Columbus firmware upgrade

[stevehg]

My superb is coming up to 2 years in December and wondered what people had done about upgrading firmware on their columbus units? I realise that Skoda doesn't offer this, however, it's possible to self upgrade and the firmware versions seem to be widely available.

So has anyone upgraded? If so, what version are you running or would recommend running?

Mine is a MY11 with v7 maps.

Cheers

Steve

[Departed]

I'm a great believer in firmware upgrades in order to get the best from electronic equipment and still don't understand why, generally, dealers are so reluctant/incompetent to assist. I've had no difficulty in downloading, burning and installing several firmwares onto my Columbus unit in my 58-plate Superb II 170CR Elegance, but there are limits. It was great to be able to use SD cards >2MB following an early upgrade, as well as being able to display a digital clock in the otherwise blank screen when the head unit was off. Other improvements included a disk usage graphic, better balance/fader graphics, current speed limit display on the satnav, the ability to add satnav POIs via an SD card, etc.

I'm currently running version 3810 which, as I can attest, is the latest possible on my head unit. I have installed version 7.1 map data.

I tried version 4xxx firmware, noticed an immediate downgrade in performance and features, then discovered that version 4xxx was only for "C" units, not "A" or "B" units (mine's a "B"). The use of 64GB SD cards is still not supported, BTW, so - as stated - there are limits.

There is no point (or possibility) of upgrading my firmware any further, but the benefits I've achieved by doing so to date over leaving the supplied firmware in place are manifold and I have no regrets or qualms in doing so, other than the general lack of dealer support for those less computer-savvy than myself.

Ray

[stevehg]

Ok thanks, I have 3810 downloaded so I will use that. Seems to be a more robust load than later versions. Just need to get a new DVD drive now as attempt to burn firmware disc seems to have killed the internal DVD drive. It had an issue half way through burn and now it doesn't recognise any discs inserted.

Cheers

Steve

[Departed]

That's odd - try downloading ImgBurn (assuming Windows OS) as it might be a software issue rather than hardware.

Ray

[stevehg]

I was using burnaware at the time of issue, but tried imgburn last night too and both say no media detected. Same with other discs and software so it's definitely hardware.

This morning I tried a complete hardware uninstall and install and still no good. For some reason drive isn't recognising any media inserted. So off to buy another drive today.

Cheers

Steve

[Departed]

OK - fair enough - just a thought. Looks like a new drive after all. :(

Ray

[stevehg]

Thanks for the suggestion. New drive fitted and all working ok, so obviously it's first burn killed it. That drive had only ever been used for reading before, so maybe it was always destined to fail with a manufacturing fault. It didn't sound good at the time, but having never used that one for writing before had nothing to compare it to.

All set now, cheers

Steve

[Camberley_Chris]

I have just downloaded and installed v9 maps but, as the .ISO file was 5.6GB, it required a Dual Layer DVD. I then discovered that my DVD drive would only read, not write DL DVDs but luckily wife's laptop was newer and wrote DL DVD first time using IMGBURN which is a great freeware tool. Now looking at upgrading firmware.

[leWrat]

I have just downloaded and installed v9 maps but, as the .ISO file was 5.6GB, it required a Dual Layer DVD. I then discovered that my DVD drive would only read, not write DL DVDs but luckily wife's laptop was newer and wrote DL DVD first time using IMGBURN which is a great freeware tool. Now looking at upgrading firmware.

Hi Chris,

Where did you download the v9 maps from?

[mannyo]

Discussions on how to obtain the V9 maps will be deleted, the only official method is to purchase from the dealer. The disc is copyright and any downloads will be illegal content.

[GerryT]

Interesting topic

It has answered a few questions i had about my Columbus unit , I have only had my car (2009) a few week and it came with V3 maps on disk but i have all the options mentioned by Roadcrafty , i also have the ability to do full postcode searches so i guess its more up to date than i thought

But i cant seam to find out what firmware or maps it is running , i have tried holding the setup button in but nothing shows , am i doing it right ?

Edited 19 October, 2012 by GerryT

[mannyo]

you are doing it right, but out of the factory the menu option needs to be enabled with VCDS.

[stevehg]

There's a recovery disc that Josi built over on vwnavi.com that also enables this option if burning a DVD is easier than getting someone to use VCDS on your car. You'll need to load and maps and music again afterwards though so make sure you have a v7 or higher disc ready.

Cheers

Steve

[leWrat]

Discussions on how to obtain the V9 maps will be deleted, the only official method is to purchase from the dealer. The disc is copyright and any downloads will be illegal content.

Ah, I made the assumption that you could get the maps legally from places other than the dealership, similar to how you can get skoda parts from places other than the dealership, often cheaper.

[wirral cars]

My Nav system has just been updated at Skoda dealer not sure what the firm ware is ??

I now have 9 character post codes so can put full uk post codes in and the ladies voice is softer

I have always had goods graphics on it for everything else and my blue tooth does more mobile phones now

my fade bass and treble has always show the cars interior from above and you can just use your finger to move it around

or you can use the bar at the bottom and sides

and the new lane recognion is great it alway knows what lane you are in on the motor way and dual carrage ways etc

very happy with the sat nav now

[mandp]

My Nav system has just been updated at Skoda dealer not sure what the firm ware is ??

I now have 9 character post codes so can put full uk post codes in and the ladies voice is softer

I have always had goods graphics on it for everything else and my blue tooth does more mobile phones now

my fade bass and treble has always show the cars interior from above and you can just use your finger to move it around

or you can use the bar at the bottom and sides

and the new lane recognion is great it alway knows what lane you are in on the motor way and dual carrage ways etc

very happy with the sat nav now

What did it cost you to update? and are you now on version 9?

[derek666]

Same Here ,

How Much Did It Cost To Update, Need Mine Updated Asap

Thanks

[Camberley_Chris]

OK, I won't say where I got my v9 maps from to keep mannyo happy, but if you can't use Internet search and download or burn a DVD then you're probably not qualified anyway so go to your dealer. However, I would not expect to pay for a map upgrade from the dealer I spent about £27k with, it should be part of the 'goodwill'. My Superb is going in for its first service in a couple of weeks anyway so if there are any outstanding service updates of any kind they should be installed at that time. My opinion is that dealers are not brilliant at firmware and software updates - mine didn't think there were any outstanding when I booked the service - but I would love to be proved wrong.

[Noddy90]

The guy at the service desk in my local dealer had never even heard of VCDS. Like Chris, I think maps should be updated for the duration of ownership; my dealer was going to charge me c.£200. I "shopped" elsewhere.

[Caspian]

A while ago, not being particularly good with computers, I raised the issue of full post codes for my October 2009 Superb with the dealer (Birchwood Skoda, Eastbourne). They willingly did some research into what action was necessary to upgrade. They recently took the car in and after some problems with loading the firmware into the Columbus unit, I now have an updated unit with full post codes etc. According to the report it now has V1/10 firmware and 7.2 maps. Thanks to Tom and the people at Birchwood who were happy to sort it all out for me.

[mandp]

OK, I won't say where I got my v9 maps from to keep mannyo happy, but if you can't use Internet search and download or burn a DVD then you're probably not qualified anyway so go to your dealer. However, I would not expect to pay for a map upgrade from the dealer I spent about £27k with, it should be part of the 'goodwill'. My Superb is going in for its first service in a couple of weeks anyway so if there are any outstanding service updates of any kind they should be installed at that time. My opinion is that dealers are not brilliant at firmware and software updates - mine didn't think there were any outstanding when I booked the service - but I would love to be proved wrong.

Well, I've just come back from a visit to the Skoda dealer I bought my car from to ask about updating the maps from V8 to V9. I was told that as far as they are concerned V9 maps don't exist and in any case they would be charging me more than £200 for the DVD for me to update it myself. Now that's how it was done in my last car (A Jag) but I was under the mistaken impression that being as we are not given the map DVD, (I was in the Jag), when we take delivery of our new car, updates are done by the dealer. Not so apparently!

[Gizmo]

You should of got the maps DVD with the car…. some dealers are better than others with this mind (apparently it has to be ordered separately to the car)

[Camberley_Chris]

I'll try to clarify the position when I visit Colborne's Peasemarsh on Monday. I'm happy to lend my DVD to anyone in my area as I can't envisage having to use it again. I would really like it if I could have downloaded the maps to an SDHC chip rather than a Dual Density DVD and saved the few pence that cost. One day maybe...

[mandp]

You should of got the maps DVD with the car…. some dealers are better than others with this mind (apparently it has to be ordered separately to the car)

But that would just be the DVD for the maps that are already installed, so of no use as I wanted to upgrade.

[mandp]

I'll try to clarify the position when I visit Colborne's Peasemarsh on Monday. I'm happy to lend my DVD to anyone in my area as I can't envisage having to use it again. I would really like it if I could have downloaded the maps to an SDHC chip rather than a Dual Density DVD and saved the few pence that cost. One day maybe...

Where is your area then, mate?