could some one please tell me if when you plug a usb memory stick in the MDI socket can you skip through the songs like an i pod and does it have the song name on the display of the stereo also would an i pod work like this with right lead ?

You'll be able to browse the file/folder structure and when the tracks are playing the ID3 tags are displayed on the headunit.

You'll be able to browse the file/folder structure and when the tracks are playing the ID3 tags are displayed on the headunit.

but .....reeeeeeeeally slooooooooooowly!!!

on the MDI + USB cable can you just get that instead of ipod cable then plug your own ipod cable into the USB one and get full functionality ?? that would be more sensible for when mine arrives if it is the cas!

but .....reeeeeeeeally slooooooooooowly!!!

I have an 80Gb hard disk attached to my MDI and navigating your way around the directory structure is definitely NOT something to do while driving!

on the MDI + USB cable can you just get that instead of ipod cable then plug your own ipod cable into the USB one and get full functionality ?? that would be more sensible for when mine arrives if it is the cas!

No, because of the way an Ipod works, it needs the proper ipod cable. Basically anything that presents itself in Windows as a mass storage device can be plugged in the USB cable, the ipod does not so it needs the ipod cable.

but .....reeeeeeeeally slooooooooooowly!!!

Not a problem with the Columbus or the Bolero with the latest firmware, where it is a problem is the older Boleros and they exhibit the same problem playing music from SD card as well.

not tried the USB one bu the Ipod one works well. You can scroll through your music, not overly easy on the move though. That might be partly due to how the songs are stored on the ipod (fairly new to it so not that great with it).

Only problem that mine has is it sometimes gets the name of the song stuck on the display i.e. will go to the next track but still show previous song title.

The Ipod/Ipod cable is by far the most expensive solution, but the best one, as you don't get the useless mixing of tracks within folders, instead you get the full shuffle of the Ipod should you want it.

The response of it is almost immediate, compared to the fumbling that the Bolero does when it comes to either a USB HDD or SD card.