Any updates on MOST integrated iPod system?

[DadsM]

[cobradav]

The folks over at E 9 0 P o s t.com seem to keeping pretty close tabs on this. The consensus seems to be September now. Some of the insiders claim some delay in getting it all right out of the gate.
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US '05 645 Coupe, Silver Grey, Chateau, Sport, Premuim Audio (Logic 7), HUD, Cold Wx Pkg, SIRIUS Sat Radio, Delivered w/CIP 15.2, Aux Input, using Cingular Motorola v551 (v557 as of 1/7/06) Bluetooth implementation w/ snap in adapter, V1 - not hardwired. Status Born on 1/25/05, baby delivered 2/25/05, broken in 3/25/05 Upgrade to CIP 16.2 on 3/15/05, upgrade to CIP 20.02 on 3/17/06 w/MP3 enabled - Great, great BMW!!

[DadsM]

[AndrewDP]

capability in iDrive? Also, will iDrive display the iPod menu with the same ability to scroll?

[cobradav]

Yes, replaces 6 CD Changer. Good description by one of the Roundel contributing editors, Jonathan Spira over on e 9 0 P o s t.com on the menu operation. Since I am not an iPod user I have not paid strict attention to this so do not know it off the top of my head.

http://www.e 9 0 p o s t.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22106&highlight=iPod (spaces so it does not get oopsed by roadfly.
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US '05 645 Coupe, Silver Grey, Chateau, Sport, Premuim Audio (Logic 7), HUD, Cold Wx Pkg, SIRIUS Sat Radio, Delivered w/CIP 15.2, Aux Input, using Cingular Motorola v551 (v557 as of 1/7/06) Bluetooth implementation w/ snap in adapter, V1 - not hardwired. Status Born on 1/25/05, baby delivered 2/25/05, broken in 3/25/05 Upgrade to CIP 16.2 on 3/15/05, upgrade to CIP 20.02 on 3/17/06 w/MP3 enabled - Great, great BMW!!

[howardmw]

I picked up the interface today from my dealer and installed it myself in about 2 hrs. The connection itself is simple: unplug 6 disk player, plug cable into interface, plug ipod cable into interface. All the work is in removing the glove compartment and running the cable through a hole you drill in the top of the glove box. In case anyone wants to try, here is instructions on removing the glove compartment:

http://www.openbmw.org/downloads/51%2016%20360%20-%20RA%20%20Removing%20and%20installing%20right%20g love%20box.pdf

Also, my car is a 1/05 build and it works fine even though BMW says it is only for 9/05 and newer. I think they mean that you need the MP3 retrofit update, which I already had. No code updates were needed to make the interface work. Also, you need to order a separate cover for $8 to cover the hole where the 6 disk changer used to be. My local dealer even honored the BMWCCA discount and gave me 15% off on the parts.

The sound quality is fantastic and the functionality, while not the most elegant, is still supurb. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys their ipod.

[howardmw]

The hardest part was squeezing the small plug through the rubber grommet. My suggestion is use a pair of needlenose pliars to stretch it open enough to get the plug through. Some muscle and finsesse and you too will succeed.

[cobradav]

answered one big remaining question many had and that was the pre 09/05 capability. I suspected it was similar to the MP3 claims made by BMW but you never know for sure until someone takes the time and $$ to test.
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US '05 645 Coupe, Silver Grey, Chateau, Sport, Premuim Audio (Logic 7), HUD, Cold Wx Pkg, SIRIUS Sat Radio, Delivered w/CIP 15.2, Aux Input, using Cingular Motorola v551 (v557 as of 1/7/06) Bluetooth implementation w/ snap in adapter, V1 - not hardwired. Status Born on 1/25/05, baby delivered 2/25/05, broken in 3/25/05 Upgrade to CIP 16.2 on 3/15/05, upgrade to CIP 20.02 on 3/17/06 w/MP3 enabled - Great, great BMW!!

[howardmw]

The part no. for the plastic cover for the hole to cover the former CD player is 51-16-7-114-806.

[AndrewDP]

The CD numbers that are in the pictures of the European installation in the link are a bit confusing.

[howardmw]

Its not terrific, but it works. They trick the stereo system into thinking the ipod is the CD changer. Instead of disks 1 through 6, disk 1 is playlists, disk 2 is sorted by artist, 3 is song, 4 is genre etc. You can just put in the ipod and select random and it will give you random songs from your entire ipod selection.

The best method, if you have time, is to premake your playlists. They are then easy to select and play.

Until full ipod integration is designed into the stereo/nav unit, this is a reasonable workaround, in mho.

[AndrewDP]

told me yesterday that they do not have the parts yet.

[howardmw]

...everytime I get back in the car it seems to take about 3 full minutes before the Ipod spools up and starts playing. Seemes to be related to the 1980's era computer processors used by BMW. Once it finally starts playing, though, it sounds absolutely perfect!

[braces_doc]

i had it installed earlier this week and it sounds fantastic! i am having trouble with the random play feature. it seems to do random for 1 or 2 songs and then just continue through the playlist in order. any ideas??

[howardmw]

I noticed the same thing. Workaround I found is to play the Random playlist in random order. That seems to keep playing in random order.