sbdan

Bluetooth Audio
- Any source device that supports Bluetooth audio
Pandora, Spotify, etc. - note with Apple IOS 6, track info is no longer supported; controlling tracks on MMI screen still works (IOS 6 switched to supporting only Bluetooth profile v1.4 and Audi uses v1.3)

FWIW, I test drove a new 2013 A8L in the past week or so. Having had the sad experience previously of not being able to see track information, I was surprised and elated to see full track information on the MMI screen. This worked in Spotify and Pandora. The sales associate was equally surprised. It seems that there may have been an update in the Audi MMI.

snagitseven

Hmm. I wonder what the MMI software version was in the A8 you test drove. Not sure if an A8 will have the same version numbers as the C7s but any chance you can call the salesperson and ask him to check that car's system version? Might provide a clue.

It would be great if anyone who recently purchased a 2013 C7 or upgraded their C7 MMI software, say since Jan 1, could let us know if they have tried their phone Bluetooth Audio w/Spotify, Pandora, etc. and report if it will display song info on the MMI screen. Also, the MMI system version number.

Jnoone

I just checked the my version and could not find 0467 anywhere. My car is a 2013 S4, and it was made in November of 2012, is it safe to say I have a version that will support album art work from my ipod touch if I buy this cable?

Thanks

snagitseven

I replied to your PM.

newmoon

I did a little experiment and I believe the MMI does NOT re-encode mp3 files when you import them to the jukebox.

Here's what I did.

I have 423 songs on my computer in Flac lossless and I encoded them to mp3 using lame -V2. Average bitrate 205 kbps. Total size 2,915 mb.

I put the songs on an SD card and imported them to the jukebox. It was fairly quick so that was one clue that they were not being re-encoded.

After the import, the jukebox memory showed:

Number of tracks: 14% 2577 free
Memory capacity: 16% 15285 MB free

So 3000 - 2577 = 423 songs that I just imported
And 15285 / (1-0.16) * 0.16 = 2911 mb which is close enough to the 2915 mb original file size because the 16% was rounded off.

Sidenote: Honestly, lame -V2 mp3s are already regarded as near-transparent. Definitely transparent in a car. I use mp3 because it is compatible with everything, so it saves me from re-encoding my music for a device just because it supports a new format. I feel that a new format like AAC will not get me better sound quality, because I'm already near-transparent, but AAC has better compression to save space. Which is not important to me because my library is not that big, and all my devices have space to spare.

TheNit

I must be the only person using these forums who doesn't have an Ipod or any Apple products.

I have a 2013 A6 on order and was wondering what options there are for connecting a non-Apple product to the MMI. I have a Cowon J3 player which I like cause it plays Flac files. It has available a USB cable, an AV out cable (USB at one end and L/R/V jacks at other) and bluetooth (headset, A2DP/AVRCP) ability. I also store music on a mini-SDHC card that will slot into the J3 but I believe the Audi requires s standard size SDHC card so I can't use it for both. The A6 wouldn't handle the Flac anyways.

What are my options (if any) to connect this player to the Audi A6 MMI?

DeerHunter

A USB input is an option that will replace the iPod cable.

ThomasH

Bluetooth will take just a few seconds to set up, and should offer you the ability to control tracks (next/back) from the controls adjacent to the car volume control without having to touch the player. You may also see track information on the MMI screen.

I have an iPod and the MMI cable, but prefer the bluetooth setup most of the time unless I'm on a longer trip and will be navigating a lot of playlists, the missed album art aside.

snagitseven

Not with the FLAC files though - not supported by the MMI.

DeerHunter

Fair point. What if the device could stream the unencoded .wav equivalent. Could MMI play that back?