dt5er

The best part about it is get the ability to run a Alpine "full speed" Ipod cable, which will give you text on your Idrive screen.

We (benchmarkmotoring.com) just put a VhubPro/ NVE872A Navagation in a E39 M5 and it works amazing. The client thought it pretty cool, because the control piece works like an easier to use Idrive knob.

mixterk

The hub as its name suggests is at the centreof the system. It gives all of the connectivity plugs you need to easily add functions like NAV, reversing camera, IPOD interface etc. Once the basic hub is installed it uses the Idrive screen (other screens can be added)...its the way to go.

subterFUSE

Very interesting.


So finally someone has come up with a reasonable solution for newer cars with computer integration like iDrive.



I already have NAV with the iDrive, even though I know the Alpine Nav is far superior. (I had Alpine Nav in my last car) And I love the Bluetooth phone connecton with iDrive, and the voice recognition. Ideally, what I would like to have in my car would be a huge hard drive system for music. Not an iPod, because iPods don't hold enough... but rather a huge hard drive.... like maybe 500 gigs. That way I could keep a lot of music, in WAV format. THAT would be ideal for me.

Is there anything like that on the market? I've not been keeping up with the car audio market for years.

nelson29

Hi Dt5er,

did you have noise whine problem on the speakers when you install the hub? did you get a speed pulse generator to get the speed sensor to work with the navigation?

Heiss5

I've got a question just to make sure that I'm on the same page as everyone else. In order for this thing to work, you have to buy an alpine nav system, an alpine dvd changer, an alpine cd changer, an alpine everything, right? Otherwise the Hub thing wont actually control the various components?

subterFUSE

That's what it sounds like.

It sounds like it is just a box which allows you to plug in Alpine equipment. It's like a headunit.... without the headunit.

Then you can get one of those NAV-TV adapters and it will display the aftermarket stuff on the iDrive screen.



So.... it doesn't actually integrate anything into iDrive. It gives you a separate system which, when combined with Nav-TV, will use the iDrive screen as your display.

The Alpine Hub has its own controller, which you would need to mount somewhere in reach of the driver.

nelson29

RIGHT!!!

I have mines installed, but im having some noise problem. i guess i was suppose to install an low output converter from the bmw unit speaker output to the hub.i order the audiocontrol lc8..i went to a shop and they told me i might also need the jl audio cleansweep.

Heiss5

Ok, so I see how this could be beneficial to have because you then have control off everything with the hub, but at the same time, you could hook up all these different components to the NavWithTV unit.

All you would need to do is add in an audio switcher so that you can choose which devices audio output you want, have all the devices wired up so that they turn on when the car turns on, and then you could use the remote that comes with the NavWithTV unit to change which unit is displaying on the idrive screen.

Granted this sounds like a lot of steps in comparison but it's not. Once you have everything set up like this, the only thing you need to do is switch the NavWithTV display to whatever you want (which you have to do anyway), and then flip the audio switcher to whichever audio source you want and you're good to go. So in the end, you end up spending a little on an audio switcher, but you save a lot by not buying the hub, you can also use whatever brand of devices you want, and you still have the same number of steps to go through when operating everything.

This device is cool if you want to go with all alpine gear (which is usually pretty quality stuff so that's not a bad thing at all), but it does seem like you end up paying for an extra device that really just limits your options.

With all of that being said though, I really do want to see pictures of nelson29's setup because the thing does sound pretty sweet. Not too mention, anything that is seamless like that is a plus in my book and is most likely worth the extra money in the end.

subterFUSE

Alpine gear is among the better brands for source equipment in the car audio industry.

Without a doubt, Alpine has the best navigation system of anyone. Their CD changers were always top notch, too.... small and very quick to change discs.
As far as sound quality is concerned, I have always preferred Eclipse CD players. There was a very old, classic model Alpine headunit which had dual Burr-Brown DA converters... and this was always considered the best car audio headunit ever built.


Anyway, the reason I have not yet done a stereo system in my E60 is because of the following:

I have done many high-end car stereos in the past. Ranging in price from about $3,500 for my first one, to about $20,000 for the one in my Lexus before I got the E60. My general rule about audio is simple..... a chain is only as strong as the weakest link. That means when I do a system, EVERYTHING must go. Speakers, amps, source units, even the wiring. In my Acura and Lexus I even went so far as to replace the car batteries and alternators. All or nothing for me. There is no compromise.

In previous cars, this wasn't a big deal. For example, my Acura Legend is known to be among the very best cars ever built for aftermarket audio. Hondas in general were always great. They are simple to take apart and reassemble. They used standard DIN style radios, which were easy to remove and replace. The Legend had excellent acoustics for the interior.

In my Lexus, things were more difficult. Lexus placed the A/C controls and the radio controls in the same unit. So I could not remove the radio without losing A/C controls. So in order to install my system in that car, I had to work around the factory system. I removed the OEM center console, and we constructed a custom console from fiberglass. In that new console, we installed an Alpine Navigation headunit, a Precision Power preamp/parametric EQ and a 6 disc changer. I left the factory stereo intact. We didn't even touch it. So I had 2 separate, working stereos in that car. Not an ideal situation, but it worked.

Now I have the E60, and with the iDrive.... electronics integration has taken on a whole new meaning. There is no way that I see to remove the radio safely in our E60. I dread to think what might happen to the iDrive. And in this car, building a replacement console is not as easy. (My lexus was an SUV) In addition, the BMW factory speakers are small. If you want really good replacements, you'll have to cut. I don't want to alter this vehicle in such a way because I want to keep the resale value up. The factory speaker locations are also HORRIBLE. So I wouldn't want to use them, anyway. So, when I purchased the E60... I decided I wouldn't do a stereo. It's just too risky.


This Alpine hub system sounds interesting, however. It gives you a simple way to add aftermarket source units without disrupting the factory components.

The whole point of the Alpine hub is that it gives you a single controller which can operate a whole host of Alpine devices. Navigation, CD changers, iPod, etc... You can hook up anything that Alpine makes, basically. But you get a controller with it which will operate everything, just like a normal Alpine headunit will. But this Hub is not a "headunit" in that it is stealth mounted. So you don't have to remove the dash radio.

The Navwith TV adapter is simply one way you can get a visual display to use with the Alpine Hub. You could just buy an Alpine video unit, but this would require custom installation. With the NavTV, you can view the Alpine controls on the iDrive screen. And then you control the Alpine gear with a simple controller, almost like the iDrive controller.


If you just used the NavTV and hooked up this Alpine gear directly, you would not have the controller. Instead you would have to use controls on the Alpine gear directly, or use the remote controler if they have them.

nelson29

you dont need the audio switch. the hub is connect thru your front speakers output.