2012 Columbus Bluetooth Audio and Android Phones

[Zenbasses]

Hey,

 

So firstly this is my first post, having yesterday took the plunge and just bought a 2012 Superb CR 140 Elegance

 

 

Wonderful car , however, something was nearly a deal breaker was the Columbus headunits refusal to play Bluetooth Audio from either my Google Nexus 6 (Running Marshmellow) or my partners Samsung Galaxy Note 4 (Running Lollipop). Both phones paired straight away for Bluetooth Handsfree and both seem to have full HRF and rSAP functionality.

 

The Superb has the upgraded sound system (Bonus.!!) so I thought Id play a Track through Spotify to check out the sound quality.. Nothing, didn't even detect any bluetooth audio at all. So I then tried to use the more standard Google Music app and forced it to play via bluetooth to the Skoda, still nothing.

 

When I pressed and held the media key to bring up connected devices the BT Audio wasn't visible and the audio was playing through our phones speakers, rather than the cars. It did briefly try to connect to my partners Note 4 as the external speakers muted and the track continued playing, but nothing came out of the car.

 

Now, I don't pick the car up for a week so started doing some searching and haven't found much details.

 

I am reckoning , unfortunately our phones are too 'New' and I have an older Galaxy S4 at home that I may try.

 

A few work arounds I can think of are using a Bluetooth receiver and using the Aux in, in the center arm rest or being a bit cleaver and use the phones Hotspot to remotely tether a Google ChromeCast Audio and then using an automation app to sync it.

 

Pitty will be that the MFD or HU won't display track in formation  and no track forward or backwards etc will work.

 

Bit of a bummer really, nearly a deal breaker until I came to my sense's.

 

Partners 12 plate Ford Focus works flawlessly, annoyingly :p.

 

Can this be sorted with a Bluetooth Module Upgrade??

Anyone else got similar devices that had issues and the managed to get round it ?

 

I have installed on my phone the AD2P app that should interrupt the bluetooth signal on the fly and transmit the correct BT Protocol to the car.

 

Any help will be greatly appreciated and sorry for my length and wordy post...

 

Regards

 

Ben 

Edited 15 May, 2016 by Zenbasses

[Nathanio]

In the columbus sound menu you have to enable BT streaming. What module number have you got? It's under a plastic cover under the driver's seat

[Zenbasses]

When at the dealership I found the Bluetooth Audio setting and turned it on. It had a 'play' option next to it.

Maybe I missed something..(completely plausible ).was going to check the module when I pick the car up...

Will keep in mind what's been mentioned and double checked the sound menus..

Thanks

Ben

Edited 15 May, 2016 by Zenbasses

[WaveyDavey]

When the phone is paired to the car and you press the media button on the Columbus do you have the Bluetooth logo button along the top of the screen? You need to press this to hear the phone's audio playback.

 

I don't have an android phone but if I play music on my iPhone 6S the phone will be playing it away but unless I press media button on the Columbus and then Bluetooth on the Columbus screen the audio doesn't come out of the car speakers.

[Zenbasses]

When the phone was paired I pressed and held the media button to select BT as the Input/Output but the option wasn't there..

 

hmmm

 

Your theory might be right though, I mentioned that my partners phones stopped emitting sound from the phones speakers but the track did keep playing...so this sounds like the culprit..

 

Only had 15-20mins to sit and have a proper play around with it whilst the garage sorted the paperwork,

 

Coincidentally the MFD was intuitive from the word go 

 

I'll have to try all your suggestions when I pick the car up, I see no reason why it wouldn't work in principle....I'm pretty tech savvy, but do have a tendency to miss the bloomin obvious..

[WaveyDavey]

You don't need to press and hold the media button on the Columbus.... (If that is the media button you mean).... You just press it and the Columbus screen will change and along the top you should see some buttons on the Columbus screen (CD, HDD, SD card, Aux and one with the Bluetooth logo on it. Touch the Bluetooth logo button and the phone audio should then be coming through the car speakers.

[ashfan]

If it helps I have a Note 4 that works perfectly, as did my previous Note 3. Is there something in the maxidot that needs setting up or enabling? I vaguely remember having to play around in there.

[SneaksyWhippet]

My Note 4 also works perfectly. I seem to remember I had to tick an option in the Bluetooth settings for the pairing on the phone itself to enable the streaming.

[psycholist]

Bluetooth sound works from my Android phone to my 2011 Columbus, but the track names and the ability to skip tracks is not available on the head unit. Supposedly this can be enabled by upgrading the bluetooth module under the driver's seat, but since everything is on the SD card anyway it hasn't bothered me.

[Zenbasses]

So I pick the car up on Friday (yay) and I am confident now I shall be able to get the BT working..

 

But as mentioned above I have a rather nifty work around...for the techies on here

 

 

So I was playing around today

 

Was thinking about music in the car without the need for Bluetooth

 

Baring in mind that BT for voice works perfectly

 

I managed to successfully turn my hotspot on my Mobile phone , connected a second phone to this .(Old Galaxy S4)

 

Ran the chrome cast app and it found my living room CCA and I configured the CCA to disable guest mode and made it pair with my hotspot.

 

Now I can stream music via CCA with no WiFi router

 

So I then installed Llama which is an automation app and managed to setup a profile that means when I get a phone call on my main phone it disconnects the Hotspot and then re-enables it when a phone call is made and ended

 

There's a lag of 5 or so seconds but the Hotspot reconnects the 2nd phone pairs and as long as say Spotify is open it'll pick up where it left off..

 

I also can now use Google Voice commands seamlessly as well so I can say 'OK Google'  Direct me to the nearest petrol station..and it will just do it...

 

Much safer to be handsfree and without having to use a set list of on built commands from the Columbus

 .

And this is how to solve everything for no money !!! (CCA's are £30 if you don't have one)

 

and for the rational one's  I have a 20gb data plan with unlimited tethering included so it won't cost me extra in data unless I plan to start streaming HD movies which i doubt it as that's just plain daft. The idea of TV in your car is rather pointless when your driving...but would work with a few tablets for kids setup in the back.. (although my kids are furry and have four legs)

 

I can store my second phone / CCA + my Rechargeable power bank in the arm rest out of sight and mount my phone in a CD Slot  Phone Cradle and voila I have a full integrated Google infotainment system with no wires running on a 4G hotspot

 

and allow the Command to do its business as well or swap between them as and when.

 

Best of both world

 

Really easy but I thought I would share .....

Edited 21 May, 2016 by Zenbasses

[Platlet]

Sorry to butt in here but my new to me 2011 Octavia Scout has the Columbus fitted but I can't get it to find a phone. After pressing the phone option it comes up with a blank screen with no search options. I've tried the factory reset but still the same. Any advice would be appreciated.

[mannyo]

Sorry to butt in here but my new to me 2011 Octavia Scout has the Columbus fitted but I can't get it to find a phone. After pressing the phone option it comes up with a blank screen with no search options. I've tried the factory reset but still the same. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

 

Depends on the module, some require the phone to be paired using the maxidot and wiper stalk controls before it will show in the columbus. Press and hold the button on the bottom of the wiper stalk, select phone and go from there.

[Platlet]

There is no button on the bottom of the stalk only on top for the delay