Red iPod Cable Information
AudiWorld Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2009
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From: Plainfield IL
Newer iPods will also only work on the blue cable (except for the iPod Touch which will work also on the red). Of course, any older iPhones/iPads will work on both cables as well. As a reminder, only the red cable can support video or album art with a compatible iDevice.
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From: SE Massachusetts, U.S.
As I wrote, the iPod blue cable only exception is the iPod Touch (2G-4G; the newest Touch 5G is like the iPhone 5 that with the adapter won't pass video, only album art) which, since it's essentially an iPhone without the phone, will work on the red cable with video/art.
Last edited by snagitseven; Apr 10, 2013 at 10:45 AM.
AudiWorld Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 665
Likes: 2
From: Plainfield IL
As I wrote, the iPod blue cable only exception is the iPod Touch (2G-4G; the newest Touch 5G is like the iPhone 5 that with the adapter won't pass video, only album art) which, since it's essentially an iPhone without the phone, will work on the red cable with video/art.
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From: SE Massachusetts, U.S.
AudiWorld Super User
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From: Los Angeles
Your only options if you want album art/video on the MMI:
- Red AMI cable with iPod Touch 2G or later or any iPhone or iPad. (iPhone 5 with AMI/Lightning adapter will show art but not video).
- Eliminate cables and load up an 32GB SDHD card with your files (and optionally import them to the Jukebox) and you'll get album art and video (with the added benefit of better sound than the AMI cables).[/QUOTE]
Ipod Touch 3g wont work at all with red cable. I found out the hard way. or maybe with newest software. either way it didn't work at all, not even music. I bought one on ebay and it wouldn't recognize. Gave it to my wife for her ML350 2012
- Red AMI cable with iPod Touch 2G or later or any iPhone or iPad. (iPhone 5 with AMI/Lightning adapter will show art but not video).
- Eliminate cables and load up an 32GB SDHD card with your files (and optionally import them to the Jukebox) and you'll get album art and video (with the added benefit of better sound than the AMI cables).[/QUOTE]
Ipod Touch 3g wont work at all with red cable. I found out the hard way. or maybe with newest software. either way it didn't work at all, not even music. I bought one on ebay and it wouldn't recognize. Gave it to my wife for her ML350 2012
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Joined: Jul 2001
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From: SE Massachusetts, U.S.
Jose - That's puzzling. Audi lists it as compatible and I have an iPhone 3gs working with the red cable, which has the same guts as an iPod Touch sans phone portion. What is your MMI software version? My understanding is you need to have 0467 or higher to support the red cable and IOS 5.x or higher on the Apple device.
AudiWorld Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2010
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I have both an iPod Touch connected to the blue cable, and an iPhone 4S that I stream music from Pandora and MOG via bluetooth.
I like the sound quality better via the cable, however, if I connect the iPhone to the blue cable it will not recognize the Pandora or MOG music streaming format. Will the red cable work for this music format?
I like the sound quality better via the cable, however, if I connect the iPhone to the blue cable it will not recognize the Pandora or MOG music streaming format. Will the red cable work for this music format?
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Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 13,980
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From: SE Massachusetts, U.S.
I have both an iPod Touch connected to the blue cable, and an iPhone 4S that I stream music from Pandora and MOG via bluetooth.
I like the sound quality better via the cable, however, if I connect the iPhone to the blue cable it will not recognize the Pandora or MOG music streaming format. Will the red cable work for this music format?
I like the sound quality better via the cable, however, if I connect the iPhone to the blue cable it will not recognize the Pandora or MOG music streaming format. Will the red cable work for this music format?
AudiWorld Member
Joined: Jan 2003
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As for audio quality (so many sources!)
CD/DVD - best quality
SD (high bit rate encode)
AMI (at least for iOS devices)
Wi-Fi
HD radio (AM slightly worse, but depends a lot on the bit rate chosen by the station)
Bluetooth 2.1 or later
FM (non-HD)
Sirius (surprisingly)
AM (non-HD, but what do you want from mono)
Note that AM-HD can be in stereo(!) and can sound pretty darn good!
CD/DVD >= SD > AMI > Wi-Fi > Bluetooth