Alpine iDA-X305 wiring, WTF?

[wrecker]

OK, it's probably my own fault for trying to save a bit of cash, but I decided to buy an iDA X-305 off ebay from China as it was a LOT cheaper.

So, some of you might already know what I'm gonna say...

I've already bought a Leon Mk1 harness adapter (assuming it would fit the Alpine), but as you can see from the pics below, how the hell do I wire in the 'octopus like' harness (Just a load of seperate wires basically) that came with my HU into the Leon harness adapter?

Am I supposed to manually wire it up? Sorry if I'm being thick here, but I'm used to just having nice 'plug and play' harnesses with all previous stereo's I've fitted so am a bit stuck! Maybe I just need to buy an additional adaptor that connects the harness adaptor I've got to the Alpine HU??

Pic of the back of the HU with the harness that came with it:

Pic of the Leon Mk1 harness adaptor I've bought:

Oh and of course the instructions that came with it are all in chinese, so no idea if there's any help in there or not.

You've got to laugh...!

 

[wrecker]

OK, I've found the UK owners manual and it includes a wiring diagram, but I'm not confident I'd get it all hooked up right if I tried to do it manually.

Presumably I can just get something like this from Halfords and that will sort it?

Alpine ISO 2 Harness Adaptor

Am I answering my own questions?

Anyway, confirmation off someone that I've got to get the harness adapter like the one in the link would be appreciated!

 

[UncleFester]

I think that's correct

 

[mt audio]

send it me and ill get it all soldered up for you so its plug and play?

 

[MrBen2k7]

Buy cheap.... buy twice.

Mine came with nice easy plug and play... just make sure you swap yellow and red over to keep the memory.

Ben

 

[LEE69]

Can the China one be tuned into UK frequencies, i know the American pioneer i had many years ago couldn't, have times changed?

 

[oldman]

thank goodness you found this 'flaw' as i was looking at getting one.
With a saving of 100+ it seemed very good.

Lee69,
yes the ebay site has it stamped all over it will tune to European all good.

 

[LEE69]

Ta.
If you have the wiring diagram should be childs play, did you get stung for import tax?

 

[MrBen2k7]

It's a fantastic head unit. Gets lots of compliments off my passengers.

Fits the Leon illuminations perfectly. Flawless interface with my iPhone 3GS. Charges the phone too which is pretty handy.

 

[8bit]

Ah you got the car at last then - nice one

You shouldn't need adaptors - i got a mate who knows about these things more than I do to help me and he managed to plug it pretty much straight in. The wiring harness that comes with the HU (I got exactly the same one but from the UK, btw) looks confusing but if you look in the English user manual you'll find a wiring diagram near the back. Most of the stuff on there you don't need.

Rather than spend more money on wiring loom adaptors from Halfords you could just pay them £20 and they'll fit it for you with only what came in the box. Do remember to get them to switch the red and yellow wires around as said here already, otherwise it won't store radio stations or settings.

 

[LEE69]

Ah you got the car at last then - nice one

You shouldn't need adaptors - i got a mate who knows about these things more than I do to help me and he managed to plug it pretty much straight in. The wiring harness that comes with the HU (I got exactly the same one but from the UK, btw) looks confusing but if you look in the English user manual you'll find a wiring diagram near the back. Most of the stuff on there you don't need.

Rather than spend more money on wiring loom adaptors from Halfords you could just pay them £20 and they'll fit it for you with only what came in the box. Do remember to get them to switch the red and yellow wires around as said here already, otherwise it won't store radio stations or settings.

It wont just plug in though, he as bullet connectors and is car as an ISO, the bullets need converting to an ISO block.

 

[8bit]

It wont just plug in though, he as bullet connectors and is car as an ISO, the bullets need converting to an ISO block.

I did say "plug pretty much straight in" It isn't quite as easy as plugging your kettle into the mains I agree but once my mate had figured out what went where he said it was a piece of cake.

Anyway, the main thing I was trying to say was that rather than pay for more gubbins, the original poster could just pay to have it fitted. This means less stuff crammed in down the back of the stereo too.

 

[8bit]

Actually, just realised - there's something missing. Wrecker, did you not get another bundle of wires attached to a connector block with the stereo? Maybe they don't supply it as standard on Chinese models...

 

[wrecker]

Actually, just realised - there's something missing. Wrecker, did you not get another bundle of wires attached to a connector block with the stereo? Maybe they don't supply it as standard on Chinese models...

Er, nope. I got what's shown in the pic, plus the long "USB to ipod connector" lead to plug into the back on the HU that connects the ipod.

What am I missing then?

 

[wrecker]

To be honest, all the wires correctly line up with what the english wiring diagram say should be present, although it does look like the UK wiring would normally come with ISO connectors instead of loose wires.

The wiring diagram is at the back of this doc:
http://www.alpine-electronics.co.uk/fileadmin/user_upload/manuals/car_audio_manuals/iDA-X305/OM_iDA-X305_EN.pdf

I've had a quick look at it and it all ties in with the colour coding on the harness adaptor I've got already, so I don't reckon it'll be too hard and am gonna try to sort it myself.

Can't be arsed to wait to order one off ebay and I'm reluctant to give halfords any of my hard earned cash for this. I went in there this evening to ask if they had some kind of adaptor I could use to let me plug and play this. I showed the 'audio' guy the OEM harness and he just looked at it like it was some kind of alien, so I haven't got confidence they'd have any more of a clue than me anyway.

Wish me luck

 

[truCido]

Nice, Halfords is very hit and miss mate. Some of the staff know what there on about and others just dont have a clue....

But your right the harnesses should line up colours and you should be sorted. I'd make sure you fit bullet connectors on the red and yellow wires so you can swap them around as on the Leon you'll need red to yellow and yellow to red, and then if you ever fit it in another car its easier to swap them around

 

[wrecker]

Actually sod all of that, I've just had a complete stroke of luck!

I just went out to the garage and saw the old stereo I removed from my van before it got scrapped. Went and checked it and it was a.....yes you guessed it....a UK-bought Alpine!

It's got the same 16 pin connector on it with the ISO adaptors, so I can just use that!

Well chuffed

 

[truCido]

haha nice one

 

[wrecker]

Ta.
did you get stung for import tax?

Sorry, meant to reply to this. Nope, no import tax. I've ordered a few things from China and never had issues with Import tax.

Total including delivery for the iDA-X305 was £195. Cheapest I've seen them in the UK is about £240. So, that was £45 towards some nice Meguairs stuff....

In fairness to the seller I got it from, I've just checked the original ad and it does have a very clear photo on it showing the harness exactly as it came, so it's my own fault I guess.

 

[wrecker]

you'll need red to yellow and yellow to red

...and amazingly, the harness from the other alpine stereo I've found already has bullets on the red and yellow wires, so I can easily swap them if I need to. Maybe I should start believing in higher powers coz it all just came together in an instant after seeming hopeless all day today!