My 55 plate Octavia L&K has what the original owner must have thought was the top of the range radio.  It has Sat Nav, 6 CD changer etc.  However it's lacking in a couple of fundamentals and I would like to get a replacement that's more suited to my requirements:

 

Yes please

1) Must have Long Wave available (travel in France a lot and the Today Programme and Test Match Special would change my life).  This is ESSENTIAL!

2) Still needs to control the CD changer in the boot, I guess

3) Ability to connect an external device via 3.5mm plug would be great.

4) Plug in SD/USB device would be nice but not essential

Not needed

5) Sat Nav not necessary (the one in my phone is perfectly good enough)

6) Bluetooth not necessary

 

I guess a S/H older unit would probably do the trick admirably (apart from criterion 4 which isn't essential).  If anyone could advise what to go for and what could fit in the gap without messing about I'd be really grateful.

 

Many thanks,

 

Nic.

 

PS, willing to swap/p-ex for the right unit!

Edited 6 June, 201610 yr by NicRobinson

Are you sure that you can't receive LW with your current unit?

 

Keep cycling through the AM options and it should be there.

 

If not, then the cheapest option would be to fit the stream mp3 unit, which you can get for around £30 second hand.

 

It will connect straight in, save for swapping the fascia. It will control the CD changer, and also you can add a 3.5mm aux-in.

Thanks for the quick reply.  Frustratingly no LW to be found - anywhere on the AM band - doesn't go far enough if you know what I mean.  Do you mean one like this?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SKODA-OCTAVIA-MK2-2005-2009-CD-STREAM-MP3-CD-HEAD-UNIT-1Z0035161C-/201579864468?hash=item2eef18a194:g:W0YAAOSw8vZXL4Bh

Might be good to find out what's currently fitted before spending any money, anything written on the unit or can you add a picture?

 

I think some VAG radios do LW but to get there you need to select AM then keep pressing down on the frequency selector until you end up in the LW spectrum.

If its the factory unit from 2005, it will be the MFD2/Nexus

 

Thanks for the quick reply.  Frustratingly no LW to be found - anywhere on the AM band - doesn't go far enough if you know what I mean.  Do you mean one like this?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SKODA-OCTAVIA-MK2-2005-2009-CD-STREAM-MP3-CD-HEAD-UNIT-1Z0035161C-/201579864468?hash=item2eef18a194:g:W0YAAOSw8vZXL4Bh

 

That's the one. I have one in mine, I'll double check later if it goes into the LW band.

An alternative to consider is some kind of internet radio app on a smartphone, like Tunein or similar. You will use up some data allowance but even 3G roaming is not expensive these days, and most stations will allow you can select low-res versions - but probably not as poor as LW   - then you just have to connect that into your existing system (3.5mm jack or bluetooth). 

1) Must have Long Wave available (travel in France a lot and the Today Programme and Test Match Special would change my life).  This is ESSENTIAL!

 

Are these not on DAB?

The stream mp3 picks up long wave no problem.

Are these not on DAB?

Not in France.

Might be good to find out what's currently fitted before spending any money, anything written on the unit or can you add a picture?

 

I think some VAG radios do LW but to get there you need to select AM then keep pressing down on the frequency selector until you end up in the LW spectrum.

Really, this one doesn't...sadly.

That's the one. I have one in mine, I'll double check later if it goes into the LW band.

Thank you!

OK here's a pic.  Looks like the one pictured above.

2 very dull questions:

How easy is it to add an outboard 3.5mm socket?

Do I need different connectors?

Many thanks,

 

Nic.

Are you sure you don't already have an aux in socket in the armrest?

I doubt it Phil, the AUX socket wasn't fitted until the steam-mp3 came about as standard, which was ~ 2008.

 

That said, the MFD2 does support aux in, so it's just a case of buying the cable and plugging it in.

https://www.kufatec.de/shop/en/car-hifi-components/aux-terminal-adapter/aux-in-jack-3.5mm-adapter-vw-mfd2-rns2

Edited 8 June, 201610 yr by softscoop

Ah fair enough. Wasn't sure if it was standard on all elegance and L&K models but that must have been from MY08 where they made some changes to controllers used and started fitting the mp3 version of the stream etc so that would seem to make sense.

Yes, Phil it's true - no aux socket (despite it being available if wired in).  I would have been pi55ed to have my L&K delivered new without - even in 2005!

Edited 8 June, 201610 yr by NicRobinson

I have Aux/socket on both my 07(Scout) and 57(Elegance) Octavias. Both had Stream MP3 originally.

 

The arm-rest aux works separately to the built-in one on the RNS-315 too. (Display shows Aux and Aux 2)

Yes my previous 06 L&K (don't ask) also had the armrest socket.

 

OK.  So if a get a stream to replace the Nexus:

 

1. Will it be easy to fit?
2. Can I easily get a connector to install my own aux socket?

Thanks, Nic.

Edited 8 June, 201610 yr by NicRobinson

I doubt it Phil, the AUX socket wasn't fitted until the steam-mp3 came about as standard, which was ~ 2008.

 

That said, the MFD2 does support aux in, so it's just a case of buying the cable and plugging it in.

https://www.kufatec.de/shop/en/car-hifi-components/aux-terminal-adapter/aux-in-jack-3.5mm-adapter-vw-mfd2-rns2[/quote

My car is a 2007 L&K model with the AUDIENCE MP3 head unit and built in CD changer and it has the Aux in socket fitted inside the Jumbo box... it has LW on the AM band too..

Yes my previous 06 L&K (don't ask) also had the armrest socket.

 

OK.  So if a get a stream to replace the Nexus:

 

1. Will it be easy to fit?
2. Can I easily get a connector to install my own aux socket?

Thanks, Nic.

 

The Stream Mp3 will be a direct replacement yes. And it also supports plugging an aux cable into the back.

 

However I really wouldn't recommend replacing your stereo with the Stream MP3. The stream is the most basic stereo and has a common fault where it will bang and pop through the speakers. Ours would also make loud bangs then freeze until we could turn the ignition off and back on.

 

I've heard rumour of a firmware update that was made available years ago but never found any info on it and bought a Columbus in the end.

 

If you're really desperate to get LW then look for an Audience as it's better than the Stream and doesn't have the problems.

I fitted an Aux-In to my MFD2 in my PD140. It wasn't that difficult. You needed two repair wires from VW/Skoda and a 3.5mm socket. 

 

 

 

Not that complicated to do if you're handing with a few basic tools