Would I be right in saying that this AUDI / VW / SEAT / SKODA Aux Adapter - iPod, MP3 - MFD - eBay, Terminals Cabling, In-Car Entertainment GPS, Cars, Parts Vehicles (end time 18-Sep-07 06:57:38 BST)

would let you control your ipod via the ipod controls itself when selecting 'cd changer' on the headunit.

I may be tempted as I'm still of the opinion that the 'official' interface is nothing more than a glorified lead priced at £100 with a half-arsed control interface via the headunit that opinion seems to be split on.

you'll have to use the ipod change tracks / playlists with the above. Volume would be via headunit volume or ipod volume.

OEM is very expensive, for a lead and little black box, and the controls are ****e too, but I feel its a neater solution than the above.

What he said.

Plus the kit on ebay uses the headphone output which means that you have to turn the ipod volume right up to get any decent volume through the car stereo and you also have to remember to turn it down again before plugging headphones in for use outside the car! The vw kit uses a docking lead which takes line outputs from the ipod and also charges it up whilst in use, you have some control over the ipod (limited to shuffle or playing playlists but still better than fiddling about with an ipod on the move), in my opinion the vw kit is much better.

Cheers guys, I'm still not sure though.

As far as I can work out, the 'officicial' skoda solution provides such limited control through the headunit that I would probably find myself controlling through the ipod anyway. Would the headunit show song titles etc with the official solution though?

Therefore, this sort of cheaper alternative doesn't lose a great deal of functionality IMO. I'm not sure the sound quality thing will affect me as I have previously connected my ipod to my car stereo via the line out on its dock connector; none of that headphone socket business.

The only disadvanatge of this thrid party solution would be that the ipod would have to bsat inits dock and that there seems to be a bloody great black box attached to it!?!?!? Therefore, I guess 'untidiness' is the biggest isssue, but is that worth £70!?!?!?

I guess the ideal solution would be to find a cheap official kit either on ebay or a 2nd hand one through these forums.

As far as I can work out, the 'officicial' skoda solution provides such limited control through the headunit that I would probably find myself controlling through the ipod anyway.

iPod buttons become locked once it's connected, so you have to use the headunit

Would the headunit show song titles etc with the official solution though?

nope, no tags. Just playlist 1 - 6 and the track number

Would I be right in saying that this AUDI / VW / SEAT / SKODA Aux Adapter - iPod, MP3 - MFD - eBay, Terminals Cabling, In-Car Entertainment GPS, Cars, Parts Vehicles (end time 18-Sep-07 06:57:38 BST)

would let you control your ipod via the ipod controls itself when selecting 'cd changer' on the headunit.

I may be tempted as I'm still of the opinion that the 'official' interface is nothing more than a glorified lead priced at £100 with a half-arsed control interface via the headunit that opinion seems to be split on.

I've just fitted exactly that (see my ipod install thread )

as others say it's only through the headphone jack and you have to control it with the ipod controls, but IMO it's a decent saving especially as you can use players other than an ipod

never knew existing symphony HU works with ipod, but more reason for me to get ipod now