Replace Bolero with Columbus - Level of coding required?

[Rustynuts]

Not having a HDD isn't really a downgrade when there's a USB connection available that you can leave a laptop hard disk permanently plugged into. Also write speeds to the Columbus HDD are shockingly slow on my one anyway, it takes it several hours to upload a mapping DVD for example, so I never use it for music. That looks like a very neat nearly OEM solution. I wouldn't buy without checking to see how easily and regularly the maps on the satnav can be updated though.

 

If my Columbus died in the morning I'd be looking at something like this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/7-Android-Car-DVD-CD-GPS-SatNav-for-VW-Passat-Golf-MK5-6-EOS-Skoda-Caddy-2698CU-/121377365534?hash=item1c42a79e1e:g:GbQAAOSwa-dWijfY 

Copying a maps dvd on a Columbus or RNS510 is 45 - 50 minutes or so. Any longer and summat's up.

[psycholist]

At least 3 or 4 hours on mine. It got it done eventually though. I'm not sure if I have the 30 or the 40 GB HDD, but the write speed is shockingly slow. While it stays running I don't plan to do any more messing with it, except possibly installing a reversing camera...

[lichfielddriver]

im not interested in satnav, and the HDD isnt a worry, ive a bigger SD card.....but i need at least a Bolero to use that card, SWING have no SD slot, anyone know what comes up on screen when the SD card option is selected? any folder/file names?

[Paul007]

SD card option is highlighted along with hdd, cd etc

[dsab]

im not interested in satnav, and the HDD isnt a worry, ive a bigger SD card.....but i need at least a Bolero to use that card, SWING have no SD slot, anyone know what comes up on screen when the SD card option is selected? any folder/file names?

 

When you use a SD Card in the Bolero the Song Name, Album Name and Artist are all displayed on the MFD. Radio display itself also displays all those Infos.

[dsab]

Has anyone here tried their hands on one of those 3rd party Radios? A good experience? Could work out quite a bit cheaper and easier then having to get BT and the Columbus seperately. I had a look at the following, and it looks quite neat, and seems to support all the features the Columbus has (except for not having a HDD). Previous buyers on Ebay left very good feedback, but is it really any good?

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RNS510-STYLE-HD-DVD-GPS-SAT-NAV-SKODA-FABIA-OCTAVIA-RAPID-ROOMSTER-SUPERB-YETI-/111905726841?hash=item1a0e19e179:g:5QcAAOSwhcJWLlRS

 

I contacted the seller for some general Information, and found one big drawback with those non OEM Units. It won't display anything (i.e. Music related, or SAT NAV Infos) on the MFD. So I decided to go for the original Columbus instead.

[lichfielddriver]

I contacted the seller for some general Information, and found one big drawback with those non OEM Units. It won't display anything (i.e. Music related, or SAT NAV Infos) on the MFD. So I decided to go for the original Columbus instead.

 

 

Columbus or Bolero I think...

[dsab]

Just thought I would update this, as I just finished replacing the Bolero with a Columbus.

 

- Getting the Bolero out and the Columbus in is really simple, and a matter of 5-10 minutes.

- Upon fitting it I found that pretty much everything worked straight away, SAT NAV, Radio, Parking Display, Climate Control Display etc.

- The only thing which didn't work out of the box was the Display of Information on the MFD. But I was aware of that before

- This was fixed by hooking up VCDS , and not MFD displays again Music Information, Sat Nav etc.

- I then went straight onto updating the Firmware to 5238, which took about an hour

- I then updated the Maps to V13 (via the SD Maps Tool), which took another 30 minutes.

 

So all in all it took about two hours to replace the Bolero with the Columbus, to code it via VCDS to the Car and to then update it to a more up to date Software/Map version.

 

And as someone asked, the Bolero will go up in the for Sale section later.

[stubie141258]

Is there any noticeable difference in sound quality with the Columbus.also I have a sort of shark fin on the roof is the the GPS aerial

[dsab]

I have only spent a few minutes in the car since I made the changes, but my initial feeling was that the sound from the Bolero was considerably better then the Columbus.

 

I don't have a Shark Fin, but I believe there are several Versions of it (with and without GPS). I just stuck a magnetic Aerial in the area behind the Radio.

Edited 12 May, 2016 by dsab

[stubie141258]

So better sound from the Bolero you think. I have a Columbus I was thinking of retro fitting but the Bolero seems to do all that I want.

 

Stubie