Quick MDI question

[Miles Away]

Apologies in advance for the rookie question.

I got the MDI fitted by the dealer before I purchased the car, works a treat and looks fine but I seem to be having a problem with the balance through the MDI, the sound is crystal clear when I play tracks from CD but when I go to play the same songs through my ipod the vocals are almost completely non-existent...Anyone good with this stuff know if its fixable?

[GTI JOE]

Definitely seems like a connection issue. Take it back to the dealer and ask them to re-check the MDI connector and that the pins are correct and making contact. I had a similar problem when I installed an iPod module to my C4, it was found that one of the pins was incorrectly crimped to the connector block.

[Gladiator]

I got the MDI fitted by the dealer before I purchased the car

Hey Miles Away, how much did the MDI cost? Also another question, can't you just use the function that comes standard with the GTI to hook up your ipod? (forgot what it's called)

[RoknRob]

The Media Device Interface is NOT standard on the GTI, but comes with the Audio package. If you want the iPod to function through the RCD 510 touch-screen radio/cd player/sd card reader/ MDI I believe you need an iPod cable, which is a sold separately.

On another note, I'm angry that the radio will NOT play music downloaded from the Apple store or imported from a CD via iTunes as "Apple Lossless". But I don't know who to be angry with... VW, Apple or both... Aargh! Got to re-import (or convert) a large selection of CDs into a standard format. Aargh!!

[themmc]

What do you mean exactly RoknRob? Do you mean it won't play it via an iPod or on an SD card?

[gavs]

Hey Miles Away, how much did the MDI cost? Also another question, can't you just use the function that comes standard with the GTI to hook up your ipod? (forgot what it's called)

Do you mean the aux in jack mounted below the HVAC controls in front of the gear selector? That should work but it kind of removes the point of the MDI, the AUX in is basically a headphone jack. MDI gives you integration and functionality.

[RoknRob]

What do you mean exactly RoknRob? Do you mean it won't play it via an iPod or on an SD card?

That's exactly what I mean. I bet if I had a data cd with those files it would be the same problem. The weird thing OS it is not all my files, but a lot of my recent ones.

Another possible solution is to buy a Bluetooth module and stream the files from my phone. That's not gonna happen for a while for me...

[Smacca]

On another note, I'm angry that the radio will NOT play music downloaded from the Apple store or imported from a CD via iTunes as "Apple Lossless".

This is not good at all! The only reason I opted for the audio package was for complete iPhone/iPod integration. I just want to "plug and play" and forget... I'll be watching this space with interest....

[RoknRob]

I think that will be different. If your iPod is connected through their proprietary cable, your iPod will be doing the decoding, so all iTunes files should work.

I think...

I don't own an iPod, nor a special cable, so I can't confirm. I was glad you could get that iPod functionality with a cheap SD card or USB stick, instead. Not as easy as I had hoped...

[Smacca]

I think that will be different. If your iPod is connected through their proprietary cable, your iPod will be doing the decoding, so all iTunes files should work.

Oh, you're referring to the SD card slot. Yeah that is a shame. I imagine the RCD510 only likes the usual MP3/WMA files types.

[RoknRob]

Not just the SD card slot, but also the USB port (into which your iPod cable can be plugged in, but which I use with a memory stick.)

It plays mp3, email, but also AAC, Ogg Vorbis. Clearly it plays some,but not all m4a.

[RoknRob]

Bloody auto correct... I meant wma, not email!

Wish I could edit the post, but not easy on a phone...

[gavs]

Bloody auto correct... I meant wma, not email!

Fail number 2 for auto correct!! :D:D

[Drooberius]

I get slight 'balance' issues as well... sometimes a song coming from left then right - but it's not a biggie for me. My main grief is that the iPod resets the next morning. I press the 'media' button on my 310 and it doesn't pick up from the last song, it plays the first song on the iPod's playlist (I'm really getting sick now of A-Team by Ed Sheeran). Or is this normal?

[alexaescht]

(I'm really getting sick now of A-Team by Ed Sheeran). Or is this normal?

Hahaha always get the same song too :)

[j123]

I get slight 'balance' issues as well... sometimes a song coming from left then right - but it's not a biggie for me. My main grief is that the iPod resets the next morning. I press the 'media' button on my 310 and it doesn't pick up from the last song, it plays the first song on the iPod's playlist (I'm really getting sick now of A-Team by Ed Sheeran). Or is this normal?

My RCD510 does this also. I've already accepted it as a characteristic glitch of the unit. I've also accepted that I will forever have to listen to A Punk by the Vampire Weekend upon start up.

[Drooberius]

Hahaha always get the same song too :)


My RCD510 does this also. I've already accepted it as a characteristic glitch of the unit. I've also accepted that I will forever have to listen to A Punk by the Vampire Weekend upon start up.

Aaah... i realise what's happening now... the iPod remains 'on' when connected to the MDI cable - thus the battery eventually runs out, and the device re-initializes; playing the first song. Hunting around for a fix...

[alexaescht]

Aaah... i realise what's happening now... the iPod remains 'on' when connected to the MDI cable - thus the battery eventually runs out, and the device re-initializes; playing the first song. Hunting around for a fix...

Possibly, but I don't think that's what's doing it. Any standard iPod (i.e not an iPhone/iPad/iPod touch) goes into a 'sleep' mode after a few minutes of inactivity, allowing it to go right back to where it was as soon as a button is pressed/connected to power.
On top of that, after a few hours the iPod goes into a 'shutdown' state, where a press of a button or a connection to power makes it have to start up again from scratch.

That's why if the radio is turned off for a few minutes and back on again the song starts where you left off, but if its off for a few hours/overnight it doesn't.

[Drooberius]

Possibly, but I don't think that's what's doing it. Any standard iPod (i.e not an iPhone/iPad/iPod touch) goes into a 'sleep' mode after a few minutes of inactivity, allowing it to go right back to where it was as soon as a button is pressed/connected to power.
On top of that, after a few hours the iPod goes into a 'shutdown' state, where a press of a button or a connection to power makes it have to start up again from scratch.

That's why if the radio is turned off for a few minutes and back on again the song starts where you left off, but if its off for a few hours/overnight it doesn't.

After much investigation and going through volkswagen.de software updates (and extensive use of google translate) I have come to the conclusion that we have to suck it on this one. As you say waking an iPod from 'deep sleep' resets the bugger and thus you can't resume from last played song.

[TSI_Dan]

...A Punk by the Vampire Weekend...
Mine too! :P