FEATURE Story:
Alpine announced at CES a new single DIN CarPlay radio with a 9-inch screen that “hovers” over the dash so it fits in many cars. The screen can be angled at select positions to help with installation or accommodate the dashboards of may vehicles.
The larger display, says Alpine, helps improve visibility and safety while operating the radio.
Until now, it was difficult to create a universal 9-inch radio for most cars because the layout of the vehicle’s heating and cooling or other controls might get in the way. With the new iLX-F309 HALO9, you get a “hovering screen”
“Alpine introduced the first full-featured 9-inch screen system in 2014 and continues to be the only major aftermarket manufacturer to offer complete systems that are larger than the 6.1 or 7-inch standard sizes,” it said in a press announcement, adding, “Up to this point, the 9-inch models only existed for certain vehicles because vehicle-specific installation was required to not disrupt the layout or electronics of the vehicle’s dashboard. The introduction of the iLX-F309 HALO9 with its hovering screen now brings the 9-inch form factor into many more vehicles.”
The new iLX-309 HALO9 is a mechless (no CD/DVD) deck with AM/FM radio and WVGA touch screen.
Neither the screen nor the mount are removable from the chassis.
In addition to CarPlay, the HALO9 includes Bluetooth, HD Radio, SiriusXM capability with FLAC playback and HDMI input. It can work with a backup camera or an iDatalink Maestro integration module.
A second HDMI input can be added via the KCX-630HD HDMI Selector (sold separately). A separate CD/DVD player can also be added via the DVE-5300 CD/DVD player (sold separately).
Shipping is expected in February at a suggested $1,100 .
