PAC SWI-X or SWI-ALP for Alpine 9856
 

I know this subject has been talked about many times, I've read the stickies but I'm a little confused. Just about everyone on the ORG recommends the SWI-x adapter for there aftermarket HU's, but last night I was reading/searching a thread below and there was link to a 2005 thread that stated that there is a SWI-ALP adapter specifically for the Alpine HU's. The thread mentions that this adapter fits the 2005 Alpine hu's and above. The 9856 is part of Alpine's 2006 lineup per there website. I read through some old threads and it stated to use the ALP but crutchfield says the Alp does not work with the 9856. Is this true?

Swi-alp, The swi-x is kind of old now and not the greatest compared to the model specific units.

Get the Swi-alp.

According to Crutchfield, youd have to step it up to the 9857 to get a hardwired remote input on the back of the deck for the SWI-ALP to work. However, online sites are not failsafe. Id say either find someone who has one, or go to Best Buy and have the sales guy slide the radio out of the cage to check the back of it (because I doubt theyll know for sure either.)

how does the unit hook up to the deck? Ai-net? both the 9856 and 57 have Ai-net. If crutchfield says it will work on the 57, chances are it will work with the 56, there isn't any difference between the two decks other than the biolite screen, and some tuning ability.. and maybe an extra set of preouts i forget.

I already purchased the SWI-X but was going to return it today to get the SWI-ALP but crutchfield says it does not work with the 9856. I've read of some of the problems people had with the X and the led has to be seen by the HU, but with the ALP you can mount it in the dash and thats what I wanted to do. I emailed PAC this morning, waiting on a response from them.

This is what Alpine says about the 9856:
http://www.alpine-usa.com/en/product...model=CDA-9856
and the 9857:
http://www.alpine-usa.com/en/product...model=CDA-9857
On PAC's website this what they state about the ALP:

http://www.pac-audio.com/products/pr...el%20Interface. My mistake.

I had the X back when I had my 9835. It was a pain at first because I could not find a good location to mount the LED (I had been trying the center console). If you want a great mounting location that works every time you push the steering wheel buttons, mount the IR LED on the back of the rearview mirror, obviously aimed directly down at the faceplate. You can actually mount the PAC unit above your headliner where the map lights are and just extend the two or three wires back down to the back of the HU.

I have the SWI-ECL for my Eclipse and I personally don't think the respnose time is any better than it was with the IR system on the SWI-X, and for some reason the SWI-ECL doesn't work properly with the CD 7000 and I lose the mode function. The real advantage to the SWI-X is that you can program the steering wheel buttons to do anything you want so long as there is a button on the stereo remote for it, whereas with the brand specific adapters you are limited to volume, track, and mode. (i.e. I used to have the MODE button on my steering wheel actually pause the music)

I verified with PAC, the 9856 does not have a wired remote input but the 9857 does. So I have to use the swi-x. Thanks for everyones help.

wow. good to know tho, thanks for info!