[Audi A3/S3] A3 OEM iPod Kit

[ahaydock]

I'm certain this has been covered but I cannot find the post. Basically I have been offered (what I think) is a good price for the Audi OEM iPod kit, but do not know much about it and was wondering whether someone could explain it please? What so people who have it think?

I assume it goes it the glovebox?

Can you skip through all the albums?

Can you select playists?

Or does it only have limited control, i.e. you still need to select what you want on the iPod first?

TIA.

[edo]

I understand you can skip through everything, but it doesnt display track names etc. I'll let you know in a week what it is like...

[Tunbridge]

It's Explained a bit better here

I have the Dension Ice Link Plus which gives you more flexability than the Audi OME unit. It's the one I would recommend and if you have the iPod easily accessable it doesn't matter that you can't see track names on the head unit.

Check out the link in my sig for more info...

[d3fy]

Its as good as any other including Dension. The big draw back is that you can't see track info, and you end up scroll though loads of tracks, well I do as I have the MFSW. What about,

http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/showthread.php?t=32846

[Tunbridge]

[ QUOTE ]

Its as good as any other including Dension

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I would have to disagree with that. The dension has alot more features than the Audi OME unit (despite the fact they are both made by dension). The thing that sold it for me was the fact that you can access the iPod UI which makes life much easier IMO.

If you check out the dension web site you can download the instruction book and that gives you all the features and functions.

Gets my vote.

[ahaydock]

Thanks guys, looks like I need to look into this further...

[PetrolDave]

The big advantage of the Dension kit is that when you select CD6 (all tracks on iPod) the iPod controls are active - with the Audi kit the iPod controls are always inhibited.

[ahaydock]

For example how do I scrol through albums then? I realise I wont be able to see any names bit just wondered. Then once I have found the album I want how can I skip the tracks?

[Tunbridge]

You can't on the OME kit. You can only get your first 5 playlists (buttons 1-5 on the HU) and button 6 accesses all the songs in order.

[ahaydock]

Thanks guys. I quite like the look of the Harmon-Kardon one and at £99 fitted I dont think that is too bad. I realse it is an extra screen but what are peoples thoughts on these?

[d3fy]

Its a nice advertisement for some chav to break your windows to have a closer look.

[Tunbridge]

[ QUOTE ]

Its a nice advertisement for some chav to break your windows to have a closer look.

[/ QUOTE ]

Agreed, plus I've never been a fan of non OME extras 'stuck' on the dash.

On the other hand it is a good system....just a shame Audi can't come up with something similar.

I think the A8 & A6 have a decent system that you can add the Dension Gateway interfaces onto and get all the track listings on the dashboard screen. No doubt the technology will filter down to the A3 eventually but in the mean time we will just have to make do with whats available.

[fingermouse]

what about a fmcup from mcally it won the gadget show review the other night

[PetrolDave]

Anything that transmits the iPod audio via FM will restrict the frequency response and will not give the same bass and treble response as a direct wired connection.

[JamieSelway]

I figured I'd get an IPOD and link it to a iTrip (or similar) rather than get a CD changer when I ordered my A3. I then tried an iTrip from a friend and was disappointed, you'd get as good sound out of an old tape converter IMO.

Then I found, on this very site, news of the IPOD adapter, and I got the stealers to fit it when they PDId my car. Cost a bit (£180 IIRC) but I reckon it's the dog's, compared to what I was contemplating! And for the ease of having someone fit it, it's not a bad price.

[Tunbridge]

Yeah I agree. I had an iTrip but only ever used it once and then went straight out and ordered a Dension kit.

It depends on what you want really, an iTrip will work OK but the quality is a disapointment IMO (but I am quite anal when it comes to sound)

I've heard plenty of people defending FM transmitters but they aren't for me.

[JonnyTDI]

I had the A3 OEM kit, and for the money thought it was ... not so hot.

This is what I have now :

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-20GB-VW-Audi-P...VQQcmdZViewItem

and does all the things that I want ...

Go through "Artist" or "Album" or "Genre", when selected the Artist you can then go through the albums - and it talks to you in either a Lady voice or a Man voice

The other thing is ... you put all your stuff on it, and it stays in the car.

Still food for thought and each to their own.

[iceman2002_uk]

The audi kit displays track names on radio's that can support it RNS-D / RNS-E / Concert 3 and Symphony 3

[Jamiekip]

Iceman - my car has OEM ipod kit and Symphony 3 Or 2+ whatever they call it and it doesnt show track names.... something i'm missing???

[Tunbridge]

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The audi kit displays track names on radio's that can support it RNS-D / RNS-E / Concert 3 and Symphony 3

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm almost certain it doesn't...

[PetrolDave]

[ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]

The audi kit displays track names on radio's that can support it RNS-D / RNS-E / Concert 3 and Symphony 3

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I'm almost certain it doesn't...

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I'm 100% certain it doesn't on RNS-D and RNS-E ... and since the Concert 3 and Symphony 3 still have the old Audi CD changer interface (that doesn't support CD text) then I'm 99.9999% certain it doesn't on them either.

[DigimeisTTer]

I have sat nav+ with i-pod prep and the interface is absolute rubbish! No track listing or names just track numbers, the sound quality is good. The only way i can get track listings is to use the 2x 4gb memory cards that fit in the slots behind the screen - NOT IMPRESSED!

[iceman2002_uk]

the dealer told me only gen 3 stereos and the rns-d and e displayed track names..... sounds like they fibbed then doesnt it....i'm using it with a concert 2 so its only numbers anyway for me!

[GrahamSmith]

I have just been on the Audi of America website where they say this about the Ipod -

The iPod compatibility is connected via the CD changer controls and is therefore identified by the radio or navigation system as a CD changer. iPod tracks are consequently controlled in the same way as operating a CD changer, via the buttons on the radio or navigation system plus with MMI operating logic. It is not possible to operate a CD changer and iPod adapter simultaneously, because they both use the same connection on the radio.

Existing playlists on the iPod are identified as CDs and displayed as CD1-CD5 in the changer controls. All tracks stored on the iPod are identified as CD6. The iPod compatibility is unable to process information stored on the iPod for the artist, track, album and genre.

The current playlist, the track currently playing and the playing time of the track appear in the display of the radio or navigation system plus with MMI operating logic.

So as far as it goes, Track names are definately NOT available.

(I also happen to be a little Pi**ed at the fact that a full spec S-Line 3.2 S-Tronic is less than £20k, having just paid nearly £30k for a lessor Spec 2.0 TFSI in the UK. Obviously, shipping from Germany to the UK is very expensive while the USA is so much closer.....isn't it??)

[normski]

[ QUOTE ]

the dealer told me only gen 3 stereos and the rns-d and e displayed track names..... sounds like they fibbed then doesnt it....i'm using it with a concert 2 so its only numbers anyway for me!

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They didn't fib cuz they do, just not via the CD changer input, only off discs/mem cards.