Comments on: VW iPod adapter: Why won’t it just work the way I want it to? http://blog.digsmarter.com/2008/03/31/why-wont-it-just-work-they-i-want-it-to/ Insights into the user experience Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:03:29 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: CJ http://blog.digsmarter.com/2008/03/31/why-wont-it-just-work-they-i-want-it-to/#comment-270 CJ Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:03:29 +0000 http://digsmarter.wordpress.com/?p=33#comment-270 I am glad to know I am not alone in my VW-iPod grief, but I have a problem no one has mentioned yet. I am on my third VW adaptor. Each has burned out in 5 months. The last time they replaced it (both replacements free) they suggested that 1) I not leave the iPod connected when the car isn't on and 2) my old iPod was causing a power surge and frying the connections - get a new iPod. The Mac store is conveniently near my VW dealer, so off I went. It's been working fine (I've learned to live with the interface as Footy says above) and I've removed it most of the time. A week ago, it started to fail - if I turned the system off, moved backwards in a podcast, whatever, the connection would be lost. Anyone else have this problem or have a solution? I am glad to know I am not alone in my VW-iPod grief, but I have a problem no one has mentioned yet. I am on my third VW adaptor. Each has burned out in 5 months. The last time they replaced it (both replacements free) they suggested that 1) I not leave the iPod connected when the car isn’t on and 2) my old iPod was causing a power surge and frying the connections – get a new iPod. The Mac store is conveniently near my VW dealer, so off I went. It’s been working fine (I’ve learned to live with the interface as Footy says above) and I’ve removed it most of the time. A week ago, it started to fail – if I turned the system off, moved backwards in a podcast, whatever, the connection would be lost. Anyone else have this problem or have a solution?

]]> By: Sue http://blog.digsmarter.com/2008/03/31/why-wont-it-just-work-they-i-want-it-to/#comment-268 Sue Wed, 04 Nov 2009 01:35:41 +0000 http://digsmarter.wordpress.com/?p=33#comment-268 Just an FYI...... I bought the cable above...... don't buy it!!! The ipod is still controlled by the stupid VW interface!!! And when you close the glove compartment so that the ipod can be OUTSIDE the glove compartment, it cuts the cable. I wasted $$$$$. Just an FYI…… I bought the cable above…… don’t buy it!!! The ipod is still controlled by the stupid VW interface!!! And when you close the glove compartment so that the ipod can be OUTSIDE the glove compartment, it cuts the cable. I wasted $$$$$.

]]> By: Clive http://blog.digsmarter.com/2008/03/31/why-wont-it-just-work-they-i-want-it-to/#comment-266 Clive Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:48:42 +0000 http://digsmarter.wordpress.com/?p=33#comment-266 I am glad I found this blog post. I was going mad trying to work out WTF the cable did. I have a 2006 GTI and an Touch (3rd Gen). The cable is complete unusable. Pointless piece of junk. It doesn't even charge the iPod, at least I could have used it for that! A great car spoilt by a crap iPod interface. I am glad I found this blog post. I was going mad trying to work out WTF the cable did. I have a 2006 GTI and an Touch (3rd Gen). The cable is complete unusable. Pointless piece of junk.

It doesn’t even charge the iPod, at least I could have used it for that!

A great car spoilt by a crap iPod interface.

]]> By: Sue http://blog.digsmarter.com/2008/03/31/why-wont-it-just-work-they-i-want-it-to/#comment-262 Sue Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:07:46 +0000 http://digsmarter.wordpress.com/?p=33#comment-262 Does anyone know if this http://www.cablejive.com/extendercable.html will work? I'm thinking I could plug this into the glove compartment and just keep my ipod outside the glove compartment - just like the aux cable would do. Does anyone know if this http://www.cablejive.com/extendercable.html will work? I’m thinking I could plug this into the glove compartment and just keep my ipod outside the glove compartment – just like the aux cable would do.

]]> By: Mark B http://blog.digsmarter.com/2008/03/31/why-wont-it-just-work-they-i-want-it-to/#comment-255 Mark B Wed, 09 Sep 2009 02:39:17 +0000 http://digsmarter.wordpress.com/?p=33#comment-255 This works on my ipod nano in my 2009 gti with ipod adapter. its a little tricky but if you get the hang of it you can control your ipod from the ipod itself. I bought an ipod extension cable(cablejive.com) plugged it into the armrest ipod outlet. heres the tricky part. as you are plugging the extension into the ipod hold down the off button (play/pause) the ipod should turn off as you insert the jack. as it turns back on hit the menu button a few times and the ipod should be functional. i read this in a different post and it works. Good luck This works on my ipod nano in my 2009 gti with ipod adapter. its a little tricky but if you get the hang of it you can control your ipod from the ipod itself.
I bought an ipod extension cable(cablejive.com) plugged it into the armrest ipod outlet. heres the tricky part. as you are plugging the extension into the ipod hold down the off button (play/pause) the ipod should turn off as you insert the jack. as it turns back on hit the menu button a few times and the ipod should be functional. i read this in a different post and it works. Good luck

]]> By: Dagon http://blog.digsmarter.com/2008/03/31/why-wont-it-just-work-they-i-want-it-to/#comment-250 Dagon Sat, 22 Aug 2009 19:00:27 +0000 http://digsmarter.wordpress.com/?p=33#comment-250 ++; I'm frankly surprised this was even allowed to be released to public, the interface is really that bad. ++;
I’m frankly surprised this was even allowed to be released to public, the interface is really that bad.

]]> By: Footy http://blog.digsmarter.com/2008/03/31/why-wont-it-just-work-they-i-want-it-to/#comment-241 Footy Fri, 31 Jul 2009 03:15:43 +0000 http://digsmarter.wordpress.com/?p=33#comment-241 I forgot to add that I tried that on an iPod classic as well as an iPhone. The only thing with the iPhone is that the alert "the iPhone doesn't work with this adapter" appears on the iPhone screen. Press no and it'll start playing. I forgot to add that I tried that on an iPod classic as well as an iPhone. The only thing with the iPhone is that the alert “the iPhone doesn’t work with this adapter” appears on the iPhone screen. Press no and it’ll start playing.

]]> By: Footy http://blog.digsmarter.com/2008/03/31/why-wont-it-just-work-they-i-want-it-to/#comment-240 Footy Fri, 31 Jul 2009 03:13:21 +0000 http://digsmarter.wordpress.com/?p=33#comment-240 There is a workaround so you can pick what you want to play. It is not perfect but it does work on my '09 Polo GTI with the ipod adapter. When I want to play something, lets say an album, I unplug the ipod, go to the album, press play and then plug the ipod back in. It will play the album through the CD6 option as soon as you plug it in. The next and previous buttons will move to the next or previous songs on the album. If you want to change the album, then unplug it and choose another album, press play and plug it back in. It'll play straight away. It will work with any playlist, including the on the go playlist. Songs, Albums, whatever you start playing will go through the adapter. There is a workaround so you can pick what you want to play. It is not perfect but it does work on my ‘09 Polo GTI with the ipod adapter.
When I want to play something, lets say an album, I unplug the ipod, go to the album, press play and then plug the ipod back in. It will play the album through the CD6 option as soon as you plug it in. The next and previous buttons will move to the next or previous songs on the album.
If you want to change the album, then unplug it and choose another album, press play and plug it back in. It’ll play straight away.
It will work with any playlist, including the on the go playlist. Songs, Albums, whatever you start playing will go through the adapter.

]]> By: Andres http://blog.digsmarter.com/2008/03/31/why-wont-it-just-work-they-i-want-it-to/#comment-231 Andres Tue, 14 Jul 2009 03:40:14 +0000 http://digsmarter.wordpress.com/?p=33#comment-231 I got a 2008 Jetta and was super exited about the iPod adapter. What a disappointment when I plugged my iPod for the first time. No song names? No Artist? Please VW, issue a firmware update or something! I got a 2008 Jetta and was super exited about the iPod adapter. What a disappointment when I plugged my iPod for the first time. No song names? No Artist? Please VW, issue a firmware update or something!

]]> By: Danni http://blog.digsmarter.com/2008/03/31/why-wont-it-just-work-they-i-want-it-to/#comment-210 Danni Wed, 24 Jun 2009 20:28:02 +0000 http://digsmarter.wordpress.com/?p=33#comment-210 I realize this is an age old post, but I just wanted to say that my 2009 Passat (European) with the RCD510 head unit and the MEDIA-IN option works beautifully with an iPod. I can play by artist, album, genre, all songs, podcasts - the same options that I have on the iPod itself, but controlled from the touch screen and steering wheel, with the iPod nicely tucked away in a subcompartment of the glove compartment. I realize this is an age old post, but I just wanted to say that my 2009 Passat (European) with the RCD510 head unit and the MEDIA-IN option works beautifully with an iPod. I can play by artist, album, genre, all songs, podcasts – the same options that I have on the iPod itself, but controlled from the touch screen and steering wheel, with the iPod nicely tucked away in a subcompartment of the glove compartment.

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