I drove an FR DSG and manual back to back and didn't like the interference of the DSG overriding my gear selection, I like to be in total control.
I recently drove an S5 with tiptronic auto flappy paddle job. If I didn't keep interfering with the gear after so many 'seconds' it would revert to doing its own thing. I had it set to S mode. Is this an 'Audi' specific condition, or did I have the wrong setting turned on?
Using the paddles will allow gearshifts up/down manually whatever "mode" you are in be it "D" (Drive) or "S" (Sport) (but not allow overreving)
However, as you found out Warren, it will revert to regular "D" or "S" programming shortly afterwards, it is therefore a sort of "kickdown plus".
However had you selcted "D" (Drive) and pushed the gear lever to the left you would have entered the Tiptronic Gate which allows "manual" driving via the gear lever or paddles.
The only restraints on this are that the DSG will not change down until the point is reached where the engine could no longer overrev e.g. attempting say 6th to 2nd at 80 MPH, which no one should want to do anyway.
It will also "change itself" up slightly before reaching max permitted revs for the gear you are in if you do not do so manually
So in Tiptronic you can drive it "manually" but not overrev..............hope this makes sense