Is this false advertising ?

[VJ]

[rant on]
A couple of months ago, I bought a Blaupunkt car navigation system. According to the spec sheets, it has an AUX-in. The printed catalog also shows an AUX-in in the specs, as does the mountguide (in the mountguide, it is shown that the pins for the audio coming from a CD-changer are the same as for the AUX-in, so only one can be used at a time). The printed catalog even goes on with a glossary, saying that the AUX-in can be used for MP3 players or portable CD players.

I'm now thinking of expanding my system, but as a CD-changer takes up to much space, I thought of connecting an iPod to the AUX-in. There is only problem: how do I select the AUX-in on the radio ? The changer-button results in an error-beep (as no changer is connected). So I mailed Blaupunkt.

They were quite fast to respond, saying that the device has no AUX-in , and that connecting non-Blaupunkt equipent is not possible. What ? Every resource they have shows there is one ? So I mailed them back asking whether every catalog/specsheet is wrong.
This was last week, and I'm still waiting for an answer...
[rant off]

What do you guys think of this ?


Jörg

[az]

Return it to Blaupunkt and ask for repair of this defective product. If they can't repair, ask your money back.

AZ

[VJ]

Originally posted by az
Return it to Blaupunkt and ask for repair of this defective product. If they can't repair, ask your money back.

Hmyes, but that just seems so drastic. It will have to be removed from my car (which is likely not to be cheap, bearing in mind the various sensors and all). I also have purchased it through my car-dealer, who can't be blamed for this. And in the end, I'd still have no radio/nav-system...
(putting it in the car took over 4 hours, by the guys in the garage)

Is it possible that tech-support just wants to block me off, or convice me to buy a blaupunkt-device ? I'm kind of hoping that an aux-in lead might provide some information to the radio-unit, so that it sees that something is connected to the AUX-leads (e.g. by connecting the cd-changer control pins).


Jörg

[az]

Ask the garage that mounted it

AZ

[DukeP]

What AZ says.

It shouldnt cost the garage that installed it anyhting, to return the radio for repair. Blaupunkt should cover all charges.

If the repair inst feasible, blaupunkt should still pick up any cost.

This, at least, is how it works here in Denmark.

~~DukeP~~

[VJ]

Originally posted by az
Ask the garage that mounted it

I'm not sure they have sufficiant knowledge to answer that type of questions: I don't think they often have to deal with such "weird" things (you'd be suprised how many people are pleased with the basic functionalities a system offers). But of course, there is only one way to find out...

If they don't know it, I think I'll contact the Blaupunkt customer support (in stead of tech support ).


Jörg

[VJ]

Originally posted by DukeP
It shouldnt cost the garage that installed it anyhting, to return the radio for repair. Blaupunkt should cover all charges.

Yes, if Blaupunkt acknowledges it is a faulty device. However, if they consider this normal behaviour, I pretty sure they won't cover it.

Jörg

[Gurm]

In the USA, we have something called the "Better Business Bureau". Usually in cases like this, a single threat to call this place makes people offer to replace things.

- Gurm

[Evildead666]

They may have just said it doesn't have an aux in to get you off their back (happens), but to say it'll only accept blaupunkt devices is wrong, in that case its not an aux-in, but a proprietary blaupunkt input, and cannot be called aux input.
if its a cd changer port, thats what it has to be called.

The manual should have an image referencing the port on the device. Is the port shown actually present on your device? Sometimes the extras are optional, but not very well stated in the manual or advertisements...

On my pioneer, cheap (~$120, 5 years ago), i have a 3.5mm jack in, on the facade.
This was intended for the cd changer, but its just an audio in, so i can plug in CD player, and laptop when in car...

In England theres a consumer help thing, but i can't remember what its called. (apart from 'Watchdog'...)

[The PIT]

Not fit for the purpose it was sold for. That would be the law here anyway. Dunno about Belgium laws though.

[az]

Which model is it?

AZ

[GNEP]

Quick answer: Yes, but I doubt you'll be able (/willing in the end) to do much about it.....

[VJ]

This is the model (DX-R52):

http://www.blaupunkt.co.uk/7612300211_main.asp

This is the mount-guide of the more advanced model (DX-R70), but apart from some features, they are similar (the connections on it match the connections on the mount guide I have):

http://fe0wap32.bosch.de/pdf/7612300051_EA.pdf

notice the pins 18-19-20 on connection C3.

Very similar as in my model, the manual of the DX-R70 itself states nowhere on how to select the AUX input. Friends of mine have suggested it might be possible that the radio detects that no device is connected, and therefor currently does not allow the AUX/CDC to be selected. Does this make sense ?

On this website:

http://www.bluespot.co.uk/stock/dxr52_b.asp

one of the accessories listed for the DX-R52 is an AUX-lead cable (see right column):

http://www.bluespot.co.uk/stock/auxin.asp

This sort of backs up the idea that the radio currently doesn't detect the presence of another device, or not ?

Oh, in the glossary, the AUX-in is said to be usefull for portable CD-players, MP3 players and the like. I just found the cable-catalog (aha!), and I think this cable is the one I'm looking for : 7 607 897 093 (on page 51 and 79) or 8 604 390 046 (on page 83; this will result in a 5-pin din plug - having rechecked this connection, it might not be suitable for my purpose). The catalog is here:

http://www.blaupunkt.co.uk/download/en-GB_kabel.pdf

Jörg

[High_Jumbllama]

Originally posted by Evildead666
They may have just said it doesn't have an aux in to get you off their back (happens), but to say it'll only accept blaupunkt

Been there. Been told lie to someone when doing tech support. I looked at the higher up like they were stupid and went ahead and told the customer the truth anyway which was actually no big deal. The school had no internet connection and had to mail their database on Zip Disk. We had literally just gotten the disk and I was told to tell the person that we were already sending them back the fixed database.

[mutz]

...hmmm. What I read on the specs is that the AMPLIFIER has an auxilirary input, which means at the minimum a two channel analog audio signal, and at a maximum two channel analog audio signal plus external device motor control (play, pause, stop, etc.), basta.

Are you saying you have an AUX connection, but find no control option? Sometimes the control option only appears when the connector applicable device is connected, though that might be a bit sophisticated for an auto radio...

...hmmm, is the Last4-Memory of the last 4 destinations for people with Alzheimers, or for drunks?