DENSION GATEWAY 400 ipod + USB INTERFACE UNIT

Lady Elanore · 30-04-2007, 22:14

I am now the owner of a Dension Gateway 400 ipod/USB/Phono line-in, interface unit.

The unit was fitted to my MDF2 Sat Nav, by Safe n Sound in Manchester (Tel: 0161 3704751 - 113 Manchester Road, Droylsden, Manchester, M43 6EG) this afternoon. The plugs and clips live in my glovebox and enable the user to plug up and clip securely into place an ipod of either standard or nano size, as both mounting clips are supplied. Also any USB flash drive can be plugged into the appropriate adapter, although not at the same time as the ipod, and any mp3, WMA etc can be played off it. Also there is provision for a line in, via a pair of phono leads. With hindsight I should have had the ipod mounted in the cubby to the right of the steering wheel as the ipod menu is not very visible when it lives in the glovebox.

As usual the first 5 playlists can be accessed as well as ‘Play all’ and the 6th CD button accesses the ipod menu for selection of ‘Albums’ ‘Artists’ etc as well as charging conditions for the ipod. Also the shuffle feature still works from the MDF2 menu. The USB drive works in a similar fashion although there is no Menu and track advance feature on it. I’ll see if there is anything I can do about the later on that. The steering wheel controls work as you would expect them too.

The clever bit of this system is the change-over switch on the unit. This means you can keep your CD autochanger and select between it and the ipod/USb/Phono combination. It also requires the ignition to be switched off between the reselection of these 2 positions, which I think is a good thing as it shows that the switch isn’t a passive one with audio running through it and therefore liable to get gritty as time goes by.

The sound quality is really quite good (for mp3) as the ipod is playing from it’s line-out rather than through it’s rather poor 3.5mm headphone out and the USB sounds pretty good too although I have noticed a little alternator type whine inducted onto the MDF2 from the Dension unit when listening to the ipod, I will chase up the fitters about it. One other thing is the MDF2 doesn’t display the ID3 tags, but I guess most peeps knew that anyway.

So would I recommend one? Yes if you want to keep the CD changer in your boot, although if that is not a concern then I would recommend the Gateway 300 as it’s identical, a bit cheaper and doesn’t have the change over switch.

The fitting should have taken around one, to one and a half hours, but due to the shop being manic today (not all there own fault it has to be said) it ended up taking 3 hours. Also the airbag fault light came on after instillation, but as they have their own VAG Com, Paul (good chap to see about this system) reprogrammed the light fault condition to go away.

Also the beauty of the system means nobody knows that I have an ipod video stuffed away at the back of my crammed glovebox.

8/10 for the unit (would have been 9/10 but the whine is annoying if low level)

8/10 for the fitting as it took a lot longer than originally quoted, but the staff are very friendly and professional.

My car is an OCTY II TDi Elgance with the MDF2 Sat Nav and steering wheel controls fitted.

**VRStu** · 30-04-2007, 23:00

Nice review.

I suspect the airbag light would have been caused by them unplugging the glovebox with taking the battery off.

Wardy · 30-04-2007, 23:25

Yep, good review

May I ask how much it was, fitted? And how much the lower 300 model is? Did you buy everything from S&S, or just go there for fitting?

'Tis a good place, they certainly know their stuff.

Steve

Lady Elanore · 30-04-2007, 23:48

The airbag was caused by the removal of the glovebox and hence airbag switch.

The total cost of the unit fitted was…………………….

………..are you sitting down………………..£250. I originally was quoted £200 but this turned out to e just for the unit. I’m not sure how much cheaper the 300 is, but I would guess somewhere midway between the ice link and the 400. The unit is clever though (not just a switch box), as it can read digital files and convert them to analogue, so I suppose a lot of the price is in the D to A converter as well as the change over facility. I would think this unit will be available cheaper elsewhere, but I am happy to pay for good customer service and hopefully good back up if it is ever needed. Perhaps this whine noise problem will tell me if I am correct.

Wardy · 30-04-2007, 23:51

Fair enough, it's kinda what I expected, given that the IceLink on it's own is £80-100. Then you've got fitting etc etc.

Steve

sworrall · 01-05-2007, 23:33

nice post and good to know there is a kit available that keeps the cd changer intact. Had I not already fitted a standard dension i probably would have gone for one of these.

how do you get your "play all" to work by the way as ive been unplugging my ipod, doing play all and then re-connecting. didnt know you could do it from the head unit?

Lady Elanore · 01-05-2007, 23:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by sworrall

how do you get your "play all" to work by the way as ive been unplugging my ipod, doing play all and then re-connecting. didnt know you could do it from the head unit?

It is under Cd 5 at the moment. I haven’t fully explored this yet, but at the moment I have everything under one playlist and perhaps if I had 5 playlists this would not be so. But at the moment I can play everything from it. also as there are over 800 tracks in my playlist, you can use the track advance to go through all of them one at a time (when the number reaches 99, it starts again at 01, but seems to count that as 100 and onwards if you see what I mean…..ie it has only got 2 digits that it can display)

If you use the left hand buttons on the MFSW (the one that would normally change the CD in the auto-changer) you can skip through the playlists or if you are in play all, it seems to skip through the albums in the order you have previously selected, ie by Artist, Album, Genre etc. Nice feature

Also the auto scan button n the head unit lets you open up how you order your tracks, ie by Album, Artist, Genre as well as doing stuff I haven’t played with yet, such as Play Album (I think that is what it is called) were you can skip through tracks and if you hear one you like you can play the whole of that Album with a simple push of a button

uncle bulgaria · 03-05-2007, 10:18

Thank you for an excelent review! Now I need to give them a call & arrange a day trip to manachester!

Wardy · 03-05-2007, 13:46

You should be on commission m'lady!

Steve

Lady Elanore · 03-05-2007, 17:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wardy

You should be on commission m'lady!

Steve

I’ll be happy if they can sort out the slight induced whine. Just don’t have the time to pop round and see them at the mo. I liked them because they didn’t treat me as some clueless woman who doesn’t know a Capacitor from a CD.

gorman · 16-05-2007, 14:33

Happy you are enjoying it. For me it's still *unbelievable* that so crappy solutions are the only solutions available to use iPods in cars.

I thought for a very long time about buying a used RioCar, but decided against it 'cause I don't like buying stuff that's been out of production for too long.

But it still represents the only decent way of getting MP3 music in a car. Go figure...

VRS_RICHIE · 17-05-2007, 09:54

I like the sound of this device. Its just the sort of thing im looking for as i wanted to keep my cd changer so i have music when to ipod is away from the car.

Lady Elanore · 21-05-2007, 21:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by gorman

Happy you are enjoying it. For me it's still *unbelievable* that so crappy solutions are the only solutions available to use iPods in cars.

What is ‘crappy’ about the unit

It sits at the back of the glovebox/wherever, can be controlled from my steering wheel, I still have full control of my CD multi changer and I can play directly from USB drives and Line level sources. The only problem that I see (or rather hear) is that MP3s in general sound a bit poo.

uncle bulgaria · 22-05-2007, 08:04

Having read this thread & discussed the options with numerous car audio dealers, I decided that this was the best choice for fitting to my MFD2, so i'm having one of these fitted in a couple of weeks! I have bought a Belkin Tune Dock to sit in the cup holder & hold my iPod, so I will have to think about where I run the cable!!

Lady Elanore · 22-05-2007, 12:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by uncle bulgaria

Having read this thread & discussed the options with numerous car audio dealers, I decided that this was the best choice for fitting to my MFD2, so i'm having one of these fitted in a couple of weeks! I have bought a Belkin Tune Dock to sit in the cup holder & hold my iPod, so I will have to think about where I run the cable!!

I put my ipod cable in the glove box for security. The 400 kit includes an ipod clip for the normal size and the Nano one. But being able to see the ipod is a great boon, as you can see what you are doing when you change the parameters such as ‘Artist’ ‘Album’ ‘Genre’ etc, via your MDF or Steering wheel controls. Also I have hundreds of tracks in every playlist and the MDF only counts up to 99 before recycling back to 01. So track 500 looks like it’s actually track 05 (I think that’s right

)

uncle bulgaria · 22-05-2007, 18:47

Yeah, I know what you are saying! Hence wanting it visible. I think the lead will run down the passenger side of the centre console. Therefore when the iPod isn't in use the lead will be tucked out of sight by the seat bolster.

Lady Elanore · 22-05-2007, 22:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by uncle bulgaria

Yeah, I know what you are saying! Hence wanting it visible. I think the lead will run down the passenger side of the centre console. Therefore when the iPod isn't in use the lead will be tucked out of sight by the seat bolster.

If I was to do it again, I think I would be tempted to put it in the cubby to the right of the steering wheel. You can drop it down and still drive without hitting it with your knees or anything and you would be able to see the ipod display. When you are finished you can just shut the cubby again.

uncle bulgaria · 23-05-2007, 19:12

Mmmmm..... I might have a look at that one as well!!

Cheriff · 23-05-2007, 23:19

I have read in Dension owner's manual, that if you select CD6, a list of settings can be changed, instead of a menu of Album/Artist search. Is this true? Is this menu shown in the iPod screen or in the radio screen?

In the manual also says that pressing CD5 + Fast Forward or CD5 + Fast Rewind you can go forwards/backwards in albums. Have you tried this function?

Lady Elanore · 23-05-2007, 23:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cheriff

I have read in Dension owner's manual, that if you select CD6, a list of settings can be changed, instead of a menu of Album/Artist search. Is this true? Is this menu shown in the iPod screen or in the radio screen?

All the alterations are on the ipod screen. Best not put it in the glovebox like I did if it matters to you.

30-04-2007, 22:14	#1
Lady Elanore Geordie Lass Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: in the ceiling watching you..... Posts: 10,252 Thanks: 214 Thanked 206 Times in 116 Posts	DENSION GATEWAY 400 ipod + USB INTERFACE UNIT I am now the owner of a Dension Gateway 400 ipod/USB/Phono line-in, interface unit. The unit was fitted to my MDF2 Sat Nav, by Safe n Sound in Manchester (Tel: 0161 3704751 - 113 Manchester Road, Droylsden, Manchester, M43 6EG) this afternoon. The plugs and clips live in my glovebox and enable the user to plug up and clip securely into place an ipod of either standard or nano size, as both mounting clips are supplied. Also any USB flash drive can be plugged into the appropriate adapter, although not at the same time as the ipod, and any mp3, WMA etc can be played off it. Also there is provision for a line in, via a pair of phono leads. With hindsight I should have had the ipod mounted in the cubby to the right of the steering wheel as the ipod menu is not very visible when it lives in the glovebox. As usual the first 5 playlists can be accessed as well as ‘Play all’ and the 6th CD button accesses the ipod menu for selection of ‘Albums’ ‘Artists’ etc as well as charging conditions for the ipod. Also the shuffle feature still works from the MDF2 menu. The USB drive works in a similar fashion although there is no Menu and track advance feature on it. I’ll see if there is anything I can do about the later on that. The steering wheel controls work as you would expect them too. The clever bit of this system is the change-over switch on the unit. This means you can keep your CD autochanger and select between it and the ipod/USb/Phono combination. It also requires the ignition to be switched off between the reselection of these 2 positions, which I think is a good thing as it shows that the switch isn’t a passive one with audio running through it and therefore liable to get gritty as time goes by. The sound quality is really quite good (for mp3) as the ipod is playing from it’s line-out rather than through it’s rather poor 3.5mm headphone out and the USB sounds pretty good too although I have noticed a little alternator type whine inducted onto the MDF2 from the Dension unit when listening to the ipod, I will chase up the fitters about it. One other thing is the MDF2 doesn’t display the ID3 tags, but I guess most peeps knew that anyway. So would I recommend one? Yes if you want to keep the CD changer in your boot, although if that is not a concern then I would recommend the Gateway 300 as it’s identical, a bit cheaper and doesn’t have the change over switch. The fitting should have taken around one, to one and a half hours, but due to the shop being manic today (not all there own fault it has to be said) it ended up taking 3 hours. Also the airbag fault light came on after instillation, but as they have their own VAG Com, Paul (good chap to see about this system) reprogrammed the light fault condition to go away. Also the beauty of the system means nobody knows that I have an ipod video stuffed away at the back of my crammed glovebox. 8/10 for the unit (would have been 9/10 but the whine is annoying if low level) 8/10 for the fitting as it took a lot longer than originally quoted, but the staff are very friendly and professional. My car is an OCTY II TDi Elgance with the MDF2 Sat Nav and steering wheel controls fitted. __________________ . Amanda Last edited by Lady Elanore; 30-04-2007 at 23:55. Reason: added address

30-04-2007, 23:00	#2
VRStu Briskoda Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Hampshire Posts: 20,439 Thanks: 116 Thanked 925 Times in 830 Posts	Re: DENSION GATEWAY 400 ipod + USB INTERFACE UNIT Nice review. I suspect the airbag light would have been caused by them unplugging the glovebox with taking the battery off. __________________ Stu - Freedom Pimp Stu's Websites - http://www.fabia-vrs.com & http://www.octavia-vrs.com Stu's Car - Hmm, Have a guess...... SWMBO's Car - 2008 Seat LEON TDi Stylance, Black Magic, Sports Pack, Rear Parking Sensors. Something for Weekend - A Patio

30-04-2007, 23:25	#3
Wardy 200/370 Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Around Manchester & Cheshire Posts: 11,019 Thanks: 402 Thanked 299 Times in 287 Posts	Re: DENSION GATEWAY 400 ipod + USB INTERFACE UNIT Yep, good review May I ask how much it was, fitted? And how much the lower 300 model is? Did you buy everything from S&S, or just go there for fitting? 'Tis a good place, they certainly know their stuff. Steve __________________ Wardy's Fabia vRS xenons : sunroof : cruise : OEM+ "Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting." - Steve McQueen "If in doubt, flat out." - Colin McRae

30-04-2007, 23:48	#4
Lady Elanore Geordie Lass Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: in the ceiling watching you..... Posts: 10,252 Thanks: 214 Thanked 206 Times in 116 Posts	Re: DENSION GATEWAY 400 ipod + USB INTERFACE UNIT The airbag was caused by the removal of the glovebox and hence airbag switch. The total cost of the unit fitted was……………………. ………..are you sitting down………………..£250. I originally was quoted £200 but this turned out to e just for the unit. I’m not sure how much cheaper the 300 is, but I would guess somewhere midway between the ice link and the 400. The unit is clever though (not just a switch box), as it can read digital files and convert them to analogue, so I suppose a lot of the price is in the D to A converter as well as the change over facility. I would think this unit will be available cheaper elsewhere, but I am happy to pay for good customer service and hopefully good back up if it is ever needed. Perhaps this whine noise problem will tell me if I am correct. __________________ . Amanda

30-04-2007, 23:51	#5
Wardy 200/370 Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Around Manchester & Cheshire Posts: 11,019 Thanks: 402 Thanked 299 Times in 287 Posts	Re: DENSION GATEWAY 400 ipod + USB INTERFACE UNIT Fair enough, it's kinda what I expected, given that the IceLink on it's own is £80-100. Then you've got fitting etc etc. Steve __________________ Wardy's Fabia vRS xenons : sunroof : cruise : OEM+ "Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting." - Steve McQueen "If in doubt, flat out." - Colin McRae

01-05-2007, 23:33	#6
sworrall Briskodian Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: North Wales Posts: 689 Thanks: 113 Thanked 38 Times in 34 Posts	Re: DENSION GATEWAY 400 ipod + USB INTERFACE UNIT nice post and good to know there is a kit available that keeps the cd changer intact. Had I not already fitted a standard dension i probably would have gone for one of these. how do you get your "play all" to work by the way as ive been unplugging my ipod, doing play all and then re-connecting. didnt know you could do it from the head unit? __________________ Skoda Octavia II 2.0 tdi L&K Estate Xenons - Sunroof - Sensors - 17" Pegasus - Island Green - MFD2 - OEM Bluetooth Kit - Colour coded grille flickr Photos

03-05-2007, 10:18	#8
uncle bulgaria Briskodian Join Date: May 2006 Location: S Yorks Posts: 312 Thanks: 9 Thanked 9 Times in 8 Posts	Re: DENSION GATEWAY 400 ipod + USB INTERFACE UNIT Thank you for an excelent review! Now I need to give them a call & arrange a day trip to manachester!

03-05-2007, 13:46	#9
Wardy 200/370 Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Around Manchester & Cheshire Posts: 11,019 Thanks: 402 Thanked 299 Times in 287 Posts	Re: DENSION GATEWAY 400 ipod + USB INTERFACE UNIT You should be on commission m'lady! Steve __________________ Wardy's Fabia vRS xenons : sunroof : cruise : OEM+ "Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting." - Steve McQueen "If in doubt, flat out." - Colin McRae

16-05-2007, 14:33	#11
gorman Briskodian Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 39 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: DENSION GATEWAY 400 ipod + USB INTERFACE UNIT Happy you are enjoying it. For me it's still unbelievable that so crappy solutions are the only solutions available to use iPods in cars. I thought for a very long time about buying a used RioCar, but decided against it 'cause I don't like buying stuff that's been out of production for too long. But it still represents the only decent way of getting MP3 music in a car. Go figure...

17-05-2007, 09:54	#12
VRS_RICHIE Briskodian Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 62 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: DENSION GATEWAY 400 ipod + USB INTERFACE UNIT I like the sound of this device. Its just the sort of thing im looking for as i wanted to keep my cd changer so i have music when to ipod is away from the car. __________________ 06 RACE BLUE vRS 18" ZENITHS - DUAL-ZONE CLIMATE - MFD2 - MAXIDOT - PARROTT 3200 - STILL TO DO - CRUISE CONTROL.

22-05-2007, 08:04	#14
uncle bulgaria Briskodian Join Date: May 2006 Location: S Yorks Posts: 312 Thanks: 9 Thanked 9 Times in 8 Posts	Re: DENSION GATEWAY 400 ipod + USB INTERFACE UNIT Having read this thread & discussed the options with numerous car audio dealers, I decided that this was the best choice for fitting to my MFD2, so i'm having one of these fitted in a couple of weeks! I have bought a Belkin Tune Dock to sit in the cup holder & hold my iPod, so I will have to think about where I run the cable!!

22-05-2007, 18:47	#16
uncle bulgaria Briskodian Join Date: May 2006 Location: S Yorks Posts: 312 Thanks: 9 Thanked 9 Times in 8 Posts	Re: DENSION GATEWAY 400 ipod + USB INTERFACE UNIT Yeah, I know what you are saying! Hence wanting it visible. I think the lead will run down the passenger side of the centre console. Therefore when the iPod isn't in use the lead will be tucked out of sight by the seat bolster.

23-05-2007, 19:12	#18
uncle bulgaria Briskodian Join Date: May 2006 Location: S Yorks Posts: 312 Thanks: 9 Thanked 9 Times in 8 Posts	Re: DENSION GATEWAY 400 ipod + USB INTERFACE UNIT Mmmmm..... I might have a look at that one as well!!

23-05-2007, 23:19	#19
Cheriff Briskodian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Spain Posts: 16 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: DENSION GATEWAY 400 ipod + USB INTERFACE UNIT I have read in Dension owner's manual, that if you select CD6, a list of settings can be changed, instead of a menu of Album/Artist search. Is this true? Is this menu shown in the iPod screen or in the radio screen? In the manual also says that pressing CD5 + Fast Forward or CD5 + Fast Rewind you can go forwards/backwards in albums. Have you tried this function?

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