My dad had the gift of being able to fix things by waving his hands over the mis-functioning device. I think the guys at Sound of TriState (Kirkwood) have the same gift.
I was installing an Alpine touch screen radio in my Jeep (iLx-207) and I could not get it to work right. Mainly, the steering wheel controls would not function…….and there were other issues. I had “flashed” the Maestro device 3 times (spent a couple of hours updating drivers in Windows and Explorer), checked and rechecked all of my connections, went over the install instructions 2, 3, 4, 5 times, watched Youtube vids again and again…..let’s just say that I was more than a little frustrated.
I called up SoT and Alex made an appointment for me the next day. A little backstory here…I had been working on this install for 2 days, radio and back-up cam (with new HD Swing Gate Tire Carrier-that affected the cam install). I had panels, screws and tools scattered all over the Jeep. The radio was hanging from an Octopus of a wire harness (OK, it wasn’t hanging but it was positioned precariously on the dash). I was an “Installers” worst nightmare. It is one thing to work an install from step 1 thru step last, and get everything done in a logical order. It is something entirely different to pick up someone else’s install and figure out where to start and ‘if’ you’re finish.
Marlo took me in, walked me through everything I would need. Fixed me up with one or two better options for the cat I was trying to skin (Manual transmissions make the back up camera a teeny bit more complicated) and took my Jeep in immediately. I sat across the street sipping coffee while Bobby untied the knots in my fishing line, so to speak.
An hour and a half later (+/-), I got a call that everything was done.
Yay!!!!! I get my Jeep back!
Everything works! No more dash and kick panels piled in the back seat. And, did I say Everything Works! Steering wheel controls, back up camera, Sirius XM….everything.
I should have gone to these guys in the first place. I didn’t purchase the Alpine radio from them (my mistake), but they took care of me anyway…..and royally!
The “Take Away” is this…..radios an cars these days are allot more complicated and technical. If you are going to install anything more complicated than a 1 din AM/FM push button radio, you should Start at Sound of TriState. Save yourself a couple of days of time and a heap of stress. Step 1-see Marlo at Sound of Tristate. Step 2- Drive away Happy!

The install was an Alpine iLx-207 with the Alpine Back-up Cam in a 2017 Jeep JKU Manual Tranny, in case you are interested.

I have to add a note for any Jeepers: The directions that came with the Alpine don’t tell you anything about the manual transmission ‘speciality”. There is only some fine print in a tiny box on the pictorial of the wiring diagram. It says you have to jumper a wire from the white wire with a grey stripe (? Or grey wire with a white stripe) from the Jeeps wire harness behind the kick plate on the passenger side (there must be 157 and a half wires in that bundle). The Forums have write-ups telling how this gives you the Cam view ONLY when you are in reverse…..and you can’t adjust any of the guidelines when you are in reverse….so guys just Hotwire the cam and have to press a couple of buttons every time they backup to get the view from the cam. Marlo hooked me up with a device that lets the cam work as advertised when you select reverse AND lets you select it any other time you want AND lets you fine-tune those guideline markers…….all without stringing a jumper from the vehicles harness. Just one more reason to go talk to Marlo at Sound of Tristate.

Tim