Hello all,

This is one of my first posts, and is a result of much searching and frustration. No one seems to have detailed instructions on the Dension install.

Also, big props to Eric at Bumperplugs.com for supplying the goodies shown here - he has great prices and service!

I'll also post this in the audio forum.

Anyway, I'd gathered some rough directions, but nothing specific. Here is my best attempt at documenting the install with pictures.

First of all, the sound is spectacular and makes this modification totally worth doing. The stereo sounds so great - way better than the crappy Sirius I've been listening to!

Please feel free to email me

Cheers,
Gundo boxtah at gmail.com

The box and my iPod:
<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i35.tinypic.com/686jc4.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>

What comes in the box:
<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i33.tinypic.com/dbo32r.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>

The location for install - the A6 glovebox
<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i38.tinypic.com/2w3b2xg.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>

Some have said it is easy to install this device by removing the 6 disc CD player. I used the stereo removal keys and just couldn't pull the disc player out. So I resorted to plan B
<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i37.tinypic.com/e87rww.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>

Plan B is removing the entire glove box. This was scary and made me a bit nervous. The glovebox is SUPER easy to remove. There are 4 torx screws pictured below that need to come out, and there are 5 8mm bolts that need to come out - three along the front edge where the top of the glovebox meets the trim, and the other two are on the left and right side, just in front of the 4 torx screws pictured below:

<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i36.tinypic.com/2qv5vg1.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>

The glovebox literally falls onto the floor - so support it. Here's a pic with the glovebox on the floor - and the money shot of the electronic hornet's nest that resides behind it:

<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i38.tinypic.com/i2ln47.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>

here's a pic of the glove box out. there are two hinge pins that I removed to loosen the front door of the glovebox - hence the unattached glovebox door in this picture. No need to remove the pins, as the door doesn't need to be removed

<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i33.tinypic.com/fcky6q.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>

here is the glovebox out and on the seat. there is one wiring harness that needs to be disconnected to move it this far - easy to do. sort of the center left of the picture below. IMPORTANT - you can see the back of the CD player now, and the power and fiber optic lines running into it.

<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i34.tinypic.com/11ag4cm.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>

Better shot of the back of the CD player

<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i33.tinypic.com/2ywsvuw.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>

Now, the beauty of the system are the fiber optic leads that create the fiber optic MOST circle of light that provides sound and that the Dension has to interact with. As pictured below, remove the fiber optic lines that are plugged into the CD changer. This is where we break the circle of light and insert the Dension

<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i33.tinypic.com/vxg6dz.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>

You've got to remove the clip that connects the fiber optics to the cd player. here's the detail:

<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i37.tinypic.com/317h2xe.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>

Now, you've got to separate the individual fiber optic lines from the clip by pushing the blue clip to release the lines. Be careful here - the lines can be broken. here I'm using a pick to push the clip. If you look closely, you can see little arrows, pointing in the direction of the light travel - one for into the cd player, one for out of the cd player

<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i36.tinypic.com/kcfqtl.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>

Okay, so the cables are out, and the Dension gets connected, following the written instructions. One cable goes out from the Dension, into the CD player, and the cable you've removed from the CD player is now loose:

<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i38.tinypic.com/6thd1g.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>

Here's the Dension showing the first connection. The loose cable that goes to the right now gets connected to the Audi cable on the left of the picture

<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i34.tinypic.com/2wgya2h.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>

here's a pic detailing the Dension supplied clip you use to splice the fiber optic cables together. So now, your are conecting the loop, making the circle of light a circle again.

<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i38.tinypic.com/24q8f4h.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>

Now for power. I used a multi-meter to find unswitched power to run the Dension. connect the red wire with a wire tap to the light gray wire from the wire loom that connects to the top of the glovebox. I used a bolt that connects the fuse block to the vehicle body as a ground. You need to connect both, or no worky. Sorry, no picture of that

<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i36.tinypic.com/a0jsqd.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>

From here out is easy! Just feed all the Dension cables (iPod, USB and On-Off reset switch) through the hole in the glove box to connect them to the Dension unit. Here's a pic of the iPod cable poking through an existing hole. I didn't need to drill or expand any holes.

<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i38.tinypic.com/23qxjx2.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>

Here's where I stuffed the Dension unit - there was plenty of room between the firewall and the carpet - it's a nice snug fit, and the fiber optic cables don't have to bend much at all. You could probably find a better place, but this worked well enough. I don't think you can screw the Dension to the back of the glovebox as the clearance is pretty small.

<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i35.tinypic.com/29eoepu.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>

So now, tuck the wires in, and begin to reinstall the glovebox. You'll reinstall the five 8mm bolts and 4 torx head screws and you are nearly in business.

here's a view of the iPod, USB cable and On-Off reset switch inside the glovebox. Yes it's a mess, I'll clean it up later.

<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i33.tinypic.com/sne7g5.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>

Start the car, hit the CD button. Go to CD List, notice CD 6 is the Menu. Select Menu, then select iPod GW for GW control of the iPod.

<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i37.tinypic.com/16hn1oj.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>

You are awesome for posting all of this!!!!!!! Thanks.

Great pics and info - thanks for posting. Quick question: I have a 2006 A6 4.2 with Nav. I have received conflicting info on the Dension unit. Will my CD changer work WHILE the Dension unit is active? Or do I have to switch it off in order to reactive the CD changer?

I have the Dension unit, and the install instructions show 2 install methods - 1 for MMI High and the other for MMI basic.

My display is color, and I have DVD Nav, but I'm not sure if it is MMI High, MMI Basic Plus, etc.

Hi,

Thanks for the instructions. Absolutely awsome photos.

I am new to this so bear with me.

I attempted briefly yesterday to remove glovebox as you have indicated. I removed 4 black screws but no joy!

There were two grey ones I did not remove. Do these need to go as well.

The main reason form posting, is to ask if I get the full ipod browsing with MMI Basic Plus?

Also, not clear on where exactly I have to connect for electrical supply to the Gateway.

Any idiot guidance you can provide would be most appreciated.

Many Regards

mannlister - My display is color, and I have DVD Nav, but I'm not sure if it is MMI High, MMI Basic Plus, etc.

DVD nav and large full colour screen = MMI High, basic is a smaller screen monochrome red display



I'd also like to know GundoA6 how you switch between CD changer and IPOD control??

cheers
dan

I recently installed dthe Gateway 500 in my '06 A6, and ran into an issue with the unit shutting down my entire MMI- I trouble shot the fuse, wiring, ect., then backed the system install out and MMI worked fine. Eric at Bumperplugs sent me the email below stating the instructions from this thread are incorrect: that the wire said as constant is actually "switched".....(see below email). Why has this not come up on this thread if this is the case????? If it is true, does anyone know what wire on the glovebox harness contains constant power?




Note from an Audi customer:

Given my experience – I’d say he connected to switched power. It resets every time the car shuts off…simple. In fact, in my install directions, I point people to switched power – it was a mistake in the directions…

http://forums.audiworld.com/showthread.php?t=2018049&highlight=definitive+dension+mmi


Try getting the unit wired into the correct unswitched power (must be constant power all the time, not turned off when car is off)….and this thing should work just fine.



________________
Eric Sklut
Chief Plug Guy

OK one point of confusion for me is that the pictures here show just 2 lines of denison supplied fibre optic tube - yet min seem to come in two pairs of f.o.tubes (one pair - labeled Car and the other pair labelled CDC). My assumption was that I sould use both sockets on the Denison - is this wrong?

/Dave

It depends on the car, some cars need it wiring up differently, but in the case of the Audi you wire it as shown above. But they include the cables for all options.

quick question on this, did you lose any access to sirius or xm?

Hi - thanks for such detailed and helpful information. One question. Did anyone resolve the power connection issue? I don't see any more discussions about this. Is the gray wire switched or unswitched, does it matter and/or is there an alternative?

Hope someone can clarify this.

Regards

Nigel

Hi - thanks for such detailed and helpful information. One question. Did anyone resolve the power connection issue? I don't see any more discussions about this. Is the gray wire switched or unswitched, does it matter and/or is there an alternative?

Hope someone can clarify this.

Regards

Nigel


The previous original post is misleading with regard to power. I too followed these directions and found myself with all sorts of MMI issues. Save yourself the headach and aggravation and tap into the fuse panel on front passenger side for "contstant" power. I used a small fuse block on the other end to prevent the wire from frying.

Here are images of the fuse block i used and location