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Re: Radio Question
Phil Payne writes:
> In message <v03110708b07d647d7b7c@[206.106.147.12]> Phil and Judy Rose writes:
> > BTW, has anyone posted a rewiring of this setup so that the radio will be
> > "automatically" shut off with the ignition? It's one of my least-favorite
> > Audi idiosyncracies.
>
> Originally it was deliberate. Early 'advanced' radios forgot their presets if
> you cut power to them, and the only safe way to control them was via their own
> 'off' switch. Separate power to keep memories alive is a fairly new idea.
I doubt that the reason is to keep memory presets. The good old VW bug has
its radio wired directly, long before there was such a thing as electronic
station presets. This was a VW characteristic, and Audi simply inherited
it. This goes back a long ways...
I actually like it this way. It lets me use the radio without having
to have the ignition key on. It also avoids the "sudden radio blast"
situation with other cars when you switch the ignition on (at least this
is true of radios that turn off by turning the volume control knob all
the way down).
Mid 80s to early 90s Audis will sound the chime if you forgot to turn
off the radio and open the driver's door. This is to prevent the radio
from draining he battery.
In recent Audis, things are a lot more intelligent. The factory radio
will shut off when the key is removed, but you can turn it back on without
the key inserted, and it will play for an hour or so and automagically
shut off again (you can repeat the cycle). This addresses all issues
nicely. Also, the GALA-equipped radios will also turn on in a moderate
volume level if the original volume is high, avoiding the initial blast.
Recent VWs, unfortunately, has succumbed to the U.S.-style radio via
ignition scheme. The VW factory radios do not have the same smarts as
the Audi ones.
-Ti
96 A4 2.8 quattro
84 5000S 2.1 turbo
80 4000 2.0
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