DENSION GATEWAY 400 ipod + USB INTERFACE UNIT

[Lady Elanore]

I am now the owner of a Dension Gateway 400 ipod/USB/Phono line-in, interface unit.

The unit was fitted to my MDF2 Sat Nav, by Safe n Sound in Manchester (Tel: 0161 3704751 - 113 Manchester Road, Droylsden, Manchester, M43 6EG) this afternoon. The plugs and clips live in my glovebox and enable the user to plug up and clip securely into place an ipod of either standard or nano size, as both mounting clips are supplied. Also any USB flash drive can be plugged into the appropriate adapter, although not at the same time as the ipod, and any mp3, WMA etc can be played off it. Also there is provision for a line in, via a pair of phono leads. With hindsight I should have had the ipod mounted in the cubby to the right of the steering wheel as the ipod menu is not very visible when it lives in the glovebox.

As usual the first 5 playlists can be accessed as well as ‘Play all’ and the 6th CD button accesses the ipod menu for selection of ‘Albums’ ‘Artists’ etc as well as charging conditions for the ipod. Also the shuffle feature still works from the MDF2 menu. The USB drive works in a similar fashion although there is no Menu and track advance feature on it. I’ll see if there is anything I can do about the later on that. The steering wheel controls work as you would expect them too.

The clever bit of this system is the change-over switch on the unit. This means you can keep your CD autochanger and select between it and the ipod/USb/Phono combination. It also requires the ignition to be switched off between the reselection of these 2 positions, which I think is a good thing as it shows that the switch isn’t a passive one with audio running through it and therefore liable to get gritty as time goes by.

The sound quality is really quite good (for mp3) as the ipod is playing from it’s line-out rather than through it’s rather poor 3.5mm headphone out and the USB sounds pretty good too although I have noticed a little alternator type whine inducted onto the MDF2 from the Dension unit when listening to the ipod, I will chase up the fitters about it. One other thing is the MDF2 doesn’t display the ID3 tags, but I guess most peeps knew that anyway.

So would I recommend one? Yes if you want to keep the CD changer in your boot, although if that is not a concern then I would recommend the Gateway 300 as it’s identical, a bit cheaper and doesn’t have the change over switch.

The fitting should have taken around one, to one and a half hours, but due to the shop being manic today (not all there own fault it has to be said) it ended up taking 3 hours. Also the airbag fault light came on after instillation, but as they have their own VAG Com, Paul (good chap to see about this system) reprogrammed the light fault condition to go away.

Also the beauty of the system means nobody knows that I have an ipod video stuffed away at the back of my crammed glovebox.

8/10 for the unit (would have been 9/10 but the whine is annoying if low level)

8/10 for the fitting as it took a lot longer than originally quoted, but the staff are very friendly and professional.

My car is an OCTY II TDi Elgance with the MDF2 Sat Nav and steering wheel controls fitted.

[VRStu]

Nice review.

I suspect the airbag light would have been caused by them unplugging the glovebox with taking the battery off.

[Wardy]

Yep, good review

May I ask how much it was, fitted? And how much the lower 300 model is? Did you buy everything from S&S, or just go there for fitting?

'Tis a good place, they certainly know their stuff.

Steve

[Lady Elanore]

The airbag was caused by the removal of the glovebox and hence airbag switch.

The total cost of the unit fitted was

[Wardy]

Fair enough, it's kinda what I expected, given that the IceLink on it's own is

[sworrall]

nice post and good to know there is a kit available that keeps the cd changer intact. Had I not already fitted a standard dension i probably would have gone for one of these.

how do you get your "play all" to work by the way as ive been unplugging my ipod, doing play all and then re-connecting. didnt know you could do it from the head unit?

[Lady Elanore]

how do you get your "play all" to work by the way as ive been unplugging my ipod, doing play all and then re-connecting. didnt know you could do it from the head unit?

It is under Cd 5 at the moment. I haven

[uncle bulgaria]

Thank you for an excelent review! Now I need to give them a call & arrange a day trip to manachester!

[Wardy]

You should be on commission m'lady!

Steve

[Lady Elanore]

You should be on commission m'lady!

Steve

I

[gorman]

Happy you are enjoying it. For me it's still *unbelievable* that so crappy solutions are the only solutions available to use iPods in cars.

I thought for a very long time about buying a used RioCar, but decided against it 'cause I don't like buying stuff that's been out of production for too long.

But it still represents the only decent way of getting MP3 music in a car. Go figure...

[VRS_RICHIE]

I like the sound of this device. Its just the sort of thing im looking for as i wanted to keep my cd changer so i have music when to ipod is away from the car.

[Lady Elanore]

Happy you are enjoying it. For me it's still *unbelievable* that so crappy solutions are the only solutions available to use iPods in cars.

What is

[uncle bulgaria]

Having read this thread & discussed the options with numerous car audio dealers, I decided that this was the best choice for fitting to my MFD2, so i'm having one of these fitted in a couple of weeks! I have bought a Belkin Tune Dock to sit in the cup holder & hold my iPod, so I will have to think about where I run the cable!!

[Lady Elanore]

Having read this thread & discussed the options with numerous car audio dealers, I decided that this was the best choice for fitting to my MFD2, so i'm having one of these fitted in a couple of weeks! I have bought a Belkin Tune Dock to sit in the cup holder & hold my iPod, so I will have to think about where I run the cable!!

I put my ipod cable in the glove box for security. The 400 kit includes an ipod clip for the normal size and the Nano one. But being able to see the ipod is a great boon, as you can see what you are doing when you change the parameters such as

[uncle bulgaria]

Yeah, I know what you are saying! Hence wanting it visible. I think the lead will run down the passenger side of the centre console. Therefore when the iPod isn't in use the lead will be tucked out of sight by the seat bolster.

[Lady Elanore]

Yeah, I know what you are saying! Hence wanting it visible. I think the lead will run down the passenger side of the centre console. Therefore when the iPod isn't in use the lead will be tucked out of sight by the seat bolster.

If I was to do it again, I think I would be tempted to put it in the cubby to the right of the steering wheel. You can drop it down and still drive without hitting it with your knees or anything and you would be able to see the ipod display. When you are finished you can just shut the cubby again.

[uncle bulgaria]

Mmmmm..... I might have a look at that one as well!!

[Cheriff]

I have read in Dension owner's manual, that if you select CD6, a list of settings can be changed, instead of a menu of Album/Artist search. Is this true? Is this menu shown in the iPod screen or in the radio screen?

In the manual also says that pressing CD5 + Fast Forward or CD5 + Fast Rewind you can go forwards/backwards in albums. Have you tried this function?

[Lady Elanore]

I have read in Dension owner's manual, that if you select CD6, a list of settings can be changed, instead of a menu of Album/Artist search. Is this true? Is this menu shown in the iPod screen or in the radio screen?

All the alterations are on the ipod screen. Best not put it in the glovebox like I did if it matters to you.

[Cheriff]

Thanks. I edited my previous message to add another question (I didn't think you would reply so fast )

[Lady Elanore]

In the manual also says that pressing CD5 + Fast Forward or CD5 + Fast Rewind you can go forwards/backwards in albums. Have you tried this function?

I can

[gorman]

What is

[uncle bulgaria]

Imagine taking your eyes off the road for long enough to browse by album, artist, genre, etc!:eek: I'll stick with selecting what i want before I set off!!

I dont even like faffing with the sat nav whilst on the move! You can't take your eyes off the road for a second!!

Have to say i'm having difficulty getting a Gateway 400, been told that they have been discontinued in favour of a modified 300. Anyone know more about this as the Denison website isn't that helpful??

[Lady Elanore]

What is crappy? The fact that there is still no way to properly browse by artist, album, genre, date, etc. The fact that you still can't do playlists on the fly. .

:thumbdwn:

I can do 5 playlists on the fly and can browse by Album, artist, genre etc. in fact I have been doing so only an hour ago. Sorry, but crappy it is not.:confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :P