iPhone integration questions

[JonDom]

Hi guys,
So it looks like I am picking up my new redline next week, I just wanted to know a bit about how the media player works. I plan to play music primarily from my plugged-in iPhone 7 and I was wondering the following:

1. Will the album cover of the current song show up on the mylink display? What about if it's Bluetooth streaming?

2. Same as question 1 but for Spotify, I understand the functionality is pretty basic over bt streaming, but do I get better functionality if I plug in?

3. I'm assuming plugging USB will also charge my phone.

Seems like some minor concerns I know, but as I am planning on doing a lot of touring in the car the media functionality is really important to me. I'm considering switching it straight out for that new alpine mylink unit as it looks very very clean!

 

[NewbC4KE]

Hey mate,

I would recommend you attend your local dealer and pair up your phone and test out the functionality? I am sure it would not be a problem considering you have bought a new car

I use a Android based device which chargers my phone via USB port and plays media directly via USB and/or Bluetooth. If music is playing via a specific folder within my device and the directory contains album art it will be displayed on the my link screen.

I cannot comment on Spotify / Pandora as I have never used it.

Hope you enjoy your new car, take it easy

 

[JonDom]

Thanks for the info, the main reason I haven't don't this is because I'm traveling from Townsville to Brisbane to buy, so I haven't had the chance to test this and I don't want to be a douche and expect the local dealership to help when I'm not giving them my business.

Can anyone weigh in with an iPhone?

 

[eman1]

Thanks for the info, the main reason I haven't don't this is because I'm traveling from Townsville to Brisbane to buy, so I haven't had the chance to test this and I don't want to be a douche and expect the local dealership to help when I'm not giving them my business.

Can anyone weigh in with an iPhone?

Album art does display via plugging it in and sometimes by Bluetooth if I remember correctly.

Bluetooth streaming is hot and cold. Sometimes if you skip song via steering controls it stops playing all together.

Spotify works however mylink seems to default to Apple Music which is frustrating. So much that I cancelled my Spotify and subscribed to Apple Music just to make it work better.

New alpine unit looks nice but is pricey at $3k for headunit plus install. (Doesn't support Apple CarPlay or android auto)

Personally I'm sticking with the mylink until something with Apple CarPlay becomes available (if it ever does) for the VF.

Overall mylink sucks with iPhones but can be made to work once you get used it it (just bearable)

 

[cfour]

Hi guys,
So it looks like I am picking up my new redline next week, I just wanted to know a bit about how the media player works. I plan to play music primarily from my plugged-in iPhone 7 and I was wondering the following:

1. Will the album cover of the current song show up on the mylink display? What about if it's Bluetooth streaming?

2. Same as question 1 but for Spotify, I understand the functionality is pretty basic over bt streaming, but do I get better functionality if I plug in?

3. I'm assuming plugging USB will also charge my phone.

Seems like some minor concerns I know, but as I am planning on doing a lot of touring in the car the media functionality is really important to me. I'm considering switching it straight out for that new alpine mylink unit as it looks very very clean!

1. I mainly use Bluetooth streaming to play music with my IP7 and yes the album cover art shows up on mylink.
2. no idea, don't use it.
3. Yes

 

[BlackVXGTS]

The link below might be of some help to you with your intergration (sic).

http://forums.justcommodores.com.au/threads/vf-ss-music-questions.254926/

 

[notmy SS]

PLug it in with a lighting cable in the centre console, then install the apps (Stitcher, Pandora) and you can remote control them on the MyLink screen. Plus its safer to have your phone where you aren't tempted to touch it.

Having said that its not the most reliable system.

The Pandora software in my Prado is useless, lasts about 10 mins before it locks up and you have to painstakingly type in your email and password everytime to get it to work. I just use USB/Lighting with a cradle for charging and direct audio connection using the iPod source, works the same as the Mylink above only you need to kick the phone off manually first (otherwise it defaults to itunes music).

It's reliable this way so I tend to use this method in the VF when I need to.

 

[IAmJules]

Hi there JonDom, I've got an iPhone 6S and use spotify to stream my music. Here are the answers to your questions:

1. Will the album cover of the current song show up on the mylink display? What about if it's Bluetooth streaming?

Mostly yes on both fronts. MyLink doesn't pull the album art from iTunes or from Spotify it looks it up itself so it gets it most of the time but occasionally you'll get an image based on the genre rather than the actual artist or album.

2. Same as question 1 but for Spotify, I understand the functionality is pretty basic over bt streaming, but do I get better functionality if I plug in?

Same as Answer #1 for album art. All you can really do for spotify is skip tracks or go back. You'll have to use your phone to select what album or playlist to listen to.

3. I'm assuming plugging USB will also charge my phone.

Correct

Seems like some minor concerns I know, but as I am planning on doing a lot of touring in the car the media functionality is really important to me. I'm considering switching it straight out for that new alpine mylink unit as it looks very very clean![/QUOTE]

Here are my learnings too:
- If you use the cable to connect, the next and previous dashboard buttons won't work with spotify, but they will work with apple music.
- If you connect via bluetooth then the dashboard buttons work for both Spotify and apple music meaning your CAN control next and previous.
- If you connect your phone with the cable, MyLink will autoplay the alphabetical first song from your apple music library which is really annoying. I used to really like Vampire Weekend's A-Punk now it just frustrates me as it always plays whilst I try to swap to spotify or podcasts.
- I can't notice the difference in quality between blue tooth streaming and a hard-wired connection so I now just use blue tooth so I can skip songs.
- Every now and then it does go wrong where the phone thinks its playing but nothing comes out of the speakers. When this happens I unpair my phone then repair it and that seems to sort it out.
- It is quite impressive when you get a call as the music is faded out and pauses and the fans stop
- Be sure to turn notifications on in the bluetooth pair settings so My Link can read your texts too. It's always funny when she reads out a sweary text from my wife

Enjoy your car, they're sublime!

 

[JonDom]

Hi there JonDom, I've got an iPhone 6S and use spotify to stream my music. Here are the answers to your questions:

1. Will the album cover of the current song show up on the mylink display? What about if it's Bluetooth streaming?

Mostly yes on both fronts. MyLink doesn't pull the album art from iTunes or from Spotify it looks it up itself so it gets it most of the time but occasionally you'll get an image based on the genre rather than the actual artist or album.

2. Same as question 1 but for Spotify, I understand the functionality is pretty basic over bt streaming, but do I get better functionality if I plug in?

Same as Answer #1 for album art. All you can really do for spotify is skip tracks or go back. You'll have to use your phone to select what album or playlist to listen to.

3. I'm assuming plugging USB will also charge my phone.

Correct

Seems like some minor concerns I know, but as I am planning on doing a lot of touring in the car the media functionality is really important to me. I'm considering switching it straight out for that new alpine mylink unit as it looks very very clean!

Here are my learnings too:
- If you use the cable to connect, the next and previous dashboard buttons won't work with spotify, but they will work with apple music.
- If you connect via bluetooth then the dashboard buttons work for both Spotify and apple music meaning your CAN control next and previous.
- If you connect your phone with the cable, MyLink will autoplay the alphabetical first song from your apple music library which is really annoying. I used to really like Vampire Weekend's A-Punk now it just frustrates me as it always plays whilst I try to swap to spotify or podcasts.
- I can't notice the difference in quality between blue tooth streaming and a hard-wired connection so I now just use blue tooth so I can skip songs.
- Every now and then it does go wrong where the phone thinks its playing but nothing comes out of the speakers. When this happens I unpair my phone then repair it and that seems to sort it out.
- It is quite impressive when you get a call as the music is faded out and pauses and the fans stop
- Be sure to turn notifications on in the bluetooth pair settings so My Link can read your texts too. It's always funny when she reads out a sweary text from my wife

Enjoy your car, they're sublime!

Thanks for taking the time to write all that, I've had her for a week now, and still figuring out the niggles. I find that I can change songs in spotify whilst being plugged in, but I have to wait 5 mins for indexing to complete, maybe that's your issue? I do find the bluetooth stutters sometimes when the satnav brings up the lane suggestion for a complex turn, which is pretty ridiculous.

 

[SuckSqueezeBangBlow]

I pick up my wagon tomorrow. Can you plug in a USB flash drive into the centre console with 1000's of songs?