I am a little ahead of myself; but am planning how to mount my phone in my forthcoming A7. Making these plans gives me something to do related to my car while I wait...and wait...and wait.

Has anyone gained access to the inside of the center console from the center storage compartment? I want to mount the Proclip phone mount (pictured below) to the center console and run the AMI cable from the console storage compartment, under the cup holder and out the side of the console at the base of the Proclip mount.

I have seen pictures of other model Audis showing how you can remove the leather console side bolster by sliding it forward and thus gain access under the console deck. I have also read that you can remove the cup holder by using a thin blade to release tabs at the side of the holder. I am expecting that I can route the cable from the storage compartment by making a slot under the power adapter.

My phone is a Motorola Android Droid 3 that will connect to the AMI using the micro USB AMI cable. I have found a 2' extension micro USB cable that will allow me to extend the connection to the phone cradle.

I use a similar Proclip mount in my current GS400. Although my current one mounts on the drivers side of the console. It works wonderfully for me. My phone's car cradle simply sunction cups to a disk that is adhered to the mount.

Has anyone tried anything like this on the A7?

 

I'm a little confused as to why you'd go to all that trouble. I have a Motorola Android and it links via Bluetooth pretty flawlessly to the car's systems. I have my entire phone book accessible on the MMI screen, voice dialing, and the speakerphone. So long as the phone itself is somewhere inside the car, it all works without any wired connections. Am I missing something?

 

No, you aren't missing anything. I agree with your assessment. I want to put charging power to my phone via the cradle. To do so, I have to hook a micro USB charging cable to it anyway. I know that I could easily run USB power from under the dash to the driver's or passenger's fuse box using a fuse tap and a $10 under dash USB power adapter. I expect that I could just press the cable under the console deck between the leather foot bolster to make it disappear.

However, I thought that since I am going to run a cable to the cradle anyway, I might as well try to make the cable the AMI connection. ...albeit apparently harder to accomplish.

With your experience, you may be able to answer a question that will determine the direction I take. Do you know if the AMI connection provides charging power to your phone? If not, I will go the easier route under the dash to get power.

In the end, my goal is to get a permanent USB power connection to the cradle and avoid using an unsightly cigarette power adapter with an exposed wire.

 

It certainly does with my iPhone - the AMI cable charges the phone.

 

Thank you for your reply. That is a positive note. I have already ordered the AMI micro USB cable and will confirm that it provides a charging connection for my Android phone before I proceed to any more serious efforts.

 

Why don't you do it the easy way? In the same compartment where the AMI connector is, there is a 12V cigarette lighter jack. Just plug a USB charger into it, plug the cable into the phone and drop it into the compartment. Cable keeps the phone charged, Bluetooth takes care of the MMI connection and the phone is in a safe place. I do this with my BlackBerry all the time.

 

In my current GS400 setup, I have the phone on a stable cradle that is an arm's length distance from my hand. (all while I am parked..) I can see caller ID, read emails and reply, use my Slingbox Player to "listen" to news and sports and other smartphone things.

I rely on this as a permanent component of my car setup and would rather not have the cigarette lighter adapter and cord be a permanent part of my setup. I do use this setup in my GS400; but my phone mount is within inches of my center console compartment containing the cigarette power connection. In the A7, the Proclip mount is a long way from the console storage compartment thus making the cable visible in a way that I would prefer to hide.

 

In that case look at a Panavise mount instead of the Proclip.

 

In that case look at a Panavise mount instead of the Proclip.

 

Thanks, Can you give me a link for the Panavise mount for the A7? Does it have a USB power access that is available other than running a wire from one of the cigarette adapter outlets?