MDI to USB cable

Dozenspeed

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 1, 2012
I do, and it is useful...cool to play tunes through the stereo from other devices with it as well as charging. I've used the original with an iphone and got connection, and used the USB style (real VW part, about that $37 price also) with a flash drive, SD card with adapter and a Sansa 240 MP3 player. It acts as a second SD card this way, effectively doubling your tune capacity.

The system isn't brilliantly quick, sometimes it loads as fast as the SD card or it will take many minutes to communicate, and you won't always know if it is comming online or not. Unawesomely it is hooked into the ignition like the 12vdc sockets, so each engine start throws two blips of power and data through the line and I think it gets confused.

Flash is my preference. It doesn't compete/contain energy, and the SD card/adapter through this USD cable is unstable (bumps can cause it to reinitiialize repeatedly.) I even wrap the flash drive in foam. The MP3 player charges only with the ignition like the 12V which is another step for it to deal with as stated, not to mention it has it's own initiation sequence....

And for best results I think one should really only plug things in after the motor is running and unplug it again before you shut it off for the above reason, which is a hassle no one could tolerate. Don't get me wrong, the amenity is fantastic, just giving you my real world experience caveats. ;)

I wouldn't charge more that one thing from it at a time, that's for sure! For that stuff you can't beat a dedicated fused power line from the battery hooked into your own switched-DC-charging-ports. There are many fine products at a variety of retailers near you. :p;)

 

No More Buffalo

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2012
Location
Greenville, NC
TDI
Current: 2015 Golf SEL 6m Sold: 2012 Golf 2dr DSG
I've given up on MDI being anything useful. I have a little 12v charger I plug into the center console with a usb port on it, which I then stick the connector for whatever I'm using at the moment. All audio goes via bluetooth. Has the bonus that the steering wheel controls can be remapped at the app level on the device. So e.g. when I'm listening to podcasts or audiobooks, my next track/previous track are 30 sec advance/rewind.
 

Bikebits

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 7, 2015
Location
Southwestern Ontario
TDI
TDI Sportwagen 6MT
I got a similar MDI to female USB cable on eBay for $12 and it provides full USB functionality for the infotainment system. A simple fix for those pining for a USB connection.
 

AlexNJ

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 24, 2014
Location
New Jersey
TDI
MK7 2015 Golf TDI SEL DSG (sold back to VW 12/2016)
A question for those who have already started using the MDI-USB cable: does it display album art on the MFD? I use the MDI-dock cable for my iPod classic and that cable doesn't support album art but I was wondering if using the USB cable with a USB drive would.
 

dmcdon2851

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2015
Location
Lebanon, Ohio
TDI
2015 VW Passat TDI SEL Premium
Problems with VW Cord and iPod Shuffle

Anyone have one of these:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...rue&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_2&smid=AM09WV8LJULBP
We have devices at our house from Apple to Android to Windows Phones so I figured this would be a good option so all phones can attach to the car when necessary.
However, I was curious as to how well everything works through the cord.
I just bought the Volkswagen proprietary MDI to USB cable for use in my 2015 Passat TDI SEL. My desire was to hook up my iPod Shuffle (2GB) - generation four I believe for music to play through the Fender system.

Luckily I tried to hook it up at the dealership and it did not work. There was electric going through the chord but there was no data transfer and the system did not even identify the iPod as present.

I had a salesman come out and look at it and he wanted to say the problem was with the Pod. I assured him it was not and it was functional at home just an hour prior. He then tried HIS phone with a USB port on the chord and it did not work either. He would not say the VW cord was at fault but I returned it anyway. WHAT product do I need or should I just order another VW MDI to USB cord assuming the cord I bought was bad? Any help is appreciated.
 

Bikebits

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 7, 2015
Location
Southwestern Ontario
TDI
TDI Sportwagen 6MT
I got a generic, cheap, MDI to female USB cable on eBay. It was about $12 including shipping from China.

Granted it took about three weeks to arrive, but it works fine. I've only been using a USB stick attached to it. It shows up in the MFD Media source list as "iPod" and I can navigate through the playlists and songs using the car's controls.
 

CruisingWagon

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 15, 2015
Location
Indianapolis
TDI
2015 Golf SportWagen TDI S
Interesting piece of information on the MDI cable I ordered. I hooked it up along with my USB drive and nothing, just an error code. This was last week. I figured I'd fiddle with it over the weekend but never got around to it Today, while driving, it just turned on all the sudden and everything plays just fine and the steering wheel controls work as well.

Not sure if anyone else has experienced that but just an FYI if you do.
 

dmcdon2851

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2015
Location
Lebanon, Ohio
TDI
2015 VW Passat TDI SEL Premium
Interesting piece of information on the MDI cable I ordered. I hooked it up along with my USB drive and nothing, just an error code. This was last week. I figured I'd fiddle with it over the weekend but never got around to it Today, while driving, it just turned on all the sudden and everything plays just fine and the steering wheel controls work as well.

Not sure if anyone else has experienced that but just an FYI if you do.
Do you think your shutting everything down and then restarting the next day - in effect rebooting - got everything working? When I bought - hooked up - and failed to get my VW MDI/USB cord to work with my iPod Shuffle we did so with the car on the entire time. Perhaps the secret is to install the cord and then restart the vehicle? Your's and anyone else's thoughts are appreciated.
 
Last edited:

gloaming

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2012
Location
Port Fishington, Philadelphia
TDI
2010 Golf 6MT CR170 (Sold); 2004 R32 (not a TDI)
Eh, it just seems like the MDI has a mind of its own. Mine will work when it wants to and will randomly come on when I'm listening to something through the AUX line. Sounds like nothings changed with the MK7

EDIT: I believe there is a TSB for the MDI connection on the MK6, but that would require them to flash my car and that's not happening :p
 

bodhisattvah

Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2015
Location
Portland, OR
TDI
2015 Golf TDI S
I got:
- the one linked in the OP
- a micro USB http://amzn.com/B00DN170BK

They both work the same for me in my 2015 TDI. Just fine for charging, but lower voltage than a cigarette lighter USB hole. The cigarette lighter adapters are definitely better if all you wanna do is charge, since they do it a hell of a lot faster.

But if you wanna do more than charge...I just wouldn't with the 2015 radio.

It tries to read my Android phone, whether I want it to or not. There's no way to stop this, and my files are the wrong format for it to read anyway. And all it would do is read my files directly, not allow any media controls like the upcoming MIB II system.

Apparently, iPhones may work a little better. But only with a dedicated iPhone adapter--I don't think the plain USB one will do it (but don't quote me on that).

My solution to the horrid media interface was to just stick an extra 128gb card filled with MP3s in the glove box slot. That's probably as good as this wretched radio can do.

IMHO, VW ought to offer us a cheap upgrade to MIB II...Car Connect/Android Auto makes the Composition radio look like an 8 track shoehorned in a 2015 car.
 

yadic

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 9, 2023
Location
United States
TDI
just looking
I do, and it is useful...cool to play tunes through the stereo from other devices with it as well as charging. I've used the original with an iphone and got connection, and used the USB style (real VW part, about that $37 price also) with a flash drive, SD card with adapter and a Sansa 240 MP3 player. It acts as a second SD card this way, effectively doubling your tune capacity.

The system isn't brilliantly quick, sometimes it loads as fast as the SD card or it will take many minutes to communicate, and you won't always know if it is comming online or not. Unawesomely it is hooked into the ignition like the 12vdc sockets, so each engine start throws two blips of power and data through the line and I think it gets confused.

Flash is my preference. It doesn't compete/contain energy, and the SD card/adapter through this USD cable is unstable (bumps can cause it to reinitiialize repeatedly.) I even wrap the flash drive in foam. The MP3 player charges only with the ignition like the 12V which is another step for it to deal with as stated, not to mention it has it's own initiation sequence....

And for best results I think one should really only plug things in after the motor is running and unplug it again before you shut it off for the above reason, which is a hassle no one could tolerate. Don't get me wrong, the amenity is fantastic, just giving you my real world experience caveats. ;)

I wouldn't charge more that one thing from it at a time check rockatship, that's for sure! For that stuff you can't beat a dedicated fused power line from the battery hooked into your own switched-DC-charging-ports. There are many fine products at a variety of retailers near you. :p;)

I'm looking for some advice on using an MDI to USB cable for my car's diagnostics system. I have a 2015 Chevrolet and need to connect it to my laptop for software updates and troubleshooting. I’ve heard mixed reviews about cable compatibility and driver issues. Has anyone here successfully used an MDI to USB cable for this purpose? If so, which brand or model worked best for you? Any tips on ensuring compatibility and smooth operation would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for your help!
 

JM Popaleetus

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2010
Location
Connecticut
TDI
Signature.
I'm looking for some advice on using an MDI to USB cable for my car's diagnostics system. I have a 2015 Chevrolet and need to connect it to my laptop for software updates and troubleshooting. I’ve heard mixed reviews about cable compatibility and driver issues. Has anyone here successfully used an MDI to USB cable for this purpose? If so, which brand or model worked best for you? Any tips on ensuring compatibility and smooth operation would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for your help!
I’ve looked through your post history and I can’t tell if you’re a bot or genuinely have no clue what message board you’re on?
 

1854sailor

Resident Curmudgeon
Joined
Aug 10, 2004
Location
Westerly, RI
TDI
2015 Golf SE SportWagen, 2015 Golf SE Hatch Back.
I'm looking for some advice on using an MDI to USB cable for my car's diagnostics system. I have a 2015 Chevrolet and need to connect it to my laptop for software updates and troubleshooting. I’ve heard mixed reviews about cable compatibility and driver issues. Has anyone here successfully used an MDI to USB cable for this purpose? If so, which brand or model worked best for you? Any tips on ensuring compatibility and smooth operation would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for your help!
This is a VW TDI Forum. Our cars use a standard OBD II cable to connect to the car's diagnostic system. You might want to ask your question on a Chevrolet website. Good luck!
 

740GLE

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 19, 2009
Location
NH
TDI
2017 Alltrack SE; Totaled 2015 Passat SEL, BB 2010 Sedan Man; 2012 Passat SE w/ Nav,
I’ve looked through your post history and I can’t tell if you’re a bot or genuinely have no clue what message board you’re on?
Im going with bot, always default to bot if there's any questions.
 
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