There's been a few posts about this over the last few months so I thought I'd post this up to answer a few questions.

The unit is a Dension Gateway 300 which has a connection for iPod (including 2G Touch and 3G/3GS iPhone), USB (hard disc, flash drive etc) and an Aux in. The Gateway 100 unit is identical in operation however does not have the USB option and is therefore limited to iPod and Aux only.

My car is a 2006 Octavia II with a retrofitted Maxidot instrument cluster.

The unit works perfectly and the integration is nothing short of fantastic. Unless you have a MOST bus car (Audi A8 D3, Audi A6 C5 etc) it's been easy to feel left out when it comes to iPod integration but Dension really have cracked it.

You get a new menu on the Maxidot which operates the Gateway.

Choose your source; 3.5mm Aux in, iPod in UI mode (allows the iPod controls to still be used), iPod in Gateway mode (controlled using the cluster and head unit) or USB

Once you have chosen your function, it interfaces just the way you expect it to, with Playlists, Artists etc available to choose from.

Playlist menu

Artist menu

Search by letter

I've skipped a few steps to save the picture overload, but once you have chosen a track, here is the comprehensive display

As an added bonus, you even get to see how much fuel you have in the tank, in litres!

Selecting tracks on the USB stick is much the same and the sound quality from either is excellent.

I don't have a multi function steering wheel and so everything is controlled via the wiper stalk or the head unit.

The controls are quite straight forward and are as follows:

CD1: Playlists

CD2: Artists

CD3: Albums

CD4: Songs

CD5: All Tracks

CD6: Source selection (iPod, Aux, USB etc)

The great thing is that pressing a button on the headunit changes the cluster display too, which can make things much quicker and less fiddly than using the stalk. Another good feature is that holding down the OK/Reset button on the bottom of the stalk has the effect of going up one level in the menu system which makes using it a breeze. When playing a track the wiper stalk up/down buttons will allow you to skip through tracks and the buttons on the head unit still work as you'd expect.

Shark Performance is now an authorised Dension reseller and the full Dension range is now available through me. Prices are £109.99 for the Gateway 100 CAN interface and £159.99 for the Gateway 300 CAN interface. There are applications for a wide range of cars including the facelift Octavia and Superb II.

I may run a group buy on these if there is the interest

Edited 25 August, 200916 yr by fordfan

Thanks for that. What is displayed when playing a track? What is displayed on HU?

Looks like an awesome bit of kit!

very interesting, but does this mean you loose your multi chainger

Will it work with the MFD3?

Smacks head for just buying a phatbox

Not quite sure how I missed this.

Does it need some kind of coding to get it all up and running over the CAN?

Thanks for that. What is displayed when playing a track? What is displayed on HU?

Track display photo now added to the above post (thanks fordfan). My Stream HU shows a track playing on CDC5. I will be testing this with an MFD3 in a couple of days which will confirm how it behaves with the newer head units.

very interesting, but does this mean you loose your multi chainger

You don't have to lose the changer no, it can be retained with an add on retention kit from Dension that won't break the bank.

Will it work with the MFD3?

Yes, however I'm waiting to confirm whether it will still work in the same way as with the older head units (as a 6 disc changer) or if there is some better integration with the MFD3. I believe it's the latter but will check for myself before confirming.

Smacks head for just buying a phatbox

Not quite sure how I missed this.

Does it need some kind of coding to get it all up and running over the CAN?

No coding required, it's a direct link to the cluster over CAN and what's more is that it doesn't emulate any other devices such as the telephone (some other cluster integration hardware I've seen works in this way) and so normal functionality is retained. I have it working with the retrofit Skoda OE Bluetooth kit just fine

. I have it working with the retrofit Skoda OE Bluetooth kit just fine

Ah good - I have one too

Would probably be interested in a group buy if you get one going in the future.

I take it this denson kit is the same as maxi dot, but cheaper, does the price include everything stalk included and full set up??/ and will it work with the classic and stream radio

It's not a maxidot replacement Skippy, it simply displays on your current maxidot

Love the look of this and think it could stop me from swapping to an MFD3! Just wondering if you know whether the unit supports ID3 tags on the MFD2 as well as the maxidot?

Does it automatically recognise the device in the Maxidot?

Thanks

It's not a maxidot replacement Skippy, it simply displays on your current maxidot

And I can retrofit Maxidot for too, if required

Love the look of this and think it could stop me from swapping to an MFD3! Just wondering if you know whether the unit supports ID3 tags on the MFD2 as well as the maxidot?

Does it automatically recognise the device in the Maxidot?

Thanks

Unfortunately the MFD2 can't support text, so no it not able to. However it can on the MFD3 and once I have one to test I will confirm and post pictures up.

Unfortunately the MFD2 can't support text, so no it not able to. However it can on the MFD3 and once I have one to test I will confirm and post pictures up.

Do you need a guinea pig, Ben ?

Ben - just to confirm, there are separate BAP and non-BAP variants?

Shame the 500 requires MDI-High, would be nice to have the bluetooth and ipod video bits. As it is I think I'll be going for the 300 so I can stick a 2.5inch hard drive in the cubby hole under the steering wheel.

Was the mount you had in your car last night the Denison active mount pictured on their site? (pretty sure it was)

If you could get them to show boost pressure etc too that would be awesome.

Wow...that is seriously interesting! I'll have to find out how much to retrofit Maxidot! Will it work with the MP3 Stream?

Will it work with the MP3 Stream?

Yes.

I would be interested in one of these for my Superb, have they fixed their little iPhone3G charging glitch now on the 300's?

Freedom Discount ..... Group Buy........... price match

That looks bloody fantastic!

I've heard about these kits, but never knew it has this level of integration

Steve

That looks bloody fantastic!

I've heard about these kits, but never knew it has this level of integration

Steve

hmmm, Steve, You can buy my Parrot and I can buy one of these Simples

Is the difference between the 100 and the 300 just the lack of USB inputs?

I may run a group buy on these if there is the interest

Add me to the "interested" list....

Will it work with the MFD3?

No mention is made of the MFD3 on the Dension website - but that means nothing as it's alway be behind on the later devices. I guess we'll all waiting to see that shark_90 will post next