music options - Firmware upgrade, or other?

[Jaco_Passattorius]

Hi all,

First post here after buying a 2011 Passat. I've been reading here at the forum for a few weeks and have been trying to piece together exactly what I (now) own and what it will do for me.

My goal here is to play random tracks from my music collection.

I notice straight off that my RNS 510 will play bluetoooth music from my phone if you initialte it from the phone, but will not initiate or change tracks from the steering wheel controls.

I can load my entire collection on a USB stick and plug it into the MDI, but the "mix" or random function doesn't seem to work :/ So I've been going through my music collection album by album, starting with the 'A's.

If I understand correctly, a later firmware version of the RNS 510 will allow me to change tracks from the steering wheel: "AVHCP v1 allows the steering wheel controls to skip tracks etc. This is also only supported with the newer 9w7 modules." from this thread (RNS510 Music Streaming)

..but I also read that I lose my maps if I do the firmware upgrade and I don't have the original dsk to load it up.

So I'm a bit lost. I should probably just open up the options and ask you guys the best way to get random music from my collection, either from my phone, or on a USB stick or whatever.

Any comments or suggestions welcome.
Cheers,
JP

[kamold]

How much music?
If you upgrade firmware then the rns will have approx 35gb (assuming you have a 40gb hdd it may only have 30gb depending when it was made).
You can also put 32gb sdcards in.
Both these options should do random play.

Sent from my HTC One M8 using Tapatalk

[kamold]

Latest maps are available for $55 from dealers or suppliers like vwcentral.

Sent from my HTC One M8 using Tapatalk

[Jaco_Passattorius]

How much music?
If you upgrade firmware then the rns will have approx 35gb (assuming you have a 40gb hdd it may only have 30gb depending when it was made).
You can also put 32gb sdcards in.
Both these options should do random play.

Sent from my HTC One M8 using Tapatalk

About 30gig.

I whacked it on a 32gigUSB stick and used the MDI port - when I got the car, in the glove box was a MDI to USB cable already plugged into the MDI port, so I used it.

... just figured the 'Mix' out. It's random for the directory you're in. So 'Mix" will play random tracks indefinitely from the one directory - in my case, I have a directory per album. Obviously to get this up and running I've got to stick all MP3 tracks in the root directory.

Clunky solution, but I guess that's what you got in 2011.

Cheers.
JP

[Hillbilly]

Ive got one the same and have 6000 tracks both in the HDD and on an SD Card. Takes forever to load them on the HDD so I dont bother and just change the SD card Yes MIX is the random function Should show track name and artist name on screen as well

You need a different cable to run a phone into the MIDI That one will only charge it.

[FJ Steve]

Loading .mp3 files onto the HDD does not need to be done in the one 'session'.

If you have all your music on an SD Card, just select "Copy/All" to the HDD, and as long as the SD card remains in the unit, the unit will happily copy files over (always remembering where it was last interrupted) - while the ignition is on.

During the copying process, you can play music from the HDD or the SD card. The unit will advise you when copying is complete.

[Jaco_Passattorius]

Hehe. Good info guys. Thanks.

I've been using my wife's Forrester from time to time and it just streams from my phone which can be set up to play random or albums or whateverand is controllable from the steering wheel. I was really hoping to get this happening in the Passat.

Can anyone confirm that a firmware upgrade of my RNS 510 alone will do this? Or does it involve hardware?

JP

[Hillbilly]

Hehe. Good info guys. Thanks.

I've been using my wife's Forrester from time to time and it just streams from my phone which can be set up to play random or albums or whateverand is controllable from the steering wheel. I was really hoping to get this happening in the Passat.

Can anyone confirm that a firmware upgrade of my RNS 510 alone will do this? Or does it involve hardware?

JP

Dont think so I have latest firmware and the steering wheel only goes to the next track. I have mine on mix and only use my phone for phone calls (which is all I bought it for) There isnt any hardware different to what you have for a Passat AFAIK