Problem with iPod input

[George H]

I took my Polo into the VW garage in Blackburn (for the 7th or 8th time) with a seemingly never-ending problem with the MDI unit. When my iPod is plugged in through the MDI input in the glovebox, it just crackles over the music really loudly. When the iPod is plugged into the 3.5mm aux in socket in the centre console, it works perfectly.

It has already had a new MDI unit, new cables, all the wiring checked and a few other new things that I can't remember off the top of my head.

Today the dealer rang me to say it's all sorted and I can go and pick it up, which unfortunately I haven't had time to do today, but when I asked what the problem was, he said it was the bass that was set too high. It was set at about half way to maximum, and the iPod plays perfectly fine through the aux in socket. I'm a bit dubious to believe him because of all the bks he has said before, and something just doesn't seem to tie up that they only discovered it's the bass settings after fitting all the new bits and pieces.

So, would the bass settings on an audio system make the iPod crackle through one input, but not the other?

If it does, it really begs the question why any car manufacturer would give you the option to turn it up beyond the limits of the speakers.

[daydotz]

i prefer the usb memory stick option myself

my aux crackles if its to loud on the device or the input level in the setup menu i guess the eq an base of the device will also effect this as well as the settings on the stereo in my expreience

ive not really used iphones ios4 and ipod touchs ios4 but when i have they do crackle with random tracks and at loud volume i did play with the eq settings of the stereo and this can improve one thing i did notice my the same music on my ipod touch sounds better then my usb

the ios cable is far to short it would drive me mad having my devices hanging from the mdi not really a good design the usb one is bad enoungh

Edited by daydotz on Tuesday 24th January 19:36

Edited by daydotz on Tuesday 24th January 19:37

[George H]

I use an iPod classic 160gb, when I plug it into the cable in the glovebox, I have no control over the settings on the iPod, I can only control it through the touch screen on the radio unit.

It doesn't crackle in any other cars too I must add. The dealer has already made me wait over 3 months until they got another Polo GTI in stock, because apparently he has to compare with another model of the exact same spec... Sounds like bks to me because it has the same system in every Polo.

I think the MDI is quite a good design, the cable is plenty long enough too, it sits in the glove box with the iPod resting in a little cradle on the lid, doesn't need to be any longer. Can only control it through the radio unit, so I don't need to reach it.

So the equaliser settings could be to blame? It just seems really odd to me that it can play absolutely fine through one way (3.5mm aux in socket), yet not through the MDI.

[davepoth]

It's possible - there's the option for analogue or digital audio on the iPod connector, and conceivably either could be used. If it was an analogue signal it could happen. If it's digital they're talking a load of rubbish.

[George H]

davepoth said:

It's possible - there's the option for analogue or digital audio on the iPod connector, and conceivably either could be used. If it was an analogue signal it could happen. If it's digital they're talking a load of rubbish.

Is there any way I would be able to tell?

This is the same set up as mine is -



If that is any help at all.

[davepoth]

Looking around the internet it looks like the "generic" option for the cable is a USB port, so it must be digital. That would mean that it should be fine - the only reason the bass should cause an issue is if the signal from the iPod was too loud, but with that cable it's accessing the iPod like a hard drive.

[George H]

That makes sense, thanks

When the iPod is plugged into the MDI, it takes automatically puts the volume at 50%, or it always is when unplugged. I play it through the aux in socket on full volume and it's fine.

I'm going to the dealer tomorrow so I will share my findings

[daydotz]

does the ipod work fine in other cars mdi i expect you will have the same issue in others ?

[George H]

daydotz said:

does the ipod work fine in other cars mdi i expect you will have the same issue in others ?

The iPod works perfectly in my other cars, and even VWs with the same system.

According to the service guy today, VW have told him that the aux in socket has a higher input than the MDI, or something like that, to try and explain why it causes it to crackle on one input but not the other.