) and MP3/WMA players like iPods and USB sticks. The double-DIN unit is IMPRINT, acoustic-correction ready and serves as a dock for Alpine's PMD-B200 portable GPS unit. Sweet. Available now through authorized dealers in North America.
wait, so does it do GPS? (what does it mean it serves as a dock for ....)
i fell that for 1100 it should.
and if it does, i'd buy that in an instant?
The screen folds down and has a "docking bay" for the Blackbird II (PMD-B200)- same as the IVA-W205.
Does iPod Touch support indicate iPhone support? Also, is there a frickin way to get to my podcasts instead of picking between Album and Artist- I'd love to buy a new head unit to control my iPhone but since I listen to mostly podcasts, having a control for them is a big deal and I can't seam to find it anywhere.
$1100 pretty good. i got an IVA-D300, which is similar, but has no ipod support (unless w/ add-on), GPS; paid $1500 for it back in 2005.
now all it needs is the kitchen sink
For that price, shouldn't it have GPS included? A dock for a removable solution? Not very elegant.
It is hard to find these integrated type double din units with a decent UI. While units like the AVIC D3 undoubtedly offer a great value (with GPS included), their UIs look like something out of 1995. Or at least, the crudely draw icons they use do. Terrible!
Aftermarket unit UIs should be able to surpass the interfaces of modern OEM units. But they don't even come close, unfortunately.
some people use their GPSr outside the car...
///////Alpine needs a web 2.0 logo
APLINE is the best acoustically Period.. a consistent product unlike the rest aftermarket out there...
Love my Alpine IVA-W205...only wished it supported album art, iPod videos, and had a slightly larger screen... well, here it is. Looks like I'll be selling the W205 to fund my purchase of the W505.
I've seen these things in other people's cars playing home made porno.
Bet you see all the labias and flabia in the supported 720p format.
off to crutchfield I go...or does any know any crackhead that recently boosted from a train yard (highly popular where I'm from).
I
Need
Removable
Faceplate
In
New
York
City
You
Need
To
Have
The
Enter
/
Return
Key
Removed
From
Your
Keyboard
k
tnx
bai
THANK
YOU
WILL
TAKE
UNDER
CONCIDERATION
hardest i've laughed in a long time
JVC KW-AVX810... 7" of removable sweetness!
One correction: It's not WXGA (that would put it at an incredibly high pixel format of 1280 x 768 or 1280 x 800 or 1366 x 768). It's actually WVGA, which is just 800 x 480. Still pretty good, but not HD class.
it's kinda like the vlc player of head units.
iphone only works in airplane mode, so no calls while listening to your tunes
I'd rather take the Pioneer D3.
My brother has one. It's nice.
What's that? You're going to take your brother's D3?
+1 on the Avic D3
GPS, iPod, DivX, and I got mine for less than $700
Does the D3 work as a car phone kit AND play videos or music via the ipod lead?
@ian
yes
thx for the tip i will check that out.
That is so going to get your car broken into.
saving this for my 2008 christmas list
Alpine Sucks, Pioneer AVIC-D3 all the way!
These double-DIN stereos are simply just never going to be good enough untill the makers wise-up and create them with removable faceplates. With car stereo crime as high as it is, buying one of these just isn't a feasable option!
They look so good a well...
check out the JVC KW-AVX810
No integrated GPS? In that case, pay half as much for a Pioneer...
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Products/CarAudioVideo/Source/AV-Receivers/AVH-P4000DVD
Tradeoff being the connection to the ipod isn't 100% digital (as it is with the Alpine), meaning you're using the crappy DACs in the ipod vs. the high-class ones in your $500+ head unit. A waste of decent audio.
Is there anything else like this that integrates with the iPod and displays album art? Really, that's what I've been looking for.
Check out the Alpine iDA-X001 or iDA-X100. They are also using a pure digital connection to the ipod so you get to use your 24-bit burr brown DACs within the head unit.
http://www.alpine-usa.com/US-en/products/product.php?model=iDA-X100
Sorry to keep harping on that fact but many of us in the car audio community have been wanting this feature for a while. Kinda worthless to have a $2k+ audio setup with a sub-par audio source.
That is AWESOME. Thanks so much.
Anything else out there like that? Options are always good.
What, exactly, are you paying for?
Bluetooth - Optional
XM/Sirius - Optional
GPS - Optional
HD Radio - Optional
iPod - not included
This stuff kills me ...
I have this unit in my car. I just got it in to replace a W205. It's so much better. The screen resolution alone is worth the upgrade. I also bought the Imprint setup and will be working on that this weekend. It's pretty amazing!
Oh, and it comes with a USB cable that connects to iPod video. Plays right through the head unit itself. That is included. So it does include iPod out of the box. Shows album art as well.
UI is easy to use.
Hmmm... anybody want a used 2 month old IVA W202E? I'm definitely getting this as soon as it hit the streets.. it's everything that i wished the w202e would do and then some!