Best review I've seen on this unit so far. At least you played music the whole time so we can actually hear what it sounds like. What you didn't add is what you thought of the sound quality unless I missed it. I find the Alpine units tend to be a bit ear piecing with a lack of mid range. However the later models are slightly better and I was interested whether it was better still on the higher end units such as this one?
Hi there. Thanks for your kind comments. You are right, I didn't comment on the sound quality, that's partly because I left the original speakers that came with the car in place. I have to say though, that I think the sound is very good. Naturally, radio broadcasts are limited by the quality of the transmission chain, but from CD/MP3 sound very clear. There are also lots of sound options within the menu to deal with things like a subwoofer (if you have one) and time delay to each speaker.
Great review there, many thanks. I currntly have an older version INE - S900R which has been a great unit but im looking for more like DAB etc but one thing i found very basic on my currant unit is the real lack of sound tuning. Just basic bass and treble settings. How does this unit compare, does it have more tuning options. Many thanks
Well, you made it seem a lot more intuitive than it is, in fact. Your video helps somewhat, though the light stops me from seeing the buttons clearly, until your hand shades the screen! No other choice but to trawl through the .pdf file, now printed up for ease of use, that came with the box, though a quick one was included in hard form. I started going through changing the bad translation in the manual, but gave up as it reminded me of teaching days and was hard work! Slowed up the learning process though. Who translated this into English? Hm! Navigation - well we went out and set to navigate home. However, though on a main road, and the nav. having found our location, the map suddenly went blank though we still had music, and it took a while and pressing the map button again (and again) before it suddenly continued the route after initially returning us to where it had failed! We upgraded our speakers, to have good door ones, as well as the ones fitted in our VW Transporter that were not decent. Sound is very good now. It picked up the iPhones with details Okay and the contact display is very clear on screen. But, it is December so no probs with sunlight yet! Can see that it is a problem in your video! Looking at you holding your mobile up to take the video, in the screen reflection, was, I thought, cute until I realized that it did not go away! Not easy to pick out the buttons and listen at the same time. So agree with with Peter Kelly on a lot of his detail! We do like the camera image with the range markings, though would have loved the SKODA graphics. You can apparently, it seems, buy a graphic display reversing guide at 799.00! It is always good to have a video and 'sold' the unit to us, but we are on a steep learning curve, a little disappointed with its clunkiness, though, having had several navigation units over the years, built in or otherwise, and computers since 1982! Love tech stuff but it is the phraseology that is the hiccough, and the issues with the size of buttons! I would could not imagine using this on the go as a driver, and that was the point of buying it, for us! Maybe things will change when we have our favourites set up and the presets on the radio. (Need to check that out from the manual again. Who reads manuals with touch screen menus these days? Well, I have to admitit - yes me!)
I hope you don't mind, but having had this unit for a few weeks thought I would add a more comprehensive review of my own. I'm not looking to hijack your post, but hope it will help other prospective buyers... First, the unit could be fantastic, but it falls short in almost every area. Given that it is to be used solely in a car, everything should be looked at from a practical point of view, taking into account the difficulties such an environment poses of vibration, additional noise, variable light, and attention span. Unfortunately, Alpine seem to have been side-tracked by trivialities and completely missed the point! It begins with a truly appalling instruction manual which uses terminology that Alpine may be very familiar with, but a new user has absolutely no knowledge. I thought my unit was faulty as I’d never heard of an ‘ensemble’ before! Indeed, why they have used a form of tuning that needs two steps to find a station manually is beyond me. No television service is supplied like that and there is no possible reason why any end user needs to be aware of the method used for transmission. As for physical design, the screen is poor, being too reflective and not having sufficient adjustment available to account for sunlight, which should be a major consideration in a car. The contrast needs to be far higher, making the blacks blacker as the whites get whiter, rather than just keeping the black point the same while lightening other areas. The effect being little difference to the brightness setting. Also, the plug supplied with the microphone and the microphone socket mean that the DAB connector interferes and make it difficult to attach securely. All it needs is for the mic plug to be slightly longer. Anyway, things don’t improve when we turn everything on…and wait…and wait…why in heaven’s name does it take so long to boot up? My mobile phone is on quicker! I want to get in the car, make immediate settings if necessary, and drive off with a working device. I do not want to sit around waiting for my radio to come to life! When I can finally start using the unit and wish to set it up for the first time, there is no indication of strength of DAB signal, so whether my aerial installation is suitable or not remains a mystery. Then we come to the update procedure, about some of which I’m still in the dark. Between Alpine and NaviExtras, they have contrived the most complex and ludicrous system, yet give little in the way of technical help. There is only a passing mention of the specifications of the SD card needed and I am wondering if I can use the same card for updating the firmware as for the mapping. My understanding is that I need to protect the one for mapping with my life, otherwise I’ll never again be able to update, but the Alpine requirements of a formatted card seem to preclude that. So do I need to keep two separate cards, dedicated to the unit in perpetuity? You tell me! With regard to basic operation, while advantages are gained by the unit having many roles, to enforce users to have all functions on, whether required or not, is bizarre. Sometimes I don’t want to listen to music and sometimes, when travelling locally, I know where I’m going and the location of all hazards and speed cameras. Either to have to use the volume control to preclude the radio, even though I like to have the volume at a set level, or to make major setting changes before driving off to prevent satnav interruptions, is really frustrating. The satnav is the worst of these, as I can be just in the middle of selecting another radio channel and press the wrong thing because the screen changes just when I didn’t want it to! The one decent and useful ‘interference’ that could be used is curiously disregarded. While the satnav indicates vehicle speed very accurately (there is even a speed pulse input that can be used), it has no effect on the audio volume, although it would be easy to implement. Indeed, the sound set up is so comprehensive it allows to adjust for the precise distance one’s head is from each speaker, but Alpine completely fail to make use of the option to have the system allow for extra external noise. Perhaps if you own a Rolls Royce such a thing is of minor consideration (however, I suspect Rolls Royce would never allow such a ragged piece of nonsense in their cars!). Which brings me to another pointless inclusion: a beeping tone while changing volume. By very definition, I am listening to the effect of turning the dial, so why Alpine think it necessary to have it beep at me and thereby interfere with my selection is beyond me. It is even ludicrous enough to have a slightly higher pitch when increasing the volume, just so you can be sure which way you’re turning the dial! I realise that DAB has no ‘background’ noise, so there is a risk of being startled, but there is a visual cue. By all means if they must, have the noise, but it should be optional. Next we come to the layout. Something which, being software controlled, could be whatever the designer wants it to be, so why have Alpine made such a ham fist of it? They like to brag about the ‘One Look Navi’, but it is an unmitigated disaster! Putting two elements on the screen at the same time and you don’t get the benefit of either, but lose on both counts. You can’t even adjust the degree of split; it is 50:50 whether that suits or not. In addition, being a touch screen the main condition should be to enable ease of use. So while driving, lacking tactile feedback, large and easily hit should be order of the day. However, especially for the radio, the screen is filled with clutter (do we need the facility to show a picture of an artist while driving?) and some of the important ‘buttons’ are tiny. Instead of having a system whereby the buttons occupy most of the space and then ‘retreat’ to show the information, they are of a silly size at the periphery. Crazily, the only option is to actually have even those buttons disappear after a pre-set time, until you touch the screen again. It should be the other way around!!! There are so many options within the settings and so much information that can be gleaned, yet most of it pointless, or unexplained, such as letting you know that the parking brake facility is there (well yes, as I wired it up!) and that there is no reverse camera (even though there is!!). Unfortunately, there are so many more important features lacking, like setting a home point in the satnav, or having a line showing where you have been so you needn’t program a return journey. Much of the design and operation are clearly down to Alpine but, unfortunately, they have exacerbated the situation by co-operating with Naviextras for the mapping. Their software interface is even worse than that of Alpine, meaning you have to have half the world on your maps, even if you only require the UK. I have found the route calculation poor, even for the few trips I’ve tried it out and, despite the speed camera system apparently having daily updates, none seem available through the system and it is woefully out of date. The consequence being that I’m constantly warned about cameras that haven’t existed on certain stretches of roads for months, if not years. The INE-W925R should be a unit that is greater than the sum of its parts. Unfortunately, it is more like a £100 radio, with a £30 satnav and a £15 basic Bluetooth system tagged on. It seriously falls short of everything I had hoped.
Bought this unit but it will not play video with image just audio. Any ideas why it wont display a picture as it keeps telling me picture is off for my safety. The vehicle is stationary ahhhhh!!!
i m facing an issue, although the manual points that when ignition on the unit powers up by itself, mine doesnt you have to activate it.. have you come across that?
+ONhistoryplus i think i ve figured ot out if you turn it off by pressing the off button, it wont turn auto on, but if you force turn it off by engine key, it will turn itself on automatically
I've just installed one of these and, to be honest, the manuals are dreadful. A lot of confusion is caused by poor and contradictory choice of words. As mentioned in the review, the tuning is quite odd and leaves you mystified at first, especially if you're new to DAB. Curiously, the reviewer uses a different word to the one that causes the main confusion: 'Multiplex' where Alpine say 'Ensemble'. It means that you need to use two different types of tuning to get to an individual channel, but if you don't know this you think you are only getting a few of those available. First you have to use Ensemble tuning, THEN you can use Service tuning. BONKERS!!!! Also, the map update is an extraordinary convoluted process where they use the wrong words again. The website says you need a 'synctool' but directs you to the Navi update. Then you are told to go to the 'Main menu', but there is no main menu, it's the Navi menu you need...and on and on the nonsense goes. Once you get past the drivel, it is actually a good unit, although I'm not thrilled with the USB implementation (a wire extension from the back??? Please!!!)
I use the term "multiplex" because in the UK that's what we call the frequency that broadcasts each group of stations. Ensemble is another name for the same thing, but it's only really a term that you hear in mainland Europe.
ONhistoryplus I've come across another annoying quirk, which I hope you might suggest an answer, that you have to use the radio even if you only want to make use of the hands free or sat nav. My solution is only to turn down the volume to 0, but surely there should be a separate on/off function for the music and video section?
Excellent vid, saved me trying to decipher the manual. many thanks for posting.
great review just what i was looking for BTW great music selections :)
Best review I've seen on this unit so far. At least you played music the whole time so we can actually hear what it sounds like. What you didn't add is what you thought of the sound quality unless I missed it. I find the Alpine units tend to be a bit ear piecing with a lack of mid range. However the later models are slightly better and I was interested whether it was better still on the higher end units such as this one?
Hi there. Thanks for your kind comments. You are right, I didn't comment on the sound quality, that's partly because I left the original speakers that came with the car in place. I have to say though, that I think the sound is very good. Naturally, radio broadcasts are limited by the quality of the transmission chain, but from CD/MP3 sound very clear. There are also lots of sound options within the menu to deal with things like a subwoofer (if you have one) and time delay to each speaker.
Great review there, many thanks. I currntly have an older version INE - S900R which has been a great unit but im looking for more like DAB etc but one thing i found very basic on my currant unit is the real lack of sound tuning. Just basic bass and treble settings. How does this unit compare, does it have more tuning options. Many thanks
Well, you made it seem a lot more intuitive than it is, in fact. Your video helps somewhat, though the light stops me from seeing the buttons clearly, until your hand shades the screen! No other choice but to trawl through the .pdf file, now printed up for ease of use, that came with the box, though a quick one was included in hard form. I started going through changing the bad translation in the manual, but gave up as it reminded me of teaching days and was hard work! Slowed up the learning process though. Who translated this into English? Hm!
Navigation - well we went out and set to navigate home. However, though on a main road, and the nav. having found our location, the map suddenly went blank though we still had music, and it took a while and pressing the map button again (and again) before it suddenly continued the route after initially returning us to where it had failed!
We upgraded our speakers, to have good door ones, as well as the ones fitted in our VW Transporter that were not decent. Sound is very good now. It picked up the iPhones with details Okay and the contact display is very clear on screen. But, it is December so no probs with sunlight yet! Can see that it is a problem in your video! Looking at you holding your mobile up to take the video, in the screen reflection, was, I thought, cute until I realized that it did not go away! Not easy to pick out the buttons and listen at the same time. So agree with with Peter Kelly on a lot of his detail! We do like the camera image with the range markings, though would have loved the SKODA graphics. You can apparently, it seems, buy a graphic display reversing guide at 799.00!
It is always good to have a video and 'sold' the unit to us, but we are on a steep learning curve, a little disappointed with its clunkiness, though, having had several navigation units over the years, built in or otherwise, and computers since 1982! Love tech stuff but it is the phraseology that is the hiccough, and the issues with the size of buttons! I would could not imagine using this on the go as a driver, and that was the point of buying it, for us! Maybe things will change when we have our favourites set up and the presets on the radio. (Need to check that out from the manual again. Who reads manuals with touch screen menus these days? Well, I have to admitit - yes me!)
Hello, can you update the maps on these units still, if not when was the last update?
how do you turn off the speed camera & speed limit voice..he's doing my head in..cheers
I hope you don't mind, but having had this unit for a few weeks thought I would add a more comprehensive review of my own. I'm not looking to hijack your post, but hope it will help other prospective buyers...
First, the unit could be fantastic, but it falls short in almost every area. Given that it is to be used solely in a car, everything should be looked at from a practical point of view, taking into account the difficulties such an environment poses of vibration, additional noise, variable light, and attention span. Unfortunately, Alpine seem to have been side-tracked by trivialities and completely missed the point!
It begins with a truly appalling instruction manual which uses terminology that Alpine may be very familiar with, but a new user has absolutely no knowledge. I thought my unit was faulty as I’d never heard of an ‘ensemble’ before! Indeed, why they have used a form of tuning that needs two steps to find a station manually is beyond me. No television service is supplied like that and there is no possible reason why any end user needs to be aware of the method used for transmission.
As for physical design, the screen is poor, being too reflective and not having sufficient adjustment available to account for sunlight, which should be a major consideration in a car. The contrast needs to be far higher, making the blacks blacker as the whites get whiter, rather than just keeping the black point the same while lightening other areas. The effect being little difference to the brightness setting. Also, the plug supplied with the microphone and the microphone socket mean that the DAB connector interferes and make it difficult to attach securely. All it needs is for the mic plug to be slightly longer.
Anyway, things don’t improve when we turn everything on…and wait…and wait…why in heaven’s name does it take so long to boot up? My mobile phone is on quicker! I want to get in the car, make immediate settings if necessary, and drive off with a working device. I do not want to sit around waiting for my radio to come to life!
When I can finally start using the unit and wish to set it up for the first time, there is no indication of strength of DAB signal, so whether my aerial installation is suitable or not remains a mystery.
Then we come to the update procedure, about some of which I’m still in the dark. Between Alpine and NaviExtras, they have contrived the most complex and ludicrous system, yet give little in the way of technical help. There is only a passing mention of the specifications of the SD card needed and I am wondering if I can use the same card for updating the firmware as for the mapping. My understanding is that I need to protect the one for mapping with my life, otherwise I’ll never again be able to update, but the Alpine requirements of a formatted card seem to preclude that. So do I need to keep two separate cards, dedicated to the unit in perpetuity? You tell me!
With regard to basic operation, while advantages are gained by the unit having many roles, to enforce users to have all functions on, whether required or not, is bizarre. Sometimes I don’t want to listen to music and sometimes, when travelling locally, I know where I’m going and the location of all hazards and speed cameras. Either to have to use the volume control to preclude the radio, even though I like to have the volume at a set level, or to make major setting changes before driving off to prevent satnav interruptions, is really frustrating. The satnav is the worst of these, as I can be just in the middle of selecting another radio channel and press the wrong thing because the screen changes just when I didn’t want it to!
The one decent and useful ‘interference’ that could be used is curiously disregarded. While the satnav indicates vehicle speed very accurately (there is even a speed pulse input that can be used), it has no effect on the audio volume, although it would be easy to implement. Indeed, the sound set up is so comprehensive it allows to adjust for the precise distance one’s head is from each speaker, but Alpine completely fail to make use of the option to have the system allow for extra external noise. Perhaps if you own a Rolls Royce such a thing is of minor consideration (however, I suspect Rolls Royce would never allow such a ragged piece of nonsense in their cars!).
Which brings me to another pointless inclusion: a beeping tone while changing volume. By very definition, I am listening to the effect of turning the dial, so why Alpine think it necessary to have it beep at me and thereby interfere with my selection is beyond me. It is even ludicrous enough to have a slightly higher pitch when increasing the volume, just so you can be sure which way you’re turning the dial! I realise that DAB has no ‘background’ noise, so there is a risk of being startled, but there is a visual cue. By all means if they must, have the noise, but it should be optional.
Next we come to the layout. Something which, being software controlled, could be whatever the designer wants it to be, so why have Alpine made such a ham fist of it? They like to brag about the ‘One Look Navi’, but it is an unmitigated disaster! Putting two elements on the screen at the same time and you don’t get the benefit of either, but lose on both counts. You can’t even adjust the degree of split; it is 50:50 whether that suits or not.
In addition, being a touch screen the main condition should be to enable ease of use. So while driving, lacking tactile feedback, large and easily hit should be order of the day. However, especially for the radio, the screen is filled with clutter (do we need the facility to show a picture of an artist while driving?) and some of the important ‘buttons’ are tiny. Instead of having a system whereby the buttons occupy most of the space and then ‘retreat’ to show the information, they are of a silly size at the periphery. Crazily, the only option is to actually have even those buttons disappear after a pre-set time, until you touch the screen again. It should be the other way around!!!
There are so many options within the settings and so much information that can be gleaned, yet most of it pointless, or unexplained, such as letting you know that the parking brake facility is there (well yes, as I wired it up!) and that there is no reverse camera (even though there is!!). Unfortunately, there are so many more important features lacking, like setting a home point in the satnav, or having a line showing where you have been so you needn’t program a return journey.
Much of the design and operation are clearly down to Alpine but, unfortunately, they have exacerbated the situation by co-operating with Naviextras for the mapping. Their software interface is even worse than that of Alpine, meaning you have to have half the world on your maps, even if you only require the UK. I have found the route calculation poor, even for the few trips I’ve tried it out and, despite the speed camera system apparently having daily updates, none seem available through the system and it is woefully out of date. The consequence being that I’m constantly warned about cameras that haven’t existed on certain stretches of roads for months, if not years.
The INE-W925R should be a unit that is greater than the sum of its parts. Unfortunately, it is more like a £100 radio, with a £30 satnav and a £15 basic Bluetooth system tagged on. It seriously falls short of everything I had hoped.
Is it possible to change the splash screen/ start up screen to a custom picture so you can change it to the manufacturers badge to make it look OEM
Ciao, i have the same radio, i'd like to know if is possible to change the splash screen. Thanks a lot!
Bought this unit but it will not play video with image just audio. Any ideas why it wont display a picture as it keeps telling me picture is off for my safety. The vehicle is stationary ahhhhh!!!
i m facing an issue, although the manual points that when ignition on the unit powers up by itself, mine doesnt you have to activate it.. have you come across that?
No, the ignition should start it up. I'm afraid I didn't install it myself so can't offer any advice. Sorry!
+ONhistoryplus it operates normally generally talking, i ve only come across this issue ofnot powering up by itself from the very begining
+ONhistoryplus i think i ve figured ot out if you turn it off by pressing the off button, it wont turn auto on, but if you force turn it off by engine key, it will turn itself on automatically
Seems a bit laggy
Jenbug0421 you have to remember this was a unit that came out around six years ago!
I've just installed one of these and, to be honest, the manuals are dreadful. A lot of confusion is caused by poor and contradictory choice of words.
As mentioned in the review, the tuning is quite odd and leaves you mystified at first, especially if you're new to DAB. Curiously, the reviewer uses a different word to the one that causes the main confusion: 'Multiplex' where Alpine say 'Ensemble'. It means that you need to use two different types of tuning to get to an individual channel, but if you don't know this you think you are only getting a few of those available.
First you have to use Ensemble tuning, THEN you can use Service tuning. BONKERS!!!!
Also, the map update is an extraordinary convoluted process where they use the wrong words again.
The website says you need a 'synctool' but directs you to the Navi update. Then you are told to go to the 'Main menu', but there is no main menu, it's the Navi menu you need...and on and on the nonsense goes.
Once you get past the drivel, it is actually a good unit, although I'm not thrilled with the USB implementation (a wire extension from the back??? Please!!!)
I use the term "multiplex" because in the UK that's what we call the frequency that broadcasts each group of stations. Ensemble is another name for the same thing, but it's only really a term that you hear in mainland Europe.
ONhistoryplus
I've come across another annoying quirk, which I hope you might suggest an answer, that you have to use the radio even if you only want to make use of the hands free or sat nav. My solution is only to turn down the volume to 0, but surely there should be a separate on/off function for the music and video section?