[Impala]

I am sure it will all be sorted very soon Impala as the very efficient and helpful lady at VW UK customer support said " she was passing it to the relevant department" !

Is that the department for toilet supplies ?

 

[Ken Cabrio]

New year and new update on the long running " we sold it to you before it worked " scenario !

Back at the end of 2024 I contacted the folks over at Phonostar.de , hell if VW don't care about their customers I guess we have to turn new car ownership into DIY, welcome to the Lego concept car.
The Germans said that they were disallowed by several stations in the independent group in the UK to use their Logos. Then shortly after I received notice that a new update is on its way that will carry some of the missing stations. I sent them the download file in zip of all UK station tiles as available.


Hello Ken
As assumed, the logos of Capital and Gold are not included in this download file. The broadcaster owners had not previously given their consent to their use. However, the logos will be included in the next update.
Kind regards
Your phonostar team

I then wrote to the guys that seem to control quite a few "local radio" stations in the UK asking why on earth would a commercial organisation distance themselves from all VW drivers and listeners to potential advertising by declining permission to add their Logos...... were it mine I would RUN Toward , Invest in , buy drinks for anyone promoting me ! I received a response ...

Jake (Global) Jan 7, 2025, 15:59 GMT Hello Ken, Thank you for contacting Global. I appreciate the time taken to get in touch with us regarding your enquiry. I have shared this with our internal team and am awaiting a response from the team. Once the team have reached out with their findings I will get back in contact. I appreciate your patience in the meantime. Many thanks, Jake Customer Support Agent

This includes stations like Heart etc . The response was on January 7th , so lets see if kicking the can can bring rational thinking to some rather strange ideas. Keep an eye out things might change.

You caring CUSTOMER supporter.

 

[Scottydog90]

New year and new update on the long running " we sold it to you before it worked " scenario !

Back at the end of 2024 I contacted the folks over at Phonostar.de , hell if VW don't care about their customers I guess we have to turn new car ownership into DIY, welcome to the Lego concept car.
The Germans said that they were disallowed by several stations in the independent group in the UK to use their Logos. Then shortly after I received notice that a new update is on its way that will carry some of the missing stations. I sent them the download file in zip of all UK station tiles as available.


Hello Ken
As assumed, the logos of Capital and Gold are not included in this download file. The broadcaster owners had not previously given their consent to their use. However, the logos will be included in the next update.
Kind regards
Your phonostar team

I then wrote to the guys that seem to control quite a few "local radio" stations in the UK asking why on earth would a commercial organisation distance themselves from all VW drivers and listeners to potential advertising by declining permission to add their Logos...... were it mine I would RUN Toward , Invest in , buy drinks for anyone promoting me ! I received a response ...

Jake (Global) Jan 7, 2025, 15:59 GMT Hello Ken, Thank you for contacting Global. I appreciate the time taken to get in touch with us regarding your enquiry. I have shared this with our internal team and am awaiting a response from the team. Once the team have reached out with their findings I will get back in contact. I appreciate your patience in the meantime. Many thanks, Jake Customer Support Agent

This includes stations like Heart etc . The response was on January 7th , so lets see if kicking the can can bring rational thinking to some rather strange ideas. Keep an eye out things might change.

You caring CUSTOMER supporter.

I for one appreciate yours and Impalas work on this as it's a massive bug bear for me, as my wife's hyundai i10 has way more station icons than my twice as expensive troc.....keep up the good work and thanks

 

[Ken Cabrio]

As it has been so long since we last ploughed this furrow , as deep and horrid as it is , I notice that the last update to the station logo database is

From this website

VW Radiostationsdaten

www.phonostar.de

.

As for my conversation with "global" I can only update that Jake their customer support guy has today received a reminder that the question I posed several months ago has as yet been unanswered. I can only presume that his "Team" have either very protracted meetings or seldom meet !

 

[Ken Cabrio]

Good News , Jake from Global wrote back !!!

Hello Ken, Thank you for contacting Global and for continuing to be patient with us on this request. As mentioned in my initial email I have shared your enquiry internally with the team. At present, we still haven't received an update from the team at present. We will continue to look into this and come back to them when we receive further information. I appreciate your continued patience while we look into this. Many thanks, Jake Customer Support Agent

So, after two months the question of why their independent station logos were declined the opportunity to be included in the VW system .... lacks an answer. I note that there is no suggested timescale to this answer either. Makes you wonder if you were a potential advertiser on independent radio if you would wonder why this barrier to locating and enjoying their programming exists. Surely in todays media and information overload, in car is the one area where radio has its headway to a screen starved mobile audience.

 

[Impala]

If that's the good news, then what's the bad ?

Surely there must be other businesses or organisations which compile or could compile station logos for VW. Aren't these logos in the public domain or at least free to use. After all, with the right in-car entertainment system, owners can download and install the logos by themselves for free.

Why can't VW simply pull the plug with Phonostar (or is it Global who is at fault ?) or allow owners to add the logos themselves.

Maybe things have changed and other brands are in the same position, but from what I've read elsewhere there are people experiencing the missing logos on their VW cars but say the logos are all present on their other brand cars.

This is just too typical of VW and we have experienced it before with Sat Nav map data and the excuse that they are not responsible. And we are expected to believe that a global company with the clout of VW can't pressure the current providers to fix these issues or change provider.

 

[John_R_F]

Yesterday I tried to update the radio database to v1.31.56 but it doesn't seem to work. When I put the usb stick in the slot the screen says there is an update available. I press okay and it says update complete but when I go into system information it still shows as v1.31.50. Why can't VW just let us add our own logos?

Regards John

 

[Scottydog90]

Yesterday I tried to update the radio database to v1.31.56 but it doesn't seem to work. When I put the usb stick in the slot the screen says there is an update available. I press okay and it says update complete but when I go into system information it still shows as v1.31.50. Why can't VW just let us add our own logos?

Regards John

@John_R_F assuming you got all the way to the end and saw the green tick with the software update complete (it can take quite a few minutes for this to eventually drop down from the top)
Once there I then always press and hold power knob for at least 10 seconds until clock disappears to force a reboot and then my system information reports update as the new 56.
@Ken Cabrio @Impala I have to say this the best update yet, there's literally loads of new logo's capital, smooth, gold and many more. It took a while of scrolling up and down the main station list for the little tiles to appear and populate but even the stations with no tile if I clicked on them then there was at least a logo inside to select. There's a small amount still missing but I finally have mib3 display with no missing logo's.
@Ken Cabrio maybe you emails paid off after all

 

[John_R_F]

@John_R_F assuming you got all the way to the end and saw the green tick with the software update complete (it can take quite a few minutes for this to eventually drop down from the top)
Once there I then always press and hold power knob for at least 10 seconds until clock disappears to force a reboot and then my system information reports update as the new 56.
@Ken Cabrio @Impala I have to say this the best update yet, there's literally loads of new logo's capital, smooth, gold and many more. It took a while of scrolling up and down the main station list for the little tiles to appear and populate but even the stations with no tile if I clicked on them then there was at least a logo inside to select. There's a small amount still missing but I finally have mib3 display with no missing logo's.
@Ken Cabrio maybe you emails paid off after all

That's the strange thing, the green tick was almost immediate. I did the press power button for 10 seconds but it did not update. Shame as I want the smooth radio logo.

Regards John

 

[Scottydog90]

That's the strange thing, the green tick was almost immediate. I did the press power button for 10 seconds but it did not update. Shame as I want the smooth radio logo.

Regards John

Hi john, if you saw the green tick straight away it's not updating. Sorry if I'm overstepping but I update the following way and it seems to work eveytime.
Download v1.31.56 from @Ken Cabrio phonestar link in post 84.
Extract to a usb-c stick that is blank and formatted to fat32.
You should have only 2 folders on the stick, Meta and data (not contained in any other folder)
I have my engine running and radio on.
Insert usb stick and message should drop down from top saying update available, then press start.
Update should take a few minutes
Wait for green tick success to appear and select OK.
Remove usb stick.
Press and hold power knob for minimum 10 seconds.
Again apologies if you already do this.
Good luck

 

[John_R_F]

Hi john, if you saw the green tick straight away it's not updating. Sorry if I'm overstepping but I update the following way and it seems to work eveytime.
Download v1.31.56 from @Ken Cabrio phonestar link in post 84.
Extract to a usb-c stick that is blank and formatted to fat32.
You should have only 2 folders on the stick, Meta and data (not contained in any other folder)
I have my engine running and radio on.
Insert usb stick and message should drop down from top saying update available, then press start.
Update should take a few minutes
Wait for green tick success to appear and select OK.
Remove usb stick.
Press and hold power knob for minimum 10 seconds.
Again apologies if you already do this.
Good luck

Thanks for trying to help but I have done it exactly as you do but it will not update. I did the v1.31.50 last year no problem.

Regards John

 

[Ken Cabrio]

@John_R_F assuming you got all the way to the end and saw the green tick with the software update complete (it can take quite a few minutes for this to eventually drop down from the top)
Once there I then always press and hold power knob for at least 10 seconds until clock disappears to force a reboot and then my system information reports update as the new 56.
@Ken Cabrio @Impala I have to say this the best update yet, there's literally loads of new logo's capital, smooth, gold and many more. It took a while of scrolling up and down the main station list for the little tiles to appear and populate but even the stations with no tile if I clicked on them then there was at least a logo inside to select. There's a small amount still missing but I finally have mib3 display with no missing logo's.
@Ken Cabrio maybe you emails paid off after all

got to kick the tree to make the fruit drop !

 

[Impala]

Thanks for trying to help but I have done it exactly as you do but it will not update. I did the v1.31.50 last year no problem.

Regards John

Hi John - I have exactly the same result.

I updated from v1.31.48 to v1.31.50 today ... no problem and System Information shows the updated Radio database version.

Then I downloaded v1.31.56 and went throught the same update process. Note: the Phonostar site did not offer the new version when I entered my own device part number, so I used the number form Ken Cabrio's post above. (see below for the explanation for why it doen't install).

The system said an update was avaiable and listed the new version correctly, but this time the green tick appeared almost immediately and System Information still shows as v1.31.50. However in my case I think I have the explanation.

As I posted earlier in this discussion (see #75), when I got my new car at the end of November 2024, I checked and noted all the hardware and software versions. I discovered that the hardware p/n of my MIB3 head unit is different to almost all others that people have either quoted or shown photos of. My device part number is 3G8035816 while the majority of other part numbers I've been able to establish are 3G5035820 + a suffix letter (A, B, C,D etc.).

So what you might ask ?

Well, if I enter my device part number 3G8035816 in the Phonostar radio station tool, it offers MQB3_OI_JND_Europe_v1.31.50.zip as the latest Radio Station File available for download, but If I enter Ken Cabrio's device part number (3G5035820K) it offers the new MQB3_OI_NonGP_JND_Europe_v1.31.56.zip file.

The problem I have (and perhaps you have also) can be found looking at the parts of the filenames and also looking at the contents of the zip files and comparing against the SW Train version for my car (found in the hidden Engineering Menu by holding a finger on the Menu button until the red Engineering Menu appears, then select Version Information).

The Version Info (SW Train) for my car is MOI3GP_EUVWMQB_P5160J.

The file names and SW Train are made up of combinations identifying the car platform (MQB), Infotainment model (MIB3), region (EU=Europe) etc.

Most of these radio station logo files can be used on multiple versions of the hardware (the device part number) and head unit software (the SW Train version) and that is why I was able to update to v1.31.50 using the MQB3_OI_JND_Europe_v1.31.50.zip file.

But the critical thing here is the GP in my car's SW Train vs the NonGP in the new v1.31.56 filename. In other words, that new v1.31.56 file seems to exclude my car.

So I think the update process checks to determine if the new data is applicable to the car's head unit hardware and software, but instead of displaying a helpful message to say that it isn't applicable it simply exits and displays the green tick to indicate it has finished.

 

[Scottydog90]

Hi John - I have exactly the same result.

I updated from v1.31.48 to v1.31.50 today ... no problem and System Information shows the updated Radio database version.

Then I downloaded v1.31.56 and went throught the same update process. Note: the Phonostar site did not offer the new version when I entered my own device part number, so I used the number form Ken Cabrio's post above. (see below for the explanation for why it doen't install).

The system said an update was avaiable and listed the new version correctly, but this time the green tick appeared almost immediately and System Information still shows as v1.31.50. However in my case I think I have the explanation.

As I posted earlier in this discussion (see #75), when I got my new car at the end of November 2024, I checked and noted all the hardware and software versions. I discovered that the hardware p/n of my MIB3 head unit is different to almost all others that people have either quoted or shown photos of. My device part number is 3G8035816 while the majority of other part numbers I've been able to establish are 3G5035820 + a suffix letter (A, B, C,D etc.).

So what you might ask ?

Well, if I enter my device part number 3G8035816 in the Phonostar radio station tool, it offers MQB3_OI_JND_Europe_v1.31.50.zip as the latest Radio Station File available for download, but If I enter Ken Cabrio's device part number (3G5035820K) it offers the new MQB3_OI_NonGP_JND_Europe_v1.31.56.zip file.

The problem I have (and perhaps you have also) can be found looking at the parts of the filenames and also looking at the contents of the zip files and comparing against the SW Train version for my car (found in the hidden Engineering Menu by holding a finger on the Menu button until the red Engineering Menu appears, then select Version Information).

View attachment 7349

The Version Info (SW Train) for my car is MOI3GP_EUVWMQB_P5160J.

The file names and SW Train are made up of combinations identifying the car platform (MQB), Infotainment model (MIB3), region (EU=Europe) etc.

Most of these radio station logo files can be used on multiple versions of the hardware (the device part number) and head unit software (the SW Train version) and that is why I was able to update to v1.31.50 using the MQB3_OI_JND_Europe_v1.31.50.zip file.

But the critical thing here is the GP in my car's SW Train vs the NonGP in the new v1.31.56 filename. In other words, that new v1.31.56 file seems to exclude my car.

So I think the update process checks to determine if the new data is applicable to the car's head unit hardware and software, but instead of displaying a helpful message to say that it isn't applicable it simply exits and displays the green tick to indicate it has finished.

Absolutely spot on @Impala my head unit is the same as @Ken Cabrio but ending in H.
You've explained something similar when I wanted to update drivetrain software from 0330 to 0516 (glad I took you're advice now and didn't bother) hope phonestar do a version you and others can use as it's really caught up with a lot of British commercial stations

 

[Impala]

Absolutely spot on @Impala my head unit is the same as @Ken Cabrio but ending in H.
You've explained something similar when I wanted to update drivetrain software from 0330 to 0516 (glad I took you're advice now and didn't bother) hope phonestar do a version you and others can use as it's really caught up with a lot of British commercial stations

Thanks, and yes I didn't see much difference with the update to v1.31.50 as everyone else has reported earlier.

I wasn't expecting anything else but thought I'd give it a try just to confirm that an update could be installed before trying the new v1.31.56.

 

[John_R_F]

My device part number is 3g5035816p and when entered in the Phonostar site it offers v1.31.56 as the download but is does not install. So a different scenario to Impala's experience.

Regards John

 

[Impala]

My device part number is 3g5035816p and when entered in the Phonostar site it offers v1.31.56 as the download but is does not install. So a different scenario to Impala's experience.

Regards John

Thanks for that info John. Interesting too.

You have the first T-Roc I know of with that device part number (3G5035816P).

Eight others I know of have 3G5035820 with various suffix letters, while @poleposition and myself have 3G8035816 (mine has a B suffix).

Is it just coincidence that when you split each of those part numbers into 2 groups of 5 characters and 4 characters, they each share common groups as shown in this table ...

3G5035816	3G503	5816
3G5035820	3G503	5820
3G8035816	3G803	5816

As far as Phonostar is concerned, @poleposition's 3G8035816 is recognised and the latest radio station version is reported as 'v1.31.50 from 31.03.2024'. My car has the same device part number but with a B suffix (3G8035816B) but Phonostar reports that part number isn't found, although I successfully installed v1.31.50 as specified for 3G8035816.

This suggests that Phonostar may not be fully up to date with what VW are shipping and it's anyone's guess when or if v1.31.56 will be updated or a newer version released for @poleposition's and my car.

 

[John_R_F]

Thanks for that info John. Interesting too.

You have the first T-Roc I know of with that device part number (3G5035816P).

Eight others I know of have 3G5035820 with various suffix letters, while @poleposition and myself have 3G8035816 (mine has a B suffix).

Is it just coincidence that when you split each of those part numbers into 2 groups of 5 characters and 4 characters, they each share common groups as shown in this table ...

3G5035816	3G503	5816
3G5035820	3G503	5820
3G8035816	3G803	5816

As far as Phonostar is concerned, @poleposition's 3G8035816 is recognised and the latest radio station version is reported as 'v1.31.50 from 31.03.2024'. My car has the same device part number but with a B suffix (3G8035816B) but Phonostar reports that part number isn't found, although I successfully installed v1.31.50 as specified for 3G8035816.

This suggests that Phonostar may not be fully up to date with what VW are shipping and it's anyone's guess when or if v1.31.56 will be updated or a newer version released for @poleposition's and my car.

Hi Impala. It looks like the download is for hardware versions H10, H11 & H12. My hardware version is H25. What a mess, they couldn't have made it any more complicated if they tried.
I love the car but the tech could and should be a lot better.

Regards John

 

[Scottydog90]

Hi Impala. It looks like the download is for hardware versions H10, H11 & H12. My hardware version is H25. What a mess, they couldn't have made it any more complicated if they tried.
I love the car but the tech could and should be a lot better.

Regards John

My hardware is H22 so @Impala can add to his chart as working with radio 56.
H22 Is close to your H25, so very unlucky as you'd have thought with having the latest hardware you'd have the latest radio software but then we are dealing with VW🤦

 

[LennytheLion]

My hardware is H22 so @Impala can add to his chart as working with radio 56.
H22 Is close to your H25, so very unlucky as you'd have thought with having the latest hardware you'd have the latest radio software but then we are dealing with VW🤦

To throw into the mix, v1.31.56 not working for me with HW H22, 3G5035820D, SW 0278