Ipod Dissapointment.....

SMc

SMc

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Only recently got my Ipod loaded with tunes and plugged into the glovebox of my A3. Very dissapointed to discover that there is no song id on the display. Seems poor that a car being sold of this standard in 2007 cant interface enough with an ipod to tell you what songs are playing.
 
JimmyJames said:
Feel the same. Its a shame as headunit good for all other Cd related info. Pity Audi could do same with I-Pod info.
Click to expand...

Yeah...I know the ipod prep is an add-on to an existing symphony head unit that were around before ipods really took off but I'm sure they could have worked the compatibility a bit better. I have around 800 songs on my ipod and find it impossible to find anything!!!
 
The RNS-e shares the same iPod integration so unfortunately the RNS-e will still only display track 1, track 2, track 3 etc and not the track information. The first 5 playlists on the iPhone are mapped to CD1, CD2, CD3 etc. CD6 is the all songs on the iPod.

It is exactly the same for the iPhone.

The iPhone does at least work well with the bluetooth prep however.
 
Get yourselve a Becker Grand Prix headunit - has bluetooth and looks OEM, you have to buy the ipod adaptor separately - roughly £320 for the whole kit
 
I think Audi are developing a special iphone interface for their new cars. not sure if when its out you'll be able to retro fit or not.

p.s. Iphones 1.1.3 firmware is out today.
 
:eek:) have already downloaded & updated the new iphone software!! ... now i need to find £2k to get the new mackbook air!!.... sorry, off on a tangent!

...right, now to investigate the Becker Grand Prix, cheers boydie!
 
It really is an awesome unit - I have had expensive Alpines all my days but this becker unit is by far the best I have owned for half the price!
 
The reason that the HUs may not be able to show the track information may be similar to that of the iPod/MP3 player in Jags.

In Jags the iPod is used as little more than a storage device (the iPod doesn't actually decode the MP3s itself). The HUs in Jags were, just as I guess in Audis, never intended to be connected to anything other than a multi-changer, so a box (which actually decodes the MP3/WMA files) sits between your iPod and the HU. This box tricks the HU into thinking its a multi-changer and just sends audio to the HU.

As the HU's were never designed to recieve DATA other than a few basic things (like CD ERRORs and Track Length) from a Multichanger there is no physical way for the HU to recieve track names (and such). Of course the decoding/interface box CAN be designed to send out MP3 information... Its just it would have no-where to send it to! So, HUs without specific iPod/MP3 support will NEVER, EVER be able to display MP3 file information... even if Audi wanted to design it 'better'... its just not physically possible. As far as the HU is concerned it thinks its connected to a Multichanger, the playlists are CD discs and the files are tracks.

Think of it as two colleagues in an office who don't get on... They'll work together but they don't really talk much!

Incidentally, you may also notice once you reach 'track' 99 and the next track starts to play the display rolls back to 'track' 1. This is because a CD is physically limited to 99 tracks and as such most HU's are only programmed to display tracks 1-99 when dealing with CD's... as it thinks the iPod interface is a multichanger, and its dealing with CD's, the HU track display will still only go up to 99 before the decoding box fools the HU into thinking its going back to the start of the 'CD' and the display wraps back round to 1.

Hope thats cleared up why the 'interface' is so poor but its really doing the absolute best it can! For 2007 (I presume thats the year of your car) you really would expect better (from the HUs) but who knows, Audi may have a warehouse crammed with hundreds and hundreds of thousands of HUs without intergrated iPod/MP3 support that they are just no going to throw away when there is a 'work-around' available!

One area where Audi could have made the interface box better would be, like in Jags, to make it switched so you can still use a real multichanger, as well as the iPod, if you so wish... oh, and the Jag interface can read MP3 files from MP3 players (that have a full sized USB connection on board) and USB memory sticks... oh, and it also has an AUX in connection.

I'm not preaching about Jaqs here (especially not on an Audi forum) its just that, for their iPod/MP3 interface at least, the white coated boffins working for Jaq actually used their noggins... which is quite shocking!!
 
To be honest I don't actually think it's too bad for the way I use my iPod.
I basically just sync a whole bunch of music I'm currently liking and then then just use the shuffle to play them in any old order.

I use the 5 playlists to segregate the music in to various types of music so you don't get a heavy metal track followed by some quiet ballad.

I quite like the randomness of not knowing whats coming next.
 
marms said:
To be honest I don't actually think it's too bad for the way I use my iPod.
I basically just sync a whole bunch of music I'm currently liking and then then just use the shuffle to play them in any old order.

I use the 5 playlists to segregate the music in to various types of music so you don't get a heavy metal track followed by some quiet ballad.

I quite like the randomness of not knowing whats coming next.
Click to expand...
Same here :icon_thumright:
 
Shades said:
The reason that the HUs may not be able to show the track information may be similar to that of the iPod/MP3 player in Jags.

In Jags the iPod is used as little more than a storage device (the iPod doesn't actually decode the MP3s itself). The HUs in Jags were, just as I guess in Audis, never intended to be connected to anything other than a multi-changer, so a box (which actually decodes the MP3/WMA files) sits between your iPod and the HU. This box tricks the HU into thinking its a multi-changer and just sends audio to the HU.

As the HU's were never designed to recieve DATA other than a few basic things (like CD ERRORs and Track Length) from a Multichanger there is no physical way for the HU to recieve track names (and such). Of course the decoding/interface box CAN be designed to send out MP3 information... Its just it would have no-where to send it to! So, HUs without specific iPod/MP3 support will NEVER, EVER be able to display MP3 file information... even if Audi wanted to design it 'better'... its just not physically possible. As far as the HU is concerned it thinks its connected to a Multichanger, the playlists are CD discs and the files are tracks.

Think of it as two colleagues in an office who don't get on... They'll work together but they don't really talk much!

Incidentally, you may also notice once you reach 'track' 99 and the next track starts to play the display rolls back to 'track' 1. This is because a CD is physically limited to 99 tracks and as such most HU's are only programmed to display tracks 1-99 when dealing with CD's... as it thinks the iPod interface is a multichanger, and its dealing with CD's, the HU track display will still only go up to 99 before the decoding box fools the HU into thinking its going back to the start of the 'CD' and the display wraps back round to 1.

Hope thats cleared up why the 'interface' is so poor but its really doing the absolute best it can! For 2007 (I presume thats the year of your car) you really would expect better (from the HUs) but who knows, Audi may have a warehouse crammed with hundreds and hundreds of thousands of HUs without intergrated iPod/MP3 support that they are just no going to throw away when there is a 'work-around' available!

One area where Audi could have made the interface box better would be, like in Jags, to make it switched so you can still use a real multichanger, as well as the iPod, if you so wish... oh, and the Jag interface can read MP3 files from MP3 players (that have a full sized USB connection on board) and USB memory sticks... oh, and it also has an AUX in connection.

I'm not preaching about Jaqs here (especially not on an Audi forum) its just that, for their iPod/MP3 interface at least, the white coated boffins working for Jaq actually used their noggins... which is quite shocking!!
Click to expand...



Thanks for that detailed response, it certainly clears that up!

So, rather than criticise Audi for their interface, I should be moaning about how Audi are using dated HUs instead of giving us some modern audio technology.
 
Mines got the ipod connection. Never used it as already heard about it not being too hot
 
I originally bought the genuine audi ipod cable, but after reading through the info leaflet realised that you have no control of the ipod, basically it locks out the control wheel etc so you cant select a particular album.

Decided to go for the Dension Gateway 100, its the same idea as the Audi lead (around £100) but you can select one mode where you can still control the ipod (ie select artist then a song etc etc). It gives you a lot more control over what you listen to.

You could then route the wire (dock cable) into the bottom of the centre console or purchase a Broadclip mount and purchase the active cradle (this mount fits the ipod to the side of the radio, no screws are required it fits behind the fascia) The ipod then fits in the cradle.

My A3 came fitted with a phone cradle on the dash, didnt like the look of this. As my phone connects via bluetooth i decided to remove the cradle and fit ipod cradle over the hole that was left in the dash.

Even if you still leave in the glove box you can still use the skip track to move along the playlist.

You can just see mine in the pic its great to be able to choose a song and see whats been played

 
avicd3_main_1_detailpage.jpg


has anyone tried fitting one of these??? the ipod interface looks pretty cool and it works with the iphone! (bluetooth is an add-on module i think!?)...

can't decide whether to go down the rns-e route or something else? the becker units looking like an option too......

....sorry, threadjacking again! :no:

cheers

ivan
 
I've been looking at those and the kenwood/jvc and Alpine, the pioneer you can change the lighting to match the audi, if you have the factory nav you can buy alpines mobile hub unit and it will display track listings.
 
mmmmm popcorn ! the only problem is I'm having to sell it as it won't fit in the audi very easilly, still i'll be getting the double din equivilent :)
 
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