Tech Pack and DVD playback question

[Joetidman]

A question on this. I believe you can play back DVD's via the 7inch display with Tech Pack, but have no idea how this might work? Whilst I don't want to watch DVD's whilst driving, my kids would love it, and perhaps useful if sat in the car waiting to pick someone up etc.

Anyone have any experience how it works? Assume its via the SD card, etc rather than the CD player itself. How to folk actually get DVD files onto an SD card in the first place, assume they are coded?

 

[Psyman79]

I don't have it, but i'm pretty sure the tech pack has a dvd player.

From brochure:

Technology package.
Includes HDD-based MMI Satellite Navigation Plus and MMI Touch with navigation data (flash
memory), electrically extending, high-resolution 7-inch colour display with 800 x 480 pixel resolution, high-quality
representation of the navigation map as 3D ground model with topographical map colouring, display of many sites and
city models in 3D, choice of 3 alternative routes provided, split-screen mode for route information (manoeuvring points,
points of interest on motorways, TMCpro on route), detailed junction map and lane recommendations, dynamic route
guidance (where available), voice control system (whole-word entry of address in one sentence), additional arrow display
in the Driver’s Information System; includes radio with triple tuner and phase diversity, flash memory for music (10GB),
MP3, WMA, AAC and MPEG4-capable DVD player which can also be used for music and video DVDs, 2 SDXC card readers
(for up to 2TB). MMI Touch: a touch-sensitive panel on the rotary/push-button control for intuitive operation of the
MMI without taking your eyes off the road; context-related entry of letters and numbers for navigation destination via
handwriting recognition with acoustic acknowledgement, selection from address book, entry of telephone numbers or
search for media files; simple movement of navigation map and selection of points of interest.
Only in combination with Colour Driver’s Information System (9S6) on SE models

 

[mjcourtney]

The answer is yes you can play DVDs, either through loading a DVD into the drive in the glovebox, or by ripping the DVD to MPG4 and sticking it on an SD card. Both will work, although DVD will be better quality and if you have B&O will also give you full surround sound.

For the correct DVD ripping details you'll need to look at this thread / post:

http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/new-a3-s3-8v-chassis/179778-tech-pack-mp3-formats.html#post1799292

Also, the MMI will only display video when the car is stationary. As soon as you start to move it blacks out the screen with a safety message, and only continues to play the audio. There is a 'hack' around this safety measure, but it's controversial and not something many would recommend.

 

[Joetidman]

The answer is yes you can play DVDs, either through loading a DVD into the drive in the glovebox, or by ripping the DVD to MPG4 and sticking it on an SD card. Both will work, although DVD will be better quality and if you have B&O will also give you full surround sound.

For the correct DVD ripping details you'll need to look at this thread / post:

http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/new-a3-s3-8v-chassis/179778-tech-pack-mp3-formats.html#post1799292

Also, the MMI will only display video when the car is stationary. As soon as you start to move it blacks out the screen with a safety message, and only continues to play the audio. There is a 'hack' around this safety measure, but it's controversial and not something many would recommend.

Ah, great thanks for that! I did wonder about DVD playback whilst moving. I know in the Rangerover they have a clever screen thing that prevents the driver seeing it whilst allowing the passenger to, so I imagine there is some EU legislation somewhere. However, useful for watching something when sat in traffic from an accident on the motorway or waiting for someone in the car etc

 

[PilotAudi]

I too can confirm Tech pack plays DVD . Sd does not. Related question. What is the best software (free? ) to put DVD and video on to SD card ?

 

[snowfree52]

SD card plays all my videos, but you have to convert them into the proper dimensions and format.
just have a look at what the manual says and use that to convert.

there is a lot of free video converters out there. I'm at work so can't give you the name of mine now.

 

[mjcourtney]

I would use Handbrake (HandBrake: Open Source Video Transcoder) to convert the video to the correct resolution and format for the MMI (as mentioned in the thread linked above). I'm not sure if there is any free software for unlocking the copy protection on DVDs, but I just used an old copy of AnyDVD.

AnyDVD will run in the background and strip the copy-protection on the fly so that Handbrake is able to re-encode the video for the MMI.

Once you have made the MPG4 I would then use MP3TAG (Mp3tag - the universal Tag Editor (ID3v2, MP4, OGG, FLAC, ...)) to add the title, thumbnail and description to the file so that you get it displayed nicely on the MMI.

 

[Battlekrapz]

I play films with an SD, a lot of fun when im waiting for wifey to shop or when just bored and have to stay in car for whatever reason. Picture quality is very good (i dl high quality files) and size is big enough for the amount of time i watch movies in my car. Of course it prevents you from watching on the move.

 

[marchhare101]

Hi, does anyone know what format the movie file has to be in, as Ive burned a DVD using mp4 files and tried to play it on the mmi. It wont work. Thanks.

 

[RossR]

It'll play video DVDs. I'm not sure if it'll play video files from a data DVD, but if it does it'll be the same formats as for an SD card. The details are in the manual. Video formats are a complex business though - you have to consider the container format, the video codec, audi codec, video resolution and colour space/depth and the audio sampling rate, bit depth and number of channels. The manual tells you some of these but not all.

 

[marchhare101]

Thanks for your reply. It will play commercial DVD films from a shop, and strangely enough it played a home movie from a childrens party recorded on to a DVD. But it wouldnt play the DVD i created. Wonder if the DVD- and DVD+ are anything to do with it.

 

[auroan]

Do anyone know if the tech pack includes a video/audio out connector ? For example to feed a fair of screens fitted into the rear of the front head rests.

 

[cemerson]

Not an easily accessible one. There might be something at the back of the MMI unit itself though, but it'd probably be subject to the same restrictions as the main unit (ie, video feed cuts out when you are moving).