For the longest time I couldn't figure out what you were trying to do with the CD changer... now I see. A little bit excessive to install the changer to get it to work with the OEM head unit (buying a new head unit would be much cheaper), but it might be interesting considering I already have a changer... I was going to get rid of it to install the Empeg, but now I see I don't have to. The only thing that bothers me about this setup is that the CD changer is always playing, and that the VW head unit will display that. But that's just a minor annoyance. At least now I don't have to go out and buy the Blitzsafe adapter. Which i wasn't going to to anyway....

Get the VW CD Changer. This once is unfortunate, but you have to bite the bullet... Unless you can program your Empeg to imitate the CD changer (via the DATA port), which is unlikely, there is no way your radio will switch to CD mode

I was going to do this (with a microcontroller, not the Empeg) because I'm too cheap to buy the Blitsafe adapter. Obviously, I don't place a very high value on my time. Actually though, emulating the changer to keep the CD channel on the OEM head unit alive is pretty easy - it could be done in an afteroon. But I'm a little bit crazy, and decided to figure out the complete VW communications protocol between the changer and head unit. I'll post the information somewhere when I finish getting it all together.

As for programming the Empeg to emulate the CD changer and avoid using the Blitzsafe adapter... that probably could be done. I don't know too much about hacking the Empeg, but a little circuit to hook up the serial port and set it to constantly send out garbage data would be enough to do the job.