Audio 20 iPod control

[Piff]

Tried today to plug an iPod in via a usb/iPod cable.

Random music starts

As far as I can make out Audio 20 seems to recognise track information as it displays track title, album artwork, etc. but there is no organisation of albums/artists/etc.

Tried a different iPod but same results.

It seems to have the music arranged in folders F00 to F49 and within each folder are tracks titled with 4 random letters. The tracks are in no particular order.

Is there a way to either re-arrange the iPod file structure or have Audio 20 display lists of Albums/Artists/etc?

 

[npuk]

You need the media interface for ipod connectivity. The USB is really for USB pendrives and harddrives.

 

[Piff]

You need the media interface for ipod connectivity. The USB is really for USB pendrives and harddrives.

Did some research since posting and found the "upgrade" in the price list - £195 addition.

Didn't think to look before purchase - was just shown in central armrest box that there was a 3.5mm jack & a usb socket for mp3 players - stupidly assumed that an iPod was an mp3 player

I just can't believe how many "standard bits" are missing from a £35k car:-
auto dimming rear view mirrors
electric folding wing mirrors
illuminated sun visor mirrors
auto setting for windsceen wipers
2 zone full climate control

Long while since I've owned a car this basic

 

[Piff]

You need the media interface for ipod connectivity. The USB is really for USB pendrives and harddrives.

Is media interface an easy (reasonably priced) DIY upgrade?

 

[npuk]

Comand Online dont list a price for the R172 but on older models as a retrofit it was £450 + fitting cost. If you email them they would be able to advise you of the actual cost.

Why not just copy your itunes library to a USB pendrive?

 

[Piff]

Why not just copy your itunes library to a USB pendrive?

A bit thick here
Can easily be copied over to a pen drive but what/how is it controlled on the Audio 20? Do you get a track/album list?

 

[npuk]

Yes, should all be explained in your Audio 20 manual.

 

[Piff]

Yes, should all be explained in your Audio 20 manual.

I'll have to ask the wife - real men don't do manuals

 

[Piff]

Why not just copy your itunes library to a USB pendrive?

Just got number 2 son to load a few albums on a USB stick.
Tried it in the car & it works in the way I had expected the iPod to work, including album artwork.
Not sure if tracks can be selected by artist/gendre/etc, (didn't test) but if albums can be selected, thats all I would need.

Can't understand MB's stance towards apple products. I'm not a fan of all apple products, but accept iPod as the market leader - MB want £195 to integrate it in the car - more than the iPod costs

I understand (but have no first hand knowledge) that Becker Travel Pilot (Audio 20's integrated sat nav) doesn't support the apple platform.

 

[jcvd]

Audio 20/Album artwork and playlists too

So I've spent a bit of time trying to get this all working too. I've recently switched from iPhone to Android and was aware of the iPhone add-on so wasn't too sure how this would work.

Firstly iTunes doesn't store album artwork in the audio file. Its separated. Its a little costly but i bought this (Mac software for finding, applying, editing and printing album covers) which saves your artwork already in iTunes into the actual audio file. Any missing artwork it can automatically download from lots of sources and assign them automatically to the file or you can apply manually.

Once thats done the next thing to do is download this which is free (Love your music. For Android, Mac & Windows - doubleTwist). This was designed to sync your iTunes library and playlists to an Android phone BUT it also recognises USB sticks.

What I wanted to do is put my phone away and use the Audio20 for everything so I bought a 256 USB stick on eBay (256GB USB FLASH DRIVE MEMORY STICK PEN 256 GB HIGH SPEED USB 2.0 - UK SELLER | eBay) for £15.99 with free delivery.

Insert your USB stick to your laptop and run DoubleTwist. Simply tick which playlists you want to sync and job done. It copies all of the music just like iTunes stores them in Artist->Album folders AND it also copies over the playlist files which the Audio20 recognises.

Insert the USB stick into your car and browse to USB media. You'll see a playlists folder and inside that your playlists. You can browse through the artists too and ontop of all that your album artwork shows perfectly.

Hope this helps someone.

 

[grahamcarvlin]

Hi All,

just got my merc and found the same problem. Find it strange that this high end marque does not have full ipod drivability, but there is always a way around it.

I have bluetoothed my iphone so can play music and use as a phone. Have to change albums on the phone though !!!

Found the same issue as you guys with the ipod (gen 7, 6 or 4) through the USB, was in shock. But last night copied from itunes into individual folders on an 8GB pendrive. On testing this morning have full selectivity of albums and tracks. also the artwork !!!. So whilst still bemused and satisfied there is a solution.

 

[mykaitch]

ipod issues

In brief:
ordered C180SE (new) Feb 2013 - stated very clearly I wanted FULL ipod connectivity like the Alpine I fitted into my old Eclass. Got car didn't work.
Investigation, had to pay to upgrade to 6CD/multimedia. No artwork.
Longer investigation. had to upgrade to Command on - line. didn't work on all files.
Very long investigation:
Mercedes say "no it doesn't work correctly. We have no plans to correct it.Here's £500.00 now f*** off."
Just written to newspapers ...
NB: The artwork is extracted from the files and stored on the hard drive inside the command unit. Once done you can NEVER change it and RESET does not wipe it. You can prove this: play a song from the ipod that has NO artwork-- no pic.
Unplug ipod.
Add pic in itunes and copy file to USB stick.Do not Sync ipod. Put stick in car and use 'search by cover' -- read in data - Yes. You will see the pic.
Remove USB.
Plug ipod in. Play track, admire artwork.
You know it is not on the ipod so where is it?
On the bloody hard drive.
Some files work and some don't 'cos its crap.

 

[R66SAL]

Hi, help! First Merc... Plugged iPod shuffle in, got music, got artwork - happy days, literally.... It only lasted days. Now it just says no device connected but I haven't done anything different? Just to check I plugged in my creative zen stone which is basically just a usb storage device and it came up with something about energy consumption too much? All very confusing, why would it work and then stop, what have I pressed or not pressed???
It's an A250.