Bluetooth music on RNS-E?
 

Now, I’ve joined the TT forum as well. But it’s not as user friendly as this one!

The 2008 TTS I just bought has an RNS-E so I thought I’d be able to use the bluetooth connection to play music from my phone. So it’s all paired and connected; the phone works (even through Siri voice commands) and Siri ‘talks’ through the car speakers, but the music just plays through the phone!

Has anyone had any luck with the later A8s with RNS-E? If so, were there any ‘tricks’ in getting it to work?

Thanks.

Not sure about how an A8 is set up but I recall looking at this with my son when he had an S4 with an RNS-E. Basically Bluetooth only did phone calls!

We did look at adding an AUX-in connection to play music from an iPhone but never actually got round to it before he traded it in.

Oh dear, not the answer I was hoping for! The phone works fine on bluetooth through my Zooka (speaker bar), so I wonder what’s so limiting in the RNS-E? My daughter’s 2011 A3 system (not RNS-E, but standard Audi stereo system) works fine.

Have you got an iPod/USB connection in the glovebox (aka AMI)? If so that can be used to plug in a tunes2air module which will allow streaming via Bluetooth. If not, it’s probably too expensive to be worth bothering about....

My 2011 S5 doesn’t stream over Bluetooth.....

That's roughly what we were planning for my sons S4. i.e. add an Aux-in connector (needs VCDS to recode the RNS slightly) then a cheap rechargeable Bluetooth/Aux unit plugged into that.

Now, there is some sort of connection in the glovebox..... I’ll have a look tomorrow. Thanks!

No worries - if it looks like some random proprietary connector, then that'll be it.

If there's no fly leads in there, they came supplied with a USB connector (to plug in a memory stick) and usually an old Apple 30 pin connector. The latter is what's needed to use the tunes2air option.

They look like the one in this Amazon link:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Goliton%C2%.../dp/B004I9G486

As an alternative if you have the 30 pin connector, although it's a wired option, you can buy a 30 pin to Lightning adaptor from Apple with a short length of cable and plug a modern iphone in so it charges as well. It picks it up as a source when the phone is connected and unlocked. That assumes you're an iSheep user like me. Failing that a standard USB cable will plug in and support Android via the same method.

I use the cabled method with my S5 as it means the phone is tucked away and charging as well as available to play music. It will still connect via Bluetooth for calls

ETA - can't find any results for tunes2air on Amazon now (worth checking ebay for used ones) but this looks like the same device:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bovee-Wirel...J6S7J3HD1PNA2T

The wired option sounds good, as I'll need to charge the iPhone anyway. Here's a photo of the connector socket in the glove box

That looks like an Apple 30-pin interface for older Apple devices, so hopefully you just need an adapter to connect newer ones with a lightning socket.
Jim, can you take a better photo, closer and in focus?

Note: If that is the case you will probably need to shell out on a genuine Apple unit as most 3rd-party ones either only support charging or will be rejected by newer versions of IOS as not being compatible.

I’ll try another photo later. I tried to fit an old 30pin connector to it, but my sausage fingers wouldn’t allow it!

I think that is the proprietary MMI connector. You'll need a proper MMI adapter cable to connect it to an i-thing. They are plentiful on ebay.

I believe RNS-e only connects to the phone as a headset. It doesn't support the correct Bluetooth profile for music playback so the phone simply ignores it for that application.

Bluetooth has a number of 'profiles', handsfree, and audio being two of them. Most older cars/head units only use the handsfree profile. You can add an adapter as mentioned if you have the apple connector. I think the tunes2air are now the Bovee WMA1000, which I've got in the Jag and No 2 Son's Volvo, which give you the steering wheel controls, etc. that you wouldn't get using an Aux cable. Though I'm sure there's other options out there for getting Bluetooth on to it, such as BT to Aux adapters and you just have to use the phone to change track.

I would say that looks like the ipod dock.

And as it suggests, its designed for an ipod (of that era) to slide in and dock.

From memory there were 3 external audio options at that time:

Ipod Dock
CD Changer
AMI

The latter would give you the most connectivity options by today's standards I imagine and ought to be a fairly simple retrofit as the RNS-E didn't have many ports on the back, so I imagine its a case of unplug the dock, and plug the AMI in.(never actually done it though, so dont quote me)

The AMI in question looks identical to the one we see on the A6/A8/Q7 - but - crucially - it doesnt have MOST (optical bus) so is different connectors on the back, e.g: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Audi-A4-B...0AAOSwpxZdiRtb



The RNS-E also has TV input options, so, worst case you could fathom a 3rd party connection over that, but they do tend to pick up alternator interference in my experience....

I wonder if this might be as good as/better than the Apple cable?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-A...53.m1438.l2649

It is, indeed, an iPod dock! +++

And as I have a couple of old style iPods, that what I’ll pursue in the short term (funds need to be reserved for a new belt and a few other issues with the TTS).

The iPod functions in the dock, but the only text on the screen is ‘CD1....CD6’ and, for each CD, Track1.....Track n’. That’s pretty similar to some of the iPod links I’ve tried in the S8. I can live with that if I have to.

The SD card that I bought (not an HC card and only 2GB) works well too, with screen info and steering wheel controls, so I’ll buy a few more of them as well.

Thanks for all the input guys - much appreciated

Is your RNS-E a MK 1 or 2? If not sure, usually a chrome volume knob and ability to use SDHC cards in the 2 slots behind that are bigger than 4GB is an indicator of Mk2.

I don’t think mk1 supports AMI (Sergey went through all this with his old car)

Never seen the iPod dock before!

Here is the RNS-E in my TTS. It has 2 SD card slots, but didn't like the 16GB card that I first tried. It’s fine with 2 GB, non-HC cards

That looks like a Mk2 from the 2 chrome buttons (but they can be swapped)

Was the 16GB card you tried an SDXC? It won't like those, but should accept SDHC. They don't like microSD cards in adaptors either.

Worth noting that sometimes SD cards aren't correctly marked for the standard they allegedly comply with - particular problem with 4GB cards (which Mk1 RNS-E needs) as new ones more likely to be SDHC now, but won't necessarily be marked as it.

Post a pic of the firmware/map version info too and I can probably go off that too +++

Shame about the scratches on the screen - it's quite easy to swap them if it annoys you (look at my thread for changing the nav drive unit in the RNS-E and it explains how to strip it down)

My similar vintage RS6 does'nt let you stream Bluetooth music, only phone however there is a connection in the glove box in mine which allows you to connect a variety of different inputs at the other end, one of which is aux in, then just connect something like below and your tunes will work over BT. Suspect mine is MMI though and not RNS-E. You should be able to get something from Connects 2 or Xcarlink which plugs into the back of the head unit and gives you an aux in option which in turn lets you connect via one of those below, I have Spotify and other "Modern Stuff" like dab radio from my phone via BT in my aging S8 +++

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

PS I thought you were a committed CD man anyway??

I really appreciate the time and expertise that you guys are giving me! +++

Even if I don’t understand half of it!

Yes, when buying music, I’m still a CD man - I still miss the fabulous artwork that you got with an LP; not to mention the sleeve notes.

And I’m not sure that I want to ‘stream’ music - I just have all my iTunes music in MP3 format on my phone and want to play it on the car stereo.

But, if I can do that with big enough SD cards (I have something more than 20GB) then that would be great, as that gives the on-screen info that I’d like, that the iPod dock appears to lack.

So, the SD card that didn’t seem to work was a Sharpen brand 8GB, 10 MB/S with a symbol that looks like a backwards or upside down ‘@‘ symbol (like a 6 in a circle). What spec should I be looking for?

And where do I find ‘firmware’?

BTW, if any of you guys ever needs expert advice in the field of medical technology, especially microbial genetics or genetic manipulation, I’m your man! :o

Isnt there a vinyl input somewhere? Its really back in fashion:ROFL:

I'm sure you can still buy these:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKYz4yVDQm8

Jim, I've got a spare unit almost identical to that kicking around, bought it to try on my son's S4.
If you ever go down the AUX-in route I'm happy to donate it to you. Funny thing is I've found the instructions but not the actual unit..... :Confused:

Watcha

From memory if you go into the nav screen and then setup, you should get a couple of codes (there may be another ‘version’ option somewhere) for hardware and software version

One just tells you the age of the map dvd, the other will give an indication of RNS-E vintage

I remember the car record players! But I was really hoping to find a wax cylinder player! ;)

Sounds like your best option would be if you can untangle your tracks from ITunes into MP3 and get them onto a couple of SD cards. I think they have to be SD and not SDHC, I have a couple of these

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Platinum-17.../dp/B000BR9ZRG

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Platinum-...-/252370179312

And I can easily get around 600 mp3 tracks on each one+++

It’s dead easy to drag and drop files from the iTunes library MP3 files on my hard drive. No disentangling required!. I’m thinking that this is the best bet too, along with the iPod docked in the glovebox for SHMBO to select additional songs if required.
I’m surprised, though, that Audi supplied an iPod dock but didn’t make the RNS-E compatible to show song information - but maybe there’s some reason that’s obvious to you IT literate people that I wouldn’t understand. In my little head, they’re all MP3 files....on a card, a phone and an iPod.....so why differing compatibilities?

They would probably have to pay some ludicrously high licensing fee to Apple to do so as no doubt there's a "proprietary" factor in there somewhere. Even the connector hardware would have been expensive.

Is this what we're looking for?

Long story short, different APIs (Application Programming Interfaces - software interfaces) to access them.

For the 2010 onwards model of the RNS-E (not the one you have) there was/is an AMI option that did allow retrieving song titles from iOS devices connected to it. It’s still a completely different API to a hard drive or SDCard though, and a lot of iDevices were still only a glint in Steve Job’s eye when the original RNS-E was being designed back in around 2002-2003.

Photo posted to show hardware and software versions.

The scratches on the screen have mostly come off with a brief wipe with Plastex. I’m sure a more committed session will restore it to its former glory!

You have the last official software release (650) for the first generation of RNS-E unit.
So you're limited to a maximum of 2 x 4GB SD cards (that unit does not support SDHC cards, even 4GB ones) as linked to by briang9 earlier.
2GB (or smaller) SD cards are cheaper and easier to come by, but of course you can't get as many tracks on them.
You have the latest maps: 2019 (DD) release.

There are SD card management utilities you can download to check whether any SD cards you buy are a particular type (SD/HC/XC etc)

I may have some spare 4GB cards from when I had my S8 - will have a look

2GB and under: SD
4GB: Can be either SD or SDHC, but most likely these days SDHC
8GB-32GB: SDHC
64GB and over: SDXC (not compatible with any RNSE)

Thanks again guys. I’ve just put a whole load of stuff on 4 or 5 2GB cards, so that should be good for now