XSeries-forum

PMI - but why does one need this thingy in addition to the Alpine KC interface to play an ipod via the i-bus?

Three aspects to this.

The first is the KCA-420i - this is an Alpine unit that works with iPods on Alpine head units. Since the OEM SatNav screen is an Alpine unit it will work with that. So the iPod will connect to the KCA unit.

The other end of the KCA unit needs to go to the Intravee (not a switch). This has the ability to make the iPod conversation made with the KCA unit go through the Intravee, which then needs to be fed into the car. The car's iBus is what you feed it through - hence the need to connect the Intravee to the CD changer connections (which is the tap into the cars iBus). That's why you lose the CD Changer - one or the other.

To get over the loss of the OEM CD changer, they created a Switch. This switch sits on the 3 and 6 pin connectors the Intravee would have used. THEN you connect the Intravee to this Switch. The Switch will then have spare connections to attach an Alpine Ai-Net compatible CD changer (NOT the OEM changer). Now you have the choice of your iPod or the Alpine Ai-Net compatible CD changer. Also note, the Switch only supports audio, so no point in attempting to conect an Alpine DVD Changer, won't work. At the moment stock is low/frozen on getting the Switch.