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Someone please point me in the right Direction for RNS-E...

1840 Views 17 Replies 6 Participants Last post by  4.2ASix, 
4
Hello All,

First, I want to thank everyone here for their wonderful input and knowledge in making the Retrofit scene happen on our beloved Audis...

I have few questions and will number them. When replying, please use this number to address the question.

A little background : I drive a 2001 A6 4.2 quattro (pearl white...yeah, it's lovely..thanks). I also have Bose Symphony II radio with 6 disc cd changer in the trunk. My steering wheel has radio controls as well phone controls (the bottom buttons Left-R/T, Right is a .--. Phone icon) but I don't have phone in the car. The radio / CD changer etc. all work fine. However, I am bit by the NavPlus bug and developed the serious urge to retrofit the Nav into my car. I do have some electronics background (soldering, working with PCBs etc.) and have done some excellent stereo install on other cars previously.. so, it's not a problem for me to "dig" in. I also have a VAG-COM unit and can connect / modify settings with my laptop.

Ok, here are my questions:

1) Is it possible to use the newer (I guess RNS - E) type Nav Plus in my car? If so please give me exact type, model, or part number.

2) Would I be able to play movie DVDs in the Navigation unit itself without another / external DVD player?

3) I would like to be able to switch between Video and Navigation trip instructions while driving. Is it possible? If so, again, do I need external DVD player and how does the system handle this task (i.e. do I put movie on pause and press a different button for Nav instructions? Please elaborate.

4) I would like to use my bluetooth enabled cell phone (unlocked and t-mobile service). What components would I need and where would they get installed? Would I have access to phonebook from the Nav Unit? How does the call handling work? Please explain.

5) As far as antennae, I read that GPS antenna is being placed behind instrument cluster etc. Do I need any other antennae? If so, where do I place them? (I really don't want to drill glass or cut metal on my car's exterior).

6) What is the best place to source the components / parts required to achieve the above mentioned? Price wise, I don't want to go nuts so, if any good deals... perhaps, someone here who sells these etc. any info regarding the price ranges I should be looking at places to find them would be greatly appreciated.

7) I did some research on these forum but as you can see from the questions I am asking, I am pretty new to this Nav Retrofit scene so, I request you to patiently guide me with some links (specific to my car and conditions etc.)

Lastly, I would like to thank you in advance for reading through this long post and answering my questions.
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PROXUS
you need to visit 2 links from the home page

- knowledge base
- part numbers

it will answer all your questions :wink:
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4
What about Face plate color / match//

Ok, I've read quite a bit here so far.. however, one thing that really keeps me hung up is the faceplate issue. From what I understand, the RNS-E navigation unit has a "gray" colored faceplate...

2 things... 1) would the faceplate fit flush with exisiting opening / console and 2) is it possible to get a RNS-E unit with a Black faceplate? I really don't want to change my climate control cluster...

any ideas?

thanx
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AudiA4B6US
The 4B0 faceplate will fit pefectly ecept for the color. There is no option to change the faceplate of the RNS-E but it looks like you can change the faceplate of your A/C control unit. Check Ted's posting on AW for some ideas: http://forums.audiworld.com/a6/msgs/579233.phtml
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4
Face Plate...

Ok, so, it looks like there is no way out on this faceplate issue...

Where can I find the faceplate for the intstument cluster then? Is this a dealer item I can order? Any info would be really helpful.
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PetrolDave
Re: Face Plate...

4.2ASix said:
Where can I find the faceplate for the intstument cluster then?
Click to expand...
Do you mean climate control faceplate? The instrument cluster doesn't need any physical changes.
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N
I suggest that you install the RNS-E and live with it for a few weeks first. Then you can decide whether or not you want to spend the money to change your faceplate.

IMHO, it's not a big deal. However, I do have the melange interior which already has so many different materials and colors that nothing really matches anyway. With a black interior, I may have a different opinion.
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4
Yeah, that's the problem... I have a complete black (well, the headliner is gray..) black dash, black leather seats.. carpets... you get the idea....


and to the previous reply, I did mean, the climate control...... not the instrument cluster..
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T
PROXUS said:
you need to visit 2 links from the home page

- knowledge base
- part numbers

it will answer all your questions :wink:
Click to expand...
Correction...for a C5 A6...you need to start with one link....see my sig below....for RNS-E for A6.....and all the other links wills will be embedded within.....for reference point.

:)
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4
It might've been premature to indicate my car has Symphony II radio...but, when I checked today (shows how much I really pay attention huh!)
it reads "Audi Symphony" over the cassette flap...

Yes, the car is STILL 2001 Audi A6 sedan... I got that right (atleast)

How do can I find out what radio model is installed? From the looks of it, can I conclude it's just Symphony??? Would VAG-COM help in determining???

thanks
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PROXUS
There is a sticker on the right side of the radio which says Symphony I or II. You can check part number with VAG too.
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N
It is a symphony I in the 2001 A6. Single CD in dash.
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4
Ok, as I am reading more (to educate myself further... :)) what is this TMC/CAN gateway thing all about? here is the pic of what I am talking about... http://www.vwnavi.com/vwnavi/photos/displayimage.php?album=57&pos=9

Do I need to buy this TMC/CAN gateway thing and install it in order for the NavPlus install to work? I am confused! :?

I am following the TeddyB's C5 link (http://www.navplus.us/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5311#5311).. still trying to get this all into my head properly.... perhaps, I need to make another pass or two...
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NSX JR said:
It is a symphony I in the 2001 A6. Single CD in dash.
Click to expand...
I also have a 6 disc CD Changer in the back... If I read things correctly, this CD changer should work without a fuss with RNS-E... right??
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T
4.2ASix said:
Ok, as I am reading more (to educate myself further... :)) what is this TMC/CAN gateway thing all about? here is the pic of what I am talking about... http://www.vwnavi.com/vwnavi/photos/displayimage.php?album=57&pos=9

Do I need to buy this TMC/CAN gateway thing and install it in order for the NavPlus install to work? I am confused! :?

I am following the TeddyB's C5 link (http://www.navplus.us/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5311#5311).. still trying to get this all into my head properly.... perhaps, I need to make another pass or two...
Click to expand...
wrong link from my sig. RNS-D is the older unit. You wan the RNS-"E". Happy reading!!
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T
4.2ASix said:
NSX JR said:
It is a symphony I in the 2001 A6. Single CD in dash.
Click to expand...
I also have a 6 disc CD Changer in the back... If I read things correctly, this CD changer should work without a fuss with RNS-E... right??
Click to expand...
I think I speak for everyone here on this forum when I say.........you should probably spend a few hours and read all the links/advice that we've given you. Based you your basic questions, these can be answered by reading the stuff in the quicklinks page. Because you have a C5 A6, it might be best to start with the link in my sig below (as I wrote it to help those with the C5 A6). There are a lot of people on this forum that have spent a considerable amount of time documenting and categorizing this information to make it easy for new-commers.

Once you've done the reading, put together a list of questions that you'd like us to answer. But honestly, 99.999% of the questions that you could ask...can be answered by spending 2-3 hours worth of reading on this site.

Good luck in your research and we hope you take the plunge and upgrade to the RNS-E. It is probably the best electronics mods that you can add to your Audi.

:)
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TeddyBGame said:
4.2ASix said:
Ok, as I am reading more (to educate myself further... :)) what is this TMC/CAN gateway thing all about? here is the pic of what I am talking about... http://www.vwnavi.com/vwnavi/photos/displayimage.php?album=57&pos=9

Do I need to buy this TMC/CAN gateway thing and install it in order for the NavPlus install to work? I am confused! :?

I am following the TeddyB's C5 link (http://www.navplus.us/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5311#5311).. still trying to get this all into my head properly.... perhaps, I need to make another pass or two...
Click to expand...
wrong link from my sig. RNS-D is the older unit. You wan the RNS-"E". Happy reading!!
Click to expand...

Well, I am reading the "Model year 2000-2001 (possibly 1999.5) C5 A6/Euro-S6/allroad: " section..... which is also in the same page... right?
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TeddyBGame said:
4.2ASix said:
NSX JR said:
It is a symphony I in the 2001 A6. Single CD in dash.
Click to expand...
I also have a 6 disc CD Changer in the back... If I read things correctly, this CD changer should work without a fuss with RNS-E... right??
Click to expand...
I think I speak for everyone here on this forum when I say.........you should probably spend a few hours and read all the links/advice that we've given you. Based you your basic questions, these can be answered by reading the stuff in the quicklinks page. Because you have a C5 A6, it might be best to start with the link in my sig below (as I wrote it to help those with the C5 A6). There are a lot of people on this forum that have spent a considerable amount of time documenting and categorizing this information to make it easy for new-commers.

Once you've done the reading, put together a list of questions that you'd like us to answer. But honestly, 99.999% of the questions that you could ask...can be answered by spending 2-3 hours worth of reading on this site.

Good luck in your research and we hope you take the plunge and upgrade to the RNS-E. It is probably the best electronics mods that you can add to your Audi.

:)
Click to expand...
You are right. I guess, I had jumped the gun without trying to understand the whole picture... Thanks
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