unOfficial 2008 alpine iDA-X--- series HU thread

[glukow]

I recently installed an iDA-X100 head until and i really like it except for the difficult way they expect you to use presets. At least if the unit would beep when you turn the dial i could tell which preset i'm selecting without looking down at the unit while driving, but even if they included a beep for each selection it still wouldn't be an ideal solution.

What i was hoping to do would be the following. My car does not have a steering wheel control, so i was wondering if it would be possible to build your own steering wheel remote? What i would really like to do is just build a small box with 6 buttons on it that i could then wire up to the alpines steering wheel remote connector and use that box as my easy to access presets.

I don't know if steering wheel remote controls even support presets or if it's possible to build your own. I've done some searching for steering wheel remote emulators but i cant seem to find any information besides the interface boxes people sell to let you connect an existing steering wheel remote up to a head unit.

Does anyone know if its possible to create your own steering wheel remote (not actually on the steering wheel) that could send signals to the head until and allow you to quickly call up different presets? Or does anyone know of another solution to the difficult to use preset buttons? I use Sirius radio a lot and i would like to use up these presets as the stations i listen to are scattered between channel 14 and 144.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give.

Greg

 

[rscott82]

I recently installed an iDA-X100 head until and i really like it except for the difficult way they expect you to use presets. At least if the unit would beep when you turn the dial i could tell which preset i'm selecting without looking down at the unit while driving, but even if they included a beep for each selection it still wouldn't be an ideal solution.
What i was hoping to do would be the following. My car does not have a steering wheel control, so i was wondering if it would be possible to build your own steering wheel remote? What i would really like to do is just build a small box with 6 buttons on it that i could then wire up to the alpines steering wheel remote connector and use that box as my easy to access presets.

I don't know if steering wheel remote controls even support presets or if it's possible to build your own. I've done some searching for steering wheel remote emulators but i cant seem to find any information besides the interface boxes people sell to let you connect an existing steering wheel remote up to a head unit.

Does anyone know if its possible to create your own steering wheel remote (not actually on the steering wheel) that could send signals to the head until and allow you to quickly call up different presets? Or does anyone know of another solution to the difficult to use preset buttons? I use Sirius radio a lot and i would like to use up these presets as the stations i listen to are scattered between channel 14 and 144.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give.

Greg

I put a iDA-X100 in my boat with the RF remote control that connects to the steering wheel port on the HU. It works okay but you cannot select preset stations. It will only scan.

 

[USCFAN 10+ year member]

I recently installed an iDA-X100 head until and i really like it except for the difficult way they expect you to use presets. At least if the unit would beep when you turn the dial i could tell which preset i'm selecting without looking down at the unit while driving, but even if they included a beep for each selection it still wouldn't be an ideal solution.
What i was hoping to do would be the following. My car does not have a steering wheel control, so i was wondering if it would be possible to build your own steering wheel remote? What i would really like to do is just build a small box with 6 buttons on it that i could then wire up to the alpines steering wheel remote connector and use that box as my easy to access presets.

I don't know if steering wheel remote controls even support presets or if it's possible to build your own. I've done some searching for steering wheel remote emulators but i cant seem to find any information besides the interface boxes people sell to let you connect an existing steering wheel remote up to a head unit.

Does anyone know if its possible to create your own steering wheel remote (not actually on the steering wheel) that could send signals to the head until and allow you to quickly call up different presets? Or does anyone know of another solution to the difficult to use preset buttons? I use Sirius radio a lot and i would like to use up these presets as the stations i listen to are scattered between channel 14 and 144.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give.

Greg

Hello

Do the sirius presets work the same as the radio presets? The standard alpine remote [RUE-4202] does the preset changing just by pressing up/down. You would still have to scroll through them but you wouldn't have to look at the radio.

Hope that helps.

 

[USCFAN 10+ year member]

So what do I need to add XM radio to the Alpine? I am a little confused. Is it just a simple xm receiver that just plugs in to the Alpine?

You would need the "XM Direct 2 Alpine Car Kit" or if you have xm radio already then you would just need the "XM Direct 2 Alpine Adapter Cable"

Both just plug into the alpine deck and you would control everything from there.

 

[rocko76]

Perhaps I'm just dense, but I'm having trouble getting a user background to show up properly. First, I tried to use some custom .APN files I found at http://www.pride-rock.com/forum/apnlist.php, copying them to a 2GB USB key. Following the manual, I first selected BGV Type to "User", and then went to BGV Download. The .APN files were displayed, and when hitting the "Ent" button after selecting one, a bar that appeared to say "Downloading" or similar flashed on the screen for a split second. However, once backing out through the menus, the background was completely blank (black).

I tried this, selecting several of the different .APN files on the key, with the same results. I figured that perhaps the .APN files I found weren't valid, after all, so I downloaded some of the official ones from Alpine's site. Same results.

Am I missing something obvious here? The BGV Download part seems to be the suspicious link - it isn't really obvious whether or not it is completed, as the "Download" bar only briefly flashes on the screen (such that I needed to do it a bunch of times to even make out that is what it says) and doesn't even appear to do that consistently.

 

[USCFAN 10+ year member]

this first files will not work on our decks.

I would reformat the usb stick and place only the official files for the ida-x100 on it. Then try to do some custom files

 

[rocko76]

this first files will not work on our decks.
I would reformat the usb stick and place only the official files for the ida-x100 on it. Then try to do some custom files

Thanks, unfortunately, still no go //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif. I tried reformatting as both FAT and FAT32 downloading various official images, same results. For those who have gotten this to work successfully, what exactly is supposed to happen after hitting Ent in the BVG Download? As mentioned, I select a file, hit Ent and sometimes what appears to say "Downloading" flashes by extremely quickly. but more often than not, I just get a beep with the file still highlighted. Actually, the beep itself is different than what I get when selecting other options, it is a lower pitch.

Oh, forgot to mention, I actually have the x001, not the x100.

 

[Kai Winters 10+ year member]

When you hit "download" is downloads and becomes the wallpaper displayed.

Here is a link to the Pride Rock Labs site where you can get much info on creating/installing APN files.

I know you have this link, but what the hell...The APN images on the site do not work on the x001...as they still say at the top of the "APN Wallpaper" page.

http://www.pride-rock.com/forum/index.php

You need the APN converter to convert the RAW image to an APN image.

You also need Infraview and its plugins.

Here is how its done:

Creat a folder in the "C" directory. Name the folder tools. Within that folder create a folder and name it x001.

Extract the converter .exe and .dll files to c:\tools\x001.

Convert the image to RAW format and exactly 320x240 using the infraview program and save the image to c:\tools\x001.

Click on Start...Run and type cd c:\tools\x001 in the command prompt window and hit enter to move to that folder.

Type xndconverter.exe "nameoffile".raw and hit enter.

________________

If all is done correctly you will get a message stating so. Open the c:\tools\x001 folder and save the image to a usb thumb/flash drive and you are good to go. If you get an error message recheck everything, especially the name of the file and try again.

I find that you need to use a usb stick with nothing else on it but the APN files. I also notice that fewer files, less than 9 or 10 I think, on the usb drive the better. When you plug in the usb drive it will show no files on the display screen, don't worry about it...it is looking for audio files. Go to the wallpaper download and just do it.

Good luck and let us know how you make out.

You can't view the APN files on your computer in APN format.

I save both the RAW and APN image to a folder on my hard drive along with these instructions, the converter software and Infraview program for easy access and future use.

 

[rocko76]

Thanks - yeah, the piece I was missing was the "does not work with the x001" part - I feel somewhat retarded now. I suspect I'll see similar warnings on alpine's site, or at least some place to select your HU. Looks like the ones there are higher res than that of the x001 (and presumable the x100?) - I guess for the DVD/NAV units?

Anywho, just grabbed the jpeg's from the backgrounds at pride rock I was interested in, resized and converted, and everything it working mostly OK. I say "mostly" because I run with red illumination, and the bar that shows the date is still blue when using the user image, but it is black when I used the built-in red background. In general, kinda annoying that all the other background screens are still blue (startup screen, settings, etc.) even when you are using red illumination. Which, of course, kinda stinks anyway, as it doesn't seem as bright as blue and the button material has a blue tint. Unfortunately, the rest of the instrument panel on this car is red, so sorta stuck with that.

 

[Kai Winters 10+ year member]

Don't feel retarded Rocko76. I did one even goofier.

I kept getting an error message when trying to convert the apn files. Was driving me crazazy...did not know what I was doing wrong........untilllllllllllllllll I carefully reread the instructions and looking over my work. I find instead of using the file name I was actually typing "nameoffile.exe" DUH!!! or what? LOL. Worked great once I typed the actual name of the file I was trying to convert LOL.

Good luck and enjoy.

 

[Good Soul]

Will the x100 play album art from a usb stick or hard drive?

cheers

 

[XXVANN 10+ year member]

Will the x100 play album art from a usb stick or hard drive?cheers

Mine only started to show album art when I used an iPod. Otherwise no art from HDD or USB stick.

--------------

On another related note, I got the KTX-H100 (http://www.alpine-usa.com/US-en/products/product_acc.php?model=KTX-H100) last week and finally got around to calibrating the X100/PXA-H100 combo on Saturday. The difference was significant. Much fuller sound at all volumes, more balanced time correction and more volume it would seem.

When you go into the advanced audio control screen all of the controls are now gone aside from Subwoofer On/Off, and Subwoofer System (1 or 2).

The only question is how can I change between the 2 programs that I uploaded (I used Reference and Linear).

 

[Kai Winters 10+ year member]

Unfortunately no album art using a usb or hdd as Good Soul says.

 

[Good Soul]

Unfortunately no album art using a usb or hdd as Good Soul says.

Mmmmm...

I'm using a Kenwood kdc-w534ug at the minute with a 40gig 2.5" hd but i fancy something a bit more modern. Is it worth my while upgrading?

 

[andysmith262]

Hi. Can anyone help me with this problem. I’ve been tearing my hair out for days now!!

I bought a 16gb usb stick to play music on my ida-x100. It worked fine at first but I formatted it due to some corrupt files that I could not delete. I formatted it FAT32 and now it is no longer recognised by the head unit. It works fine in a laptop and PS3. But he message “no usb device” is displayed. Other usb stcks work fine in the head unit.

I have been told that I may have deleted some embedded software on the stick that is required for it to work on the head unit, and that this software is usually only on higher memory usb sticks?? Or that the voltage required by 8gb and 16gb sticks is higher than smaller ones, but if this was the case it wouldn’t have worked initially.

Any help appreciated, cheers.