Got a quick question about the Alpine XM Tuner TUA-T020X. I have an Alpine 9813 and love it. I am interested in adding satellite radio as the local stations here in WV really stink. So I've been looking around for the plug/play XM turner from Alpine. Most places are out of stock and claim that Alpine isn't making it any more. I can find them (mostly used) on ebay.

So does anybody know if Alpine is going to put out a newer unit?? Anyone have experience with this unit. Any other info would be most appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
Andrew

 

Alpine stopped making the unit earlier this year due to an FCC mandate that they can't make provider-specific tuners anymore. You can find them on Ebay used for about 200-300. Alpine has come out with a head unit that has a XM tuner built in but its also hard to find.

What I did was buy an XM Commander at Circuit City and an Alpine KCA-410C and hooked my CD Changer and the XM up to the Aux post of my head unit using the 410C. It should work with your headunit; or if you don't have or want a CD changer, you can get the KCA-121B which converts the Versitile Link plug on the head unit into an RCA line-in for satellite radio. Here are some links to both items:

KCA-121:
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-P7QIxag...ine+KCA%2D121B

KCA-410C:
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-P7QIxag...ine+KCA%2D410C

XM Commander:
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-P7QIxag...h=xm+commander

I like the XM Commander due to the display and the fact that I can remove it from the truck and install it in another car using FM modulator in the future. It also has a remote which is really handy. Hope this helps and good luck.

 

Thanks for the info. I was looking to keep it "clean" looking with no extra stuff hanging off the console. I wanted to run the system from my head unit. Will the XM commander work through the Alpine HU??

Thanks ATW

 

No, you will need to use the display that comes with the unit. I was in the same position with my CDM-9805 until I found this solution. It sucks that I can't use the system the way Alpine designed it, but that's technological "progress"!

 

I got caught in the same boat.

Hopefully Alpine will come out with a "generic" equivalent to the TUA soon, otherwise I'm just going to get one of the ebay ones...

Didn't know why they were discontinued, so thanks for the info!

 

Get the TUA20... Works great. I can't believe how the prices on these things have jumped. I got mine from a local Hi-Fi buys for 129.99. But they should be coming out with a new one, I think it's the TUA21..