So I just got a 2011 A4 Premium Plus with the AMI (I think. I don't know enough about it all yet to know the differences between AMI and diff versions of the MMI). I know you can connect your phone thru BT and take calls, but so far it doesn't appear you can stream music thru BT. I see there is an adapter kit out there, but it looks like it's only for models with MMI, not AMI. Anyone know if it is possible to stream audio thru my AMI, either as-is, or with the adapter kit Audi sells? Also, it seems like you have to attach a BT dongle to get it to work... but since it already supports BT, i don't understand why you would need to add an additional receiver.

Here is a link to the BT adapter.
http://www.audi-collection.com/Vehic...treaming-Audio

 

I am wondering the same exact thing. In addition though, if the AMI can use the adapter:

1) Does the AMI already have the software update to handle the streaming?

2) If it does have the software update already installed can I use a generic adapter (plunging it into the USB connector that audi has available)?

 

OK, so I've been talking with my dealer a lot about this, and it's new to him too, so he's been in contact with some tech guy higher up in Audi supposedly, and here is what I've got...

First, the difference between AMI and MMI, which threw me off, so hopefully someone else will find this helpful. This is for my 2011 A4... I don't know what other years/models it may apply to.
-MMI (Multi-Media Interface) is just the screen/**** system that controls the radio/sat/cd/settings/etc.
-AMI (Audi Music Interface) is the link between the MMI system and your Ipod or other mp3 device. It is a port in the glove box that you can attach different cables to for different music devices.

-There is also a MMI Navigation Plus Package that adds the Nav, HD radio, hard drive, and backup camera to the existing MMI.

The only thing i don't know is what the differences are between the 2G and 3G versions of the MMI. I don't know if it's a model year difference, or package difference... if anyone knows, please fill me in.

So now, onto BT...
The built-in BT only works with phone calls and contact lists... not media. The adapter I spoke of includes 3 pieces:
1) AMI USB cable
2) flash drive with MMI software update
3) USB BT adapter
As I understand it, here is how it would work... You attach the USB cable to the AMI in the glove box, and update the MMI with the new BT software on the flash drive. This update will effectively disable the built-in BT receiver. That's why you now have to plug in the new BT adapter (which supports media streaming) to the USB cable. This adapter now takes over the job of the built-in one for phone calls, but also now supports media streaming as well. When you now connect your phone to BT, the call functions will work the same way they always have, but now you will also see your phone under Media>Sources to play music.

Now, supposedly this adapter only works with the 2G systems, and not the 3G systems... I don't know why, and as i said earlier, i don't know how to tell the difference either.

Noah G, I don't know if you could use a generic BT adapter if you already had the update installed - never thought about that. I guess it makes sense that you could. But the kit comes with all 3 pieces, so unless you could get the software update somewhere else (i.e. a buddy who already bought the kit), i dont know if it would help you. That would mean you only have to buy the AMI USB cable, which would definitely save some money. If you figure it out, let me know!

And in case anyone is interested, thru my dealer the BT adapter is like $240. If you went with Noah G's route, the AMI USB cable alone is about $60. But you can obviously get both of those cheaper other places. Just for reference.

 

This seems very odd and stupid to me. So a new A4 cant stream music via BT but a ford fiesta can?

I have an iphone with 3g. I love to stream pandora radio via blue tooth when i drive (i have a bluetooth adapter in my old car. I'm in the market to buy a new car and the audi is at the top of my list).

So let me get this straight. New A4s have the 3g mmi. My phone is 3g so they will be compatible to make calls but no streaming audio. Now to stream audio i meed to attach a cable into the ami port? Does this cable have to attach to my iphone? If so that defeats the whole purpose of blue tooth.

This is all pretty confusing. I think i just need to make another trip to the dealer and see what it takea to stream music from my iphone to tge car. I have to admit though that needing an (expensive) adapter is bush league at best and I will make sure that after negotiating a price down on the car i will bring this up and not buy until the dealer throws in the afapter for free.

 

The Audi "3G" MMI is not the same as the cellular network "3G". Both are completely different things, and refer to simply the generation of the technology (3G MMI is the 3rd generation interface for Audi; 3G cellular network is the 3rd generation of cellular networks).

The Audi BT dongle replaces the iPod dongle in your glovebox. When its plugged in, you wont be able to use an iPod, but you can use bluetooth to connect to your iphone wirelessly. You dont actually connect any cables to your phone.

I've looked at this dongle before, and have ultimately decided not to get one.

 

If u dont mind me asking, why did u decide nit to get one. While i dont like needing an extra wire to stream music from my iphone to the car the cable apparently does do the job. Also my iphone is my ipod as well so not having that other cable isnt a big deal to me

 

With the bluetooth dongle, you have no control of the audio through the MMI. You can't change songs, read playlist information, etc. All of that needs to be done from the phone. When using the iPod interface, all of your playlist information is shown on the MMI.

Either way, I don't have an iPhone, I have a Droid. So the only thing I really wanted the bluetooth for is Pandora, but I already have Sirius radio in my car and Pandora requires a constant internet connection. I leave my iPod in my glovebox permanently.

 

I Have done some research! If you call Audi they and argue enough they will send you a gift certificate for $100 dollars so you can use it to purchase either the 3.5mm aux cable or the usb cable (part of the blue-tooth kit) or anything else you would like from their accessory department. At this point I think that Audi once again has done it wrong with the technology in there cars. They are clearly not interested in competing with their American and Japanese rivals.

Tighr, if you were to use an Iphone, from your research will your songs display on the MMI screen or will you have to use your phone manually to cycle through songs? I know you are interested in using Pandora but can the Ipod function work with the cars MMI display when using an Iphone to play music through the blue-tooth dongle?

 

No. MMI interoperability only works when using the iPod MMI cable. If you use the bluetooth dongle, you would have to scroll through your songs directly from the phone.

I have not found out through research if you can pair your phone to both the A2DP profile as well as the handsfree profile at the same time (since technically, you're pairing to two separate bluetooth radios), but you probably can do that just fine.

Of course, as we all know, bluetooth streaming is a massive battery hog, so your phone would need to be plugged in, anyway.

 

So the end result is that the 2011 A4 is not capable of streaming because it is a 3G system? That seems ridiculous!!