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Amundsen + vs Columbus vs everything else


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Ok so I apologise that it's another one of these threads but I'm looking for advice.

I'm looking to change my HU from the standard stream. I don't have the aux in in the Jumbo box either so currently have a connects 2 unit to plug my iPhone in.

I'm not worried about DAB use as I rarely listen to the radio and when I do the normal radio strength is fine. What I need is something that's iPhone compatible or has BT to make calls and an SD slot to load up music, and would love built in sat nav. I have a Garmin but get sick and tied of the suction cup marks on the windscreen and charging leads dangled everywhere.

My budget isn't huge either maybe £4-500 (SWMBO has set the limit :(.

My questions are:

1. What's the difference functionality wise between Amundsen + and Columbus?

2.will I have fitting issues (coding wise) into an 04 pre F/L?

3. Is any of the Eonon/milion units worth trying considering they're 1/3 of the price?

4. Can I do a straight instal if I buy a VW one instead of a Skoda one?

5. Other than the Kenwood which is probably worth the same as my car, are there any others that will meet my requirements.

Sorry to ask another Stereo thread but reading some other threads that came up in searches confused the hell out of me with talk of modules and cameras to the point I'm still not overly clear.

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You're right to ask because as you say it's hugely confusing trying to work out what will work with your car, I went through a similar process trying to choose a stereo for my 56 plate Octavia.  I ended up with the Kenwood DNX520VBT which is the older model so managed to get it brand new for around £540 with the advantage that it would drop straight in, it has better sat nav than the Columbus (it has basically an off the shelf Garmin builtin) and it has BT builtin (a parrot system).  It doesn't have an SD card for music but it does have a USB slot so I bought a tiny USB stick which was barely bigger than the USB plug for music.  I'll try and answer your questions:

 

1 - I don't know, when I was considering a new stereo the Amundsen was too new so I didn't know if it would work with my car or not

2 - Yes, as you've an older car (around 2007 is the change over time) your CAN gateway will likely be an issue and would cause a battery drain with the Bolero and the Columbus, possibly the Amundsen as well.  Upgrading the CAN gateway resolves this issue (I think it's around £100 plus fitting), there is a custom firmware which prevents the battery drain on the Columbus but I don't know how to get it or if there's any other issues.  You'll also need a new trim as the Stream unit is a different shape to the Columbus but on a non-VRS car these aren't expensive.

3 - I don't know what those are, I've had a quick look at their site and they look like some of the cheap Chinese units.  Experiences on here are very varied, some people have had no issues while others have had reliability and quality issues so it's hard to tell.

4 - I don't believe the VW units are any better in terms of compatibility

5 - Zenec make compatible units although I never saw them that cheap, the Audiosource ANS-810 was mentioned a few times here favourably.  It's similar to the Chinese units but it sounded like the quality was better.

 

John

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An Amundsen+ (one with BT but in) will give you what you want.

It's the only Skoda HU that will have BT without adding extra modules.

You should be able to find one inside your budget. Then it'll be a straight swap (+ adding a GPS receiver and possibly a new fascia/surround and some coding).

Edited by KBPhoto
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Ok KBphoto will I have any coding issues going into an 04 pre f/l? Or will it be simple plug n play? I have VCDS but wouldn't know what to activate

Edited by Mikek3111
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Ok KBphoto will I have any coding issues going into an 04 pre f/l? Or will it be simple plug n play? I have VCDS but wouldn't know what to activate

Possibly. I think the '04 Octavia predates the full CAN BUS implementation, but I could be wrong, and coding it might be impossible due to incompatibilities.

You may suffer from battery drain (a Columbus would) but fitting an Amundsen on older vehicles is largely uncharted territory on this forum.

Sorry I can't be more help on this.

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Mike, I have a pre-FL running an amundsen+. I'm only down the road (newmarket) Can maybe sort out some time to come and take a look?
Regarding Columbus vs Amundsen, Columbus has a MUCH better sat nav (details etc). But doesnt come with the built in BT, would need modules etc. But if you get the right Amundsen+ unit, it has built in BT, Nav, and all you will need is dash fascia, updated canbus, and mic.

For your budget, id say the Amundsen + is your best bet. Canbus and mic cost me £100.  Amundsen was given to me which was handy! But would think you could get one in the £200-400 range. Just need to make sure there is a MAC address on the sticker (not 00:00:00:00 etc).

Plus side is that the cd changer still works, so I now have the built in CD, CD changer, AUX and SD card to choose from....oh and bluetooth music streaming ;)

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I sold one last week, but Eddie-NL on here can probably supply on for you. He can precode it for you as well.

Your gateway should be behind the glovebox so it'll be a pretty easy swap.

Edited by KBPhoto
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