RNS510 cost-justified?

[frozze]

I really have a lot to learn. Didn't even know that. Is there a reason why the RNS510 can't dislay the song/artist name and weather forecast but the RCD310/510 can?

The RNS510 shows the station names, but doesn't display the song/artist name and weather forecast like the RCD310/510 does, which is what I think he means.

[irossiter]

Waste of money to pay for integrated sat nab at $2000+, particularly as I've heard that you have to pay for map upgrades (correct me if
I'm wrong there). I have a brilliant Garmin sat nab, it doesn't block your view through the windscreen (unless you are a Camry driver who puts it directly in front of your face on the windscreen!! ). You can take it with you to other cars or download maps for other countries
(Garmin's maps of South Africa and Swaziland were superb). Portable sat navs now start at under $200. If you ask me spend the money on a nice set of factory alloys (cheaper!) and if they say it is the only car they can get then tell them you won't pay extra for it or bargain hard. Don't let the dealer play tricks with you. You won't get any extra for the car at trade in time with built in sat nab (the dealer will tell you that you will).

[Ryan_R]

Not sure. It was nearly a deal breaker for me but now that I've got the RNS I rarely listen to the radio anymore so it's not the end of the world. It was fun to show it off to others though

Hopefully one day a firmware update brings us the feature back but I'm not expecting it to happen.

[frozze]

Probably not a big deal to me but just surprised that the RNS510 doesn't have that "feature". I guess it's a handy thing to have.

Not sure. It was nearly a deal breaker for me but now that I've got the RNS I rarely listen to the radio anymore so it's not the end of the world. It was fun to show it off to others though

Hopefully one day a firmware update brings us the feature back but I'm not expecting it to happen.

[Ferni]

When you click on next, are you accessing an iPod? Click on next on my USB key is pretty responsive.

Some of them, mine included, only has a 30GB HDD. But, you might be unaware, these are not standard HDD's but automotive HDD's (specifically, they are designed to cope with both vibration AND heat). At the time of the RNS510's release, 30GB was one of the larger models. Even today, the largest is only 100GB.

Radio text certainly does work. But it depends on your radio station broadcasting it.

UI - it could be prettier. But seriously... this is a car we're talking about, not an iPhone. You're lucky it's still legal to have a touch system, despite touch input being well known for being completely useless unless you're looking directly at it (as opposed to "hard buttons", which can be operated by feel). There is no way they should have "gestures" on a car-based system.

I loaded my music on the hard drive (which was also ridiculous slow to copy across even with a fast SD card.) Still get the lag pressing next track on the screen (using steering wheel controls is better).

Understand your point about automotive HDD, but they have revised the RNS510 a few times since initial release yet still only include a 30/40GB hdd and still charge us a premium for it (2.5k option).

Rado text works for station name, not for song artiest/title like it does on the RCD510.

I have to disagree with you about not allowing gestures - it would be easier to use a swipe at any place on the screen to perform an action while driving than it is to try and hit a virtual butt on the touch screen only about 2cm in size. You could do a swipe forwards/backwards across the screen without looking, you certainly can't press a soft button without looking. (once again the steering wheel controls help alleviate most of these issues)

As for the looks of the UI, i actually think that it doesn't look too bad, my complaint is with the User interaction rather than the looks. But it would be nice if it could display album art etc but thats a very minor thing.

As for the 2,000 song limit on SD card - I don't think I tested this myself, but read it in the manual (was a while ago my memory could be wrong). The file limit doesn't exist on USB or HDD.

Just further on the price point, most of VW options are very reasonably priced, ie 3.5k for leather, 2k for xenons, PDC, park assist etc... these are all very reasonable, but 2.5k for the sat nav I think doesn't fit into the same reasonable bracket for what we are getting.

Keep in mind this is a 2.5k upgrade over the RCD510 in the GTI where the RCD510 already has some great options, ie SD card and MDI interface, so you are really paying 2.5k for the hard drive and the sat nav function.

This is all just my personal opinion, of course others may not agree, i'm just putting my 2c out there for others.

[Corey_R]

Just further on the price point, most of VW options are very reasonably priced, ie 3.5k for leather, 2k for xenons, PDC, park assist etc... these are all very reasonable, but 2.5k for the sat nav I think doesn't fit into the same reasonable bracket for what we are getting.

What other manufacturers built-in sat navs have you looked at to make this statement though?
I mean, each time someone makes that statement, and someone asks the question I have, the answer is usually no one. The fact is, the RNS510 is very reasonably priced in comparison to others with a similar feature set.

It is getting a bit old though, and certainly the other Euro manufacturers in particular are starting to distance it feature set... but they're still sometimes twice the cost of more...

I mean, it's all good to say x product is too expensive. But no one is going to listen when in reality, it's one of the lower cost options out there, lol.

[Ryan_R]

As for the 2,000 song limit on SD card - I don't think I tested this myself, but read it in the manual (was a while ago my memory could be wrong). The file limit doesn't exist on USB or HDD.

I think the manual is talking about the 2GB SD card size limit. A firmware update later enabled SDHC (High Capacticy) cards that are bigger than 2GB.

[littlejohn]

I think the manual is talking about the 2GB SD card size limit. A firmware update later enabled SDHC (High Capacticy) cards that are bigger than 2GB.

Not true.. I'm using a 16gb sd card and 6000+ songs

[Ryan_R]

You already have the firmware update then, doesn't make what I said wrong.

[DkN]

Personally, no matter how well it integrates, $2,500 cannot be justified for me. If you don't mind fiddling with the electronics, browse around for alternatives, something like this:

Welcome to Audiosources Website

which is made specifically for VW, has CAN-BUS connection, integrates with MFD (though I think some functions are missing), plays DVD, even support OPS systems and reverse cameras, and is as seamless visually as OEM. Yes it's made in China, and although it is plug and play you might need some tinkering (and obviously obtain your own map for the nav - readily available if you know where to look), but at $350USD can you honestly say OEM is worth SEVEN times its price?

Technology's advancing so fast these days, the other day I saw an entertainment system for our cars (as in VW infotainment replacement) that runs Android with full Wi-Fi - and this isn't even apparently a very recent product. Even on the AS-7609 system above, with a WinCE patch/hack you can also enable Wi-Fi and other goodies (which may be useless but is well beyond what is offered by the OEM system).

There will always be people who want things to be 100% and are willing to pay for it, but for most people, 95% for 7 times less the price with a few bonus things that OEM doesn't even have, has got to be a pretty good option. Honestly, IMO by today's standards the RNS510 is not that advanced to justify that price tag.