Sorry if this has been asked before but couldn't find anything on the search.

I am looking at placing an order for a VRS TDI in the near future, I am currently working out what options I want to spec, I want to be able to play my iPod through the sound system and am a little confused on the MDI option.

The sales broucher states that the VRS comes equipped with a 3.5mm aux socket for mp3 players within the Jumbo Box, is the MDI a just way of being able to control the iPod via the head unit and I am able to use the 3.5 aux socket to just play the iPod without speccing the MDI.

Thanks

The MDI lead gives control of your ipod through the head unit, whereas with the aux socket you have to use the ipod itself

Sound quality is also likely to be better via the MDI lead than the aux socket

I had an MDI lead retrofitted to run with my MFD3, and would spec it every time if I had the choice, bearing in mind for an extra £20 you can get an adapter lead to run a USB hard drive - I'm currently using a Western Digital My Passport 320gb drive with mine

AUX: you control the music from the ipod so that has to sit somewhere you can get to it, and the ipod wont charge (unless you get another cable plugged into your cigarette lighter).

MDI: you control the music from the bolero head unit and the ipod is charged by the mdi lead which means it can sit out of sight in the glove box.

i spec'd the mdi. my ipod just lives in the car glove box now - no need to touch it unless i'm taking it out to put some more music on it..

works for me.

:yes:

Thanks for the help the MDI seems worth getting then. Next descision - leather or not lol!

Thanks for the help the MDI seems worth getting then. Next descision - leather or not lol!

Mine keeps playing the tracks on my iPod even when engine off & car tucked up in the garage. Been away for a week and when I got the car out & turned on the radio, something like 19 tracks had been played while I was away. Either the car was having a party with next doors Peugeot or something is wrong with the MDI. There has been a previous post on this point; any clues how to fix it?

Also remember you need to buy the correct cable for the ipod (another £20) as it does not come with any connecting cables.

Also remember you need to buy the correct cable for the ipod (another £20) as it does not come with any connecting cables.

Ths was one of the options I kept unticking/ticking when choosing my car. I decided it against it because of the following reasons.

1) I am a cheap skate .

2) I have a memory card reader in my macbook so will copy all my music on to a memory card.

3) When I want to use my Iphone to play music I will use the aux in the jumbo box and just put it on shuffle.

I'm currently using a Western Digital My Passport 320gb drive with mine

Ok thats cool i have a 500gb passport. Does the system keeps track where you left off. I.e does it resume when stopped in midsong the nextday when you drive away?

I have opted the MDI. And though i buy an ipod classic. But an WD passport is cheaper and has more space. Would be cool if it works.

Ok thats cool i have a 500gb passport. Does the system keeps track where you left off. I.e does it resume when stopped in midsong the nextday when you drive away?

I have opted the MDI. And though i buy an ipod classic. But an WD passport is cheaper and has more space. Would be cool if it works.

How do you have to organise the files on the drive - I'm not a whizz with computers! Can you create playlists using this way?

I thought the columbus system does not support playlist (pls, m3u, etc).

But you can simply create folders:

---Dire straights

|_____________Love over Gold

| |________Song 1

| |________Song 2

|

|_____________Brothers in Arms

|________Song1

|________Song2

--- Pink Floyd

|_____________the wall

| |________Song 1

| |________Song 2

|_____________Delicate sound of thunder

|________Song1

|________Song 2

etc

The folder structure can be a maximum of 8 folders deep.

And any folder can contain a maximum of 1000 songs

Next descision - leather or not lol!

Leather

I've both leather and MDI..........................glad I got both if you can afford it go for it

I thought the columbus system does not support playlist (pls, m3u, etc).

But you can simply create folders:

---Dire straights

|_____________Love over Gold

| |________Song 1

| |________Song 2

|

|_____________Brothers in Arms

|________Song1

|________Song2

--- Pink Floyd

|_____________the wall

| |________Song 1

| |________Song 2

|_____________Delicate sound of thunder

|________Song1

|________Song 2

etc

The folder structure can be a maximum of 8 folders deep.

And any folder can contain a maximum of 1000 songs

Thanks for the reply - it seems pretty straight forward then, I organise the folders like this on my computer. I assume if I just copy the files over then it's plug and play?? It should be easy to get around the playlist problem and I assume that a portable HDD will be more reliable than an ipod!

Edited 20 August, 201015 yr by zimmerman

If I was ordering another car I wouldn't bother with the MDI I think it's a rip off and not particularly user friendly.

The "control" that you get over the iPod via the radio touch screen is limited at best and extremely clunky to use if you have a lot of music to the point where imo it's actually dangerous because you have to take your eyes off the road for way too long to be able to find specific artists or tracks. If you are expecting anything like an actual iPod interface forget it basically you have a list of artists or album or tracks you can scroll through (slowly at that) and that's all.

If you really want to control the iPod the Aux interface and putting the iPod in a cradle that fits into one of the cup holders beside the hand brake will give you way more control much faster.

The only advantage of the MDI for iPod use is that it charges whereas with the Aux interface you need a separate charger.

A 32 GB SDHC card filled with music in the slot on the radio will allow you the same control over you music as the MDI does for less money.

The MDI also has an annoying habit of inserting a tiny pause in most track just after they start playing, you get the first couple of bars then a pause for maybe half a second then the song continues.

Overall I give the MDI a big thumbs down.