Okay, I have the Alpine iDA-x305 with the KCE-400BT adapter, and I'm about to install the BT unit.
Except the instructions make NO sense.

On the BT unit are four ports: MIC, UNITS, iPOD, POWER.

Hopefully you can understand why I'm already confused.

MIC and UNITS make sense.. I'm pretty sure UNITS goes to the HU.

However, iPod??? This thing is supposed to be bluetooth reason, is it not? I thought I was plugging my iPhone into the HU, not the BT unit..

I thought the whole point of BT-ready HU was that the UNITS connector puts all information across...

Which brings me to my next problem: the POWER connector.

It has an Audio Interrupt out lead (wouldn't this be handled by the UNITS connector??), Audio Interrupt in lead, Ignition lead, Battery lead, and Ground lead.

This makes absolutely no sense! If audio interrupt is handled by leads, and same with the power... well what is the point of the UNITS connection??

 

The unit plugs in-line to the normal iPod connection i.e. you connect your iPod cable to the 400BT and then the 400BT to the head unit via the connnection which the iPod normally goes into

 

Okay, but if I'm hooking up an iPod (well, iPhone) directly to it, what part of this system actually utilized bluetooth? Or am I just confused?

And do I need to solder audio interrupt to the headunit or does the UNIT connector do that for me?

 

if you are connecting up an iPhone via it you will need to bluetooth to get the hands free working (the cable is just for transfering the audio but not the 'hands-free' part.

If only the phone did AD2P then we wouldn't even need a cable for that but hey heres wishing.

(I am guessing thats how it will work - not sure how the iPhone will behave when its 'docked' and it has a call incoming)

You should not need to do any soldering

 

No soldering? But the power cable has leads coming off, for Audio interrupt in, out, Power, Ground...

 

Ah sorry - yes those will need soldering

 

I take it I wire audio interrupt out to the HU audio interrupt, and just tape off the audio interrupt in, correct?
And can I splice the BT unit's Power into the HU harness power, or would that cause problems?

 

Hi there, i got the same KCE-400BT and installed it in my complex alpine system.

you have it setup right. The port labeled UNIT plugs into the Head unit, and the port IPOD plugs any Ipod, Iphone into the it. The Ipod port on the 400bt is more of a passthrough since the 400bt uses the same port on the head unit. When you have the Iphone pluged into the ipod port on the 400bt its only the audio and/or video(depending on the head unit), you have the Iphone linked for bluetooth for telephone usage. When you recieve call the head unit will pause the audio and you answer the call. But if you have a phone that can stream audio over bluetooth then you dont need to use the Ipod port. Put since apple didnt add that to Iphone

You are ok to tie into the power from the head unit/harness. When you mean tape into the Interrupt on the head unit, you mean plug the 2 tail end plugs together. They should be bullet type plugs.

My current set up is a IVA-W205 with the KCE-400BT, with a H701 digital Processor and the Navigation unit(cant remember the model#) and a adaptor to go between the Nav unit to the H701 for audio. I plug my ipod nano into the Ipod port and my Iphone is linked via the bluetooth for phone use. I hope this helps you.

Oh one more note, when you get a call, the audio volume can be set at different level then when your music is playing, so there is no worried about it switching between at one level. And i mounted my mic on my rearview mirror, on the peace that covers the wires along the glass window. And everyone i called say it is clear and can hear me.

 

Okay but one thing - I have the full speed connector for my HU but that cable does not fit into the IPOD connection of the KCE-400BT... was I supposed to order something extra? Or can I just keep the iPhone plugged into the HU?

 

Are you using a full speed connection or USB Connection?

If you are using USB then you should be able to just keep it plugged in via that. USB is the best method of connection for the iPod as it keeps the signal digital and lets the head unit do all the work

If you have the full speed connection plugged into the unit (via the bluey/greeny plug) then you will need to get one of the newer KCE-433 cables connect it through the 400BT unit.

 

Yes you will need the newer KCE-433iv cable connect 400BT to your Ipod. Sorry forgot to mention that.

 

I would love to use the usb cable but for some reason when I plug my iPhone 3G in the HU with the USB cable, it says "USB error".

But for some reason in the last few hours, using the full speed connection, my music will randomly cut out and the HU will say "Error 03". And this is without the BT unit installed.

 

quick question, Will this BT unit work for the 9887 and is it any better then the 300/350BT, was concerned after reading dozens are horrible reviews on the older series.

UPDATE: Just read one review (all I could find) that said this newest one fixed a crap load of problems. Just wondering where did you purchase yours from? Don't see a wide selection of online stores selling these for some reason.

Thanks

 

Have you tried resetting the head unit?

I played with one with my iPhone 3G and at first it would not play any sound. Quick HU reset and then it worked perfectly. (Connected via the USB that is)

 

I never actually resetted the HU (which is recommended when you first install it) but I tried and it doesnt seem to work...
I removed the faceplate and pressed in the reset button, but when I turn the car on again, everything is the same.. Am I resetting it wrong?

 

Okay this doesn't make any sense. From Crutchfield:

My Alpine iDA-X305 is connected to my iPhone using the full speed connector to my iPhone. This connection is USB. (I tried the normal iPhone cable, it didn't work)

Again, that is USB. Using the USB port on my Headunit. Which means there is the other special connection on my headunit which connects to the 400BT unit.

So... I'll ask again. What is the point of plugging the iPhone into the BT unit instead of the HU? Do I have to buy this special cable?

 

Is this the part that doesn't make any sense. This is accually true, i have an 08 headunit with the full speed jack, and had to get a KWE-460 and KCE-433iv. In my case It goes from my IVA-W205 thru the KWE-460 to the 400Bt then thru the KCE-433iv to my ipod/iphone for audio only. From what my alpine deal was describing why need the KWE-460 was because the cable that comes with the 400BT had different pin layout on the connector for the 09 and new headunits, then on the 08 head units.

For your head unit you shouldnt need to buy any other cables. Since you you will use the usb to plug your iphone/ipod into.

KCE-433iv is new Ipod/Iphone adaptor cable to plug into the 400BT and your Ipod/Iphone for full speed audio and interface to ipod/iphone.
KWE-460 is a cable to plug from an 08 head unit to the 400BT. You dont need this one.

How is your install going? post some picture up if you can.

 

I have a IVA-W505 head unit hooked up to nve-n872A navigation system and then a KCE-400BT all hooked up through the PXA-H701 processor. The problem that we are coming across that my installer cannot figure out and Alpine Support is not being helpful with is that there is an echo when talking through the Bluetooth module. The person on the other end of the car hears their voice echoing through the microphone. If the unit is plugged directly into the receiver and the processor is not being used it sound fine. But everything has to run through the processor. For those of you that have a processor how did you get around this issue? Is there some kind of setting that needs to be tweaked to fix this? This is a big issue and I would like to figure it out so that I Can use the bluetooth.

Thanks.

 

Hi there,
Dont know how you have it all wired, maybe you can give me a quick wire diagram of how you have it connected. One question i have for you, You have the NVE-n872A and PXA-H701 Do you have the KCE-900 connected between them? You most have the KCE-900 in order to get audio from your Nav to your processor. Look at the OM PXA-H701.pdf page 40-en it shows a diagram of this unit. The KCE-400BT needs to be pluged into the back of the IVA-W505/W205 to the Ipod connection port. Then the head unit connected to the PXA-H701 ether with the ai-net or fiber optic line. The Nav systems Connects to the KCE-900 then to the Head unit, And from the KCE-900 the audio plug plugs into the RCA jack Labeled Input> Guide.

With that said i have the exact setup except i have the W205 and have not had any probelm with echoing, Infact the others on the other end hear me very well. I hope i helped a little.

 

The system is hooked up the way you have described, but I have the fiber optic to the dvd, and the ai-net cable to the hxa701 ai-net input, the changer input from the hxa 701 is hooked to the xm tuner2 alpine interface, the system works fine, just the bluetooth part when the person talks on the other end hears themself (echo). The 400bt has ben replaced and the IVA505, also replaced, could it be the HXA 701 is bad?

Also when I hooked the RCA from the HU to the PDX.5 amp, the BT works great, no echo! Your sound advise is greatly appreciated
Thank you