10GB HDD in Technology Pack: Why?

[Stephen C]

Can anyone explain the purpose of the 10GB hard drive that you get with the Technology Package? Audi doesn't seem to explain what it is used for. Surely the only justification for a spinning drive in a moving car is because it's cheap to store a lot of data - but at a tiny 10GB, that can't be why.

When two solid-state SDXC cards can store up to 2TB, it just doesn't make sense to me!

Also, is it worth the extra £300 for Audi Connect? I have a spare SIM/contract with data for the next 12 months, and after that I can pay EE £5, so that element is not an issue for me. I'm just wondering if the money could be better spent on a B&O sound system, for example.

 

[cemerson]

The HDD stores the sat nav data basically. I agree it's rather small if they intend you to rely on the jukebox function, I don't use that myself.

I have connect and love it - some really great features in there.

 

[Stephen C]

The HDD stores the sat nav data basically. I agree it's rather small if they intend you to rely on the jukebox function, I don't use that myself.

I have connect and love it - some really great features in there.

Can you ever hear the HDD scratching when the engine is off? Wish they could have used a flash drive instead.

 

[cemerson]

No, have never heard it. I'd be very worried if it made a scratching noise! I'm not sure why they didn't use an SSD either... but can't say it's been a problem.

 

[sidtec]

According to the brochure it's "flash memory for music". I assumed this is solid state.

 

[cemerson]

Oh, perhaps it is then - though the first thing it says is HDD based sat nav, which doesn't tally with that. They could use 2 separate drives I suppose...

 

[Dan_G]

I have HDD / jukebox in my A4.

I haven't been able to write anything to it in 3 years due to copyright security etc.

 

[Schizophonic]

Just pulling form a side question, if I manage to source the higher res screen of the MMI, will I be able to do a straight swap and utilise the higher res screen with the rest of the standard screen?

 

[mjcourtney]

Just pulling form a side question, if I manage to source the higher res screen of the MMI, will I be able to do a straight swap and utilise the higher res screen with the rest of the standard screen?

Sadly not, someone tried this about 6 months ago and the high res screen isn't compatible with the standard MMI. I assume because the standard MMI outputs a lower resolution video feed.

 

[Schizophonic]

Sadly not, someone tried this about 6 months ago and the high res screen isn't compatible with the standard MMI. I assume because the standard MMI outputs a lower resolution video feed.

Really? Do you know what the thread is? If I want the high res screen then I've got to acquire the whole kit and get it fitted in? Assuming its all the same minus a couple tweaks here and there?

 

[cemerson]

I would assume that this is correct - the base unit for the tech pack must be different as it has the HDD for a start, so no reason why they wouldn't tie the screen into it as well.

 

[mjcourtney]

I would assume that this is correct - the base unit for the tech pack must be different as it has the HDD for a start, so no reason why they wouldn't tie the screen into it as well.

Correct. I think it was a chap from Germany that tried it last year. He did post his findings but I can't for the life of me find the posts now (I think they were buried in the middle of another topic on MMI). From memory, he had the standard MMI system and bought the larger screen assembly, however when he powered it up the screen was split into 4 sections and wouldn't display anything meaningful. I think he tinkered with VCDS to see if anything could be adjusted but came to the conclusion that the display driver in the MMI system is different if you have the large screen. Therefore the larger screen would require the full MMI Tech Pack unit to drive it.

I think you'd be looking at thousands to retrofit this by the time you'd changed the central unit, display, and control unit (as the tech pack has touch controls).

 

[jet_andy]

It's not just the screen - its the signal driving it. You can't put a high res screen on a low res source and expect it to be high res. The screen can only display what it's fed with. Try putting s-video into a modern HD display - same thing.

And I would very much doubt there is a 'HDD' anywhere. It's just terminology - it will be solid state memory.

 

[cemerson]

Yeh, I had thought that could be the case, seems strange that they differentiate between the 2 in the same description though!

I've never heard an HDD spinning so think it probably is all SSD really.

 

[cemerson]

But on that front... I wonder how easy it would be to upgrade the SSD - whether it's on-board memory or a separate SSD component, potential to add more space there.

 

[jet_andy]

I would guess that its some sort of memory card or module, maybe like PC RAM or something along those lines. Just a guess though.

 

[cemerson]

I was thinking that it would just be a standard 2.5" form-factor SSD, they are readily available, small and conform to a standard interface so easily swappable if Audi run into supply problems or something.

 

[Jamie Wrigley]

I know, dead thread, but if anyone comes across this and wonders the same thing.... From an computing perspective, it's likely a 16GB SD Card, of which 6GB is reserved for software and sat nav, the remaining 10GB is available for the jukebox function.

I don't think you can find any SSD or HDD that is 10GB in capacity. It would be pointless making such a small drive. And i'm sure they wouldn't put a mechanical drive in a vehicle.

Just my opinion, there has been no research done! Still waiting on delivery..... (

 

[GrumpyEngineer]

If it's anything like the ones we use at work they're actually special micro SD cards soldered to the board, the host processor doesn't know any different as the protol is the same but as they're soldered they won't fall out and it stops all but the most determined monkeying around with it.