Full iPod Control In a Pre 2009 Bentley GT
 

Hi All,

I know Dension and others make iPod integration kits for the GT, but has anyone made a fully integrated one that shows track information and allows control from the steering wheel and nav unit?

If not, which kit gets me closest to the above?

None have made a fully integrated unit to the best of my research over the past year+ for pre 2009. Hopefully i am wrong and someone chimes in with a good solution that works.

I am struggling to find a solution but need to sort out a solution, even if it is a
basic solution with basic details on screen and control via the Stettin wheel. I haven't used CDs in a car for a long long time.

Anybody out there that can help?:D

Perhaps do what i did, get a car mount and iTouch. Obviously the iTouch on-screen controls can do A LOT more than what the Bentley could do even on the 'best' of steering wheel integration. Only problem i have is that the iTouch is only 64GB and really need 128GB as a minimum to store the amount of (uncompressed or 'lightly' compressed) music desired.

Perhaps one day car manufacturers will offer a removable 2.5-inch HD system and external USB3 dock (USB2 compat) so that you can use the external HD as mass storage to migrate your files (audio AND video), then the car's system will read said hard drive. Of course a SSD is best and soon a 256GB SSD will be around $250 or less. Being this is a Bentley (and i know VW wants to become the #1 automobile manufacturer), am sure owners can afford SSD. The trick is to have the on-board computer system's ability to read all the usual tags (genre, artist, etc and play MP3, wma, wma lossless, FLAC, Apple lossless, etc). Dare i ask, also have the unit read video files (mp4, avi, mkv, etc) such that users in the back seat can always (and front screen adhering to laws concerning video) is available.

High-end car audio systems, not stock system, have had this ability for many, many years using computer integration. Perhaps Bentley should have one of their technicians visit a 'finals' car audio competition in various countries. Am sure in Britain there are car audio enthusiast meetings and the technicians could see what the 'kids' are doing and how the professionals are implementing said systems. Nowadays the high-end audio community is simply stuffing boxes with the best chipsets/hardware and letting software/firmware be the variable with which to add/improve/modernize features and ability.

VW could really jump over the competition by offering such systems. They could also easily add WiFi, advanced voice recognition and other features too. Perhaps VW is waiting for Microsoft's 'system on a chip', which is basically a much more modern version of the now old Windows CE that operated on the Microsoft/Clarion AutoPC system that was very advanced for its time.

I like your setup however due to the "wife factor", the iPod needs to go in glove box.

I did find this http://www.caraudiocentre.co.uk/prod...on_p-26411.htm

i doubt "Controls direct through stereo, steering controls & the iPOD itself!" Another problem, does the unit show tracks, playlists, etc on one of the Bentley screens? Please go ahead and buy it and let us know if this is true.

This is for 2008
http://diceelectronics.com/bentley.html

This is for those of us with 2005 to 2007 models we needed the VW model, which works only in a very limited basis.

PS: And yes have tried the dip switch setting where the iPod says it is hooked to an accessory and NO the 2006 Bentely does NOT show the track names on the display, does not change the tracks via steering wheel or any other control, etc.

I could have made do with just steering controls and basic display information (track 01).

But if it is limited to only 6 playlists, shows no text and isn't controlled by the steering wheel or nav, this thing really stinks

Tried various DIP switch setting when first installed and again yesterday to be sure. The Dice unit is GREAT provided you use the iPod/iTouch to change tracks, etc. It is far better than nothing or being stuck with only 6 CDs plus the sound quality of the Dice unit is quite good as it has its own DAC, thus not using the truly lousy Apple DAC chipset.

FYI: Many people have never heard how much better, as a freestanding portable audio player, the Microsoft Zune is as compared to the Apple products. Apple is really a lousy sounding unit on its own, and this is mainly due to the hideous DAC and cheap amplifier. The Dice unit eliminates that problem by reading the digital out of the Apple unit and, thus, using the Dice's own far better sounding/performing built-in DAC and amplification to feed the Bentley car audio unit.

Such a dissapointment.

Are you sure Dice don't have a newer model or that there isn't anything better out there?

They MIGHT have updated the internal firmware of the unit, yet not 100% sure. Best bet would be to contact them and ask. Am waiting for them to come out with a Mediabridge with Bluetooth for the VW/Bentley as this would solve the Bluetooth situation for only a few hundred dollars.

I've just recently fitted the DICE unit to my 05 Conti GT, I can control forward and back on the tracks but that's about it, it still doesn't support playlist selection or track names. it's much better than 6 CD's though!

Like Steven says, you can use an Itouch to make it more manageable, we use an Ipad (helps with fat fingers on the road) and it works well.

There is one alternative to this I've heard that does work really well, it sorts the Music and indeed bluetooth phone connectivity out, it's a bit pricey at the moment.... buy a new Conti GT... I'm trying to persuade Helen we need one due to the limitations above, but I'm not sure she's falling for it!

Another benefit of the new Conti over the models made before 2008... radar cruise control. If you have never used this feature it is a bit unnerving at first, yet is truly amazing as it controls the top speed you set while cruising and if someone slows down in front of you the car automatically slows down and will resume to your set top speed once the road in front of the car is clear. What blew my mind was that it'll also stop the car all the way to 0 mph if needed and then proceed as necessary.

You could also mention that the new Conti has nicer, easy to use cup holders :D

PS: Don't know why i never thought of using the iTouch's Bluetooth with my phone, will try that. MANY thanks for the idea! Oh, wait, i did try it and the 3rd generation iTouch here does not support Hands-Free Profile (HFP 1.5) while the 4th Gen does :( i'll wait for a 128GB or higher iTouch and then that should solve the HFP situation. Frankly, i like using rSAP better as the Bentley's built-in cell amplifier/antenna are far better than any small handheld cell phone in the market. Makes me wonder how many here remember the old 'luggable' 3-watt phones during the 1980's... or the Motorola 8000H 'brick phone'.

I had one of the first bricks to come out. While I've got an iPhone 4 right now, the best phone I ever had was the Motorola StarTec a decade back. Light, easy to use, great battery life... ah how I long for the good ol' days to return! :rolleyes:

But I haven't gone for the iPhone conversion kit on my 2006 BCGT - it's around US$3000 to instal here - and I'd rather spend that on world trips etc. But I do miss this option - the existing Nokia in the center console works OK but it means another number for everyone to remember.


I have that on my LX570, as well as on my sold Lexus LS600hL a couple years back. It's great fun, but the acceleration lags somewhat which makes it annoying for cars following me. Good for boasting rights only so far. Is the Bentley any better for this?

Ahh yes, i remember those. Good ol' analog cell phones. Ummm, you do know guys like me with shortwave could easily listen to your calls. You'd be AMAZED at what people say on their cell phones.


Upon test driving two then new 2008 Bentleys during a press event the radar cruise control was pretty good. There was some lag, as both cars seemed to suffer far too much turbo lag in general... which is interesting in that the 2006 CGT here does not suffer from much lag really. Am sure over the past couple of years they have been able to fine-tune it all better still.

Interesting how progress often runs backwards like that. Having decided that the CGT is the best car I've ever owned over the last 45 years for both drivability and looks, I want to upgrade every so often to stay current. But going on from the 2006, I'm faced with the Speed - harder ride, harder seats... the SuperSports - harder x10 and I don't like industrial interior styling... and the 2011 GT revision - the ugly trunk, though I do like the sharper body lines.

However I guess it's all compromise. As much as I want to stay in a time warp, I will accept the minor setbacks for the overall perfectness of these lovely machines.