MDI niggles

[Karlosovic]

I have a genuine Honda iPod controller for my iPod in my Accord Euro, and it does the same things. I use an iPod Classic 6.5 gen (current model, 120G HDD), and if it's been powered down for some time - perhaps 2 days or more - it takes a long time to wake up; by the time it becomes responsive, the Honda controller reports an error about the device.

To get around this, I always switch to tuner mode before I turn the car off, so when I start the car again, it's not trying to read from the iPod immediately.

As for the stuttering/pausing, I have that from time to time as well, and have attributed it to the iPod disk spinning up, seeking and buffering the track. Sometimes the iPod becomes unresponsive as well, and needs hard-rebooting followed by playback with headphones inserted before it'll play music. Bloody annoying.

I have the same iPod as you
Having had it for a year or so now - and having had other mp3 players before it (like the Creative Zen),
I have reached the following conclusion:

iPod is rubbish

I now refer to any apple products as 'handbags' since they're just designer gadgets rather than proper tech

If you're having issues with the MDI / iPod - I'd look at the iPod

Incidentally, my work vehicle (Hyundai i30 - yeh, I know) also supports USB devices like iPod.
I don't yet have my new GTI (within a month now I hope) so I haven't tested the MDI, but the iPod interface on the Hyundai is awful.
Rather... the iPod isn't set up to be used the way the Hyundai wants to use it - which is just simple Folder/File names rather than ID3 tags
I think if I put music on my iPod with Winamp rather than iTunes (which I hate anyway) it would alleviate this problem as I could use sensible file names and a sensible directory structure, rather than the totally meaningless system that iTunes uses.
But it's easier to just load a 4GB usb stick with songs and whack it in. I don't have to manually shut down the iPod then either

[G-rig]

It's not the iPod otherwise it would do it when listening to headphones.

Which other players have 80-160Gb? There weren't any for ages.

[Maverick]

It's not the iPod otherwise it would do it when listening to headphones.

Which other players have 80-160Gb? There weren't any for ages.

The ipod interface that you use when listening to it standalone is different to the ipod interface that VW have to interface to. Apple put a heap of restrictions on what can and can't be controlled via the interface and limit the data that is sent to the head unit. Apple also change these restrictions at times when can cause problems with headunits etc that used to work fine. Especially with the video out of the ipods this has been very problematical with Apple changing the specs a number of times.

Apple used to make a big thing about sticking it to the man (IBM) and ran quite a few ads along this time. Steve Jobs should look in the mirror because Apple has become everything they claimed they were not and then some. Their locked in hardware, poorly implemented features (to entice uses to the new model in 12 months), slow development and lacklustre development staff are only matched by the fanbois that rush out to buy the latest hardware just because it has the Apple logo. This isn't about bashing Apple but pointing out that Apple are a company that limit access to their hardware, make frequent changes without any notice, will do anything to capitalise on their captive audience and try to make out that they are an innovative company when they're not.

A 320gb 2.5" external hard will run from the MDI and costs around $50. It works without any of the problems of the ipod nor are you locked in to itunes and all the drm etc. The solution for the ipod problem is there but it requires you to make the move.

[G-rig]

A 320gb 2.5" external hard will run from the MDI and costs around $50. It works without any of the problems of the ipod nor are you locked in to itunes and all the drm etc. The solution for the ipod problem is there but it requires you to make the move.

There are only two problems with that plan. MP3 isn't gapless and mp3 are limited to 320kbps. Normally speaking would be good enough for portable/car use but may defeat the point of upgrading the stereo.

Anyway it worked properly with the previous MDI that we installed so my bet is that the new VW firmware has stuffed it up and would be worth reverting back to the previous version if possible as it works flawlessly before (same ipod too 5.5G & same 3G iphone).

Apple is fking annoying and itunes even moreso , will eventually do away with both. Just like when they changed to 5V and a lot of head units or chargers wouldn't charge the iphone.

All my music is flac and can convert it to whatever format i want using dBpowerAMP music & batch converter.

If people are entitled to complain about small rattles then i can for this LOL. VW owners are fussy people.

[hooba]

A 320gb 2.5" external hard will run from the MDI and costs around $50. It works without any of the problems of the ipod nor are you locked in to itunes and all the drm etc. The solution for the ipod problem is there but it requires you to make the move.

I'd be interested to see how long an external hdd would last in car with all of the associated vibrations and bumps. The tolerances that the moving parts are built to are no where near as robust as USB memory, however we should see the price / storage equation improve significantly in the next 12 months.

[Corey_R]

well, in all fairness, G-Rig's ipod has a hard drive in it as well (albeit 1.8" rather than 2.5")

[REXman]

Is it just me or does the Iphone sound crap through MDI :|

It crackles sometimes, does anyone else have this?? :| It also skip like im playing a scratched cd.. hopeless! lol

Should i bother going back to the dealer?? or is this just normal??

Considering how much all this stuff costs.. Definitely not normal. But thats just me. No way I could be pleased with a $110 cable and $270 PLUG, giving me distorted crackling sound? No. Definitely no.

[G-rig]

Considering how much all this stuff costs.. Definitely not normal. But thats just me. No way I could be pleased with a $110 cable and $270 PLUG, giving me distorted crackling sound? No. Definitely no.

It's obviously not meant to be like that and sounds like a faulty cable (and he may have had it replaecd already). The sound is quite good, better than the SD or HDD.

[Corey_R]

Or maybe he has the input sensitivity set incorrectly

[G-rig]

Or maybe he has the input sensitivity set incorrectly

Yeah i've found it's best set on LOW.

[Maverick]

There are only two problems with that plan. MP3 isn't gapless and mp3 are limited to 320kbps. Normally speaking would be good enough for portable/car use but may defeat the point of upgrading the stereo.

Easy fix. Record one big MP3 file and you'll have your gapless playback!

And if you upgrade you stereo you won't be using the MDI anymore so problem solved!

Anyway it worked properly with the previous MDI that we installed so my bet is that the new VW firmware has stuffed it up and would be worth reverting back to the previous version if possible as it works flawlessly before (same ipod too 5.5G & same 3G iphone).

I'd put money on it being the head unit.

Apple is fking annoying and itunes even moreso , will eventually do away with both. Just like when they changed to 5V and a lot of head units or chargers wouldn't charge the iphone.

Android FTW

If people are entitled to complain about small rattles then i can for this LOL. VW owners are fussy people.

[Maverick]

I'd be interested to see how long an external hdd would last in car with all of the associated vibrations and bumps. The tolerances that the moving parts are built to are no where near as robust as USB memory, however we should see the price / storage equation improve significantly in the next 12 months.

If it's mounted correctly, and remembering that 2.5" hard drives have tolerance for movement and a reasonable sized cache it should last for a long long time. $50 get's you 2-3 years warranty as well so it's a lot cheaper than buying an iturd. Alternatively 64GB USB flash storage is cheap and 128GB is coming down in price.

[G-rig]

Could well be this new version of RCD510 (with the AM/FM buttons, last one was fine), bit of a gamble to buy an RNS510 though if it doesn't fix the problem. Anyway can always listen to cds i guess once the speakers and amps are in.

[Frankenstrat]

I don't have the MDI, so I can't test anything, but if the files are actually tagged properly, will it display the file name or the MP3 ID Title?
If it displays the title, but still uses the file name as the order, that would resolve your issue perfectly.

I'll need to get back to you on that one, Coreying. The USB-drive is currently at home and I'm not.

[ozgti]

Does anyone know if there is a way to set the iPod playback to playlist not songs as a default? It's starting to irk me having to go backwards and search my playlists!