BradS

I have a pioneer that I can do that with ---- I think Imma make a chick screwing a midget now ---

cpelton

I have an alpine dvd player, easy to install. To bypass video this is what I did. There are two wires that you have to connect they are supposed to connect
A. To the brake
B. To the parking brake
I connected the brake wire as per instructions. The parking brake wire I connected to a toggle switch and the other side of the toggle to a ground. The idea is you depress the brake apply the parking brake then release the brake and the video unlocks. so now all I have to do is depress the brake, toggle the switch (which i mounted under the dash near the parking brake release lever) and then release the brake.

cheers

Blown02Sierra

That's somewhat like what i did, but my deck only requires a single wire ground (avic-n1). I connected one side of a 2 - way toggle to a ground, and the other to the wire that has a ground when the ring around the p on the dash lights up so when not bypassed, my screen will stop functioning as soon as i pull the lever back to put it in gear.

10RamSport

iTrader: (4)

Well, I decided to just stay stock for now because I really don't want to lose my steering wheel controls and my Onstar phone functionality. Thanks for the replies!

01WS6/tamu

iTrader: (36)

You can keep it all but it means about another 150.00 worth of modules to make it work. The stock systems sound real good if you run a high-low adaptor off the outputs of the stock amp, then put a good clean high power amp back on the factory highs and tie it into the opposite side of the harness heading back out to the stock speakers. and add a good sub. It sounds awesome and you get to keep all of your stock compnents intact.

TX Tahoe Z71

iTrader: (28)

For Onstar to keep functioning, you need to get an Onstar module and an extra speaker (any cheap speaker will do), I know, it sounds weird. But onstar will not play through your aftermarket head unit, so the installers just hook it up to a dinky speaker and stash it under the dash.

And for Alpine, all you need to do for the steering wheel controls is buy the module, about $100. It hooks in between the buttons and the face and makes them compatible.

My Alpine face sounds infinitely better than stock. My stock stereo sounded like someone taking a dump in my ears, and it was "Bose". But it is the head unit that crapifies the music, not the speakers.

SmokedSierra01

iTrader: (2)

You are probably better off doing this. I think you might be able to do something like "someone" did to a copy machine in a library one time. We just took a paper clip and made a small u shape in the money collector wiring harness that connected to the copy machine. It short circuited the machine so that it made copies for free. I dont know if there is a possible way you could do that to superceed the parking brake bullshit, but the copy machine thing was funny .

wayland1985

Just in case you do decide to change your mind, I recommend waiting a couple weeks anyways. The W200 is being updated to a W210, I think, that lets you dock the Alpine blackbird portable navigation unit right in the head unit, for touch screen nav you can control through the head unit.

But, in terms of the steering wheel controls, You'll need something like the SWI-JACK, as seen at www.pac-audio.com .

PAC also has a nice universal module for about 30 bucks called the TR-7 trigger module. It has many functions, including the ability to override the Alpine unit without having to jimmy-rig the whole unit, so you can watch video without any problems.

Alpine has real nice units, and are probably one of the leaders in car audio, especially considering they are contracted by automakers like Honda and Ferrari (or is it lamborghini??? I forget) to make their factory units, including the Honda's stellar navigation systems. Their interface is quite bland, and lacks any fancy pictures of dolphins, like mentioned before. But it's extremely functional, and the pulse control gives you the impression you're actually pushing a button.


I'd reconsider the Alpine, right about now. You could save a lot of money real soon on the model you wanted, when it goes on sale, or you could wait for the new model to come out. Either way, you're getting more control over you music, have the ability to add iPod control (including iPod videos), the ability to watch Music Videos, ability to play DVD discs loaded with music, and the ability to add cameras and navigation....

1SlowHoe

iTrader: (28)

Yes it will. You need the GMOS1 wiring harness. Between $110-$150. I just did it.

Soon2BeDraggin

you only have to use the speaker if you are using a 4channel amp.