SECOND GENERATION OF SATELLITE RADIO READY HEAD UNITS FROM ALPINE ELECTRONICS BRING ENHANCED USER INTERFACE

Nine Head Units Bring XM, Sirius and More Opportunities for Individuality

TORRANCE, Calif. Jan. 6, 2005 -- Alpine Electronics of America, Inc., has introduced nine second-generation Satellite Radio Ready head units with enhanced user interface features and superior sound quality for accessing XM Satellite Radio or Sirius Satellite Radio.

Starting at $250, the 2005 head units have new source indicators for Sirius and XM, proprietary interface and features for easier navigation of music files and improved music playback.

QuickSearch™ keys and the ergonomic rotary knob make it easy and convenient to search for songs on a satellite radio service. Consumers can search for music on another channel while enjoying their current selection. When they are ready for their next song, it's as easy as pushing in the knob.

Five of the head units offer Alpine’s exclusive MediaXpander™ feature that restores the original audio detail to compressed digital media formats for truer, more lifelike sound inside the car. Employing a 500 Mhz processor, MediaXpander is available for five sources – MP3/WMA, CD, DVD, FM and Satellite Radio.

Alpine’s Satellite Radio Ready head units for 2005 include:
CDA-9855, CDA-9853 and CDA-9851 from Alpine’s “SwingFace™” family
CDA-9847 from the “Classic” series
IVA-D901 and IVA-D310 DVD Mobile Multimedia Stations™
CVA-1014 Mobile Multimedia Station
DVA-9965 DVD Tuner
DVA-9860 DVD Receiver

If the consumer wants either Sirius or XM, he or she would need to purchase a separate Sirius tuner box and pay for the Sirius subscription, or an XM tuner box and pay for the XM subscription through an authorized Alpine retailer. The tuner boxes can be added to 2004 Ai-NET head units as well. Sirius offers over 120 channels beginning at $12.95 a month. XM has more than 130 channels with service beginning at $9.95 per month.

The new GlideTouch™ interface is available on the DVA-9965, CDA-9855 and CDA-9853. GlideTouch is a small horizontal strip located on the lower front of the head unit, replacing traditional preset buttons. Fashioned similarly to a silicon rubber touch pad on a laptop computer, it recognizes the pressure and speed of the user’s fingertip to provide an easy interface with sources. Users slide their finger across the slim bar and press directly on the bar to make a selection, in the same manner as making a selection with a preset button. The DVA-9965 and CDA-9855 also have graphical icons, which are displayed on the faceplate and represent the various sources connected to the unit, one of which is a Satellite Radio icon.

The IVA-D310 DVD Mobile Multimedia Station™ has Alpine’s own PulseTouch™ touch-screen technology. PulseTouch gives users tactile feedback confirmation when touching a button on the unit’s 7-inch monitor. Satellite radio channels can be easily accessed through the PulseTouch interface on this unit.

The Alpine units have dedicated Satellite Radio source indicators. The word “XM” or “Sirius” will display on the faceplate, depending on the provider that is chosen by the consumer.

"We were the first manufacturer to provide a choice when it comes to XM or Sirius,” said Stephen Witt, Alpine's vice president of Brand Marketing. "Our 2005 products are the second generation of Satellite Radio Ready head units that combine the best in Alpine sound quality with the newest interface features.”

Pricing and Availability
CDA-9855 – CD/MP3/WMA Receiver
Availability – April
Suggested retail index -$500 CDA-9853 – CD/MP3/WMA Receiver
Availability – March
Suggested retail index -$400 CDA-9851 – CD/MP3/WMA Receiver
Availability – January
Suggested retail index -$300 CDA-9847 – CD/MP3/WMA Receiver
Availability – January
Suggested retail index -$250 IVA-D310 – DVD/CD/MP3/WMA Mobile Multimedia Station
Availability – April
Suggested retail index -$1,600 IVA-D901 – DVD/CD/MP3/WMA Mobile Multimedia Station
Availability – Now
Suggested retail index -$2,400 CVA-1014 – Receiver/Mobile Multimedia Station
Availability – February
Suggested retail index -$850 DVA-9965 – DVD/CD/MP3/WMA Tuner
Availability – August
Suggested retail index -$1,600 DVA-9860 – DVD/CD/MP3/WMA Receiver
Availability – May
Suggested retail index -$550

-marc