Need to get iPod connection..how

Daz4311

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My car ..when I pick it up..has sat nav and the cd changer fitted but I could not find any sign of a iPod connection..so is there any way I can do it ..were can I get it done and what will the costs be??
 
Dension Kit is the best way to include all the functions etc, different units vary in price but around 300 euros. Depending on what HU you have I think you may need slightly different ones, here is an example: http://shop.dension.com/en/gateway_mmi3/

The other option is to lose your CD changer in the glove box and use that input (via an adaptor lead from ebay for about £15) to plug in a 3.5mm jack to any source. This only acts as a sound input and will not allow any text display or control of the ipod etc from the HU. This is beacuse the output from the CD changer is analogue and contains no digital data, only an audio datastream.
 
I was looking into this when I first got my car about 9 months ago and founds there are several options...
Audi do their own interface (AMI) and from what I read I think you have to loose your CD Changer as there is only 1 power source in the glove box. This is also fairly pricey compared to other interfaces.

I ended up going for a Pure Highway 300Di which is a DAB receiver + has an Ipod and Aux input and I keep the CD Changer;
At the time of purchase, Halfords did free fitting so I had it installed by them.

There is also something called xcarlink and a few other similar devices.

Hope that helps, there may be more info in the ICE/Sat Nav section of the forum.
 
Mehtaman, thanks for that extra info, I haven't seen the X Car Link before... looks like a pretty good way to spend £120 as it includes bluetooth as well. Have you got any pictures of the Highway installed on your dash? I'm intriegued as to how the X Link allows you to use the existing CD changer and have control over the ipod etc. Don't suppose anyone has one and can give details on the interface etc??
 
No problem, I was reading around for a while before deciding on what I wanted to install...

As for pics, this is what you get in the box + a wiring loom + USB/AUX Input (iPod/iPhone cable connects to the USB input):
Highway_300Di_Range.jpg


The main box of tricks has been installed behind the RNS-E unit, so the only visible part is the control panel.
I decided to mount the control panel above the head unit, in front of an air vent:
IMG_0537.jpg


IMG_0536.jpg



The unit mimics a radio station, during the setup you select a frequency for the unit to transmit on, you then manually tune the chosen frequency in on the radio.
Therefore one downside is that the DIS only shows Highway FM and not the station/track name:
IMG_0535.jpg


Changing tracks / using the Pure 300Di has to be done through the control panel, I can only change the volume from my steering wheel... The track selector / menu scroll on the steering wheel does not operate the unit.

One other downside is that the Active DAB Ariel is stuck but magnet to the windscreen, it doesn't bother me but I guess some people might think it looks a bit naff.

I got the Halfords guy to install the USB/Aux cables under the steering wheel (there are a couple of compartments under there).
 
Audi do their own interface (AMI).
AMI won't work with the version of the RNS-E factory fitted to the B7, it needs the 2010+ version of the RNS-E.

Until recently it was thought that AMI wouldn't work in a B7 even with a 2010+ RNS-E but I've seen two people report in the last month that they've got AMI working in a B7 (with a 2010+ RNS-E).
 
My car ..when I pick it up..has sat nav and the cd changer fitted but I could not find any sign of a iPod connection..so is there any way I can do it ..were can I get it done and what will the costs be??

I got a Denison kit just taken out of my A4 you can have £50
 
I've got the X carlink in my A4 Cab it's connected to a concert head unit with Cd changer in the glove box. The unit connects into the cd changer port on the head unit. Then the cd changed plugs into the X carlink. There is a little relay I the carlink box that changes the connections for the Xlink or the Cd changer so you can use both

The X link has a 3.5mm jack on it and it comes with a cable to connect the iPod / iPhone.

To use it you just start playing music on your iPod and then press the cd button on the head unit the Xlink detects the audio and switches the relay.

I also brought and fitted the bluetooth unit so I can make calls
This is good it come with a little microphone which I placed near the sun visa and I can also play music from the iPhone wirelessly via Bluetooth.

The quality of the phone kit isn't as good as the OEM install but it is far superia to the other Bluetooth car kits you get I'm refuring to the ear piece ones and the sun visor ones

The kit is a little clunky at times you don't get any info on the head unit but u can adjust the volume using the MFSW and sometimes you have to press the cd button to get it to unlatch the relay and connect the cd changed in the glove box. If ur listerning to a cd and a call comes in it will change over to the phone.

I really like the Xcarlink it's nowhere near as technical as a parrot system but is good for the money and at some point I'm looking to upgrade to the Audi Rnse and Bluetooth but till the I'm using the Xlink
 
Anyone know if the X Car link works with the Symphony HU in an A4 B7 2005 model? My HU has the single CD slot where you can load 6 CD's into and not the CD changer in Glovebox.
Thanks.
 
The answer was yes, there is a version for the Symphony HU here: AUDI :: XCarLink
Just select the right version based on year of car and then check on the Compatibility tab underneath the picture.

Sorry I cannot answer your question on the Parrot kit though.
 
I've got the X carlink in my A4 Cab it's connected to a concert head unit with Cd changer in the glove box. The unit connects into the cd changer port on the head unit. Then the cd changed plugs into the X carlink. There is a little relay I the carlink box that changes the connections for the Xlink or the Cd changer so you can use both

The X link has a 3.5mm jack on it and it comes with a cable to connect the iPod / iPhone.

To use it you just start playing music on your iPod and then press the cd button on the head unit the Xlink detects the audio and switches the relay.

I also brought and fitted the bluetooth unit so I can make calls
This is good it come with a little microphone which I placed near the sun visa and I can also play music from the iPhone wirelessly via Bluetooth.

The quality of the phone kit isn't as good as the OEM install but it is far superia to the other Bluetooth car kits you get I'm refuring to the ear piece ones and the sun visor ones

The kit is a little clunky at times you don't get any info on the head unit but u can adjust the volume using the MFSW and sometimes you have to press the cd button to get it to unlatch the relay and connect the cd changed in the glove box. If ur listerning to a cd and a call comes in it will change over to the phone.

I really like the Xcarlink it's nowhere near as technical as a parrot system but is good for the money and at some point I'm looking to upgrade to the Audi Rnse and Bluetooth but till the I'm using the Xlink

Thanks for the info. Having read the X-Link website (note I'm looking at the USB/SC Card adaptor not iPod), it sounds like regardless of the side of USB drive or SD card used, you'e limited to a maximum of 1188 tracks (12 CD folders with 99 tracks in each). Which sounds like quite a lot but it scuppers my plans to use a 32GB SDHC card to keep all of my mp3's on. 7MB per track is only a 8Gb card. Also the lack of ID3 tag is a downside, but I'm guessing the lack of digital input to the HU means that this will be the case with any unit of this ilk?

I wonder if there is an alternative with (ideally):

Bluetooth (for calls and music)
SDHC Card Reader
USB Reader
3.5mm AUX Input
Ipod connection
No limit on folder arrangements or folder size/contents

Maybe this is asking too much from one unit?

Also as a side note, I've got the 'Audi Navigation 5.0' HU, the double-din with red backlit display. As the car is early 2007 would this count as the '2007+' range or the 2004-2006 range??


EDIT: Just read on another website that some of the units support sub-folders... is this true? If so what are the limits on file numbers in sub folders??

Looking at the connections on the front it implies you have to choose between having a 3.5mm line input or a bluetooth adaptor, not ideal... Also, the USB connection for the bluetooth adaptor is on the front of the unit... which scuppers my plans to mount it under the centre ashtray if the USB cable has to be permenantly connected, anyone have any experience in this?
 
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