ICS videointerface - Alfa 166

[Hollywood]

Just saw this gadget on e-bay. Are any of you familiar with this ?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NUOVA-INTERFAC...QQcmdZViewItem

[Tony Rome]

Interesting . I will have to get my Italian translator out! Could be similar to the one Rogier developed (see 6 posts down in the thread below).
http://www.alfaowner.com/Forum/alfa-...ml#post1067999

[Tony Rome]

Just had a Spanish colleague do a little translation and it seems as though this device just plugs in without any need to remove the ICS. It appears you can control an MP3 player and DVD player from it. Hopefully also DVB-T. I reckon it must be the same concept as the one Rogier developed but that isn't yet available to buy. If I can get a response from the Italian guy, I will give it a go.

[niallmoran]

sounds very cool....

[Mitch166]

Very excited about this!!

[stephendjb]

I bought one off an italian seller but it didn't work although he wasn't mentioning the 166 in his ad just the lybra thought I'd give it a go if this works & someone buys it let us know I'd certainly be interested

[Tony Rome]

Originally Posted by stephendjb

I bought one off an italian seller but it didn't work although he wasn't mentioning the 166 in his ad just the lybra thought I'd give it a go if this works & someone buys it let us know I'd certainly be interested

It could have been the same seller. If you check his feedback, you'll find that he used to sell one just for the Lybra. Now, he has them for both the Lybra and 166. Importantly, it also works whether you have the navigation option or not.

I'm going to try for one but he's listing them one at a time and people will be outbidding each other unnecessarily, as he obviously makes them and will simply re-list when it's sold.

[Mitch166]

Originally Posted by Tony Rome

Importantly, it also works whether you have the navigation option or not.

As you say Tony, thats the importaint bit for us without the Navigation

[Tony Rome]

Mitch, do you still own all those Alfas or were they former cars?! Nice collection. I still love those '60s GTVs and the 1960 2000 Spider

[Mitch166]

Former cars mate, with the exception of the last 166 that I have now. I loved every one of them and still miss the exhaust crackle of the 33

[Tony Rome]

Originally Posted by Mitch166

still miss the exhaust crackle of the 33

Ah, yes, the classic 1.7 boxer engine .

Back to the ICS unit, I have received a reply from the seller, Pino. He says: "Hello, the ICS must be removed. It does not have to knit nothing. For the assembly there is the guide in English or French. The assembly is simplest."

I'm not sure what 'knit nothing' means! However, even if it is a simply plug to be attached, it seems the ICS must come out.

I will see if he has a fixed price for purchase and also whether he has any discounted price for small quantities, in case several people are interested.

[Mitch166]

Thanks for doing this Tony, I am deffo interested. I am guessing it plugs in to where the nav is usually plugged in?

[Tony Rome]

Originally Posted by Mitch166

I am guessing it plugs in to where the nav is usually plugged in?

Yes, that may well be the case, Mitch. It's a good job that Doddy produced a detailed post on ICS removal
http://www.alfaowner.com/Forum/alfa-...ive-guide.html (ICS codes and ICS removal - hopefully a definitive guide!)

Has anyone heard from Rogier recently? I cannot contact him but would like to find out if he is ready with his audio/video input device yet.

[Tony Rome]

Well, Pino says that the price outside of eBay is 100 EUR per unit. I'm not sure whether that includes shipping as his English is not great ("the price outside ebay of 100,00 eur is comprised shipment expenses"). Anyway, the price for 5 would be 90 EUR per unit but I guess they would have to go to a single address and then be shipped on, so there won't be much of a saving and it's probably not worth the bother.

I think 100 EUR is a pretty good price. Rogier's audio dongles are 55 EUR and 79 EUR and the Loudlink is 178 EUR. Neither can support video but the Italian unit can also support MP3...

[niallmoran]

you gonna be the guinea pig tony?

[sonikv]

Originally Posted by niallmoran

you gonna be the guinea pig tony?

useful schema

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/8335/00000251jh4.jpg
http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/7895/00000252pl8.jpg

[Tony Rome]

Yeah, Niall, I think it's worth a punt. The only problem for me is the time needed to fit it. I have to sort out the fitting of a replacement radiator first and might need a new MAF, too. When I've received the unit, I can at least post the fitting instructions, which might be of interest to others.

[anargyre]

Hello,

I buyed one of this interface. I just put a tutorial on our Alfa Romeo forum . It's in french but perhaps It cans help you.
I didn't install It yet.

http://www.alfanatiques.com/forum/1-vt8322.html?start=0

Sorry for my awfull english !

[rogier166]

The first two photo's you see on the french forum are pictures I made with my self-built video interface. But maybe when he installed the cable he will replace them with his pictures.

Every ICS have a RGB input . It can be enabled by pulling a pin down to the ground. However all other functions of the ICS (GSM, Aircondition, Audio settings) are not available then. By pulling the pin down, a monaural audio input will be active.
100 euro's is al lot of money for such a simple cable.

With my video interface, all functions are available, audio is in stereo and you can attach normal devices with a composite video output (instead of RGB), even a rear view camera and other nav system.
But the disadvantage is that you have to open the ICS to put an extra printed circuit board in it...

[anargyre]

Rogier,

I am sorry of that and I would have to ask for the permission, It's sure! Excuse me !!! In fact I intended to replace the pictures immediately as soon as I take mines.

You Speak again about your project, but is it finally available? obviously yours is better and more integrated!

[rogier166]

I don't think it will become available anyway. It's easy to install it... for people who are not affraid to open the ICS.
But with a good manual maybe it's ok to do it.

[niallmoran]

any chance of a small batch for us "die hards"? I for one would happily open up the ICS to fit it

[stephendjb]

Yep I'd certainly have one off you as well

[Mitch166]

Again, with instructions, I would have no problem opening the ICS

[anargyre]

Me too !