hey everyone,

a long time skoda owner but a newbie to briskoda and also the MFD3 columbus unit, i have a few general queries and all your feedback would be really appreciated.

1- just in process of buying the MFD3 RNS510 columbus from lithuiania, being an electronic unit iam under the impression i wont have any problem operating that with a UK reg car, correct??

2- it says the software version is 1004, is that the latest by any chance and if not how would i get the latest update? would there be a charge to that.

3- i intend to install it in a 2006 octavia FL ambiente so no climatronic, would i need to reprogram or do anything with the CAN BUS?

your help and guidance appreciated.

naj

It will work in a uk car yes. 1004 is an earlier software version which is ideal for your 2006 car as you shouldn't need to change your can gateway.

thanks man Thats a great tip, the software updates on the other hand! Are they critical and is it really worth going for newest version thus bearing the can bus expense?

Well i have the same problem. I'm about to upgrade to a columbus in my 2006 octy. I'm going for an older firmware as i dont want to change the gateway. Its another £100 and you need to either buy VDCS or find someone who has it to re-code the new one. Obviously the newer firmware has more features but personally i dont think i'd use them i.e. voice control which you need to have the microphone kit fitted anyway. I believe its fairly easy to upgrade the firmware if you wish to. There are many on here more knowledgeable than me on this but i believe the model you are going to buy should be plug and play.

Hi Mike,

I think i found the unit in question on Ebay (although it says its no longer available, maybe najone has bought it) but it claims to have the V7 maps come with it. Which is good.

I think i'm going to have mine installed by OEM Retrofits. Its a version B re-con unit but comes with the V7.1 maps and a 3 month warranty i'd rather it was 12 months).

I am toying with the idea of buying an older version and fitting it myself. Could probably save a £100 that way but i might make a mess of it!

I decided in the end to have my Sat-Nav factory fitted on my new Octy.

I know I could have bought one from Ebay or one of the other retrofit places.

However I know for a fact that mine hasn't been stolen from somebody's pride and joy and I've got a 3yr warranty on it.

Without voice recognition on early firmware, another thing to remember is that you will not be able to add the OEM bluetooth kit, which has voice control.

The unit you are looking at should be pretty much plug and play, but if you have maxidot, the CAN gateway will need to be recoded with VCDS to tell it there is a navigation unit fitted.

Mike

In my '06 Octavia I fitted a 1004 software unit and I had the original OEM BT car kit fitted with voice dialling. The difference between that set up and my current one in the factory fitted one of the Yeti is that I can do the voice control on the columbus, whereas all I could do before was BT car kit related. The latest version also supports 7 digit postcodes and if your car is new enough shows the climatronic stuff on screen....and there are a few more enhancements to the unit overall.

To be honest, if you aren't going to change all the necessary controllers and gateway on an early car it isn't worth getting the 3T0 unit, stick with the 1A0 unit.

Hi Mike,

I think i found the unit in question on Ebay (although it says its no longer available, maybe najone has bought it) but it claims to have the V7 maps come with it. Which is good.

I think i'm going to have mine installed by OEM Retrofits. Its a version B re-con unit but comes with the V7.1 maps and a 3 month warranty i'd rather it was 12 months).

I am toying with the idea of buying an older version and fitting it myself. Could probably save a £100 that way but i might make a mess of it!

i think u are right about the unit i got it yesterday., to be honest my two main needs from the unit are music and videos, as far as navigation goes i already have a tom tom but i would be an advantage to have the maps readily avaiable without setting up tom tom.

but now since i got a lot of info from you guys i think i will be experimenting a little, once fitted i'll upload photos and share details, also i dont have maxidot i dont even have climatronic.

as far as fitting goes i will give that a go myself with a very capable electrical guru mate of mine on the standby so fingers crossed lol

Edited 14 April, 201115 yr by najone

i think u are right about the unit i got it yesterday., to be honest my two main needs from the unit are music and videos, as far as navigation goes i already have a tom tom but i would be an advantage to have the maps readily avaiable without setting up tom tom.

but now since i got a lot of info from you guys i think i will be experimenting a little, once fitted i'll upload photos and share details, also i dont have maxidot i dont even have climatronic.

as far as fitting goes i will give that a go myself with a very capable electrical guru mate of mine on the standby so fingers crossed lol

Good luck with that, i'm sure it should be fairly straight forward! Yes, it would be good to see some photos and details of how you got on

Not sure if you know but i think you'll need an aeriel splitter like this http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170471720092&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT as the Columbus has a double connection at the back (one for AM, one for FM).

Good luck with that, i'm sure it should be fairly straight forward! Yes, it would be good to see some photos and details of how you got on

Not sure if you know but i think you'll need an aeriel splitter like this http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170471720092&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT as the Columbus has a double connection at the back (one for AM, one for FM).

oh thats a revaltion to my limited electronic brain mate, i dont think i would know until i actually get the old stream unit out, i have been told its fairly plug and play so far but if i do need that then thanks to yourself i could use that link or at least know what to buy.

Mike is right, but I have heard of issues with not using a splitter on some units though, with reception quality. So it might depend what you listen to on FM and how decent the transmission strength is.

So for £15ish it's probably a wise investment, just to install while you have the unit out of the dash.

Both aerial sockets are FM with a diversity function, one is both AM and FM.

Idealy you need the splitter even for FM because, use 1 input and you'll get a station list but no TMC or use the other input and get TMC and no station list, and with only one connected and you drive into a long tunnel (hatfield, dartford, tyne etc) when you emerge from the other end you'll have no radio reception until you change channel. The splitter gets over all this and gives great reception on AM/FM and you get full functionality.

There you go - there's the more comprehensive answer :yes:

Cheers Manny

If you want both AM and FM, yes, you'll need the aerial splitter as descriobed. However, if you never listen to AM, just plug the aerial into the FM aerial socket on the Columbus

Mike

mostly FM mate, dont think i would need am, as long as thats the only drawback iam not really bothered about it. cheers for the tip.

Both aerial sockets are FM with a diversity function, one is both AM and FM.

Idealy you need the splitter even for FM because, use 1 input and you'll get a station list but no TMC or use the other input and get TMC and no station list, and with only one connected and you drive into a long tunnel (hatfield, dartford, tyne etc) when you emerge from the other end you'll have no radio reception until you change channel. The splitter gets over all this and gives great reception on AM/FM and you get full functionality.

very comprehensive answer indeed, got the model name already so i'll be hitting the shops to find one, dont really like ebaying a small object like that.

its all so complicated lol, was just looking for some music on my long taxi shifts.

Seriously, that eBay item is your best bet.

If not, the very best of luck finding an actual shop you can walk into that will have a clue what you're asking for

thanks everyone for the great ideas, i will run this topic till i recieve and fit the unit, updating you all on every step mainly for my own help as me and DIY usually result and a grim situation

Just to add, the splitter linked to above

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170471720092&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

is the same as whet I had on my Octavia when I added a columbus.

oh by the way guys, one thing i forgot to mention, my humble octy also has an in boot 6 cd multichanger. will be useless after the installation of columbus or it would automatically blend in.

It will plug in and work fine with your Columbus.

guys thanks for all the info have already ordered the FAKRA antenna gadget and the unit is on the way(so the seller says), the important thing would be facia caz the columbus is smailler in size compared to stream, as previously stated i have the non climatronic octy so where is the best place to get the facia, i have gone the halfords route once before and that stuff does not blend in.

Main dealer for that. Its not expensive, around £20 i think. Have a look at the useful part numbers sticky i think it gives you the part number on the first page.

just for reference the non climatronic i found is

1Z0858069B9B9

will confirm with dealer on monday

ok guys its update time,

today i got the columbus delivered, the unit is very good nick and also the seals are all in tact and screws are not tempered with, only had a GPS antenna and 4 digit code with it thats all, seller said maps are on HDD which remains to be seen.

thanks to all ur suggestions i already bought the FAKRA antenna diversity thing and waiting for that and the facia, i called the main dealer in maidstone today for non climatronic facia surround and they told me they will call back and havent heard anything (some main dealer that is). I THINK I WILL NEED HELP ON THE FACIA KIT.

here are a few numbers on the unit, hopefully ya'll can make sense of it.

SW: 1004

PRODUCED: 03-07-2008

AND ITS A 1Z0

just spent an hour on internet and it seems its near impossible to get a fascia surround for my non climatronic octy to fit columbus,

all your suggestions and help is desperately required, thanks.