After a "do it myself, failed" - Went to the professionals at Clair Audi, W.R. MA -- Major Kudo's to Clair and Company.

The Good:
The experience was great. They accepted my "failing" story with grace and worked with current state of affairs. They even repaired the ground wire that I ended up mucking up. Everything went totally smooth. Arrived @7:20am - Departed @9:35am (~ 2hrs labor $$)

The Bad:
Nothing

The Ugly:
There should be a way to get track titles. The interface is a bit "ugly" - The organization of songs is based around play lists.

The "first" day observations:
- I created a play list with 705 songs - The numbers on my Nav+ cycled at 99 but on the iPod they continued.

- I was using the Monster wireless - The current setup is totally more safe. The ability to control/switch between songs on the steering wheel is worth the "upgrade"

- I have the Bose Sound system setup. I cranked "Just a little Bit - 50cent" and it TOTALLY rocked on the system.

- Continue to think/believe there has to be a way (Software/Firmware) that the iPod information can be diplayed on the Nav+ (Hello Audi - Are you listening) - The integration kit appears to affect the iPod display, why not the other way?

- Not going to miss the CD changer in the glove box.

Overall - I would recommed it over my experience with the wireless solution.

the lack of track names etc... was a limitation on the headunit. Track/Artist info required CD-Text type capabiliies that the currect head units do NOT have.

Maybe in the B8

It does it on SAT mode. I think it's just a matter of being able to feed the info into the radio.

Now, someone figure it out... <grin>

that decribes the difference between the SAT data and the CD text data.

Two different means of obtaining data

Right now the OEM kit and Dension kit uses the CDC input and existing controls to allow you to control the iPod and of course to carry the audio. For artist/track title to ever show up on the headunit, for both the Nav+ and Symphony, the headunit must support CDTEXT.

That's currently how Dension is doing it with other manufacturers like BMW. BMW's headunit can handle the CDTEXT information in their changers, so therefore Dension taps into this to send the song/artist title over.

say there was any relationship to the format of the ID3 tags attached to the song? I know these are important when dealing with the SD card and MP3's.

Firmware for the Dension/OEM kit to communicate the information to the headunit.

A combination of both software and hardware for the headunit to pick up on this information (CDTEXT).

And because of this, the NAV+ has the right software to extract this information when it loads up the MP3 file.<ul><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ID3">ID3 on Wikipedia</a></li></ul>

or do you have to be part of the audi "inner circle" :)

a specific version. I use the iTunes software and one of the option is to convert ID3 tags (it's under the advanced menu - at the bottom - macosx version)

There is a version and also an alternate based around ascii formats.

Today, I tried updating the song on the ipod with two of the 10 or so format options. I hope this makes what I'm asking clearer.

ALl I know is that the headunit either supports it or doesn't, end of story.

If the headunit does support it, then Dension will take advantage of it as they currently do.

<img src="http://static.flickr.com/43/82329723_3681430fbb.jpg">

It's because that little black box you have uploads stuff to the iPod. There is obviously some sort of handshaking protocal between the iPod itself and third party components at the time the iPod is connected to the adapter.

I've been trying to find some information on that but never been able to find it.

I have installed an aftermarket cd changer to rca (aux) input device which allows digital input through the factory deck.
Purchased a 'fishfinder' cradle from a local outdoors sporting goods retailer which my i pod with protective skin fits into perfecty and mounted it to one of the 'dummy plugs' in the dash. the map light illuminates the i pod display at night and I can select any song in my 4,500 song library using the i pod normally. it sits right next to my factory deck.
Whats also cool is I plug my cell phone with mp3 capabilities into this same input.
Pressing cd once plays cd's. pressing this buton twice switches to aux input mode!!! awesome.
gotta find the packaging for the maker of this product.

For me, I like the idea of not having the iPod outside of the glove box.

What I've seem to have done for the most part is replace my 6 CD changer with a 30g iPod. The original CD changer wires are still in place and with the puller-hooks, I think I could pretty simply swap the iPod with the CD changer.