VAIS/Ipod question

To fast forward through a song on a CD, the owner's manual indicates to press and hold the up and down buttons on the MFD. Since the adapter is supposed to emulate the changer, it should work.

 

I know for certain it can't be done with the steering wheel controls. You can only change tracks or playlists with the up/down arrow buttons there.
I haven't ever tried fast-forwarding through a track using the Vais but as DanMan said it can be done on CD's so should be able to.

 

I think I've tried that in the past, and it hasn't worked (at least with the revision of firmware I have -- I bought my VAIS in the 1st PriusChat group buy.) However, I'll give it a try again tonight, and let you know.

I hope you're right, Dan! This is the feature I want on the VAIS more than anything else. I've been holding out sending mine in for a firmware update with the hopes that they'd provide a way to do this -- specifically, via the MFD, the way you describe it.

 

The up and down arrow buttons do fast forward and rewind. I do it all the time.

Bob

 

Well, I tried it last night -- no luck. Specific details about trying to do FF and Rewind using the up and down arrow buttons on the MFD in my Prius:

• Does exactly what you'd expect with a CD, as DanMan says -- FF and Fast reverse.
• However, with the iPod under VAIS AIC-100i control, pushing and holding down either button on the MFD just causes the iPod to move to the next or previous track.
• Tried this with both AIC-100i screens -- i.e., showing either track info, or playlist (MD list -- buttons for each playlist) screen.

Configuration info:

• '05 Prius, with standard single CD stereo system (i.e., not the JBL 6-CD option.) No Nav system.
• VAIS AIC-100i, firmware version 3.45.
• iPod Nano.

If I had a guess, I'm wondering if it's the Nano that's the fly in the ointment. As I remember, Bob, your AIC-100i firmware version is 3.45 or earlier. (On the other hand, you have the JBL system, right?) Have you tried it with a Nano?

Next Monday, I'm going to ask a friend with an earlier version iPod (standard 30GB 4G iPod) to try out, and see if this works.

Any data from others with a VAIS would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! I'd love to get FF/Rewind capabilities, and I wouldn't mind sending mine back to VAIS and paying for new firmware -- I I could be sure that it would fix the problem. (I.e., it's not due to me having the standard Prius stereo system, and not the JBL., or because I've got a Nano)

 

I have the single CD non-jbl radio and a 3G iPod. My wife has an iPod mini and I'll try it with hers.
I sent my AIC-100i back to have the firmware updated, so I have 3.48 now, but this worked with my original firmware.
I can't imagine what the problem could be.

Are you pressing these buttons?

 

Exactly, Bob -- thanks for posting the picture. Yes -- pushing and holding down those buttons on the MFD, just as I would for the CD player to get FF and Reverse. Instead, I jump to the next playlist (backwards or forwards.)

Given that you have the same single-CD non-JBL radio as I do, and it worked with the original firmware, I'm suspecting it's the Nano. But, I don't know.

Thank you for the information, and trying this out with a different iPod. I wonder if it will work with the mini; I'm completely guessing, but I have a suspcion that the Mini shares the same USB interface hardware as the 3G iPod, and the 4G iPod and the Nano share the same interface.

 

FF and RR work fine on my iPod Video (5G) pushing the up/down arrows on the MFD. I would prefer that the steering wheel arrows when held down FF and RR and the MFD arrows changed playlists. I FF in podcasts and have to push the arrows on the MFD a lot. Most of my playist are long and I don't change to much, and when I do it is usually a direct puch on the MFD. My version is 3.5. I bought in the first group buy and had to send it back to Vais because the original version would not work with the Video iPod.

 

In case anyone's contemplating organizing one - I'd be interested in being part of a group buy.

 

I don't have a problem with this -- my iPod stores a bookmark in my podcasts and it always picks up where I left off, even if I've listened to other podcasts or songs in the meantime. I thought iTunes set up all podcasts this way; you might want to do a little research to try to figure out why yours isn't doing that. Do you download your podcasts through iTunes? If not, that may explain it.

-- Paul

 

Major thanks for posting the SLI manual -- it's much nicer than the AIC-100i manual, and is a lot more complete about the MFD UI.

Re: the manual, it's says something a bit ambigous about FF/Rewind:

Well, I have a vehicle not equipped with DISC + and DISC - buttons -- but so does BobR, and he can FF and Rewind. (But, I'm assuming there are some differences between the AIC-100i and the SLI unit, too.)

I'll try and see if having the SCAN button on makes any difference (I tested it with several other settings on, and it didn't.) Though I'm not sure if they mean the SCAN button on the VAIS MFD screen, or the SCAN button on the radio itself.

Please! I'd like to check this out on an AIC-100i unit that is otherwise allowing FF and Rewind.

Thank you in advance.

 

umm just checked mine...purposely started 4 different podcasts on two different subs (just to see if it makes a diff) and was able to continue at the place i left off at on all 4...

i have the old 4 GB mini for podcasts

 

ALL RIGHT~~~!!

my favorite song

 

Thanks Dave -- appreciate you checking! Just to clarify: you were able to get the FF and Rewind to work with the mini and your VAIS, right? Also, do you know what your firmware version is for your AIC-100i?

 

Thanks much, ScubaX. Just for more info: is your Prius stereo the 1-CD standard one, or the JBL 6-CD system?

The reason I'm continuing to ask about this: It appears that the problem is either the Nano, or the firmware version (or some combination thereof.)

And if an updated AIC-100i is working with a 5G Video iPod, it seems to me that its unlikely that the problem is the Nano -- an iPod with equivalent or older firmware than the 5G.

I know the folks at VAIS (including Eugene) have limited time and resources; and testing every different VAIS firmware version with different iPods, on different Prius radio configurations, wouldn't be easy -- particularly when you have deadlines to get new products out. So some PriusChat member research should clear things up some.

Anyway -- thanks to all of you for doing continued testing -- I do appreciate it. I'll write up a summary of this when we've got something conclusive.

 

oooohh....ummm ya... well actually... the only thing i was checking on was the ability of the ipod to pause somewhere and remember its position on the podcast for resuming play later on.

i will have to check on the FF thingy... i know it works in simple mode... and i have one of the first batch of VAIS so i would guess i have software version 1.0

 

I was in the first batch, too -- so I'll bet you have rev 3.45 as well.