Active Info Display

[Daz Auto]

I love it and all the info it displays. No problems with resolution either as some were reporting early on, everything looks smooth and works perfectly.

I completely agree. The display is clear and really good.

It may have been me who said that about the resolution of the screen. If I remember correctly, my iPhone 5c screen has a similar resolution. However it is about 1/6th the size. The Active Info Display has quite a low resolution for the size of the screen. It is easy to see the individual pixels from a normal 'reading' distance. Siting back in the drivers seat I could not see them. Though the graphics did look blocky and a little blurred when I was sitting back. Again I thought this was because of the low pixel density.

Viewing distance is the key here. When I was buying my TV a few years ago I went into the shop to have a browse. Like most people, I stood 3 feet from a 4k TV and went, "WOW, that is so much better than HD." But most people don't watch TV from 3 feet away. Most people watch TV from 3 to 4 meters away, and at that distance 4K and HD TVs look the same! (Unless, it was 65", or bigger.)

Though I'm probably more aware of displays than most people due to my work. Most people have a lot of screens too look at in their lives these days. The Active Info Display is not as good as most of the screens I look at.

This is my unbiased opinion. After all there is going to be an Active Info Display in the new Golf I have ordered. I was expecting good definition and smooth graphics, that popped of the screen. I was left with a strong desire to delete the option. I'm sure I'll get used to it. I'm going to have to!

[fredgroves]

Its gen 1 of this sort of thing. Sure it could and will be better in the future.

To be honest, VW are a little behind the curve with this and other new tech - I saw an advert for some crappy Peugeot thing boasting about a digital dash for example.

Kia's and all sorts of low end stuff have HUD's now too.

I would expect a premium brand to have come in with something better IMHO.

On the other hand, I'd not be wanting to delete it - in 3 years time everything will have a digital dash and anything else will be looking retro.

[Daz Auto]

I decided to do some calculations with surprising results.

Active Info Display - 12.3 inch, 1440 x 540 resolution. Total pixels 777,600.
iPhone 5c - 4 inch, 1136 x 640 resolution. Total pixels 727,040.

Pixels per inch -

Active Info Display - 125
iPhone 5c - 326
My 29" Ultrawide HD monitor - 96
Our 55" Full HD TV - 40

It would appear that the Active Info Display is higher resolution than my 1080P monitor. I'm sitting closer to this monitor than I would be to the Digital Dash, yet I cannot see any pixilation. In fact I don't notice the pixels until I'm closer than 12" or 30cm. So I don't understand why the VW Digital Dash looked lower resolution from further away. Maybe it was just aliasing. “Aliasing” is an effect that occurs when lines and edges appear to be jagged on computer screens.

[sam67GTD]

As an owner of an R with an Active Info Display, here are my thoughts. Let me first say, that I love my technology. My first impressions were that the graphics were low resolution, very flat and 2 dimensional, a poor relation to Audi's virtual cockpit.

After a few weeks of use, I've had time to come to a conclusion. I do prefer the AID to the physical clocks, however, I do think VW need to add some improvements. Firstly, the space between the dials seems wasted. If for example you display the oil temperature, there's wasted space underneath when other information could be displayed. Also, call me OCD, but the R logo at the bottom of the display seems to have the bottom cut off it as it looks to be too low.

I think for a first attempt, it's fine, but something akin to Audi's Virtual Cockpit would be fantastic for the Mark VIII.

[Daz Auto]

So I don't understand why the VW Digital Dash looked lower resolution from further away. Maybe it was just aliasing. “Aliasing” is an effect that occurs when lines and edges appear to be jagged on computer screens.

I was thinking about this a bit more. I have come to the conclusion that it could be combination of 'aliasing' and a strong anti-reflective coating. This used to be a complaint with some monitors. They didn't look sharp because of the anti-glare coating.

https://pcmonitors.info/articles/matte-vs-glossy-monitors/

"Grainy or hazy texture apparent in some instances, particularly when displaying white and other light colours."

[eatontrifles]

So I don't understand why the VW Digital Dash looked lower resolution from further away. Maybe it was just aliasing. “Aliasing” is an effect that occurs when lines and edges appear to be jagged on computer screens.

When you saw the lower resolution image were you looking at the sat nav map on the AID? I've noticed occasional digital artifacts on that - it looks almost like the image from the head unit is being compressed to send to the AID.

[Daz Auto]

When you saw the lower resolution image were you looking at the sat nav map on the AID? I've noticed occasional digital artifacts on that - it looks almost like the image from the head unit is being compressed to send to the AID.

It wasn't a moving image.

Which is a good point. In actual use while driving, I'm not going to be looking that closely at the Active Info Display.

[Beezer]

Is it likely that the AID content on the 7.5 could evolve through software updates as cars go in for service?

It's just a display, so they could add things like coloured needles etc pretty easily in my opinion.

[Matt17121991]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27hM1CO7AL4

Just found that on a quick youtube search, it is a few months old and shows a golf with the active info display, its in German and not a GTI from looking at the comments below, but they manage to have the 'full' needle showing, is this not possible on the UK spec active info displays?

[eatontrifles]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27hM1CO7AL4

Just found that on a quick youtube search, it is a few months old and shows a golf with the active info display, its in German and not a GTI from looking at the comments below, but they manage to have the 'full' needle showing, is this not possible on the UK spec active info displays?

That's the 'Classic' view that has been mentioned a few times as missing from the GTI.