Depends on why you want to upgrade really

Hi All,

Interesting to read some of the comments on the OEM stereos.

I have hust picked up my first Octavia Mk2 2005 elegance estate and has the Audience stereo. Just wondering whether i can get a additional lead added to connect a ipod or if it can be upgraded?

It does have what appears to be a dead line across the screen, more noticiable when reverse is selected as the car image has no left side.

Thanks

Nope. There's no external input available on the Audience cos there's an inbuilt cd changer instead so they built it without a need for anything else. This is one reason I changed to a Bolero and overall it's a much better system in terms of versatility. SD card function can carry more than enough info for me to use in a car and no extra charge of the mdi connectors which are quite pricey.

You can get external inputs (ie. ipod connectors) for just about every other model apart from the Audience.

The Bolero is todays version of the Audience, except unlike the Audience it has aux input capability. Rather oddly the Audience has the option in the menus to enable an Aux-in but there are no external connections on the headunit.

I have a VAG compatible Kenwood DNX521DAB in my new Octy. Garmin sourced Sat Nav; DAB radio (obviously); 32 gig SD card and compatible with parking sensors, climate control, s/wheel controls etc. Not an option but available as an accessory from Skoda so thought would mention it.

I have a VAG compatible Kenwood DNX521DAB in my new Octy. Garmin sourced Sat Nav; DAB radio (obviously); 32 gig SD card and compatible with parking sensors, climate control, s/wheel controls etc. Not an option but available as an accessory from Skoda so thought would mention it.

Ah, that's interesting. Shall have a mooch at aftermarket units. Don't have any steering wheel controls, so loss if it is not compatible.

Thanks for the info on the Bolero, all

Ah, that's interesting. Shall have a mooch at aftermarket units. Don't have any steering wheel controls, so loss if it is not compatible.

Thanks for the info on the Bolero, all

The kenwood definetely has an output/input for the s/wheel controls although like you I don't have them so cannot confirm first hand they work but pretty sure they do. Only drawback apart from the price has been the need to rely on a windscreen stick on aerial. Despite the best efforts of my excellent dealer (Preston Motors) they have not been able to get it working through the cars built in roof aerial.

Thanks for the info Mike

The Bolero is todays version of the Audience, except unlike the Audience it has aux input capability. Rather oddly the Audience has the option in the menus to enable an Aux-in but there are no external connections on the headunit.

Not strictly true. If you had a jumbo box fitted with the Audience, THAT's what the Aux-in is connected to; the 3.5mm mini-jack socket under the armrest. It's only a socket though and therefore not gonna do anything functionally as an ipod connection would; it's purely a signal. The bolero has the same and that's what connected automatically as soon as I fitted one into mine. I stick podcasts on my nokia and use a jack-to-jack cable to the aux in in the jumbo to listen to them.

Don't know if the aux-in works with the under armrest socket if you retro fit the jumbo box, but i'm pretttty sure it does, but may possibly need 'switching on', as it were, with vcds.

The Bolero also has an SD card slot in the front which the audience doesn't have. Audience isn't touchscreen or colour either.

I have hust picked up my first Octavia Mk2 2005 elegance estate and has the Audience stereo. Just wondering whether i can get a additional lead added to connect a ipod or if it can be upgraded?

Sorry, obviously my above post is kind of relevant to your question: depends if you want to be able to control the ipod from the stereo or not. If you have a jumbo box (or if you retro fit one if they do work... fairrrrrly sure they do), you can plug any ipod/mp3 equipment in, but you'll have to control it from the ipod unit itself and NOT from the stereo/steering wheel.

As mannyo says, yes the Columbus is the top model, but............

I would have said Amundsen+ is doing a fairly good job in beating it: DAB, Bluetooth (built in), Nav, SD and disc. The only it thing doesn't have is the HDD, but if you have MDI the HDD is redundant anyway. It seems to sell cheaper than Columbus on ePray too.

(Unless there's something I've missed)

Is the Amundsen+ Gateway dependant?

I know from personal experience on the MK5 Golf platform to install a Generation 2-3 head unit the gateway needs to be at least Rev K otherwise the battery will drain. I'm currently looking for a 2006+ Octavia VRS TDi and suspect the first mod will be to retrofit a Amundsen+ headunit

Will i need to give some consideration to the Gateway revision if i fit a Amundsen+ headunit to a 2006+ Octavia, also will the bluetooth display only work with a HighLine cluster?

Edited 16 December, 201213 yr by Strangely Brown

The Columbus can play DVDs too you can also get a Columbus unit with DAB too

If the car is a 2005 model Elegance, yes it will have the jumbo box, but no it won't have the AUX socket there. That was only introduced 2006/7 models, the same time as when the standard Stream headunit was superseded by the Stream MP3. Even with an Audience upgrade, the AUX won't be there at that age of car.

Mike

Yup, what he said, but you CAN get the aux jack socket and fit it in an old model jumbo box to make it the same as the newer model as the part/parts are available from the dealer. There's a thread on here somewhere that's popped up recently cos someone did it. From memory, the socket is only part, possible two if you have to buy the little flap that sits over it which is purely to make it look tarty.

Thanks for the info on the a aux socket in the arm rest. Tbh that would be suffient as the ipod/ iphone on music is suffient and no need to control from stereo. Mind that is dependent on what skoda want to charge for the kit, shall ask on Thursday as visiting a local dealer.

Adding to Blackspaven's list:

Swing - Basic (Single DIN too IIRC)

Has there been more than one Swing?

I have a 2012 with the Swing head unit. It's a double DIN that plays MP3 files off of CD, has PDC graphics and shows icons when press buttons on the Climatronic. It also does Bluetooth.

Hmmm, not sure why but this page would suggest that the Amundsen is NOT retro fittable...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SKODA-OCTAVIA-FABIA-YETI-SUPERB-AMUNDSEN-SAT-NAV-UNIT-3T0035191AWHS-RRP-1022-/271119474487?pt=UK_In_Car_Technology&hash=item3f1ffadf37

Don't know if anyone can clear that up? I did ask the questions on here about this headunit last year when I was looking between that and the Bolero but no-one got back to me so i'm assuming not many people know much about this particular unit. Bought the Bolero in the end, but it would have been nice to have satnav and bluetooth... having said that I only paid £170 NOT over £300!!

I would think it is but you would need to add the gps receiver module as well - which is quite easy.

On a slightly separate note, does anyone know if it's possible to add speed camera POI's (ideally with associated sound) to the Amundsen+?

Yup, what he said, but you CAN get the aux jack socket and fit it in an old model jumbo box to make it the same as the newer model as the part/parts are available from the dealer. There's a thread on here somewhere that's popped up recently cos someone did it. From memory, the socket is only part, possible two if you have to buy the little flap that sits over it which is purely to make it look tarty.

Have we not been through all of this before. What does the aux socket connect to on the back of the Audience?? Please tell me it is possible because the quality of bluetooth streaming is getting on my wick!!

Tapatalk'd from my HTC SXE Beats

The Columbus can play DVDs too you can also get a Columbus unit with DAB too

Yes you can get Columbus with DAB, even more money though.

Playing a DVD? Quite possibly the most entertaining way to kill yourself in a car. If it's for the back passengers to watch, it's cheaper to buy a system for the back than to retro-fit OEM. Not only that, but I have 42" LED TV and surround-sound system. Against that, Columbus is pretty useless ;)

Cars are for driving, not watching movies - eyes on the road!

Have we not been through all of this before. What does the aux socket connect to on the back of the Audience?? Please tell me it is possible because the quality of bluetooth streaming is getting on my wick!!

Tapatalk'd from my HTC SXE Beats

Have no idea as my car came with it all fitted as standard, I just know it's there and I have definitely read about people retro fitting this unit AND a jumbo box and getting it to work. Don't get confused into thinking it's the same connections as the cd changer would use, cos they're definitely not there, but those connections also control the disc change, info reading, fast forward, rewind, and all the other stuff that you would be able to do with a cd changer/ipod connection. The input in the jumbo box is PURELY a one way audio signal, and nothing else and thereofre doesn't work in such a complicated way.

This is a bolero. If you look on the top right hand set of squares, I believe the very last two on top of each other are the aux in & out. They are not functional on the audience and are NOT blacked out whereas they are on the other stereos if you google pics of them. Whatever way it is, the jumbo box socket DOES work but the ipod or cd changer DOESN'T on an Audience h/u.

Here's the pics... http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/245762-stream-headunit-differences/

Edited 16 December, 201213 yr by blackspaven

Yes you can get Columbus with DAB, even more money though.

Playing a DVD? Quite possibly the most entertaining way to kill yourself in a car. If it's for the back passengers to watch, it's cheaper to buy a system for the back than to retro-fit OEM. Not only that, but I have 42" LED TV and surround-sound system. Against that, Columbus is pretty useless ;)

Cars are for driving, not watching movies - eyes on the road!

it doesn't play dvds while driving for obvious reasons, but i know i would still rather have my columbus unit over the Amundsen unit. it looks much better and it has the features i want and i was happy to pay for it.

I have 42" LED TV and surround-sound system. Against that, Columbus is pretty useless ;)

I bet you can't watch it in your car though!

it doesn't play dvds while driving for obvious reasons,

About 4 quid off ebay solves that

G'day guys,

I unfortunately have a Nexus (Worst GPS maps ever!) unit in my 2010 pre-FL vRS. Has anyone replaced this with an aftermarket model or know of any good replacement units that will fit without too much hastle?

Thanks in advance.