Hi all. I've been slowly getting to grips with all the tech on my new vRS since I picked her up a couple if weeks ago.

One thing that is puzzling me is DAB. I dont have it....in the radio screen I only have FM or AM as an option, and no DAB as per the manual. Surely thats not right?? I know the spec on cars for the Australian market are different spec....and appreciate that Australia can be a 'bit' behind the times, but we do get DAB radio over here.

Would there be something in the settings I have not done correctly or us it a dealer job?? The car us due back in for its 1000km health check next week so I can get them to look at it then if needs be.

Cheers.

Back to the dealer I think.

I can't find DAB mentioned anywhere in the current (December 2014) Australian brochure. That suggests they either consider it so unimportant that they don't even offer it as an option, or it's so unimportant that they don't bother to mention that it's fitted as standard to every car. As it doesn't appear to be fitted to your car I would go with the first option, unless someone here with an Australian Octavia has it fitted?

Is it on the Australian configurator? It's an extra cost option here in Ireland - though it's standard next door in the UK. Adding it on afterwards is not straightforward, as there is an extra antenna and hardware differences involved.

If it is an estate, look in the back quarter panel windows. There should be an antenna built into the glass. One side is DAB and the other FM?. If not there then very expensive!

Checked the car, it has the antenna in both of the rear quarter panel windows.

It wasn't in the configurator....I think the only option I didn't take was the pano roof, DAB definitely wasn't on there.

If it is an estate, look in the back quarter panel windows. There should be an antenna built into the glass. One side is DAB and the other FM?. If not there then very expensive!

Are you sure about this? The UK configurator says it has a diversity antenna, which suggests two aerials, and most DAB radios I've come across use the same aerial for DAB and FM.

Hi Roger. I have only ever come across one DAB that shares the FM antenna. I fitted a Columbus in my last Octy and it had a combination fm whip and DAB/GPS Shark Fin. each had its own separate output. With the current Columbus you also get a shark fin on the roof but I think that is for the phone booster?

 

andyvee is the expert on this so I am sure he will clarify. Andy - did you find the signal strength indicator?

 

Thanks

 

Garnett

Shark fin is for the phonebox and GPS I think

Shark fin is for the phonebox and GPS I think

I have the sharkfin. Satnav, but not phonebox.

Yeah but if you specced the phonebox/Bluetooth+ then it uses the sharkfin too to boost phone reception I think

Yeah but if you specced the phonebox/Bluetooth+ then it uses the sharkfin too to boost phone reception I think

It does.

Im just saying you can have the sharkfin without phonebox

It does.

Im just saying you can have the sharkfin without phonebox

ahh yeah i get what you mean

UPDATE. - been into dealer today......apparently we don't get DAB in Australia. Not sure why, but that was the answer.

Hi Roger. I have only ever come across one DAB that shares the FM antenna. I fitted a Columbus in my last Octy and it had a combination fm whip and DAB/GPS Shark Fin. each had its own separate output. With the current Columbus you also get a shark fin on the roof but I think that is for the phone booster?

 

andyvee is the expert on this so I am sure he will clarify. Andy - did you find the signal strength indicator?

 

Thanks

 

Garnett

I did, it is in the green engineering menu

 

I am 99.9999999% sure that the sharkfin has nothing to do with DAB at all.

 

There are coding options for enabling DAB, but I would have to have a good look at the car with VCP, as VCDS doesn't have a label file for 5F Infotainment yet. In theory, it could be enabled, but I don't know what DAB standard is in use in Oz and there are quite a few to choose from (assuming that all the hardware is fitted, the DAB module might not be inside the Columbus if it is supplied wthout DAB).

 

It may need a licence key as well, it may not.

Do you know if the UK DAB radio can do DAB+?

I seem to recall there being an option for it in the coding, I'd have to take another look though. Didn't think it was being implemented in the UK though?

Not yet. We might eventually get it. Plain DAB is ancient, inefficient and poor quality at the bit rates currently in use. :-(

Its kinda silly selling a reciver capable of only DAB and not +.

Especially in car who can meet all sorts of signals on its travel.

We do get DAB in Australia. My brothers a class has it and that's a 2012 model.

So, can this be retrofitted via vcds or vag. Can? Or is it hardware?

Anyone??

I am having Columbus + DAB retrofitted tomorrow.

There is hardware involved.

I am having Columbus + DAB retrofitted tomorrow.

There is hardware involved.

How are they getting around the component protection? I wasn't aware of anyone being able to retro fit the new columbus unit yet

How are they getting around the component protection? I wasn't aware of anyone being able to retro fit the new columbus unit yet

It is not Skoda that installs it. I don't know the technical details but it is used but perfectly ok units from chrashed cars they install. They have installed many units already in VAG cars. Just look at Facebook for cartrends.dk (text is in Danish) but they install original parking sensors, navigation, stereos and do coding.