A3 phone cradle/Playing music through phone

[Joe9695]

Alright chaps,

First time on here so here goes nothing. Ive just bought a 2007 A3 2.0 TDi sport with a double din head unit, and it has the attachment on the dash that allows you to connect a cradle to your specific phone. Heres the thing, ultimately i want to be able to play music through my iphone 5. Ive researched a bit about these phone cradles and it seems its only there to charge and to get better signal from the ariel or something? Anyway, i thought you can connect your phone via blue tooth to the car which would then mean you can play music through your phone that way? but i have no idea how to pair with the bluetooth.

Is it worth forking out almost £100 for a iphone cradle?
can i play music at all through the cradle?
If not would it be that difficult to install an Aux port? (not really a fan on changing the head unit)

Thanks for any help and advice.

 

[Kevin A3 Quattro]

I am in a similar situation with my 2008- has all the goodies including an ipod cradle in the glovebox but i have an iphone 5s and want to figure out a way to play the music through it. I know that you can add the wiring for an Aux cable but i dont like the look of wires coming out of my dash. I believe the only option at this point would be the ashtray cradle

 

[leshkin]

I'd look for a bluetooth adapter for your head unit and stream the music via that, while keeping the cradle for charging your phone.

 

[Joe9695]

I'd look for a bluetooth adapter for your head unit and stream the music via that, while keeping the cradle for charging your phone.

a Bluetooth adapter? you mean like those parrot devices?

 

[leshkin]

Depends on your head unit. Which one do you have?

 

[Joe9695]

The audi concert double din

 

[Ash187]

Standard Audi headunits do not support AD2P (music over bluetooth) even if it has a factory bluetooth module installed. I am working on a way to get it to play music over bluetooth with use of the AMI.
The only other way you can do it is to have an AUX cable that is wired from the head unit to the phone.

 

[AndyParker]

Does anyone use the google maps app on the iPhone as a sat Nav sometimes? The car thinks the phone is opening up a phone call as such and the voiced directions then come through your speakers in the car.

As such I wondered if it was possible to use this same method to stream music in the same way the voiced directions are streamed?

 

[Kevin A3 Quattro]

The best way by far is via bluetooth. Get a tune2air module on amazon. Plug it into the ipod dock in your glovebox, connected phone via bluetooth, and stream away.
Amazon product

basically the issue i had:
http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?6011572-car-wont-read-iphone-5-with-extended-USB-cable

 

[AndyParker]

Unfortunately mine has a cd changer rather than an iPod Dock

 

[Joe9695]

yeah mine has neither in the glove box. I think im going to try and get an aux lead installed. Does anyone know how much this costs? And is it easy enough to do myself?

Thanks for all the advice by the way!

 

[Ash187]

yeah mine has neither in the glove box. I think im going to try and get an aux lead installed. Does anyone know how much this costs? And is it easy enough to do myself?

Thanks for all the advice by the way!

what near is your car?

 

[Kevin A3 Quattro]

yeah mine has neither in the glove box. I think im going to try and get an aux lead installed. Does anyone know how much this costs? And is it easy enough to do myself?

Thanks for all the advice by the way!

adding the aux input is a good DIY project

guide:
http://www.gromaudio.com/installs/audi_a3_2008__grom_ipod_adapter_installation.html

and the product $79- :
http://www.gromaudio.com/store/aux_adapters/audi_98-10_aux_auxiliary_ipod_iphone_adapter_kit.html

another option with installation guide as well:
http://www.gtacarkits.com/product/audi-rns-e-2004-2008-iphone-aux-kit/

 

[Joe9695]

what near is your car?

what near? or year? haha 2007

 

[Joe9695]

adding the aux input is a good DIY project

guide:
http://www.gromaudio.com/installs/audi_a3_2008__grom_ipod_adapter_installation.html

and the product $79- :
http://www.gromaudio.com/store/aux_adapters/audi_98-10_aux_auxiliary_ipod_iphone_adapter_kit.html

another option with installation guide as well:
http://www.gtacarkits.com/product/audi-rns-e-2004-2008-iphone-aux-kit/

Ill look into that! Thanks for the advice!

 

[Ash187]

a 2007 car should have a quad lock connector so it will take an AUX or iPod/iPhone connection directly into the back of it.

http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/price-for-aux-in-socket.119848/