[Alfaren]

This looks awesome glad I came across this thread.

 

[Andrie]

Anyone knows which harness/plug I should get if my car comes with alpine original?

 

[Lvs4c]

Quick question for those running this unit. How do you go about installing the firmware update and change the wallpaper? I’ve got it installed and with USB connected will the wallpaper in the USB drive but couldn’t bring up the file in the screen. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[esliu]

Quick question for those running this unit. How do you go about installing the firmware update and change the wallpaper? I’ve got it installed and with USB connected will the wallpaper in the USB drive but couldn’t bring up the file in the screen. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

It's been a while since you asked, but I installed one of these in another car of mine a while ago and changing the wallpaper turns out to be pretty easy. I followed the instructions from this guy on reddit. Note that you can also change the background image, although I can't recall if the file needs to also be named "changelogo.jpg" for that to work.

Here's the steps from /u/Bash2cool, verbatim:

1) Format a blank USB drive (min 16gb) to FAT32. It doesn’t matter what you name your USB drive.

2) Upload your 960x480 JPG file to your USB drive. The file MUST BE named ‘changelogo’ or ‘changelogo.jpg’. 960x480 is the resolution of the head unit and the image MUST BE in JPG format.

3) Safely remove your USB drive from your computer and insert it to the back-side USB port of your CP-71W.

4) From the default Home Screen, click on settings and scroll down until you see an option titled “Change Logo”. It should be below the Wallpaper option.

5) Once your logo shows up, click on the ‘change’ button.

Your start up logo should now be changed!

Turn off your head unit and turn it on again to confirm.

 

[esliu]

It's been a while since you asked, but I installed one of these in another car of mine a while ago and changing the wallpaper turns out to be pretty easy. I followed the instructions from this guy on reddit. Note that you can also change the background image, although I can't recall if the file needs to also be named "changelogo.jpg" for that to work.

Here's the steps from /u/Bash2cool, verbatim:

1) Format a blank USB drive (min 16gb) to FAT32. It doesn’t matter what you name your USB drive.

2) Upload your 960x480 JPG file to your USB drive. The file MUST BE named ‘changelogo’ or ‘changelogo.jpg’. 960x480 is the resolution of the head unit and the image MUST BE in JPG format.

3) Safely remove your USB drive from your computer and insert it to the back-side USB port of your CP-71W.

4) From the default Home Screen, click on settings and scroll down until you see an option titled “Change Logo”. It should be below the Wallpaper option.

5) Once your logo shows up, click on the ‘change’ button.

Your start up logo should now be changed!

Turn off your head unit and turn it on again to confirm.

Oh, also, I just reread your message, @Lvs4c, and I see you may have already found these instructions. I had a problem the first time I tried it where the file didn't show up on the unit for me to select. When I went back and checked, I had accidently saved the file as "changelogo.jpeg" out of my editing software, rather than "changelogo.jpg". Once I fixed that, the file showed up.

 

[Papa-Mike]

This looks like a really nice option for those who want to stray from the OEM setup. I would like to make a different observation. I’ve read multiple criticisms of the OEM setup because the alpine head unit looks like something you could just go pick up at any retail store and install yourself. It looks like an afterthought. Independent of the sound quality, which I hear from others is not very compelling, I agree with the “afterthought” criticism. However, what makes it look that way is not just about the head unit. It’s also about how that sector of the dash looks overall. In other words it says something about the trim into which the Alpine head unit is inserted. It looks cheap…a strangely shaped sector with the head unit centrally inserted and the plastic that surrounds it blank except for two horizontal and parallel placed depressions. It screams lost opportunity and no effort to try to achieve something cohesive…unified. Why not have tried to make the front surface of the head unit flush with the trim that surrounds it. The extra trim space could have been used for placement of additional functionality. For example, an IR receiver to control stereo functions remotely, a bank of additional usb ports of different form factors (because you can never have enough of those in any car) a charging port, anything. Or even if they chose not to use the real estate at all, a more cohesive presentation would have been welcome. So, I’m left to wonder is this piece of trim into which the single DIN head unit is installed easily removable? Could it be replaced with trim that more seamlessly blends with the head unit it surrounds? I wonder what third party fabricators could come up with that would enhance both the cosmetics and the driver/passenger experience? Just my late night musings.

 

[radm]

This looks like a really nice option for those who want to stray from the OEM setup. I would like to make a different observation. I’ve read multiple criticisms of the OEM setup because the alpine head unit looks like something you could just go pick up at any retail store and install yourself. It looks like an afterthought. Independent of the sound quality, which I hear from others is not very compelling, I agree with the “afterthought” criticism. However, what makes it look that way is not just about the head unit. It’s also about how that sector of the dash looks overall. In other words it says something about the trim into which the Alpine head unit is inserted. It looks cheap…a strangely shaped sector with the head unit centrally inserted and the plastic that surrounds it blank except for two horizontal and parallel placed depressions. It screams lost opportunity and no effort to try to achieve something cohesive…unified. Why not have tried to make the front surface of the head unit flush with the trim that surrounds it. The extra trim space could have been used for placement of additional functionality. For example, an IR receiver to control stereo functions remotely, a bank of additional usb ports of different form factors (because you can never have enough of those in any car) a charging port, anything. Or even if they chose not to use the real estate at all, a more cohesive presentation would have been welcome. So, I’m left to wonder is this piece of trim into which the single DIN head unit is installed easily removable? Could it be replaced with trim that more seamlessly blends with the head unit it surrounds? I wonder what third party fabricators could come up with that would enhance both the cosmetics and the driver/passenger experience? Just my late night musings.

I have installed 3 matte carbon fiber Koshi pieces and the area looks better now. https://www.4c-forums.com/threads/a...reads/a-couple-of-budget-carbon-fibre-trims.66761/?post_id=1108169#post-1108169

 

[Knievil]

I have installed 3 matte carbon fiber Koshi pieces and the area looks better now.

I love the look of these matte carbon covers.

 

[Papa-Mike]

I have installed 3 matte carbon fiber Koshi pieces and the area looks better now. https://www.4c-forums.com/threads/a...reads/a-couple-of-budget-carbon-fibre-trims.66761/?post_id=1108169#post-1108169

These are really nice! What adhesive did you use to install them, and if you wished to can you get back to stock? How did you manage the edges to give a finished look?

 

[4C🍀]

This looks like a really nice option for those who want to stray from the OEM setup. I would like to make a different observation. I’ve read multiple criticisms of the OEM setup because the alpine head unit looks like something you could just go pick up at any retail store and install yourself. It looks like an afterthought. Independent of the sound quality, which I hear from others is not very compelling, I agree with the “afterthought” criticism. However, what makes it look that way is not just about the head unit. It’s also about how that sector of the dash looks overall. In other words it says something about the trim into which the Alpine head unit is inserted. It looks cheap…a strangely shaped sector with the head unit centrally inserted and the plastic that surrounds it blank except for two horizontal and parallel placed depressions. It screams lost opportunity and no effort to try to achieve something cohesive…unified. Why not have tried to make the front surface of the head unit flush with the trim that surrounds it. The extra trim space could have been used for placement of additional functionality. For example, an IR receiver to control stereo functions remotely, a bank of additional usb ports of different form factors (because you can never have enough of those in any car) a charging port, anything. Or even if they chose not to use the real estate at all, a more cohesive presentation would have been welcome. So, I’m left to wonder is this piece of trim into which the single DIN head unit is installed easily removable? Could it be replaced with trim that more seamlessly blends with the head unit it surrounds? I wonder what third party fabricators could come up with that would enhance both the cosmetics and the driver/passenger experience? Just my late night musings.

L👀k…

https://www.4c-forums.com/posts/1130757/

 

[Alfa1750]

L👀k…

https://www.4c-forums.com/posts/1130757/

I bought the tools to remove but I myself did not want to pull any harder. Maybe a proper Car Audio place would know more.

 

[AlfaCruiser]

Picked up the current version of this stereo but didn’t like how it didn’t quite fit in the opening and lock into place. Got out the hand files and did some minor modification. Worked great. Sits all the way in the opening and the cage so no need for a bolt.

 

[Papa-Mike]

Wow! That looks amazing. Can you share more details about the unit and your installation process? I’ve never done my own stereo installation, as I typically think the OEM units, when designed with the car’s interior, looks cosmetically best. Obviously the 4C head unit, no matter its capabilities, looks like an afterthought. And tech has advanced so much that there might now be a solid reason to upgrade from the OEM Alpine unit. Plus, I’d like to install some LED lights in the footwells a behind the seats to brighten up the interior a bit for night driving and draw peer from the head unit wiring harness. So I may be taking out the head unit anyway. Would love to learn from your install. Great job!!!!

 

[Papa-Mike]

Picked up the current version of this stereo but didn’t like how it didn’t quite fit in the opening and lock into place. Got out the hand files and did some minor modification. Worked great. Sits all the way in the opening and the cage so no need for a bolt. View attachment 171312

Hi there. Can you confirm the model number of the “updated” unit you installed? Is it a Power Acoustik CP-71WA? This unit looks the same as the CP-71W, but on the Walmart website it says that the CP-71WA does not fit the 4C. I wouldn’t want to waste time ordering the wrong thing. Also admire your flush installation and would love to hear details of what you did to achieve this. Thanks so much!

 

[Papa-Mike]

Decided I wanted CarPlay but didn't want a screen that stuck out of the dash (the way the Joying units do, for example). Stumbled upon a company called Power Acoustik and their CP-71W. For $150, I figured it was worth a try. Simple standard wiring process like any head unit. Has options for front and rear camera but I elected to not use any because my digital rear view mirror combined with the OEM park distance system is sufficient.

Works brilliantly 99% of the time. Wireless CarPlay, USB port run the same way the factory Alpine unit had to the little pouch in the passenger side dash lower portion, fast charging USB-C port on the face of the unit. Super responsive interface for a $150 unit. Screen is easy to control and see while driving despite being a small single-DIN unit.

Great system, would definitely recommend. View attachment 157325

Hi there @AK16 . I am wondering what wiring harness you ordered to enable hooking up the Power Acoustik CP-71W to the Alfa. Any chance you remember? I’ve purchased the updated version of this head unit, CP-71WA, from Walmart and would like to get it installed in place of my Alpine Premium unit that came with the car. Would appreciate any info and guidance you can provide. Thank you.

 

[AlfaCruiser]

I used the updated CP-71WA for my recent install. The actual height and width of the unit face match the recess in the plastic stereo plate for the 4C but the corners are not the same and cause the unit to have to sit out from the DIN sleeve. This results in needing to add a retention bolt because it won’t fully seat in the DIN sleeve fully and engage the locks built into it. I measured the depth of the stereo recess and transferred that to the stereo plate with blue painters tape. Then I just used a hand file to remove some material from the stereo. The plastic is soft and it goes fairly quickly. I test fit several times while working to get the fit right. The face of the stereo is thicker than the recess so you don’t see the filed corners when installed. I also ran the file along the back edges of the face to ease the fit where there is a slight tapered edge to the profile and this is all covered when installed. This was just my approach because I would rather modify the relatively inexpensive stereo than the car. You should be able to reuse the stereo harness from the Alpine but I just bought one of Amazon. Had to switch the red and yellow wires around on the plug that goes to the car harness but it is easy to pull the pins out with a small screwdriver or the correct terminal removal tool. There are many harness adapters to choose from but I used this $6 one on Amazon ( https://www.amazon.com/Harness-Adapter-Android-Standard-Steering/dp/B08L4H1Q9P )

 

[Papa-Mike]

View attachment 172099
View attachment 172100
View attachment 172096
I used the updated CP-71WA for my recent install. The actual height and width of the unit face match the recess in the plastic stereo plate for the 4C but the corners are not the same and cause the unit to have to sit out from the DIN sleeve. This results in needing to add a retention bolt because it won’t fully seat in the DIN sleeve fully and engage the locks built into it. I measured the depth of the stereo recess and transferred that to the stereo plate with blue painters tape. Then I just used a hand file to remove some material from the stereo. The plastic is soft and it goes fairly quickly. I test fit several times while working to get the fit right. The face of the stereo is thicker than the recess so you don’t see the filed corners when installed. I also ran the file along the back edges of the face to ease the fit where there is a slight tapered edge to the profile and this is all covered when installed. This was just my approach because I would rather modify the relatively inexpensive stereo than the car. You should be able to reuse the stereo harness from the Alpine but I just bought one of Amazon. Had to switch the red and yellow wires around on the plug that goes to the car harness but it is easy to pull the pins out with a small screwdriver or the correct terminal removal tool. There are many harness adapters to choose from but I used this $6 one on Amazon ( Amazon.com: Hikity 16 Pin Wiring Harness ISO Adapter for Android Car Radio Universal ISO Standard Female Radio Connector with Steering Wheel Control Cables and Reverse Gear : Electronics ) View attachment 172098
View attachment 172095
View attachment 172097

These are amazing comments and pictures! Thank you. I think I won’t be able to fully grasp their meaning until I get the Alpine head unit out to see what the barriers are to inserting the unit. I’m also likely to put a matte carbon cover over the surround to match the new shift paddles from Alessandro, so that might change things a bit. Was the file you used a typical wood file? I’ll have to buy one of those. That’s old school. Love it. Would a dremmel serve the same purpose, or too aggressive?

 

[Papa-Mike]

The price of the wiring harness adapter is 666…..that’s a little daunting, in a demonic way, haha. Any soldered connections required? And why did you need to swap the red and yellow wires on the harness you bought? What to they control?

 

[Papa-Mike]

Here’s another question. Power Acoustik also sells an amplifier that has a low profile and small form factor. There’s a 1500 watt version and I wonder if it would help in a spider when the top is down. I believe because I have the Alpine premium sound system that there is an OEM Alpine amp in the car but I don’t know its power rating or whether it is compatible with the CP-71WA head unit. Any opinions? This is not my area so help would be appreciated.