Hi,

I've been a member on here for about 3 years and was wondering if anyone could answer what are probably pretty basic questions about the specified headunits that could help out anyone looking to buy either. Things seem to have moved on a bit and now my '58 Octavia L&K's about a month away from the warranty running out, it seems the right time to catch up. (I HAVE looked for a LONG time on here, but unless I missed it, there's no difinitive thread to answer the questions)

Basically, I have an Audience h/u which is a bit of a pain the the arris cos although a fine h/u, unless something's been brought out in the last year from Denison or summat, there's no way to connect an i-pod/i-phone. Can someone answer the following questions on the Bolero & Columbus:

1. what is the difference between the two units? (you'd think a google would show this, but it ain't that easy! ...either that or i'm googling the wrong searches)

2. Which version/s will work on my model car with FULL capabilities? (bearing in mind I have MFD & MFSW as standard that I want to work still)

3. I'm not really understanding what MDI is and if it's fitted or not, and therefore what to (assuming it's the h/u)? Can't you just buy a cable to link the i-whatever and be done? I saw this http://www.uvworldwide.co.uk/ice-navigation/vwskodaseat-media-mdi-usb-ipod-rns-510-integration-kit-p-2511.html and just seemed bloody expensive if you can just use a single lead to connect to the stereo and wang it in the glovebox!

4. What's the quality of satnav compared to the standard tomtom boxes? You hear nightmares about oem systems!

Thanks if anyone does actually reply, from what i've seen, these things seem to stay unanswered sometimes so hopefully someone's got a good heart.

1.Sat Nav and a Hard Disk Drive in the Columbus

2.Both will

3.MDI is the ability to plug in via a hard wired adapter various devices and control them via the stereo - Hard Disk, USB drive, Ipod/Iphone etc

4.neatness of the dash - great - compared to a TomTom you'll have to wait for a columbus user - IMO though not as good.

Sweet, cheers for that. So basically, if i'm not bothered by sat nav or HD, I should just go for the cheaper option and get a bolero? IF I wanted satnav, how quickly do the discs/info go out of date on those things, and is there anything I need to know about it that's a pain in the @rse?

Last thing, so now I know that i'll need MDI to completely control the i-pod when it's tucked out of sight in the glovebox (which is my main reason for getting a new headunit!), is it literally just the lead and the gubbins needed to work it is built into the stereo, or do I need the whole expensive external device bit as well?? Kept reading people referring to it being 'MDI ready' and wondered what they were on about?? If i'm assuming you need the £150 MDI bits, are they saying the stereo fitted from factory came with it already fitted as standard, so if they sold it, it'd be part of the kit with the stereo?

This is the last bit that's foxing me as from what you said, obviously I can pick up any bolero/columbus unit and plug it straight in, get the code and away we go.

Edited 26 July, 201114 yr by blackspaven

Oooooh, just heard about a model called an Amundsen plus: will this fit in my motor and where does it stand in terms of functions in line with the bolero/columbus??

The 'control' over the MDI is ready but you need the MDI bit, at a lot of cash - or a Connects2 which is the same kind of thing but cheaper.

Buy the Bolero and use the SD card slot - much much much easier - no fannying about with iPods. How much are 32GB SD Cards now?

Edited 26 July, 201114 yr by prolfe

So what's the deal with the amundsen & amundsen+?? What's the difference between the two models and where do they sit, functionality wise, in the whole bolero/columbus scheme of things?

So what's the deal with the amundsen & amundsen+?? What's the difference between the two models and where do they sit, functionality wise, in the whole bolero/columbus scheme of things?

I guess no-one on here actually know then.

I guess no-one on here actually know then.

I believe you'll find that the plus model has an internal hard drive allowing you to store the nav maps on it rather than having to keep the map DVD in the drive all the time like you do on the non plus model. Not sure if you can also store music on the plus model like you can on the Columbus, but I'd bet and say you could.