VW Bluetooth Touch Phone Kit Music help

[10POLO]

I've got the VW TPK installed in my car, and I'm trying to figure out how to access the aux-in option. I found the control box for the kit, and theres a media-in port on it which I presume a special wire/loom plugs into to allow aux playback.
However, all I can find on the internet is this (http://www.ebay.de/itm/VW-Touch-Phone-Kit-Adapter-USB-000051905-fuer-RNS-510-310-300-RCD-510-310-210-/261077513747), a cable with an aux and USB input on the German ebay. Searching the product code comes up with nothing, so I want to know if this is what I need, and if I can get it elsewhere rather than trying to figure out ebay in German and then having to get it imported across Europe

[Flash2]

Just to clarify, are you wanting to play music from your phone or from another device?

You can stream music via bluetooth with the TPK kit, but the quality isn't great.
You can use this cable :- Volkswagen RCD210 RCD310 RCD510 Aux Input Adaptor Audio Interface Converter | eBay (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Volkswagen-RCD210-RCD310-RCD510-Aux-Input-Adaptor-Audio-Interface-Converter-/400557803253) to connect the AUX output on the TPK directly to the radio's AUX input. That improves the quality of the audio quite a bit over the bluetooth streaming. You can also use the same cable to connect another device to the radio's AUX input.

Jim.

[10POLO]

I'm hoping to be able to play from the aux on my mp3 player, or preferably straight from a USB memory stick. The spec for the TPK Music apparently allows playback from aux and USB devices, which is why I wanted this cable in order to do so
I have an RCD 210 which has the ipod adapter hooked up to the CD changer, but it's rather useless as I don't own an ipod. I don't really want to replace the ipod adapter with an equivalent USB one as I won't be able to see whats playing, and I presume playback on the TPK will show the song info etc.

[Flash2]

Not sure if the phone kit display will show which track is being played. I've never fitted one with the optional media cable.
The cable is an original VW part, so why not price it at your dealer. Part No. : 000 051 905B You can also use the USB port on the cable to update the firmware in the TPK control box.

Jim.

[10POLO]

I finally got ahold of the correct cable, and it seems to work very well playing music from the USB, however, there is no audio. I've read about there being a cable missing somewhere from the TPK to the AUX in on the radio or something, how can I get the sound from the TPK to come through the speakers?

[Flash2]

You'll need this cable : Volkswagen RCD210 RCD310 RCD510 Aux Input Adaptor Audio Interface Converter | eBay (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Volkswagen-RCD210-RCD310-RCD510-Aux-Input-Adaptor-Audio-Interface-Converter-/400557803253)

Plug one end into the AUX output on the phone kit control box and the other end into the AUX input on the rear of the radio.

I'd get in touch with them before you buy and make sure it has the correct connector for your radio. VW changed the AUX input connectors on later radios.
If there is already a blue connector on the back of your radio, you may have to remove the pins from the supplied cable and insert them into the original blue connector.

Jim.

[10POLO]

Thanks again for the help Jim!
There's an ipod connector which runs off the CD changer and I presume is just plugged into the AUX on the radio, and goes into a blue connector.
I assume I can just plug this cable into the AUX out on the TPK one end, and the other into this blue connector, and then when I change the input on the radio to the cd changer, it will be the audio for the TPK?

[Flash2]

Yeah, that's pretty much correct, but the AUX in is separate from the CD changer although both use the same connector on the radio.
When you press the media button on the radio, one of the options should be AUX. If AUX isn't there, you may have to activate it in the radio's main menu.
If it's not in the main menu, you may need the radio recoded using VCDS/VASPC.
CD changer shouldn't appear on the media menu unless a changer (or iPod adapter) are connected to the radio.

I came across this link on another post on the forum and it shows pretty much what you are wanting to do.
http://www.mat-d.com/site/diy-install-activate-aux-in-for-volkswagen-rcd-210-rcd-310-car-radio-polo-golf-installer-prise-auxiliaire-autoradio-polo-rcd-210-aux-in-buchse/

I don't know what the deal is with using all the credit cards to remove the trim around the radio though. He says it takes 10min to remove the trim using that method.
It takes about 30secs to remove if you place a flat screw driver blade into the slot just above and to the right of the temperature control on the bottom edge of the trim.
Once the bottom is detached, you can unclip the rest using your fingers. Each to their own, I guess.

Jim.

[10POLO]

I got that cable and tried to plug it in, but without any results. Pressing the media button on the radio just cycles between the radio, the CD drive and the CD changer (when the ipod connector is connected), and obviously removing the ipod connector to plug the AUX adapter in means the CD changer disappears, so I only have the CD drive.
I also tried taking apart the ipod connector to see if I could use the AUX leads in there, as the little control bo it goes through is what is needed to fool the head unit into thinking there's a cd changer present.
I think what I really want to do is make it so the ipod adapter can somehow accept an AUX input and do it via the CD changer, or try and recode the bloody thing using vagcom to activate the AUX...

[Flash2]

I'd just get the unit recoded rather than mess about with the iPod adapter.
Somewhere on the forum, there is a list of folk with VCDS. See if someone has it in your area and ask them if they could recode your radio.
It only takes a few mins, so shouldn't cost too much, if anything.

Jim.

UPDATE : The VCDS list is here - http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?5319-Vagcom-VCDS-User-Locations

[10POLO]

My friend had an old cd changer to ipod/AUX adapter knocking about that I had, and this seems to work now; only trouble is that the sound quality isn't very good. This couldn't be down to the adapter could it? I've tried to play other stuff over the AUX and it sounds allright, but playing from the USB on the TPK the audio quality isn't very good at all, very crackly and just sounds like it has a really low bit rate

EDIT: Right, I tried playing from the AUX over the TPK, and that sounds fine, so it can't be the adapter or the audio processing on the TPK, but something in the way files are played from the USB that makes them sound bad....

[Flash2]

Don't know about USB, but when you stream music via bluetooth on the TPK it sounds like your listening to a MW radio station.

[10POLO]

I'd heard that but also heard that apparently it can be remedied by an additional cable or something. It definitely does sound like a MW station, compared the same song with playing my mp3 player via AUX and it sounded so much better

[Flash2]

Do you have the 3.5mm AUX cable connected between the TPK and the radio? If not, then your still streaming the music via bluetooth and that's why the sound quality is poor.

Jim.

[10POLO]

Yep, the set up is currently the AUX out on the TPK to the radio via 3.5mm cable, then there's a second 3.5mm AUX on the TPK itself which I connected my MP3 player to, and the sound quality was fine

[pinehurst]

I've just bought a 2013 Polo Match which has the TPK touch phone kit installed. The screen cradle on the dash needs to be replaced and I have sourced a replacement cradle, but I don't know where the control panel is sited so I can trace the cable through to connect the new cradle to it. I was told it might be behind the radio but I looked and it isn't. Any advice out there?
Thanks and appreciated

[Flash2]

To find the control box all you need to do is follow the cable coming off the display cradle or follow the wiring coming off the radio harness adapter. Either one will lead you to the control box.

On the back of the radio there is a little wiring harness with 4 wires coming off the radio connector. There will be a red, black, yellow & blue wire. That little harness is the wiring leading to the phone control box...photo below :

http://i648.photobucket.com/albums/uu203/mslade1979/image.jpg2_1.jpg

[pinehurst]

thanks Flash2,
I traced the wire from the display cradle and it disappears behind the cover panel in the driver's foot well where the bonnet release catch is located. I'll find how to disassemble that if I know I'm going in the right direction. At the other end, at the back of the radio, all of the cabling just seems to disappear into the 'bowels' of the centre console, and as I'm an amateur, I'm really reluctant to start dismantling panels all about the car unless I know I'm going to the right location. Do you happen to know where these control boxes are usually sited? I was told immediately behind the radio but it is definitely not there, and with the display cable routing apparently toward the foot well, it appears unlikely it would be there anyway. Thanks again anyway.

[Flash2]

Personally, I just drop the box down behind the radio when I fit one of those to a Polo. And it really can't be too far away from the radio because of the length of the wiring...unless the person that fitted yours didn't use the VW wiring adapter form some reason. The wiring adapter isn't supplied with the phone kit. It's an optional extra costing an additional £20 or there abouts.

[pinehurst]

Ok thanks,
I'll whip the radio out again and see if I can do a bit better at tracing the wiring to the control box.

[pinehurst]

Hi Flash2,
I managed to trace the control box to behind the foot well cover on the driver's side, just where the bonnet release catch is. I think that's a new one! It was a bit fiddly to extract, but I managed it eventually, and have now connected my new screen which is up and running. Thanks again for your help. I appreciate it, and a very Happy New Year to you and yours.