Problems with XCarLink and Skoda Stream HU

[downtime]

Hi,

I got my Xcarlink mp3 car interface delivered yesterday and installed it right away.

Now it seems that the unit is malfunctioning. It skips tracks however it wants and the sound quality is absolutely terrible. It distorts on higher frequencies and is on very low volume.

Has anyone with Xcarlink (if there's actually anyone ) suffered from the same problems?

I'm wondering is the unit itself faulty or is there something wrong with my installation. I have pre 2006 Stream.

Thanks for any help.

Edit :

Ok, some updates to the situation. I tried the aux input on the xcarlink and it seemed to work mostly. If the volume on the source device is over 60% is starts to distort the sound. So it seems that the amplification on the xcarlink is too high and because of that it probably overloads the Stream's line input thus causing the distortion to the sound.

So probably a faulty unit.....

Edit 2 :

Ok, problem solved. I got around the amplifier issue by running mp3gain to the mp3 files and lowering the gain setting to 75. Now they seem to play nicely. I have to crank the stream volume up double the amount than when listening to radio, but I can live with that.

[Surrey White]

I have the XCarLink MP3 player - USB version fitted to my Superb with a Symphony HU.

I have a low buzz that can be heard between tracks and haven't been able to solve this yet.

Volume has to be about double the radio volume.

Other than that, it's working great.

[downtime]

I have the XCarLink MP3 player - USB version fitted to my Superb with a Symphony HU.

I have a low buzz that can be heard between tracks and haven't been able to solve this yet.

Volume has to be about double the radio volume.

Other than that, it's working great.

I don't have the low buzz, could it be a grounding issue in your case? Sure sounds like it.

Did you have to edit your mp3 files to play them properly? I mean in my case I had to lower the gain setting in mp3's, otherwise they sounded terrible. The sound distorted and started clipping.

[Surrey White]

It probably is a grounding issue - but given the connections on the XCarLink unit I'm not sure how to do this. I sometimes use the MP3 player in my TomTom through the 3.5mm jack in the XCarLink unit - now that caused a buzz, but I used an 3.5mm ground loop filter in line and stopped it! Still get buzz using USB sticks though.

[Surrey White]

As for the MP3 conversion, I just used Windows default settings. Maybe I should wind up the sound levels though.

Now looking at each of these is really bad as I used to be a sound engineer (long time ago), now I'm an IT manager of a computing department in a University. I should really be paying more attention at so many levels here!

[tst1966]

Hi

Does anyone know where to buy the xcarlink mp3 that will work with the Skoda Stream radio (2006 model)?

Regards

[downtime]

Hi

Does anyone know where to buy the xcarlink mp3 that will work with the Skoda Stream radio (2006 model)?

Regards

I bought mine from Ebay. Just look from there. Look for XCarLink for RCD300. Those usually have Stream listed on their compatibility lists.

[pk06]

hi

iv got 2 of them,

1 8 pin and 1 12 pin, its says you can still use cd changer as well. both brand new decided to get sat nav instead.

both cost £70 1 month ago. if your interested pm me. cheers paul.

[downtime]

hi

iv got 2 of them,

1 8 pin and 1 12 pin, its says you can still use cd changer as well. both brand new decided to get sat nav instead.

both cost £70 1 month ago. if your interested pm me. cheers paul.

And just for note. The 2x6pin version (12pin) is the correct one for Skoda Stream.

Edit :

Also as a quick update to this, I noticed something yesterday. I was checking the car with Vag-Com and noticed that the Radio was giving an error "Incorrect module coding". I immediatly realised that it doesn't properly recognise the XCarlink "cd-changer", so I changed the soft coding so that a CD-Changer is installed and voila, errors gone.

Now it also seems that the XCarlink works like it should, it starts to play instantly, doesn't skip tracks however it pleases and seems to me that the sound is more amplified. I mean before, I really had to crank up the volume to hear much of anything, now I just need to raise the volume to normal CD player levels and it doesn't clip the sound anymore.

I felt so stupid........

[primoz]

Dowtime just one question. With "soft coding" you mean what exactly? And Vag-Com is something you have to have to make it work normally, or is there any other chance without it?

Sorry my English is far from perfect, and on top of that, I'm not really some vivid car mechanic/enthusiast Car is just something I drive

But I'm just thinking about getting Dension Gateway100 or Xcarlink, and I'm searching for easy way to connect my iPod to car (Octavia 2 with Stream MP3). And Icelink seems quite more expensive then Xcarlink. But for Icelink I can buy it and get installation too, for Xcarlink I would need to do it myself.

[downtime]

Dowtime just one question. With "soft coding" you mean what exactly? And Vag-Com is something you have to have to make it work normally, or is there any other chance without it?

Sorry my English is far from perfect, and on top of that, I'm not really some vivid car mechanic/enthusiast Car is just something I drive

But I'm just thinking about getting Dension Gateway100 or Xcarlink, and I'm searching for easy way to connect my iPod to car (Octavia 2 with Stream MP3). And Icelink seems quite more expensive then Xcarlink. But for Icelink I can buy it and get installation too, for Xcarlink I would need to do it myself.

With soft-coding I meant the soft-coding in the radio unit itself. You can access it with VAG-COM. Will work without Vag-com also. Mine wasn't working properly, my xcarlink unit is busted.

Don't buy the Xcarlink. It's very unreliable piece of crap. I've been having world of problems with it and the tech support is non-existent. There's no tech support at all. All the xcarlinks originate from China, so you can easilly imagine the quality. Crap crap crap.

If you want reliable operation and decent quality then buy Dension GW100 or Solisto Classic, if you only need a USB memory stick operation.

If you want IPOD and USB then it's more expensive. GW300 or Solisto Extra.

[downtime]

Edit :

Damn...It burned the zener connection and fuse from the MFD2. Luckily the MFD2 was spared. Bye bye Xcarlink. What a PIECE OF GARBAGE!

[steamroller]

And just for note. The 2x6pin version (12pin) is the correct one for Skoda Stream.

Edit :

Also as a quick update to this, I noticed something yesterday. I was checking the car with Vag-Com and noticed that the Radio was giving an error "Incorrect module coding". I immediatly realised that it doesn't properly recognise the XCarlink "cd-changer", so I changed the soft coding so that a CD-Changer is installed and voila, errors gone.

Now it also seems that the XCarlink works like it should, it starts to play instantly, doesn't skip tracks however it pleases and seems to me that the sound is more amplified. I mean before, I really had to crank up the volume to hear much of anything, now I just need to raise the volume to normal CD player levels and it doesn't clip the sound anymore.

I felt so stupid........

hello , I have the same problem with xcarlink...

skipping traks , tracks that are played with no audio (but if skipped and rewinded they play ok and with sound ) , distortion of middle-high frequences , and lower amplification compared to CD or radio

I have RCD300 and AUX IN from factory (on my golf 5) and rcd300 coded for aux in

now... when I do the scan with vag com also tell me taht radio is incorectly coded with xcarlink connected and factory aux in disconnected...

are you sure tahat coding radio for CD changer xcarlink problems will be fixed ???

did you have radio coded for aux in from factory? did you have aux in from factory ?

I'll wait for you answer... and tommorow will try to change coding for my rcd300 but if xcarlink will act the same it will suit the trash container because is the most low quality thing I ever spent 85 eur ! :thumbdwn:

[downtime]

hello , I have the same problem with xcarlink...

skipping traks , tracks that are played with no audio (but if skipped and rewinded they play ok and with sound ) , distortion of middle-high frequences , and lower amplification compared to CD or radio

I have RCD300 and AUX IN from factory (on my golf 5) and rcd300 coded for aux in

now... when I do the scan with vag com also tell me taht radio is incorectly coded with xcarlink connected and factory aux in disconnected...

are you sure tahat coding radio for CD changer xcarlink problems will be fixed ???

did you have radio coded for aux in from factory? did you have aux in from factory ?

I'll wait for you answer... and tommorow will try to change coding for my rcd300 but if xcarlink will act the same it will suit the trash container because is the most low quality thing I ever spent 85 eur ! :thumbdwn:

I gave up with the Xcarlink. I couldn't get it fixed no matter what I tried. The verdict is that the device is utter piece of crap. Cheap Chinese crap to be honest.

The coding change fixed the track skipping but it didn't fix the sound distortion problems and low amplifier level.

I've invested 120 euros to Kufatec digital music interface which is a much much better product. No skipping, no distortion, no lower level amplifying etc. Works like it should and sounds excellent.

That will fix your problems also

As a warning to everyone.

DO NOT BUY THE XCARLINK PRODUCT. IT WILL MOST LIKELY GIVE YOU ONLY TROUBLE AND YOU'LL LOSE THE INVESTMENT.