Dension icelink>plus & 2001 Audi A6 - killer setup

[sideshowjohn]

Gear:
2001 Audi A6 Avant w/ Bose stereo
40gb iPod, 3G
Dension ice> Link : Plus
audi-ready mounting bracket

I had a pro install the Dension kit in my car. Cost $100 and 1 hour of time.

With the kit I got, you can either use the Dension interface or the native iPod. I like the iPod interface, as Im used to it. Using the Dension means setting up a ton of playlists...and with 40gb of music, that takes a lot of time. I simply put the whole iPod on random.

-Sound quality is fantastic
-Installation is smooth and good looking
-I went with the bracket that bolts in, rather than the one Dension can supply. And its $5 less :)
-I can use the next and previous buttons on the steering wheel, plus volume.
iPod powers up/down with the vehicle, which is slick. And once you set the Dension kit to use the native iPod interface, it stays in that mode.

Pictures here: http://darwinfx.com/audi.a6.ipod/

JC

[jfischetti]

does the icelink plus make the AUDI headunit display the ID3 tags?

I have a 2005 Allroad with a new Symphony II headunit -- they say it will not display the ID3 tags, yet the headunit is capable of displaying Satellite radio tags.

Wierd.

[bhb399mm]

Originally posted by jfischetti
I have a 2005 Allroad with a new Symphony II headunit -- they say it will not display the ID3 tags, yet the headunit is capable of displaying Satellite radio tags.
.

our headunits display RDS tagging but not ID3 tagging. RDS and ID3 use different protocol. Whoever told you the ???link-plus wouldn???t display text on the headunit is probably right. That sucks bigtime, I was thinking about doing the same install but decided against it

[JamesOff]

Ah good, I was thinking of getting the iceLink for my Golf and since Audi and VW are the same company it's looking good... :)

My only concern still is do you retain use of your native CD player? How do you choose between the iPod and the CD player?

[sideshowjohn]

The Dension interface I have plugs into the rear of the head unit (you can also get one that runs from the cd changer). The changer then plugs into the Dension interface. In theory, you could use the changer when the iPod is not in its dock. I will test it out today and let you know.

The stereo in my Audi also has a single in-dash cd, so I havent been too concerned if this works or not. Plus, with 40GB on the iPod, Im not sure Ill ever play a cd in the car :D

Ill get back to you on the changer.

JC

[JamesOff]

Thank you very much :)

I have the 6CD in-dash changer and while I don't suppose I'll have much use for it with the iPod wired up properly, it seems a bit of a waste to disable it entirely.

[sideshowjohn]

The cd changer in the back appears to be disabled.

[JamesOff]

Fair enough, more power to the iPod then :)

[bhb399mm]

Originally posted by JamesOff
Thank you very much :)

I have the 6CD in-dash changer and while I don't suppose I'll have much use for it with the iPod wired up properly, it seems a bit of a waste to disable it entirely.

your in-dash CDC will work as it always has. any external CDCs (for example, in the trunk) will be disabled. The in dash changer is an "all in one" unit meaning there is no connection between the head unit and the changer. external changes hook up to the head unit via a cord and wiring harness. the ice link plugs into the plug where the external cd changer would go.

[JamesOff]

Smashing :D

Time for a birthday present to myself I feel. Any recommendations for places to buy these in the UK? I recently got a case off everythingipod.co.uk and they were a bit slow and ignored my email to customer service (but came though in the end).

(sideshowjohn, apologies for hijacking your thread.)

[mtsfestivus]

I have some questions about the functionality of this item. From what I read, you can only navigate playlists and not by album or artist. Is this true? How many playlists can you navigate through? On Monster's iCruze, you are limited to the number of CD changer controls on your head unit. For example, 6 buttons labeled 1-6 on the head unit will only allow 6 playlists. Also, how quickly can you navigate?

I'd really appreciate it if someone could clear this up for me.

[bhb399mm]

bumb... i'm also interested...

[frido]

You can select the first five Playlists with the buttons for CD 1-5, and you get the "Playlist Browser" with the button for CD Number 6, where you can select every other Playlist (on my NavigationPlus-headunit, you can use the forward-Button to scroll through the list and then you have to hold the button for a second to select a Playlist). You can also select the IceLink´s Setup-Menu with the button for Cd #6.

Hope this helps, feel free to ask any if you have more questions....

Bye, Frido. (IceLink Plus in an 2003 Audi A2 with NavigationPlus/TV/Bose)

[p3dab5]

I also have the Audi/ Bose In-Dash CD changer. How do you access the interface with the external CD changer (where the iPod gets hooked up) since there is no button on the front of the radio?

Also, do playlist names appear on the head unit or do you have to remember what playlist is 1-6, etc.?

[p3dab5]

Also, are any of the features you describe with the Icelink dependant on having the navigation sytem installed? Without navigation, should I be able to achieve similar results?

[bhb399mm]

check your first post....

Originally posted by bhb399mm
sounds like you have the symphonyII head unit.. which is also wired for a CDC in the trunk. the ice link interfaces with the trunk CDC harness. you select cd changer on your head unit to use the icelink

[frido]

I don´t fully understand what you mean by "in-dash-CD-changer"... do you mean the Symphony head-unit (Radio with integrated Cassette and 6-CD-changer) or do you have a head-unit (Concert or chorus) and a seperate in-dash-CD-changer.

The features are not dependent of the Navigation System, the IceLink simulates an Audi CD-Changer, therefore it works with all Audi Head units (NavigationPlus, Symphony, Chorus II and Concert I/II)
On the Symphony, you simply select the external CD Changer and get the input from the IceLink plus.

Unfortunately, no names (neither playlist nor artist/title) are displayed on the Head unit (they would have to be sent over the CAN-Bus, which the IceLink cannot do), so you have to have the iPod in view to navigate Playlists (Buttons 1-5 correspond to the first five playlists).
But on a 3G-iPod (like I have), which I find difficult to control in the car due to the lack of tactile feedback on the buttons, being able to control the iPod from the Head-unit´s buttons is a definitive plus (I had the iPod hooked up to the AUX-Inputs on the TV-Tuner before), even if you don´t have the steering wheel controls...

Pictures of the setup (and the title display) can be seen here:

http://homepage.mac.com/frido/a2/icelink/icelink1.jpg
http://homepage.mac.com/frido/a2/icelink/icelink2.jpg

Bye, Frido.

[bhb399mm]

Originally posted by frido
I don´t fully understand what you mean by "in-dash-CD-changer"... do you mean the Symphony head-unit (Radio with integrated Cassette and 6-CD-changer) or do you have a head-unit (Concert or chorus) and a seperate in-dash-CD-changer.


he has neither of those.... symphony I didnt have an in-dash changer... symphony II does.

SYM-I
http://www.ibiblio.org/tkan/audi/radios/symphony.jpg

SYM-II
http://www.ibiblio.org/tkan/audi/radios/symphony2.jpg

Concert and Concert II... TT OEM... doesnt have an indash changer either
http://www.ibiblio.org/tkan/audi/radios/concert2.jpg

[p3dab5]

I defintly have the Symphony II based on the above pictures (very helpful links, thanks!). Thanks for all the information! To summarize, I hook up the Icelink to the existing (yet currently unused) CD Changer wiring in the trunk and then enable the CD changer on the headunit (I'm a little shaky on this part, is this done through a hidden menu somewhere?).

I once connected, I should be able to access play lists via the headunit controls OR by simply selecting a playlist, song, artist, etc directly on the iPod itself. Right? :-)

Thanks again!!! You guys made me feel much better about this purchase.

[frido]

To enable the CD Changer on the Symphony, you might have to go to your dealer or do it yourself with a Laptop and the VAG-Com-Software and the cable that goes with it. But most dealers will do it. (tha radio has to be told that a CD changer is present).
You can select artist/song/etc on the iPod, but to do taht, you first have to enable the iPod UI Mode on the IceLink, in the normal mode the iPod-UI is disabled...(but that´s all covered in the IceLink Manual)

Bye, Frido.

[bhb399mm]

Originally posted by frido
To enable the CD Changer on the Symphony, you might have to go to your dealer or do it yourself with a Laptop and the VAG-Com-Software

na.... once there is something plugged into the cd changer harness in the truth the symII will know its there. no need to take to a dealer or anything.

[p3dab5]

That sounds pretty straight forward! Thanks again!

[frido]

Sorry, my mistake, I thought maybe the Symphony needed to be told that the changer is there... but maybe I confused it with the Bose-setting or something other....

bye, Frido.

[bhb399mm]

its all good.. no worries.... the SymII does need to be told, but its automatic. when the head unit detects a connection, it automatically adds cd changer to one of your options