Started here UK Launch, what do you want to know?

 

So no 230v euro socket or USB socket at the rear of the centre console for the UK market, just a 12v socket inside a storage drawer.

 

 

My understanding is that the 230v euro socket is not covered by British Standards for use in the UK and our 3-pin socket would be too large to fit the panel anyway.

The 2nd USB socket is a powered data port connected to, and selectable as a source, on the infotainment system (certainly on the new Columbus it is).

 

Alternatives seem to be...

A rechargeable battery pack. I have a large Ring power pack. It has a 12v "cigarette lighter" socket, USB (for charging devices), and a 3-pin 240v socket (inverter). It also has jump leads to start a flat battery. The downside is that is heavy and cumbersome and not something I'd want unsecured in the passenger cabin. When I do have it in the car it lives in the boot.

More practical is something like this http://www.ringautomotive.co.uk/uk/products/Cars/In-car+Power/Compact+Inverters/RINV120 which is about £35 and, on this device, has both the 3-pin socket and powered USB socket.

If you have sufficient competence you could even hard-wire it in your car.

If you only want a USB socket for charging your phone or tablet then the small 12v USB adaptors are all you need. It would be good if there is enough space to be able to fit a phone in the drawer with a USB lead attached and still be able to close the drawer. Only time will tell. Be aware that tablets draw more current than phones when charging, so make sure you get one with a more powerful output (low power adaptors have been known to burst into flames when a tablet has been left connected).

If you want a powered data connection to your infotainment, for example a hard drive, then it looks like you'll have to wire one of these in yourself. At least this option gives you the opportunity to place the USB socket where it will be most convenient for your own needs. It may also be possible to wirelessly link a wi-fi capable hard drive (certainly to the Columbus) but this is an expensive option, especially if you already have an existing USB hard drive.

 

On the subject of hard drives, bear in mind the MDI of the previous Superb no longer exists. The new infotainment systems can handle natively more audio formats than the MDI could. Digital video is also now supported (albeit with caveats relating to resolution and bitrates). All this means is consider you may want a larger capacity drive.

 

 

 

Interesting which make of car they used in this demo video...

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XPuU3NS8lU

Doesn't bother me - don't have a requirement to plug my dishwasher in, nor want to put a USB stick in.

 

If I, or more likely my kids, have a need for a USB charger then I'll use one of these like I do now:

 

For the inverter I've gone for cheap and cheerful (£16.49).

At 150w (180w max) it should be enough for my 85w laptop power supply.

Negates the need for any wiring and can be stored in the glovebox when not in use.

Multi-plug capability and USB charging point seems a bonus.

Doesn't bother me - don't have a requirement to plug my dishwasher in, nor want to put a USB stick in.

If I, or more likely my kids, have a need for a USB charger then I'll use one of these like I do now:

I bought one of these from a petrol station but find when I use it, it interferes with the radio reception on the car.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Thoughts on this topic. My needs are: to be able to charge 2 phones and one other device (e.g. road angel) in the most discrete way possible.

 

Currently in the Mk2 hatch, I have:

• A plug with integrated on/off switch & fuse plugged into the 12v socket on the surface of the rear console, which runs to a 3-way 12v splitter which is then velcro'd to the top of the soundsystem electronics under the passenger seat. In this 3 way unit sit 3 small tomtom 12v > USB converters.
• The switch is necessary as 12v sockets are live when the ignition is turned off.
• From one, a long cable runs under the floor mat, under the sill trim, and up the trim to the side of the door, then is tucked inbetween the dash and the headlining and then runs along the very front of the dash in the recess between it and the very bottom of the windscreen. The cable appears mid-dash and plugs into a roadangel on a beanbag mount. None of this cable is visible.
• From the others run a long cable USB > old apple connector and a long cable usb > lightning connector. These plug into two iphones (work and personal) that sit on the passenger seat.
• The beauty of it lies in being able to switch it all off at the rear socket easily and that the low profile switched 12v plug doesn't look at all out of place in the rear console. it's all hidden away.

In the MkIII, I can see the following problems:

• Being under covers, there's no obvious way to run 12v from either socket in the cabin without the cover being open to allow the cable to exit.
• connect a phone to the USB in the front compartment and I suspect you'll get more than 5v i.e. the phone then gets linked to the headunit to do various things, which you may not want to happen.
• plugging and unplugging that ONE usb socket in the front - how long before that USB socket fails? They can be very unreliable.
• I appreciate moving on from MDI to direct USB makes sense but why oh why not make a USB connection possible either in that massive bin under the armrest or in the glovebox where there's already a unit that could easily support it? At least MDI was a very solid connection.
• same as power, how to route a USB cable out of the box to somewhere useful to store your external HDD. If you have the phonebox, would a phone and HDD fit in there - I doubt it. Therefore lack of second USB in a better place is likely going to be a pain.

Possible solutions / tweaks / hacks:

 

USB:

• A low profile 90 degree usb extension could be helpful - examples here: http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/left-angle-usb - this might allay concerns over the USB socket being stressed. Coupled with the shortest possible USB>phone cable, could support the phone in the phone box and getting charged too (Shame inductive charging isn't available yet).

POWER:

• I could run an extension from the 12v socket in the boot, into the front interior under one of the seats. It would be easy enough to tuck cable away under mats and around the base of the rear seats.
• There might be a way to route a 12v cable into the bottom of the centre console at the rear and into that 12v socket; from the pictures here that looks possible. That would be even neater than my current solution.
• Hardwiring 12 volt sockets could be done with something like this but even though it looks quite straightforward I don't / won't have the confidence to do it and I can see my warranty going south if it all goes bang.
• As mentioned before, high capacity re-chargeable lithium-ion batteries (search amazon for Anker) might be a good alternative for power - one could always be on charge in the boot from the 12v socket there (these charge via USB). Such a battery would easily sit in the centre bin under the armrest. I've ordered the phonebox so will want to put the phone in there to get best signal (now need to find a phone slip case as the metal protective shell of mine will prevent the bluetooth+ antenna from working).

MEDIA:

• For Media, I will be happy to load 32gb or 64gb SDXC cards into the reader in the glovebox - I suspect one will contain my favourite music that I want to keep all the time and the other will be changed more frequently.
• Alternative would be smallest possible (size) and highest capacity (GB) USB stick in a short extension as mentioned above in the front console box.
• It's great to have FLAC support now as that's how my music is stored and Canton will make better use of it.
• WIFI audio playback sounds promising and appears from the manual to depend on being able to connect a UPNP/DLNA Server to Columbus via the wifi hotspot. Could be one of a number of portable wifi drives or a laptop.

Internet:

• Obviously if you have the SIM module in the glovebox you can insert a SIM card, establish a data connection over 4G and then share that connection via the Columbus wifi hotspot. This would require the expensive "Premium WLAN with integrated high-speed LTE internet † Includes SIM card slot and rSAP profile compatibility to provide high-speed LTE internet."
• If you don't have this the Columbus manual suggests that either an rSAP connection over Bluetooth to another phone (non iPhone) OR a "Data Connection via WLAN" which suggests it could use a Mi-Fi 4G style dongle OR perhaps the personal hotspot from an iPhone. Not quite sure why you'd want to do that (what can Columbus use internet for?) but it's the kind of thing I want to find out.

 

I am tempted to see how I get on with the mobile battery solutions for powering devices on the move - the only downside for that is the roadangel which in my current solution is effectively hard wired, and I'll need to use a 12v from somewhere. I'm not very confident to go doing anything with vehicle electrics....

 

This feels like one whole area where "Simply Clever" hasn't gone far enough and not enough user research has been done. Minor niggles on what looks like a fantastic car but it could be a let down, especially if like me you have OCD tendencies about this kind of thing - my daily commute is about 1.5 hours (am) and up to two hours (pm) - annual mileage around 32K so I spend hours in the car and want it to be as niggle free as possible.

 

I'll do some research on cables / products / solutions and as soon as I can get into a Mk III at my dealership I'll have a poke around the centre console to see what could be done there, and try some USB cables in the front compartment. Once I've done some more research on the non-power topics I'll start-up a new thread for them perhaps - I hadn't intended to go quite so "off-topic" but this turned into a brain dump of all the stuff I want to play with and will have to wait some months to get my hands on!

 I'm not very confident to go doing anything with vehicle electrics....

 

If you can change a fuse then using a ‘fuse tap’ to wire in additional sockets is really easy, the only hard bit (not really hard, but harder than on a MKII) is accessing the fusebox as it’s now located behind the glovebox, however this could make adding additional sockets even neater as they could live in the glovebox?

For the inverter I've gone for cheap and cheerful (£16.49).

Bestek.jpg

At 150w (180w max) it should be enough for my 85w laptop power supply.

Negates the need for any wiring and can be stored in the glovebox when not in use.

Multi-plug capability and USB charging point seems a bonus.

 

Have you tried this one before?

 

I know some inverters that use dirty power (not pure sine wave) are not suitable for some devices like laptops etc.

Have you tried this one before?

 

I know some inverters that use dirty power (not pure sine wave) are not suitable for some devices like laptops etc.

 

No, I hadn't tried it before.

As someone whose flat battery consistently fails to act as a reminder to unplug devices from the permanent feed 12v sockets, the low power cut-off (10.5v) was a must-have.

On my Superb II it only just fits into the front 12v socket - that's due to its width, not the height (the rear 12v socket being no problem at all, though that may not be the case on the Superb III).

I did also buy a 2m socket extension lead at the same time, "just in case".

 

It arrived this morning and I've now tested it with my MacBook Air. As the laptop battery wasn't fully charged I expected it would draw more current for charging.

Well, it works a treat, with or without the engine running. Checked the laptop stats and it was drawing a consistent 35 watts.

The inverter has a cooling fan but it emitted just a gentle hum.

So on it's first trial I'm pleased with it.

With a 3-pin plug inserted the USB port remains unobstructed.

Fitting a second USB input to the Columbus (Discover Nav) should not be as daunting as I originally envisaged.

The "gubbins" are all fed to the unit in the glovebox with a single lead connecting it to the head unit, so no need to touch the display unit.

Fitting a 2nd USB socket in the glovebox for the hard drive, where the controller lives, should involve minimal trim-molesting.

I hope the unit that comes in my car will have the same sticker showing the pin connections as I've failed to find any info on the internet.

If anyone comes across the wiring info please let me know. (A simple USB socket was too much to hope for!)

 

It also appears that the control unit is made by Harman and the head unit Alpine.

Car manufacturers tend to source from various electronics manufacturers, so don't assume it will be the same in your Superb III.

I hope the unit that comes in my car will have the same sticker showing the pin connections as I've failed to find any info on the internet.

If anyone comes across the wiring info please let me know. (A simple USB socket was too much to hope for!)

 

Have you come across any more info on what is on the rear of the Columbus?

 

I am looking into a discreet hidden Dash cam kit which has the option of displaying the cameras view on the cars head unit (via AV out connections) I assume the Columbus will have some sort of AV in for the optional reversing camera?? 

Have you come across any more info on what is on the rear of the Columbus?

No further update.

Info on the actual connections is scarcer than rocking horse manure.

Everything goes into the glove box control unit with a single 10-pin connection to the screen unit.

There appear to be no "standard" input connections, like AV, USB, etc, instead there's a whole bunch of multi-pin connectors.

Looks like I'll need to wait until I get my car and can have a look at the control unit in the raw.

 

Bluetooth is now built into the control head (the one in the glove box), so no more separate BT units under the seat. This ties in with SD Card updatable BT software being available for download on Škoda's Infotainment update site.

Interesting which make of car they used in this demo video...

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XPuU3NS8lU

Which model Skoda did they use?

Which model Skoda did they use?

 

Going by the seats (perforated leather) I would say an Octavia vRS?

Going by the seats (perforated leather) I would say an Octavia vRS?

Thanks, Octy 3 perhaps?

 

From reading the other posts, I'm glad that I don't need more than a 32 gb sd card for music, or to charge one mobile at a time........

 

As for charging a lap-top, it's always fully charged at home.  

But then I don't have to work any more, (OAP),  so don't have any boring commutes, etc. 

No it has the old steering wheel and badge so will be a MKII

No it has the old steering wheel and badge so will be a MKII

I'm going out to the garage to peek at SWMBO's  car when the rain stops!

Thanks, Octy 3 perhaps?

Its not an Octy 3. Wrong buttonlayout and different armrest.

Its not an Octy 3. Wrong buttonlayout and different armrest.

Gizmo68 is correct, I didn't recognize the centre console, 'cos it's a manual & I'm only used to her DSG...... 

Hy,

I've also no USB and 230V in the back,

but I wanted to get an secondary fully functional USB port

for charging my phone when it is in a Brodit phone holder over my Amundsen navigation system.

 

so, is there a secondary connection on the navsystem where I can can  that USB thats missing in the back?

I read about the "HSD USB hub" (5G0 035 953 C) that should be needed for that,

but nobody knows for shure....

 

can anybody help?