Head unit USB/Ipod Interface cable

[andyr]

Rather than using the standard (?) Ipod interface cable - and Ipod of course  - in the centre arm rest, is anyone using a USB stick via Part No. 000 0514 46B MDI USB cable??
I'm just about fed up with the beginning of track skip/silence with my Ipod Touch 2nd Gen. I've read that there's a software update that's supposed to cure the problem - some say it does, some say it doesn't - that's loadable via a stick and the above cable but I just wanted to know how effective - and owners views on - playing music via a suitable USB stick is?

I can either purchase a cheap - non touch - Ipod to leave in the arm rest and see if the skip problem is resolved

Or (And this is what I've decided on)

USB stick (cheap as chips)
USB MDI cable - £35 from VW or less that £12 ebay..... Guess which one I went for, cheapskate that I am 

Oh yeah, my Head unit is the basic RCD 310 

[SRGTD]

I've got the RCD510 and use a memory stick plugged into the USB cable under the armrest. Haven't had any problems with tracks skipping or silences - seems to work fine.

[DDg]

Got a 64Gb USB stick via the MDI cable into an RCD-510. No issues whatsoever.

Hard disc? CD's? Pffffft!


edit: not sure if the RCD310 comes with an SD slot, but I did a bit of a test comparing the USB stick with the SD card route and I felt the USB was a bit quicker.

[andyr]

Thanks guy's....

@DDg - No SD slot with the 310, but I think SD cards can be used via a card reader and the USB lead.

Another question.....
Can you 'browse' the stick, ie, go up and down directories/folders/albums (if that's how you stored the music of course) etc or is all the music viewed as a single folder?

[DDg]

The folders I loaded onto the USB stick were straight from my PC, i.e. Band > Album > and the songs within. They're displayed on my RCD510 exactly the same... Select from a list of Bands, then from Albums, then from tracks.

The only downside is that navigation around them is pretty much all via the radio unit itself, which can be distracting if you're scrolling down a list of 50 bands. The steering wheel controls (and the little display twixt speedo and rev counter) only jump back and forward between tracks.

[andyr]

The folders I loaded onto the USB stick were straight from my PC, i.e. Band > Album > and the songs within. They're displayed on my RCD510 exactly the same... Select from a list of Bands, then from Albums, then from tracks.

The only downside is that navigation around them is pretty much all via the radio unit itself, which can be distracting if you're scrolling down a list of 50 bands. The steering wheel controls (and the little display twixt speedo and rev counter) only jump back and forward between tracks.

Brilliant! 

Pretty much the same as Iplod navigation it seems.... and steering wheel control is identical.............

Many Thanks DDg

[dubber36]

I use a memory stick with my RCD310. Navigation through it is a bit of a chore, but then I do have around 150 albums on it. I tend to just leave it on "Mix All" most of the time.

[Jimble]

Memory stick FTW! No faf at all although my car came with both cables and as i'm sure the majority on here did? might have been worth a trip to the dealer methinks.

[p3asa]

Yeah I agree with Jimble. You should have been supplied with both the USB and Ipod MDI cables with the car!!!

I've not found anything that is as good as the Ipod navigation.

Andyr I have the stuttering/pausing problem between ipod tracks. I upgraded the MDI firmware and yes it did help but hasn't completely got rid of it. Although it is much less noticeable. Between my wife, myself and 3 kids we must have about 10 different ipods and they all do it but to varying degrees. The nano's don't do it as much but they tend to make the track name stick on the display.

VW have admitted there is a problem but I think they have put the fault down to Apple rather than themselves.

[ajmoir36]

I use a 500 Gb USB Hard disk, works now (properly) that I updated my RCD510 using the info here http://www.my-gti.com/3148/volkswagen-media-device-interface-mdi-firmware-upgrades so that the drive remembers the last song you were playing. It didnt before and always started again once the ignition key was removed.