Mk7 iPod Compatibility (MDI, Bluetooth etc)

[stedes]

Yes you are correct there. But if you want charging as well you'll need the cable above. But I cannot express how disappointed I am that VW can't incorporate the song selections on to the screen. Many other manufacturers have it.

Hi Steve. I understand your disapointment but I must disagree with you. You, in fact do not need the particular Y-cable. You can use your standard Apple USB to iPod cable to charge it and a separate 3.5mm mini-jack cable for the audio connection. There is no need for the Y cable from BMW or any other manufacturer.

Without knowing first hand, I suspect VW Australia chose to offer the USB/Aux-In interface instead of the Media-In for a number of reasons. I had a Media In interface some years ago in a Golf Mk5. Apart from needing a separate cable for each of your devices (iPod, USB etc), the cables were expensive and especially the Apple cable did not work with all devices properly (i.e. for me it did work with an iPod Classic but not my iPhone 3GS or 4). If you look at European fora at the moment, you will find that people are also having compatibility problems with the Mk7 Media-In interface and especially with the iPhone 5 and 5S needing newer versions of the cable etc. I know from first hand experience that BMW experienced similar problems with their USB interface in the E90 series when the iPhone 5 came out.

Also you need to remember that a lot of people don't have iPhones or iPods and for them the easiest way to connect a device is a (very cheap and ubiquitous) 3.5mm cable. Yes, you lose the ability to control the device on the touchscreen of the car but if that's really important to you then you can have that using an SD card instead. The SD card will also work faster. That way you also have the USB port free to charge your mobile phone and also take advantage of the inductive phone aerial that works in the little cubby in front of the gearshift knob. Failing that I'm sure that in a few months we will see someone will have swapped the USB/AuxIn interface with the Media In with not a lot of difficulty.

[readerr0r]

The Y-cable is a much neater solution though, and its good to know if works for people wanting something more streamlined.

Don't forget that if your ipod has bluetooth you can connect it up for titles and play/pause/prev/next

[Jimi]

Can you put playlists on the SD card? .m3u files or whatever they are?

[steve2209]

Hi Steve. I understand your disapointment but I must disagree with you. You, in fact do not need the particular Y-cable. You can use your standard Apple USB to iPod cable to charge it and a separate 3.5mm mini-jack cable for the audio connection. There is no need for the Y cable from BMW or any other manufacturer.

Without knowing first hand, I suspect VW Australia chose to offer the USB/Aux-In interface instead of the Media-In for a number of reasons. I had a Media In interface some years ago in a Golf Mk5. Apart from needing a separate cable for each of your devices (iPod, USB etc), the cables were expensive and especially the Apple cable did not work with all devices properly (i.e. for me it did work with an iPod Classic but not my iPhone 3GS or 4). If you look at European fora at the moment, you will find that people are also having compatibility problems with the Mk7 Media-In interface and especially with the iPhone 5 and 5S needing newer versions of the cable etc. I know from first hand experience that BMW experienced similar problems with their USB interface in the E90 series when the iPhone 5 came out.

Also you need to remember that a lot of people don't have iPhones or iPods and for them the easiest way to connect a device is a (very cheap and ubiquitous) 3.5mm cable. Yes, you lose the ability to control the device on the touchscreen of the car but if that's really important to you then you can have that using an SD card instead. The SD card will also work faster. That way you also have the USB port free to charge your mobile phone and also take advantage of the inductive phone aerial that works in the little cubby in front of the gearshift knob. Failing that I'm sure that in a few months we will see someone will have swapped the USB/AuxIn interface with the Media In with not a lot of difficulty.

Thanks stedes. I'm coming from the perspective of a current BMW X3 with the premium sound package so I was expecting something similar. I'll play around with the SD card option when I pick the car up but I don't like the smaller capacity of the cards as I don't play compressed music so I need the space. I guess you can't have everything.

[ihawk]

Can you put playlists on the SD card? .m3u files or whatever they are?

From what I can tell so far the system doesn't know what to do with any file that's not a music file. So m3u is a no. I've grouped songs into folders as a workaround

[stedes]

Thanks stedes. I'm coming from the perspective of a current BMW X3 with the premium sound package so I was expecting something similar. I'll play around with the SD card option when I pick the car up but I don't like the smaller capacity of the cards as I don't play compressed music so I need the space. I guess you can't have everything.

I understand your pain and when dealing with such premium brands one does expect to have everything.

Something that may be of interest although I'm not sure whether it applies here. I was looking around to find an online manual for the Discover Media system (which will be in my car when it arrives in May). Although I haven't found that, I was able to find a pdf of the owner's manual for the Skoda Amundsen system which looks like it is similar to the Discover (Columbus being similar to Discover Pro etc). The manual for the Amundsen clearly states the devices the USB input will recognise and also the file types the system will play...





So if this is indeed similar to the Discover Media then you should be able to have 1TB SD card with FLAC files on it. Thus solving your problem of lossless.

[zardoz]

I have tested flac files on a Discover Media and confirm that it's a no go unfortunately. Confused as to why the USB volumes can't be NTFS yet the SD cards can. Have seen several reports of flac files working on the Discover Pro.. so perhaps it's a firmware thing with the particular unit I was testing.

[AdamD]

Hi all, I started a thread a couple of days ago regarding the BMW Ipod Y cable and was going to discuss my success (or lack of) with it but now the post is closed and I can't get into it. Why is that?

Your thread was merged with this one, as the topic is broadly the same, and having many threads with similar/overlapping content makes it difficult for people to search and find content. Your post is here (a couple of pages back), and a redirect remains in place on the Mk7 main page.

[Alex31]

Has anybody done the ISO 7.1 update that just came out??
It has some carplay feature.
Wonder if this will give us full integration finally


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[stedes]

Has anybody done the ISO 7.1 update that just came out??
It has some carplay feature.
Wonder if this will give us full integration finally


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sorry mate. Looks like VW isn't one of the brands mentioned...

http://www.apple.com/ios/carplay/

[readerr0r]

When VW finally put the Discover Pro in the Golf 7, this is how it'll work...

I've just tested a Octavia RS with the Columbus/Discover Pro (standard) with an iPhone 4 plugged into the USB port using a normal 30-pin sync cable and it worked flawlessly. Album artwork, Apple Lossless (ALAC) support and full track selection (Playlists, Artists etc.). The smoothness of the system is phenomenal, none of the delays as with the old rns510 + MDI or the Discover Nav. Voice operation also works, fantastic system...

[steve2209]

When VW finally put the Discover Pro in the Golf 7, this is how it'll work...

I've just tested a Octavia RS with the Columbus/Discover Pro (standard) with an iPhone 4 plugged into the USB port using a normal 30-pin sync cable and it worked flawlessly. Album artwork, Apple Lossless (ALAC) support and full track selection (Playlists, Artists etc.). The smoothness of the system is phenomenal, none of the delays as with the old rns510 + MDI or the Discover Nav. Voice operation also works, fantastic system...

OK, now I am really pissed. I picked up my car last week (103TSI Highline in black with all options) and I must admit I love it BUT..........this Discover Pro is exactly what I am looking for in functionality. Why doesn't VW at least make this optional on the Golf? I was doing ok until I saw this post. Such is life.........

[Benmac]

Should have got a Skoda Elegance


"courtesy of iPhone using Tapatalk"

[Brendan_A]

Why? I'll stick with my GTI thanks:

[Benmac]

Then don't be "pissed". It is after all just a media system in an inherently compromised acoustic environment. Having said that it is a cruel joke that VW Australia decides to allow its lesser brand to carry the above when a GTI and also apparently the new Golf R cannot even spec it as an option in Australia.