Team-BHP - Blaupunkt Philadelphia 835 for VW Passat & others?

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Originally Posted by StarScream (Post 3524240)

Gannu_1, Rajeevraj - one quick question about the Blau 835 - does the PTT/mute button on the steering work with the system? My apologies if you've answered this before on this thread.

After a lot of research I'm coming around to the view that Blau 835 is the cheapest and easiest solution for CANbus compatibility in VAG cars

Yes, it works fine. No issues. And if I am not mistaken, it can be configured to do something else also using the VCDS Cable and software. I think Gannu has done that. Remember seeing it in his thread.

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Originally Posted by StarScream (Post 3524240)

Gannu_1, Rajeevraj - one quick question about the Blau 835 - does the PTT/mute button on the steering work with the system? My apologies if you've answered this before on this thread.

StarScream, the button works for mute but not PTT. I sent a mail to Blaunpunkt, Germany asking them to implement the PTT functionality in one of the future updates for the HU, but this was their response:

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Dear Customer,

we regret to hear that you have problems with your device.

We’re sorry, PTT is not available with this device.

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Originally Posted by StarScream (Post 3524240)

After a lot of research I'm coming around to the view that Blau 835 is the cheapest and easiest solution for CANbus compatibility in VAG cars. Although similar CAN functionality can be had with Alpine, Pioneer and Kenwood with the right interface, it is an expensive affair and they need to be sourced from abroad. Add to that, the interfaces only work with the top-end systems from those brands, so you're spending as much as the Blau on the headunit alone anyhow.

Agreed. Although the interface is nowhere as slick as the one on the RCD510, we need not spend any more on the additional Bluetooth modules (9w2, 9w7) and everything is bundled into the HU. If they could just tweak the interface a bit, it would be better. It has good CANBUS integration as well - whatever the RCD does in this aspect, the 835 can. Kenwood and the newer Dynavin systems are capable of displaying engine/oil/fuel data which these systems cannot. Navigation from the bundled MMI maps are good and I've used it on a couple of occasions. Worked well.

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Originally Posted by Rajeevraj (Post 3524245)

That's the push-to-talk (voice control) feature I asked about, its actual purpose and what the icon on the button shows. I activated it using VCDS and then disabled it because it didn't work very well with my phone. If I buy the 835, then it may work better with the external mic, hence the question.

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Originally Posted by Gannu_1 (Post 3524255)

StarScream, the button works for mute but not PTT. I sent a mail to Blaunpunkt, Germany asking them to implement the PTT functionality in one of the future updates for the HU

So does this mean that even if one activates PTT using VCDS with the Blau 835, the button will continue to only mute music?

I thought this is bluetooth functionality and doesn't have much to do with the circuitry in the system. When I tried it I also got the distinct feeling that it was using the phone's mic to listen and not the RCD 320's, hence all the stock system was doing was activating the phone's voice control via bluetooth and playing the sound back through the speakers. I was hoping the Blau was a little more advanced.

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Originally Posted by StarScream (Post 3524260)

Little confused now. Is the PTT to enable interacting with the system via voice controls? It works as a mute button and I thought that was it's purpose. I assume PTT does not refer to answering phone calls which The phone button on the steering does.

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Originally Posted by Rajeevraj (Post 3524269)

Not the system, your phone. So with something like Siri in the iPhone you can say "call xyz" and that voice command will go to the phone and it will proceed to call xyz and route the call to the car's speakers.

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Originally Posted by Gannu_1 (Post 3335889)

The only gripe right now:

Must think of an alternate routing for the USB cable. This one sticks out like a sore thumb although it doesn't interfere with the driving in any way. I had originally thought of routing it through the glovebox but that requires drilling a hole - not really worth it and it may spoil the looks.

Hi Gannu,

The audio setup in your GT looks awesome. I'm planning to install one in my Vento TDI. A local dealer in Hyderabad has quoted 43k + 500(installation). Why is the USB cable hanging around ? You have already an USB slot on the HU right ? Is this cable for convenience, so that you don't plug-in your ipod/iphone/pen-drive directly on to the HU ?

Thanks,
Prabhu

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Originally Posted by prabhu (Post 3524789)

Is this cable for convenience, so that you don't plug-in your ipod/iphone/pen-drive directly on to the HU ?

Correct. There's a USB slot, SD card slot and the 3.5 mm TRS Aux slot beneath the top-right pseudo-buttons named Media and A/V. But the USB drive will stick out like a sore thumb so had a cable routed below the steering. If a small hole can be made on the glovebox, it can be routed there. :)

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Originally Posted by Gannu_1 (Post 3335889)

] figured out that the steering controls weren’t working as they should. The reverse assist display wasn’t appearing on the HU screen either. Something was wrong and they were fiddling with the wiring.

Gannu, Do you have any idea of how they fixed the park distance control issue? I just got it installed today and the parking display is not working. Steering controls work fine though and so does speed-sensitive steering (as far as I can tell). One other weird thing is that the MID stalk behind the steering ends up changing songs! Definitely sounds like a crossed connection somewhere.

Otherwise I'm quite pleased with the sound of the unit. It sounds fuller and richer than the stock HU.

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Originally Posted by StarScream (Post 3525241)

In my case it worked fine the first time. I did not see him do anything specific. Must be a connection issue. Also maybe you can check the firmware version.

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Originally Posted by Rajeevraj (Post 3525355)

In my case it worked fine the first time. I did not see him do anything specific. Must be a connection issue. Also maybe you can check the firmware version.

It's definitely a connection issue - the MID stalk shouldn't be doing what it is. I'll try figuring it out myself or just wait till Monday for the Blau folks to be at work. The firmware can't be the issue, it is the latest version shown on the previous page by Gannu.

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Originally Posted by Santoshbhat (Post 3359738)

Not exactly reception, but the audio quality itself. Its does not have a premium and sober sound to it. Its kind of gruff and well..... 'noisy'. Even my family members have commented on it. In the stock set up, the radio audio quality was almost CD like. But now you know for sure it is radio! No such issues with CD, USB or Bluetooth. The audio quality there is nice. Just as good as the stock unit (thankfully).

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Originally Posted by rohit1806 (Post 3362063)

3. Radio, I would say is one of the biggest let downs of this otherwise very premium system which face the problem of disturbance of "noise" as stated by you.

I just got the 835 installed over the weekend and while I have other issues, the radio is not one of them. The reception and clarity on this HU is phenomenal. In fact when I told the installer that this set has reception issues, he said if there is one thing he knows about Blaupunkt it's that their radios are great.

But when he connected the antenna cable to the HU, the sound was less than stellar and the sort that people have described here. He than took a box cutter and pried lose the wire inside the car's antenna cable, which is sheathed like cable TV wires of old, so that the metal touches the inside of the HU's antenna receptacle. The sound improved dramatically.

Moral of the story is check the connection between the car's antenna cable and the HU. The problem lies there and it's a fairly simple fix.

Update on my travails with the Blau 835 - I complained to Blaupunkt directly about the things not working and they sent a person with new firmware yesterday. The software fixed the MID stalk changing songs/radio stations issue but still no luck with rear parking sensor display. The guy checked the wiring at the back of the HU and it was all fine. They are checking with VW whether the car has the ability or if they changed anything before trying other options.

I've been insistent that the car has the ability because so many members on the forum have activated it in Vento and Polo TSIs, which are all of a similar age.

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Originally Posted by Gannu_1 (Post 3524808)

Correct. There's a USB slot.....

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Originally Posted by Rajeevraj (Post 3524269)

Little confused now......

One question for all Philadelphia users - does it display cover art if music is being played via Bluetooth from a phone. Or does it only do that over a wired connection with an iPod?

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Originally Posted by StarScream (Post 3527801)

One question for all Philadelphia users - does it display cover art if music is being played via Bluetooth from a phone. Or does it only do that over a wired connection with an iPod?

No album art for bluetooth audio. But it does show album art for some songs when paying via CD and USB.

I am facing the issue of the HU suddenly getting stuck while playing CDs. Initially I thought it may be an issue with a particular CD. But its happened quite frequently and with different CDs. On the whole I am a bit disappointed with the unit. For the price, I expected more refinement. It is happiest while playing music from the USB port.