New Alpine Digital Media Receivers Provide Total iPod And iPhone Integration

Today’s digital consumer is never far from his or her portable technology, whether at home, at work or in the car. Addressing the need for this technology in the car, Alpine today introduced its third generation of dedicated 1-DIN iPod Digital Media Receivers that give consumers a fully integrated iPod®/iPhone® experience in the car. The iDA-X305 and iDA-X303 receivers offer new and enhanced features for a more robust iPod-listening experience, and meet the specifications for “Made for iPod” and “Works with iPhone” compatibility. Alpine also is continuing its iDA-X200 Digital Media Receiver for 2009, which is “Made for iPod” compatible.

Alpine iDA-X305

“Alpine was the first mobile electronics brand to introduce an aftermarket receiver that fully integrated the iPod into the car. This third-generation family of Digital Media Receivers represents the best iPod integration yet, with incredible sound quality and digital media connectivity options, giving consumers the ability to carry almost any kind of device into the car,” said Stephen Witt, vice president, marketing, Alpine Electronics.

As dedicated iPod receivers, the Digital Media Receivers do not have CD/DVD playback. The USB connection allows for high-quality iPod playback, as well as connectivity for USB memory devices and MTP portable MP3 players. Searching through files is quick and easy thanks to the double-action encoder knob and Quick Search with Alphabet and Percentage Search functions; users can access all iPod navigation tools including search by Playlist, Artist, Album, Song, Genre, Podcasts, Audiobooks or Composer. Percentage Search takes the iPod’s music library and divides it evenly into six groups that are accessible through the six preset buttons on the head unit, so that users jump to a section of their music library instead of individually scrolling through each file. Any iPod with a 30-PIN dock connector is compatible with these Digital Media Receivers.

The Digital Media Receivers can serve as the starting point for building an iPod system that includes other digital media sources. All three units can connect to expanded HD Radio™ content with the added benefit of multicasting (Alpine TUA-T550HD HD Radio Tuner required, sold separately). The iDA-X305 and iDA-X303 also support iTunes® Tagging. iTunes Tagging makes it easy for consumers to discover new music. Whenever they hear a song they like playing on HD Radio, they can “Tag” the song by pressing and holding the “Enter” button on the iDA-X305 or iDA-X303 faceplate. Information about the “Tagged” songs are stored on the iPod/iPhone and presented in a “Tagged” playlist the next time the iPod/iPhone is connected to iTunes. The user can then preview and purchase the songs from iTunes, if desired.

The Digital Media Receivers can play AM/FM and also can connect to and control a variety of digital media sources and playback formats to build the perfect custom sound system. These options include satellite radio, MP3/WMA players and Bluetooth® connectivity for hands free calling and streaming audio support. (Separate tuners/adapters and subscriptions required.)

Consumers who want uncompromising sound quality that is customized to their vehicles can easily upgrade their Digital Media Receiver with the separate Alpine PXA-H100 IMPRINT™ Audio Processor. The PXA-H100 creates a more dimensional soundstage and a rich, enveloping listening experience in every seat of the car. Additionally, tuning adjustments can be made directly from the receiver’s display. For an easy power upgrade, the KTP-445 Head Unit Power Pack can be added to any Digital Media Receiver, boosting each unit’s power to 45 W x 4 RMS (at CEA-2006 power ratings).

The iDA-X305 features a high-resolution 2.2-inch color TFT display that shows artist, album and track information. If the iPod displays album art, this also will be shown on the iDA-X305’s screen, along with multiple display options. The iDA-X303 boasts a 2.2-inch, three-color LCD display with two available lines of text. It features three different screen view options, with easy visibility even in direct sunlight. The iDA-X200 has a 2.2-inch three-color LCD display. All three receivers are steering wheel- and remote control-ready.

Specifications, Pricing and Availability

The iDA-X305, iDA-X303 and iDA-X200 Digital Media Receivers are available at authorized Alpine dealers. (Note: see attached spec sheet for complete product details, suggested retail indexes and shipping dates.)

Alpine Electronics 2009 1-DIN Digital Media Receivers