FactionOne

[Couldn't see a button to edit the above post; apologies if there is one that I've missed!] I came across a video on YouTube which shows what's in the extra test/setup menu, and it looks like ViM settings can't be changed there. I found a download with a pair of small ISOs for pseudo-updates which are just scripts to edit the value for the speed beyond which the video will be blanked (one which sets it high enough to be functionally disabled, and one which restores original value); but they're specified as for a US version unit (and I'm not sure what if any difference there might be for EU/RoW), and I can't see anything in the testmode menu that'd be useful enough to mean the josi version is a must-have over the vanilla version (perhaps fault memory clearing, but I've got VCDS so...). I think I'll probably just flash the 'orig' version update and be done with it. Aforementioned video in case anyone else arrives curiously at this thread: All the best, Rob.

Yeah, I thought it'd be easy enough to just not use the VIM; but then a fairly specific, not very important, and arguably pretty tragic use-case occurred to me: the car's got a TV tuner - with VIM blocked it effectively turns BBC Parliament into a radio station which I might (see: pretty tragic) listen to from time to time; of course if the picture is active I couldn't, so in an ideal world I'd be able to switch it back off. I might just flash the josi version to see what's in the menu (hopefully a switch for VIM specifically); and then flash again with the vanilla software if VIM can't easily be deactivated again. Thanks again for your help. Rob.

@langers2k Thanks; I'm handy enough with tech stuff but just wanted to be prepared for any gotchas, so I'm most grateful for your reply. At the moment it's on SW 3984; I think it might need an update to repartition for new maps(?) and there might be some boot speed improvements since then too? It seems long-in-the-tooth enough that it's probably worth doing. I don't suppose you know if there's a way to re-disable the video-in-motion in the josi version (maybe in the extra menu?); or if there's no real advantage to it, is it perhaps better to just go with the 'original' version? Sincere thanks again, Rob. P.S. Love your mods list! (I fancy spending an hour poking about at long codings now!)

I did a bit more fiddling with the phone and thought I'd post what I found in case anyone else is looking in future. There are two ways you might go about using the hands-free profile instead of rSAP with GSM III. The first is crude but [probably - I didn't actually use this method] effective. When pairing the phone, Android will prompt for permission to connect the SIM card to the Bluetooth device; denying it would seem to force hands-free profile instead. There is a better way though; I found it could actually be selected via the maxidot phone menu. The images below show the sequence. From the 'idle' phone display, press the button on the wheel to bring up the menu and enter settings. Next, select phone settings; then phone mode. Here you can choose which profile to use; when handsfree is selected the premium flag disappears and you [should - compatibility dependent] see battery information for the phone (as this is the hardware now in use). I found that the setting is retained after turning-off the ignition, so it's convenient enough to use this way and select profiles according to whether you need data on the phone or would prefer to use the car's hardware to improve signal and preserve phone battery. I've done a bit more searching about my Columbus update queries and unfortunately can't find answers to my questions about branding and usefulness (or not) of the 'josi' version software. I'd be most grateful if someone could clear up those couple of points; I'd really rather not just give it the disc and hope for the best. Thanks and regards, Rob.

Just happened to notice this and thought I'd reply in case anyone's still interested... I came from Audi and one of the frustrations with the fairly-well appointed MMI 2G High setup was that it didn't do Bluetooth audio streaming; however some clever scamps worked out that if you retrofitted an AMI (Audi Music Interface) [I think analogous to Skoda MDI] and attached an iPod cable, you could buy an iPod speaker-dock Bluetooth adapter from eBay fairly inexpensively and attach that to the iPod cable; giving a fairly tidy Bluetooth streaming setup (neat connections to the car's audio system, power for the dock adapter provided by the iPod cable). This is the sort of thing (I'm not recommending this one - I have no experience of it - and it may not be the right type iPod connection, but they're available pinned-out for various generations): https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Music-Audio-Bluetooth-Receiver-Adapter-For-iPod-iPhone-30-Pin-Dock-Speaker-UK/254623512600 All the best, Rob.

Hi All, I'm just wondering if anyone knows how to connect an Android phone (which supports both) to GSM III with the hands-free profile instead of rSAP? (I could do to keep the data connection alive on my phone while it's connected and I'm not having much joy getting the phone to use the GSM III modem via Bluetooth). I've looked in the handbook but it's pretty vague - just describing an almost identical connection sequence (with the addition of instructions for PIN entry with rSAP) and a note that the primary mode is rSAP. Secondly, I'd like to update my Columbus (I did post in the thread a while ago but maybe I was a bit wordy!)... I've got 5238 software discs ('orig' and 'josi') and 8557 (V17?) Western Europe maps discs; the software discs came from an RNS510 site - am I right in thinking they're OK to use on the Columbus - that is to say, will it sill be a Columbus afterwards, or will it 're-brand' to an RNS510 (and if so, can it be corrected - I have genuine VCDS HEX-USB+CAN if required)? Which would be the software version you recommend, 'orig' or 'josi' (I understand 'josi' has ViM and an extra setup menu? Can ViM be disabled on that, is there any specific value to the extra menu)? Thanks in advance for any advice you can share, Rob.

Hi All, I've just got [though not yet picked-up] a 2012 Superb II with a Columbus head unit, and have a few questions regarding software and maps I was hoping you might help me out with. The head unit reports it's HW61 (3T0035680E) which as I understand it, makes it a C11 revision with 40GB drive, LED screen, and 2TB SDXC card support? The software version is currently 3984, would that need to be updated in order to accept more recent maps, or are there fixes/improvements which would make it worth doing anyway? I got hold of a couple of ISOs for RNS510 version 5238, one is 'orig' and one is a 'josi' modified version. First, are these specific to RNS 510 branded units, or can either/both be used on a Columbus unit without it suddenly appearing to be a VW model when it restarts (if that happens, is there coding or something which can be done to re-Skoda it with VCDS)? I understand that the modified version has ViM enabled, and a test-mode; I'd rather not have ViM but trust myself to not use it if there's some advantage to having the test-mode or anything else which might be tweaked in the modified version? Can the software be updated with the engine running (thinking to avoid bricking by low battery) or must it be off to do the job (if you advise I do it at all)? Finally I got hold of an 8557 (V17?) Western Europe map ISO, should that be OK? Can that update be performed with the car running? Many thanks for any advice you can offer, Rob.

Hi All, Just starting my journey with a Superb II 4x4, but as title have pretty long experience with VWs and more so Audis. I'm used to where they tend to put the bolts and have full VCDS so hope I'll be useful around here pretty quickly. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Rob.