dpm_dpmartin Posted August 11, 2009 Report Share Posted August 11, 2009 (edited) Hello all, For those with AMI in their A4s, who were provided with two cables - an iPod one and a USB device one... can you let me know (I can assume, but it's always worth checking) what the USB end looks like, from these? http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/USB_types_2.jpg Is it the second one along from the left? I hope so, as that's what most of those external USB-powered 2.5" HDDs use, isn't it? Certainly my Western Digital My Passport does. Also... is the end that goes into the car side a totally proprietary connection, or is it USB too? Possibly of the type at the far right of that image? EDIT - an extra question... with RNS-E systems, I believed there was a 400 Track limit for the SD cards used. With MMI 3G I had read there was a 4,000 Track limit with the SD cards. And - had I read? - that there was "enough space for 10,000 Tracks" on the built-in HDD - so I'm assuming (correctly?) that there is no enforceable Track number limit on the external HDDs? Does anyone have experience of this? Just asking, as these have lot of capacity now and there'll only be more. Cheers, DpM Edited August 11, 2009 by dpm_dpmartin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Posted August 11, 2009 Report Share Posted August 11, 2009 The car end of the AMI is not USB. I don't believe it's proprietary to Audi but it's definitely something I've come across before. The other end of the USB cable is a standard socket. i.e. the furthest right pic e.g. a USB stick plugs straight in. You may have to plug a USB to mini USB cable in for other types of device. I'm not sure of the limits. However on the latest cars with SDHC slots I've heard that they can cope with 32Gb cards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpm_dpmartin Posted August 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2009 You may have to plug a USB to mini USB cable in for other types of device. Thanks. Sounds like it; initially. Or maybe there is yet another cable I can buy. But - furthest to the right is a plug, as opposed to a socket, no? If the end of the Audi cable actually has the second from the right (socket) then the HDD cable will fit into that. And USB sticks would go straight in - as you say - so I'm assuming it must be second from right? Don't want to try and correct you, as you already have it and I dont... ;-) but does that sound right? Cheers, DpM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Posted August 11, 2009 Report Share Posted August 11, 2009 You're correct. It's just a bit neater than that one in the pic Yep it's a standard USB socket on the non-car end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanHo Posted August 11, 2009 Report Share Posted August 11, 2009 I'm not sure of the limits. However on the latest cars with SDHC slots I've heard that they can cope with 32Gb cards. Hi Scotty yes this is correct at least on MMI 3G 32GB SD cards (class 4 or higher recommended) do work. I have a single 16GB card on mine (32GB still a bit pricey) and this works with no issues. I have my music ripped to WMA (192 Kbps) which works fine. From the manual USB Mass Storage & Memory cards 4000 files in total and max 1000 files per directory. Metadata is also read fine once you turn it on in MMI as it is disabled by default... Also the jukebox (HDD) has a 3000 file limit according to the manual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpm_dpmartin Posted August 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2009 Hmm... so a Track limit exists with the SD cards. A Track limit exists with the 10GB - 12GB usable internal HDD space. Does anyone know if a Track limit exists with an external USB-powered HDD plugged into the AMI? I'm assuming that large capacity iPods suffer from no such limit when they are plugged into the AMI? Good for iPod users... but I hope never to have to touch one of them personally. USB-powered HDDs are "USB Mass Storage" devices too... can't imagine a 160GB HDD being limted to 4,000 Tracks. The metadata comment is interesting... anyone ever seen any Album Covers? I don't believe it does that - but it'd be real nice if it did. Cheers, DpM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PetrolDave Posted August 12, 2009 Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 .. can't imagine a 160GB HDD being limted to 4,000 Tracks. It would be "par for the course" if Audi imposed a stupidly low track limit... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpm_dpmartin Posted August 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 I found this page very interesting... Audi UK > New Cars > Audi Technology > Electronics > MP3 Player Integration > Audi Music Interface > FAQ USB ...it answers a few of my questions, especially relating to metadata images. The answer is "no". However, also relating to the cable question, it mentions part 4F0 051 510 H which is an AMI to mini-USB cable, as opposed to 'extending' the cabling from, say, an external HDD with mini-USB on one end and normal sized USB on the other going into the AMI cable socket. Checking on the price of this now... this would, obviously, be a much more suitable cable for me. I wonder if I can ask for this instead of the iPod connector. Saw this US site, from an initial Googling, http://audi.bernardiparts.com/Products/Audi-Mini-USB-Cable-(A6--A8--Q7--S5--S6-and-S8)__4F0-051-510-H.aspx which doesn't mention A4, but I guess that's just a mistake. eBay options too... A pity FLACs are not supported. Cheers, DpM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpm_dpmartin Posted August 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 OK... Had confirmation from Audi... people getting AMI are entitled to two leads - and you can choose; you don't have to take the default pair (which probably includes the iPod cable). Audi have confirmed they've "made a note in my file", oo-er!, that I want normal USB and mini-USB. So I should be able to go AMI straight to 2.5" USB-powered HDD... without connectors or extensions. I also had it confirmed that the Track limit amounts on SD cards and internal HDD are correct - but that externally attached devices have no Track limits. I knew there was a reason I wanted AMI! I actually was starting to wonder if I would need it with these SD cards and the 10GB - 12GB space on the internal HDD... now I know that I do. Pretty cool. Cheers, DpM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanHo Posted August 12, 2009 Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 That's intresting I thought I had read somewhere you should get 2 leads, guess how many I got - a big fat 0! Another call to the dealer me thinks... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpm_dpmartin Posted August 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 Two leads, yes, and - more importantly - a choice of the two leads that you want. It states this in the brochure... page 52. Otherwise, if they gave you no leads, what do they expect you are going to plug into it? Cheers, DpM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Posted August 12, 2009 Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 Interesting! I had to ask for the cables as they weren't in the car and I got given a plastic pack with the two default ones in. I'm really surprised you can choose! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpm_dpmartin Posted August 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 Quote from Audi... That’s fine – you are entitled to 2 leads so we will supply the mini USB and the regular USB for you.I’ll make a note in your file. Just hope it all works out now. Cheers, DpM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Posted August 13, 2009 Report Share Posted August 13, 2009 I actually think that hanging a standard convertor off the end of the default USB cable is fine. Could it be they're just trying to sell people more cables? The reason I say this is I plugged my phone cable into the USB cable and streamed music off it perfectly well. I'm sure there's some technical reason why you shouldn't ($$$) but it worked fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpm_dpmartin Posted August 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2009 I am 100% positive it will work fine... but why bother having a converter / extra cable if you don't need to, and Audi are supposed to provide you with the cables you want with the AMI anyway? Why not just get the cable you want to use instead? I know I'll never buy an iPod, so I have no use for the iPod cable. Cheers, DpM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Posted August 13, 2009 Report Share Posted August 13, 2009 Totally agree. p.s. I never wanted an iPod until I was given one by the company as a Christmas present. They're quite good really Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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