I have an octavia with an audience MP3 head-unit which has a 3.5mm line-in. I'd like to add both bluetooth handsfree/streaming and MDI/USB functionality to this car.

Is it possible with the audience or will I have to upgrade to the likes of a Bolero?

I have a steering wheel with some function buttons which I'd like to retain the use of.

If you want to retrofit the current generation Skoda Bluetooth kit and/or MDI interface you'll need a Bolero as a minimum, yes.

Can't the Stream MP3 take MDI?

Not sure how BT would work on this unless you have Maxidot...

No, not compatible with MDI.

For Bluetooth, you could fit an older kit to work with Maxidot. As said, if you have Maxidot of course

Thanks guys. Following the weekend I'll have some more questions.

Is the audience simply a stream with MP3 and line-in functions?

What's the definitive way to know if you have maxidot or not?

Open the car door. Do you see a very small red car symbol with doors open (no Maxidot) or a large car outline showing the specific door(s) that are open (Maxidot).

Audience I know little about, but there is a Stream and a Stream MP3. The former does not have any chance of adding an aux input. That's the only difference between these two AFAIK.

I get door symbols so I guess I have Maxidot. I don't think I've ever seen a recent VAG car without Maxidot, so that's the source of my confusion.

Audience I know little about, but there is a Stream and a Stream MP3. The former does not have any chance of adding an aux input. That's the only difference between these two AFAIK.

Don't think the Stream had MP3 capability

Don't think the Stream had MP3 capability

The original Stream unit didn't, but the updated Stream MP3 did.

Go aftermarket?

I have the Audience H/U. It has six disc built into that and it can not control an external CD changer. I think it is this feature you require for MDI (I believe it replaces the external changer ability?).

The Audience H/U also had an option for amp + additional speakers so if you have these it may not be simple to install a Bolero.

Hi Woodworm. Do you have any more information on these additional speakers and amp? How many does the Bolero normally drive?

I'm looking at a Bolero for sale right now. What do I need to check? Security code obviously, some had a light sensor on the front and others didn't. What is the significance of that?

What can I expect to work on the steering wheel buttons?

Bolero will drive the normal four corners as standard.

The light sensor (apparently) is so that the display would "adjust" it's own brightness depending on the ambient light....so I'm told. However, when I fitted one in my 2007 Elegance, it stayed dim all the time. It should drive the boot CD-changer as well as it's own internal one, but it's a faff getting there as there's no "disc up/down" control on the front screen. (one area the Stream scores.......actually, the only area the stream scores.)

Okay so I'm hunting through 2012 Octavia UK specs. I don't have a complete set for earlier cars.

The S spec gets a swing and 4 speakers.

The SE spec gets the bolero and "an additional 4 loudspeakers".

Greenline gets bolero and 4 loudspeakers.

SE Plus gets Amundsen, MDI and bluetooth, MFSW and no comment on speakers.

My scout has (runs outside to count) 12 speakers total. Each door has a sub, a mid and a tweeter. I was not expecting that.

So does this mean a Bolero can't drive all those? What sort of system would I need to run them all properly?

Is a bluetooth A2DP system available to work with the Audience?

IIRC the speakers on each channel are wired in parallel. Whilst there are settings within VCDS to tell the stereo how many speakers are connected, mine worked fine with the wrong settings, and the correct settings made no difference. I think the only one that makes a difference is the amplifier setting, so the stereo knows to switch the amp on (via CANbus). Effectively Bolero outputs its full range to all speakers, unless you have real crossovers in there, all frequencies go to all speakers, and leaves the speakers to sort themselves out.

I know not about streaming from bluetooth as my SGS2 is connected to the AUX

That makes sense. I also see some places advertising MDI/USB/Ipod/SD external units which are compatible with the audience through the external cd changers plug. Now I read that audience wasn't supposed to have that, looks like I should pull it out to check.

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/251285-possible-alternative-to-mdi/

Kind of like these: http://www.xcarlink....26&cat=9&page=1

Yeah, another CD emulator though:

http://www.xcarlink.co.uk/pages.php?pageid=5

having an SD card of "any size" does become a bit pointless if you can only have a governed amount of files on there. :(

I think the biggest problem with these, other than the limiting factor of cd-changer emulators is the headunit. With Bolero (I have no experience of Columbus etc) there's no CD up/down option, you have to navigate through the menu system.....not the best thing to do whilst in motion. The same goes for MP3 folders.

Have just fitted the MDI kit to my RCD310. On the 310 there's a folder up/down button that does the job brilliantly. For those who need to see what they're listening to, the track data appears on the 310 display (and probably MaxiDot, it I had one).

I think the emulators are a reasonable cheap alternative, but I suspect nothing reallys beats the real deal

If you have the extra speaker setup, there will be an amp fitted under the passenger seat. My Audience - Bolero swap left most of the steering wheel buttons working except the ff/rewind, which switches to holding down the skip track button instead. You won't get climate control or parking sensor display on it either. post #12 is correct, but i've never heard of light sensors fitted, and mine is only about a year old with the latest firmware.

If you have the extra speaker setup, there will be an amp fitted under the passenger seat. My Audience - Bolero swap left most of the steering wheel buttons working except the ff/rewind, which switches to holding down the skip track button instead. You won't get climate control or parking sensor display on it either. post #12 is correct, but i've never heard of light sensors fitted, and mine is only about a year old with the latest firmware.

You finally got the Bolero to work ???

Could you go into a bit more detail as to what I would need. Mine has the factory sound system. I would really love to be able to hook up my phone through a aux-in.

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there's no CD up/down option, you have to navigate through the menu system.....not the best thing to do whilst in motion. The same goes for MP3 folders.

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Yeah its a painus alright. I have the Amundsen+ and like you say, navigating through the media folders is a slow process. I wish there was an option for the graphics and animations. I'd like to change the colour scheme. And turn off the animations - I'd rather have a snappy response than a pretty animation that I have to wait for to finish before I can decide which button to press next.

So getting back to this subject. I have the Audience head-unit out and on my desk right now.

The connector pins are identicl to these which are allegedly Bolero:

Taken from this page: http://www.my-gti.com/1313/volkswagen-rcd-510-pin-assignments

Now the pinout sticker on the top of the unit has 8 of these pins marked black with "stream only".

Tempted to buy one of the X-car units straight up and see how it goes. But not this week.