Review of Alpine's CDE-123R CD/Receiver with SmartPhone support
Alpine's CDE-123R CD/Receiver supports the Media Transfer Protocol (MTP), making it compatible for use with music phones by Nokia, Sony Ericsson, HTC, Samsung and Blackberry, as well as being fully Works With iPhone/iPod compatible. I.C.E. web editor Kevin O'Byrne, former editor of Car Stereo & Security magazine, runs through the features of this sub-£200 CD player.
Track down those stereo fit & other installation essentials
Looking for those items that are tricky to track down - wiring adaptors, interface leads, connectors and all the other bits needed when uprating a car's entertainment system? With factory-fitted stereo systems so well integrated that it is sometimes too much hassle to swap out the exisiting player, upgrading means adding new items to the existing head unit. Better speakers, bags more power from good quality amplifiers, a subwoofer system to give the low bass most factory-fitted systems just can't provide, and the adaptors and wiring kits to hook it all together - these are the things we focus on here; everything to help you upgrade your existing ICE system.
Meanwhile, if you are looking for some good buys in new and second-hand head units, amplifiers and other products, check out our LIVE auction pages by selecting a category from the right-hand menu. Multiple auction items are conveniently grouped together on one page, right here on our site.
Search products from our online stores using the left-hand menu. You can also look for auction bargains : Check our LIVE auction pages : select a category from the right-hand menu
So what makes DAB so great, hey? Well, because the signal sent to the car radio is in digital rather than an analogue signal, it is less susceptible to a few of the issues that plague FM, such as the 'chopping' caused by 'multipath' interference. Infact DAB is able to use the multipath effect in a positive way, combining the direct and reflected signals - usually these cause partial cancellation, which is what gives that chopping sound on FM stations.
Downsides of DAB in the car? Well, you will need a new antenna to receive DAB (and the internal ones are not the best option), and until the BBC improve the infrastructure of transmitters and increase signal strength, some areas will be poorly served for DAB in-car. Go here for more advice on DAB in-car
If you're looking to fit a new stereo system or just the head unit in the dash, find out how to match wires when replacing the factory-fitted stuff with help from a car sound system designer in this video.
£49.95
