Dension IPOD link and Audi IPOD link

d3fy

d3fy

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I understand from over on TS that the Audi one does not display track info on the DIS or stereo. Does the Dension show track info?
 
it all depends on whether your HU supports CD text. The Concert II, Symphony II and Naviplus RNS-D units and below don't.

The RNS-E and the symphony III units do though, but i'm yet to hear of one that uses the DIS.
 
Ah... still waiting for that new model Concert (III ?) that can handle mp3 cd's and, who knows, maybe even cd text... and dare I say, maybe even display some useful info in the DIS.

A few weeks ago I saw a photo of a new model Symphony that does mp3 so the concert can't be that far away. Audi can't stay in the stone age forever.
 
Have you seen the price that Audi charge for the head units ?? £850 you must be smoking crack if you pay that for a OEM head....
 
yup, but good looking installs were never cheap /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
OK took the plunge and ordered a Audi IPOD link. It should be here tomorrow and I should (fingers crossed) have it fitted on Saturday.

Any tips on removing the head unit? I'm borrowing some OEM removal keys for the job. Should it be a troube free hour, after my experiance of fitting the pedals I was going to get the oxyacetylene cutting torch ready? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
you forgot the smiley from the end...... please add the smiley, please.

Its not going to be that bad is it...
 
How much is the Audi iPod link? I was thinking of getting the Dension Ice Link Plus but am dreading fitting it myself too!
 
I'm using the denison link and its tops, fitting for me was a piece of /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/swear.gif too, the keys worked first time and routed the cable through to the glove box Popped the glovebox light out and ran the cable through, then popped the light back in so there's no holes, took around an hour, not sure how the audi one compares though
 
There will be a group buy on Tyresmoke starting on the week end. The units retail at £99 and the GB will be at about £86. I bought mine from the Audi dealer that is doing the GB and will post a review.
 
I too run a Dension Icelink and think it works really well. Good value for money too in my opinion. If you've already got an iPod there seems little point in shelling out for a cd multichanger for the car - just hook up your iPod.

Fitting is really simple unless you want to run the cable somewhere awkward....

I run a cradle mount that sits horizontally under the centre armrest. It's fastened to a turned aluminium 'bung' that sits in the cup holder. Even when the iPod is in the cradle it's hard to see from the outside. I rarely need to look at the screen but if I need to I can just flip up the armrest, have a quick glance and close it again.

The cable runs under the centre console and through a hole drilled in the bottom of the rear cup holder. This can be covered with a small circular piece of rubber matting in the bottom of the holder when I flog the car. The front cup holder can be used for change etc as the iPod sits above it.

I'll see if I can get a piccy done if anyone is interested in this method of installation.
 
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I was going to get the oxyacetylene cutting torch ready? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

You can't beat Gas Mark 7 !
 
Anyone seen this?

Headunit includes bluetooth connection for your phone, and you can link your ipod through it. Added advantage of this over the Dension, is that once linked to your ipod, you can browse via the hu for artists, genre, album etc.

Might invest in one myself...
 
Can anyone tell me how the Audi iPod Link compares to the Dension Ice Link Plus? Obviously there's little difference price wise. And do they both come with a cradle?
 
[ QUOTE ]
Anyone seen this?

Headunit includes bluetooth connection for your phone, and you can link your ipod through it. Added advantage of this over the Dension, is that once linked to your ipod, you can browse via the hu for artists, genre, album etc.

Might invest in one myself...

[/ QUOTE ]

Reasonably priced as well at £270 for the unit and £65 for the ipod interface. Not overly keen on the look of it though TBH...

J.
 
I use an Alpine HU with the ipod adaptor, it's excellent as the ipod stays out of sight. All the tag information is displayed and tracks can be selected by Track, Album, Artist or playlist. The only downside is that having too many tracks to choose from can make you skip lots of tracks.

The Pioneer unit has taken it a stage further, with Bluetooth intgration for the phone, my only question would be is it as good as the Parrot BT kits for phone compatibility? I use my Parrot unit for the GPS receiver as well.
 
Dension comes with a option for Wires Only or a Cradle so if you want to you can mount your ipod at the side of you steering wheel in the cradle or go for wires only to mount a cable in the glove box.

The Audi kit only comes as a cable option. Both do the same and both can't do the thing you want like show track info on the DIS/Stereo
 
Thanks d3fy /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif
 
I think that's the way forward... and if it is only £270 then it's a bit of a good buy if you ask me.

Tell me if I was to get one of these what else would I need to get for it to be compatible woth my Bose? And to have the iPod adapter connected do you still get the option to have a cd changer conencted?? I no theres not much point but I paid for it so I might as well use it!!

I don't suppose you can change the colour of the lights on the stereo tho? So it's red (like the inside of the car!!).
 
There's no reason why it shouldn't work with Bose, I've already go an aftermarket HU that does this.

Not sure about using the ipod and cd, worth a call to your local ICE dealer I guess.
 
Are there any cables required to convert the standard output to whatever the Bose set-up uses?
 
Dension do a source switcher, which works automatically. When you dock the ipod, it switches to IPOD, when you undock it, it switches to AV/CD/DVD.

If you want a REALLY neat ipod install on display, then buy the U2 edition ipod which is red and black.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Are there any cables required to convert the standard output to whatever the Bose set-up uses?

[/ QUOTE ]

the Dension is a full plug-and play solution, it uses the existing wiring loom and plugs, and just piggy-backs with no cutting or splicing whatsoever.

the installation is honestly very simple.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I use an Alpine HU with the ipod adaptor, it's excellent as the ipod stays out of sight. All the tag information is displayed and tracks can be selected by Track, Album, Artist or playlist. The only downside is that having too many tracks to choose from can make you skip lots of tracks.

The Pioneer unit has taken it a stage further, with Bluetooth intgration for the phone, my only question would be is it as good as the Parrot BT kits for phone compatibility? I use my Parrot unit for the GPS receiver as well.

[/ QUOTE ]

Any pics Mike? I keep toying with the idea of a dension link for my Ipod as it is nice and cheap and leaves my car oem but I still can't play mps I have burnt to disc.... Alpines my manufacurer of choice, that with a nice neat install to keep the ipod hidden could be the way forward!
...although a remap is higher up the list of needs...

J.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I think that's the way forward... and if it is only £270 then it's a bit of a good buy if you ask me.

Tell me if I was to get one of these what else would I need to get for it to be compatible woth my Bose? And to have the iPod adapter connected do you still get the option to have a cd changer conencted?? I no theres not much point but I paid for it so I might as well use it!!

I don't suppose you can change the colour of the lights on the stereo tho? So it's red (like the inside of the car!!).

[/ QUOTE ]

Don't forget thats £270 for the head unit on it's own you'll also need to buy an Ipod interface for an additional £65.

J.
 
Just to add my 2p - I used to use a Dension unit (ICE>Link Plus) and a Brodit mount, attached to my Chorus HU. It worked well and the hardest part was removing the HU - once I figured out which way the keys have to go it was a piece of cake!

The Dension unit has a small wiring adapter - you unplug the main wiring from the back of the HU and plug in the Dension adapter. The original wiring then plugs in to the other end of the adapter.

There is a lone black wire on the Dension loom which needs to be touching the HU metal case for the unit to power up. The adapter wiring then connects on to the Link itself - a small black, flattish gadget. You then route the wire from this to where you want to mount the iPod. If in the glove box, drill a small hole and pass the cable through to the Link (If you try the other way you end up with a bigger hole for the iPod dock adapter to go through...)

Once you have got this connected together, you need to download the configuration file from Dension onto your iPod - it looks like either a .exe file OR a .zip archive (If you use a Mac, get the .zip file). You expand these and import them in to iTunes. You update your iPod and note where the config files go - there is one called 'start update' (or some such). When you get back to your car, start playing the 'start update' file and plug the iPod in to the dock connector immediately. The display on the iPod will tell you what is going on - basically you are flashing the Link with the right configuration info for your HU. The process takes a few minutes, but is not at all painful!

When done, you can then control the iPod from the HU. CD buttons 1-5 relate to the first five play lists on the iPod, so get these set as you want. CD button 6 switches you to the main menu on the iPod display - in there you can opt to use the iPod controls, which is far more intuitive, IMO. To change between options whilst in the Dension menu you need to use the HU and FFwd/RWnd buttons, etc.

Dension have been pretty poor at keeping their customers informed - they have also now removed their support forums - head over to www.hackmycar.com or www.ipodmycar.com for more support. If you are needing the older config and installation files, check out www.halmaclean.co.uk - on the left hand side you'll see all the Dension files I managed to collect.

When using the Dension, the track counter didn't work as I wanted it - it would either not increment at all, or stick on 99. I also couldn't get track information on the HU with the version I was using (later versions may be better). The iPod display was better for me, in that respect, and having it mounted on the bar next to the gear stick made it very accessible - looked good, too!

I also have a factory fitted phone kit, and the Dension worked well with this - muting when calls were made or received, etc.

However, whilst I was happy with the Dension - sound was great, etc - I wanted a better HU interface. I also wanted a Sat Nav unit and was given a decent Alpine system for my birthday - with an iPod adapter as well. The Alpine system is so much better than the Dension in terms of the display on the HU. I don't need to use the iPod display at all and I now have the iPod in my glove box. The only downside of the Alpine unit is that I can't find a way of connecting the phone kit...

If Audi are basically supplying a Dension unit then you can be sure it will be a pretty good experience and fit well with all the other electronics in the car. However, the firmware needs to be good to display track info on any Audi HU, and this could well have been improved in the year I have not been using Dension. I hope it has.

I'd be really interested in how this all pans out. Tomorrow I am getting my new(er) A3 with a Bose system in it, and I'll want to move the Alpine HU and iPod adapter in to that car too. If it proves too tricky then I'll use my Dension again for a while, but ultimately it would have to have had a substantial upgrade for me to want to change back to Dension from the Alpine (plus, of course, the Alpine does Sat Nav...).

Phew! Sorry for the long post - hope it helps someone!
 
Good post - the Audi kit from what I can see is several wires and nothing more, and I have read nothing in the instructions about having any driver software required. Also the head units have not moved on and will still not display any track info, and will not go above 99 for track display
 
[ QUOTE ]


Not sure about using the ipod and cd, worth a call to your local ICE dealer I guess.

[/ QUOTE ]

With the standard Dension kit you can't use the iPod and a cd multichanger. The iPod adaptor uses the multichanger socket to plug into.

I'm not sure if they also do a 'switch' which allows both.
 
Well ordered a dension Ice link plus for my new car so I hope all goes well with fitting it.


Might be needing some help Hal as and when !
 
audi upgrades
Right then, I ordered by genuine Audi IPOD connector from Neil Laney @ Ipswich Audi as he is soon to be doing a Group Buy over on Tyre Smoke so I played guinea pig. It arrived next day.

I got that carried away with fitting it that I forgot to take pictures until the end. If you have any questions on the install let me know and I will try and answer them.

Removing the Head Unit, I had heard that this could be a night mare and was not looking forward to it, I used a set of Genuine Audi keys and it came out straight away with out any problem.

The Glove box on the other hand was a different story; it has 3 bolts along the top, one inside toward the light, and two further ones in the foot well area.

It also has 3 here

1.jpg


2.jpg


The plastic plate at the end of the dash board just clip on and hid behind are the screws. I used a flat chisel to help ease the end plate of to get at the final screws.

Once this was done I then had to figure out what the hell to do with all the wires that come with the IPOD kit from Audi. After going through the first section I was left with more cables and adaptors that I could not figure out what to do with, it turns out that these are far fitting the adaptor to different head units; mine was a Chorus single CD and was really as straight forward as I was hoping for. Once I had plugged in relevant cable and found a location for the little black conversion box it was plain sailing. I had to drill a small hole into the back of the glove box for the cable to come through but you get a rubber grommet supplied for this.

3.jpg


I then tested it, sound was awful, bass all over the place and I though /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/swear.gif! I then skipped past that track and onto a bit of Basement Jaxx - perfect! It was just a duff MP3 I chose for the first play.

The sound is really really good.

4.jpg


And that’s about it really, it did take about an hour to fit and if you have a IPOD I would really recommend it as I now have 20 GB’s with of music to listen to.
 
Thanks for that d3fy, did you have to use/upload any firmware files when you started the device, or was it set up ready to use straight away?
 
Well picked up my new car yesterday and decided within an hour of getting home to attempt to fit the ice link on a temp basis.

Haven't wired it in as others have, for the time being have just let the wire come out of the side of the radio. (A friend of mine will sort this out on the weekend for me).

No need to upload any files to the Ipod just plugged it in and away it went. Sounds great am well pleased!
 
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