Head Units and External Hard Drives

[audionewb 10+ year member]

The Alpine IDA-X001 is a great unit with a usb connection. There is no cd though. I have used to connect my ipod via the usb and it is fantastic, but I haven't tried straight usb drives, although they are supposed to work with it.

 

[Babs 10+ year member]

The Alpine IDA-X001 is a great unit with a usb connection. There is no cd though. I have used to connect my ipod via the usb and it is fantastic, but I haven't tried straight usb drives, although they are supposed to work with it.

Any time alignment at all in this unit?

Not seeing anything in the specs.. I assume not. I like the concept.. If they had a unit like this with the 880PRS crossover and time alignment, I think it would be a phenomenal alternative to CD-based units.

 

[audionewb 10+ year member]

I am not sure, but I had that on the 9833 and never used it. Can't you just get an external processor for that?

 

[Babs 10+ year member]

I am not sure, but I had that on the 9833 and never used it. Can't you just get an external processor for that?

If you have an optical out on the Head Unit, you could.

I imagine you could with some external processor using analog ins, but that defeats the whole purpose with the signal degradation from all the D/A then A/D then D/A conversions.

They ALMOST made this HU Perfect.. If any of the manufacturers read this forum (hint hint Pioneer/Clarion/Eclipse).. I wanna iPod / multi-format including lossless head unit with burr-browns, the 880's processing and preamp-only. Basically an multi-format 9255. and a plain-jane high-end nakamichi/9255 faceplate. Don't want much do I.. sorry. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif

Anyone wanna start a high-end SQ HU company? hehehehe.. yeah right. We'd sell maybe 50 units.

 

[audionewb 10+ year member]

pxa-h701 doesnt this do what you want and connect via the ainet?

 

[Babs 10+ year member]

I think, but am not positive, that the AI-net is an analog signal, but I could be very wrong.. please correct me if that's not the case.. but if it is the case, to go digital to the 701 you'd need a compatible unit with optical outs, such as the DVA-9861.. That unit does the processing internally for time alignment, so the external processor wouldn't be nearly as necessary for 2 channel music-only. The 9861 has time correction, and from glancing at the manual it looks like rather nice correction as well.. Just not as slick for iPod use maybe as your IDA-X001.

 

[Tommy Ceez 10+ year member]

I know this is going to sound like a DUH!!! comment, but the 6900 also has a TRUE shuffle random play mode....it jumps all around the folder heirerchy to play random songs.

Still havnt attempted the playlists however.

BTW, Im over 30 gigs now, and the 20 sec initial seek time has not gone up

 

[darren700 10+ year member]

hmm thats sweet... i think this is a very viable option in my near future.. only with a 250gb drive... im still interested to see if it supports .m3u's

 

[chilly]

(re: pioneer DEH-6900UB)

... im still interested to see if it supports .m3u's

I'd like to hear some first person accounts too, but the manual says it does:

This unit is compatible with m3u playlist (.m3u). To obtain optimum performance of this unit, we highly recommend to encode m3u playlist with Windows Media Player Ver.10....

M3u playlist: Yes

One review on crutchfield says it does too.

I'd like to hear more about file ordering... the Kenwoods apparently play in time/date order, so you have to pfutz around with timestamps //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/suicide.gif.a649d21efc0d1fd4890a6428166586c1.gif

I'm hoping the pioneer uses alphabetical order (like it should!).

FYI... here's a couple other tidbits of interest from the manual:

Specification: USB 2.0 full speedUSB Class: MSC (Mass Storage Class) device

Protocol: bulk

Maximum amount of memory: 250 GB

File system: FAT12, FAT16, FAT32

Supply current: 500 mA

Notes

Partitioned USB memory is not compatible with this unit.

Depending on the kind of USB portable audio player/USB memory you use, this unit may not recognize the USB audio player/USB memory or audio files may not be played back properly.

You cannot connect a USB portable audio player/USB memory to this unit via a USB hub.

 

[AltarCrystal 10+ year member]

So thus far (I may have missed a post or two), the only easiest way is with a power inverter that plugs into a ciggerate lighter? I could still hide it no problem, but there's no, say, 120-160 GB HDDs that draw enough power from the HU to support itself?

****, this will be slighty more expensive than I thought, but it's gonan be awesome //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/cool.gif.3bcaf8f141236c00f8044d07150e34f7.gif

 

[chilly]

****, this will be slighty more expensive than I thought, but it's gonan be awesome //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/cool.gif.3bcaf8f141236c00f8044d07150e34f7.gif

There's a bunch of cheap 12v->5v devices on ebay... old chargers, 3rd party DC power adapters. I'm hoping this one does the trick... $1!

http://cm.ebay.com/cm/ck/1065-29392-2357-0?uid=42576142&site=0&ver=EOIBSA080805&lk=URL&Item=250119804911

A tigher solution would be the dual cable on this page:

http://www.addonics.com/products/power_adapter/aacaru5v2a.asp

With that, you essentially bump up the current the USB plug will suply - so you don't need to use a separate DC power line - just the single USB plug. I think...

 

[brad1011a 10+ year member]

I used one of those 12v-5v USB chargers and took it apart to solder some leads so it wouldn't have to be in the lighter.

 

[trunks9_us 10+ year member]

dont know if any one has used this yet but i saw this while searching and i thought it might be use ful for someone try it out that waty they can try like a 250 or 500 or 750 external with this product and then have cool system someone try this and let me know thx.

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.2009

 

[AltarCrystal 10+ year member]

dont know if any one has used this yet but i saw this while searching and i thought it might be use ful for someone try it out that waty they can try like a 250 or 500 or 750 external with this product and then have cool system someone try this and let me know thx.
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.2009

Well, atleast according to the manual for Pioneer's 6900UB, it can only handle up to 250GB.

Then again, didn't someone say that their tech support said they can't read external hard drives? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif

 

[AltarCrystal 10+ year member]

Found a cheap 250GB HDD

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148233

$75

If I get an inverter that plugs into a ciggerate lighter with a USB slit, I can jsut get a Y-splitter for it, plug one into the headunit, and the other into the inverter, right? Or did I understand this wrong?