New Owner, iPhone 6 Help!

[Christine_VRS]

I have just purchased an Octavia VRS, MK3, my dream car! Anyway, I am getting slightly frustrated, because what I want the phone and media system to do, isn't happening, and I really need some help. I don't think I'm expecting a lot, and I have been to a "local specialist" and still not getting very far. This is what I would like; my phone connects via bluetooth, no problem, but to change music, view playlists etc etc, I have to go through my phone. How can I have a set up where all my music from my phone is viewable on the media system? So I can view and select, without referring back to my phone. I have trawled through various posts, but have just ended up confused. I suspect I need some sort of cable that plugs from the USB port into the phone.....but which one? The Skoda dealer suggested using a SD card, but that won't keep my playlists etc up to date, can anyone help me with this? Apologies if it has been asked before.....Christine

[s_matt]

I am not 100% sure on this but I think you needed the upgraded stereo package/satnav that the dealer offers which allows apple play or something similar, that then allows the play lists to be displayed. My 15 plate doesn't but my friends 16 plate with sat nav does.... I am sure someone can give you the definitive answer

[glosrich]

Skoda do a system called Smart link which provides Apple car play on the radio, connect by USB and use your phone on the radio screen.

It's an option for £150 or a Skoda dealer can enable it on a used car for £150, but only cars with the MIB2 radio after about May 2015.

 

 

Edited 4 April, 2017 by glosrich

[gRoberts]

I connect mine via Bluetooth and I can skip through tracks etc using the dashboard or steering wheel controls. 

Outside of that, you're probably going to have to cough up for the upgrade, assuming it's supported (mine has the icon, but from what I hear, it's not possible to activate it.)

[stk31]

I use the smartlink on my iphone 6s usually but I switched that off and tried it just via bluetooth. My apple music works fine from the cars controls. Once bluetooth is connected if you press Media, then source, then BT audio you should have the access to your music, if you turn the right hand knob on the headunit (under the menu button) you scroll through the option of playlists,artists,albums etc and press that button in to select, Also you should be able to select all these options by touching the screen too, if any of this doesn't work then your headunit must be faulty. You cant change menus or anything from the steering wheel controls, only change up and down tracks within each folder.

[ColinEdinburgh]

19 hours ago, gRoberts said:

I connect mine via Bluetooth and I can skip through tracks etc using the dashboard or steering wheel controls. 

Outside of that, you're probably going to have to cough up for the upgrade, assuming it's supported (mine has the icon, but from what I hear, it's not possible to activate it.)

Ive got the upgrade. But wish I'd saved my money.

 

I use Bluetooth and the steering controls manage my phone perfectly. 

[AndyO2]

It should do what you want, with that phone, in the way you expect. 

 

66plate vrs (with sat nav) allows Bluetooth control, selecting e.g. Playlist from iPhone 6 via in dash screen. I'm sure earlier mk3 are the same, I used a 2013 / 2014 model some years back that did (edit - looks like you have a 2015 car so should definitely do exactly what you want, subject to following caveats)

 

It does not always remember where it was last playing / plays music at random from phone on reconnection e.g. Is not perfect, but it definitely works. 

 

 Smart link (?) or car play "mirrors" the phone screen and supported apps onto the in dash display, via cable only, not worth it for playing music and not required for OP use case.

 

check Bluetooth settings in the car options that music playback is enabled? (Going off memory here) so apols if talking ****).

check phone OS is up to date

delete Bluetooth connection on car AND phone, reboot phone and reconnect to car Bluetooth.

 

check phone is not connected to the USB port on the centre console whilst fault finding and setting up Bluetooth connection (small chance this could confuse things)

 

 

Edited 5 April, 2017 by AndyO2

[LewJo]

Apple CarPlay is certainly an option but what's even better is using Siri to control your music. 

 

Whilst your driving along use the "Hey Siri" command followed by "Play my stuck in traffic playlist" at which point it'll switch. No need to faf around with the phone or cars infotainment (both of which are an offence if the car is moving btw)

[Christine_VRS]

Wow! Thank you everyone for your suggestions.....apple car play is not an option, I had a look at it yesterday, and it would cost far too much to have it installed. The upgrade to smart link is a possibility, and I will look into that. Siri!!! I never thought of that, and will use that option, for now, until I can sort something more permanent!

[sneeks]

Using my MIB2 Amundsen I can browse all music stored on my iPhone using the Media bluetooth source.

 

 

[Christine_VRS]

This is exactly what I want!!! Am I doing something obviously wrong 

[sneeks]

I see these options when I press the Media button and select BT Audio within the source selection. Also be sure and select bluetooth audio in the setup menu.

 

https://youtu.be/i4RpmTGez-o

 

 

Edited 6 April, 2017 by sneeks

[paddy wagon]

8 hours ago, LewJo said:

No need to faf around with the phone or cars infotainment (both of which are an offence if the car is moving btw)

 

Its not an offence to use the stereo buttons when you are driving. Mobile phone legislation is just that, for mobile phones, it extends to nothing else.

 

There is an offence of not being in proper control of a MV but that would usually need a cause AND effect (eg eating an apple and drifting across lanes on a roundabout).

[Rodge]

On 04/04/2017 at 22:47, gRoberts said:

Outside of that, you're probably going to have to cough up for the upgrade, assuming it's supported (mine has the icon, but from what I hear, it's not possible to activate it.)

Why not? You will only have the SmartLink icon if you have a MIB2 radio, in which case it should work if you have the licence and a compatible phone. If you try to use it and it tells you you need a licence key then that is all you need. Otherwise it sounds like any problem might be with your phone.

1 hour ago, Christine_VRS said:

apple car play is not an option, I had a look at it yesterday, and it would cost far too much to have it installed. The upgrade to smart link is a possibility,

Apple Carplay is provided by SmartLink.

[Christine_VRS]

I don't have the smart link option, so I am assuming that I have the MIB1 radio?

[paddy wagon]

Pretty sure MIB2 arrived June / July 2015

[Guest]

Are you using the Music app on your iPhone or something like Spotify or Deezer? 

[Christine_VRS]

I'm using the music app on my phone, although I do have spotify, but I haven't tried that

[phineas]

I had the same problem with my 2016 vRS 230.  My iPhone 7 paired OK, and I could pause/skip tracks, but I could not view music / podcasts / playlists on the Amundsen screen.  I did a bit of fiddling and I now have it working as expected.  This is what worked for me : disable A2DP / AVRCP in the Bluetooth settings, accept the warnings then enable it again, and select my iPhone as the Bluetooth source.   

 

I'm not sure if it is relevant, but my car was still paired with the previous owner's phone when I paired my iPhone.  Maybe if I'd removed his phone straight away I would not have had this issue.  Hard to say.

Anyway - hope the above can help the OP if they still have this issue.

 

 

Edited 2 May, 2017 by phineas

[YMe]

My phone works like above as well but I would like to control BBC iplayer Radio downloads via the radio or steering wheel buttons bit the BBC App doesn't allow this; but they have now put a play all button on the I player so you can listen to your downloads in alphabetical, downloaded order or series order which is almost as good but not quite.

[Exeterj]

On 04/04/2017 at 21:47, Christine_VRS said:

 I suspect I need some sort of cable that plugs from the USB port into the phone.....but which one? 

 

We have two MIB1 octavias - the scout is 2015 plate but was pre MIB2 (delivered May15) so you may well have MIB1 also. My 64 plate VRS controls my iPhone 6 via bluetooth ok for downloaded content but not very well for streamed content / apple music unless it is plugged in via a standard apple lightening cable - you shouldn't need to you the headphone port though.