Sony XA-110 iPod adaptor problems

[Glenn Richards]

Have replaced my Connects2 iPod adaptor with the official Sony one
(using with MEX-BT5000 head unit).

The sound is definitely better (less noisy analogue electronics), but
I'm having a couple of operational problems with it...

Firstly I can't get "random albums" mode to work - I've got smart
playlists set up on the iPod that are supposed to play complete albums
from a specific genre in a random order. This worked on the Connects2
adaptor and works when using the iPod with headphones. But when I plug
it into the Sony adaptor shuffle mode is cancelled on the iPod itself
and pressing the Shuffle button on the head unit doesn't seem to do
anything.

Secondly every time the head unit is turned off and on again (eg if the
engine is switched off and started again) the iPod starts playing from
the first album in the playlist, not from the point at which you turned
off the ignition. Surely this isn't normal behaviour?

Using a 5G iPod Video (60GB) with firmware 1.1.1 (I think). When I
updated the firmware to 2.something the Connects2 adaptor was playing up
(iPod wouldn't pause when the ignition was turned off and consequently
ran the battery down)... but would an upgrade to the latest firmware
solve these problems with the Sony adaptor?

[In-Car Express]

On Thu, 23 Nov 2006 07:48:42 +0000, Glenn Richards

Post by Glenn Richards
Firstly I can't get "random albums" mode to work

<...>

Post by Glenn Richards
Secondly every time the head unit is turned off and on again (eg if the
engine is switched off and started again) the iPod starts playing from
the first album in the playlist

I'd test this, but unfortunately can't get access to an iPod at the
moment and probably won't be able to access the head unit, interface
and ipod at the same time for a week or so!

If you don't get anywhere with it, feel free to send us an email and
we'll test it and report back to you as soon as we've done so. We've
not had any other comments from customers, so I'd suspect it may just
be a software issue, but I'd be interested to comfirm either way.

Jon

[Glenn Richards]

Post by In-Car Express

Post by Glenn Richards
Secondly every time the head unit is turned off and on again (eg if
the engine is switched off and started again) the iPod starts
playing from the first album in the playlist

I'd test this, but unfortunately can't get access to an iPod at the
moment and probably won't be able to access the head unit, interface
and ipod at the same time for a week or so!

Sounds about right! I bought it from you anyway (you may recognise my
name from the order history!)... like I said, sound quality is excellent
but these issues make it unusable. :-(

Post by In-Car Express
If you don't get anywhere with it, feel free to send us an email and
we'll test it and report back to you as soon as we've done so. We've
not had any other comments from customers, so I'd suspect it may just
be a software issue, but I'd be interested to comfirm either way.

Thanks - have CCd this to you via email. Tried with iPod firmware v1.1
and v1.2 with the same results. Switched back to the Connects2 adaptor
for the time being - had to downgrade to v1.1 firmware in the iPod as
1.2 doesn't pause when the head unit switches off.

Does sound like a software issue of some sort. I'm using a 5G 60GB iPod
Video if it helps with diagnostics.