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41 downloads(courtesy of www.alpine.com.au)
Alpines latest addition to the double din mobile media station range is the IVA-W502EV. Replacing the much loved IVA-W202E, the 502 steps up to the 7" screen and with over four times the pixels, the quality is dramatically increased. In typical Alpine style, where quality is favored over quantity, the 502 is a 1st class unit that gives you the basics needed to start building your system. On its own the 502 will satisfy the majority of users, however for the user who wants the enhance their mobile media experience the options for add ons are endless.
Featuring an internal 4x50watt amplifier that 502 is ready to slot in to most factory systems. To take your system to the next level with external amplification, 3 pre outs (front, rear and sub) are provided at a steady 2 volts.
There are no limits to the type of media you can view on the 502, DVD, DiVX, CD, MP3, Windows Media Audio and Itunes music files (AAC). With the addition of the iPod and/or USB lead(s) you have the potential to have thousands of songs or hundreds of videos at your fingertips.
The only noticeable thing not present from the previous model is the Pulsetouch feature that gave you physical feedback from the screen to your fingertips.
The Front
At first glance the 502 is a sleek, sexy unit. The 7" screen occupies the majority of the 2 DIN space with a thin row of buttons below. These buttons let you perform the basic functions such as adjusting the volume, source, open and close as well as the Imprint function. The rest of the buttons are contained on the touch screen with the important buttons such as forward, back and other navigational buttons. The menu buttons are laid out along the top of the screen so they are not confused with the others. The remaining three edges are adorned with an eye catching silver-over-black border. The disc slot is accessed via the motorised folding screen, which thanks to the compact mechanism folds up and down with a minimum of fuss to allow it to be installed all but flush to most dash facia's. Overall the 502 is a great looking unit without being offensive and would blend in with most, if not all car interiors.
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39 downloadsIVA-W502EV installed in my car
The User Interface
True to form Alpine have come up with another well laid out menu system. Along the top of the screen there are three menu buttons, Source, Visual and Setup. Source, as it suggests takes you to a selection of available sources. Visual again takes you to the visual related menus so you can set the screen to look how you would like it. This includes two different styles of screen being an edgy modern look as pictured above and a somewhat more dated look that offers some extra information, such as the next few songs to come. The colour can also be adjusted to red, blue or green, however the buttons stay blue. Setup takes you into the nuts and bolts of the unit where you can tweak the audio and tune your additional devices. The buttons themselves give quite a clear indication of their purpose, or the menu to which they lead via words or commonly used symbols. The user interface is intuitive and very user friendly. Alpine users of old will already know and new users will master it in very little time at all. At first the lack of buttons to "feel" can be tricky as it momentarily takes your eyes from the road, but once the layout is learned this is not really a problem.
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33 downloads(Both Styles of screen)
The Installation
Simple and easy, the 502 goes in with a minimum of fuss with the wiring harness, RCA's and ipod lead all plugging in to the back of the unit with no external boxes or units required. Being a 2 DIN unit it does not leave a great deal of room depending on the car, however where there is a will, there is a way. All the required bracket and screws are provided with the unit as one would expect and a comprehensive installation guide.
The Sound Quality
The 502 is not an SQ unit. Plain and simple the 2volt pre-outs mixed with basic audio controls dont make for a spectacular aural experience in relation to sound quality. That said it is a much better sounding unit than most out there and have had reports that a straight swap for the previous 202 provided a noticeable improvement. Previously i had a CDA-9887 which offered ample tuning options which with help of the PXA-H100 can be regained by the 502.
The Add Ons
The range of accessories provided by Alpine is quite large and caters to all types of user, from the SQ nut to the family/business minded consumer. From processors to navigation to bluetooth hands-free, there isnt much you cant add to this unit. From a pretty basic unit the 502 is transformed into a powerful source of navigation, reversing cameras, bluetooth hands free, CD/DVD changers, full-speed iPod, Imprint processors to auxiliary screens.
The Verdict
In my brief career in the car audio industry i was able to install and play with multimedia units from a few other companies such as Pioneer, Kenwood and Sony, as well as Alpines previous range. The screen quality is head and shoulders above the rest. The mechanism seems to be much more thought out with the constraints of the car interior in mind than other seem to be. The menu setup is also much more simple but does not miss out on anything. At $1899rrp the 502 comes in under the Pioneer unit with similar features so it is quite affordable when looking at a 2 DIN screen. The downside is that as a unit it is quite bare, until of course you add on everything you want, this way you are not paying for features that you do not need and wont use. I have not come across anything bad about this unit in the months i have owned it and do not think i will. The price and packages makes the 502 + PMD-B100E navigation a real competitor to the previous "go-to" in dash navigation unit, the Eclipse AVN which had previously almost had a monopoly. It seems the 502 is versatile enough to cover all needs in market through the range of add ons, which make it hard to go past. If you are looking at a very capable 2 DIN multimedia unit i encourage you to have a good look at the Alpine IVA-W502EV.
Fast Facts
- Price: $1899rrp
- Size: Standard 2 DIN
- Plays: DVD/DiVX/CD/MP3/WMA/AAC Mobile Media Station
- More info: http://www.alpine.co...asp?modelID=369
Riley Schultz
Having clips etc playing is a distraction and if found will likely void insurance claims. Nevertheless, it can be bypassed by grounding the handbrake wire so that you can watch video whilst the car is moving/hand brake disengaged. Credit doesn't go to me for this - there is an epic thread on the 502e and halfway in there TEGBOY confirms that it can be done 
