iPod Your BMW - on Apple's home page

[rewind]

Pretty cool to finally see the confirmation. I thought the TV ad was pretty clever too - captures why I like to carry around my entire library around with me.

I also think I figured out what I previously thought was the arbitrary and strange limit of 5 playlists. I assume that BMW has 6 cd changers. I bet the adapter makes a playlist look like a CD slot. One "slot" would be occupied by "browse library" leaving 5 slots open for playlists. Does that sound right?

[Edited to include link]

http://www.apple.com/ipod/bmw/ Direct Link to Apple info (http://www.apple.com/ipod/bmw/)

[AndyH]

You are correct...from the BMW iPod site:
Your BMW iPod Adapter simulates the CD changer function in your audio system, allowing you to move between and view tack numbers in up to five BMW playlists. To choose one of your playlists, simply use the BMW Stereo control buttons labeled 1 to 5, or select button 6 go access your entire collection.
Also, the playlists need to be named BMW1 through BMW5.

[applejack]

This seems kinda lame to me. I have seen custom installs on this board that are way more functional and better looking than this. I don't wanna have to make a playlist everytime I go for a drive. I don't always like to listen to my library in random order either. I feel like my current install (http://www.brian-middleton.com/ipod/install.html) is more functional than this. I like to have access to the ipod and be able to see the full display. And there is no elegance in the way the ipod is connected. It just sits loose in the glovebox!

It is a step in the right direction, but not the best solution.

-b

[kloh]

I agree with applejack. If they were going to truly integrate it, they'd have found something better than a plug in the glove box. Weak.

[rewind]

applejack, some of your comments are off base. You obviously only have to create the "BMW" playlists once. They could be smart playlists at that. You don't have to listen in random order, but you can use the "shuffle" button on the radio to change back and forth, and you can see the track info displayed on your radio. The reason it is in the glovebox is because BMW's are setup to install CD changers in that location.

While your installation is nice, it doesn't allow you to control the iPod with the steering wheel controls, which I think is a big plus. I would like to have the track skip functions right there on the wheel rather than reach for the iPod. I'd have to use the BMW system before I could say if it is more or less functional that an iPod mounted in a holder.

That said, I think they could have included a nice pocket or something for the iPod in the glovebox. I was actually hoping for a cool "dock" that would fit in with the interior styling, something much more like the Smart iPod console.

[applejack]

rewind: I understand that you don't have to listen to the playlists or the library on random, but it seems like trying to navigate your ipod to find certain songs or albums on the stereo screen would be a pain. I realize that you only have to create the playlists once, but I'm sure you will want to update them.

And I don't disagree that steering wheel controls are better, but all in all I think custom installs fit the bill better than this BMW deal. Plus, custom installs are cheaper.

-b

[MusicManiac]

You know what? I think it's a good idea. I'd rather have a dock prominently placed on the dashboard. Or, I'd also rather have a pocket for the iPod with a dock and controls on the dash. But, that's not happening yet. For now, the I think that BMW's idea is excellent. They also mention that you can play your entire library. The integration is much easier than buying another kit. Plus, in another kit, do you get steering wheel integration? I don't think so. That's the coolest part. In other installation kits, the iPod works with the stereo system, but not the car. In this instance, the iPod works with the steering wheel, the stereo screen, and the entire car. It's also nice. Now BMW should add a little pouch in the glove compartment. They could make a fortune on a "BMW-branded" iPod case. It would be a new status symbol :).

[kloh]

I'm glad they're doing it, I just don't think they're doing a great job of it. The steering wheel controls are nice, but certainly not unique. There are other aftermarket products that can allow you to do the same thing. The stereo screen doesn't provide any true track info (as far as I can tell) but rather only "track 1" "track 2", etc. It's hardly useful if you have hundreds (or thousands) of songs in a playlist.

Don't get me wrong. I do like the fact that they are doing it. It's the first step to getting other auto manufacturers on board. But this is not integration, folks. And it most certainly is NOT "the first seamless integration of iPod and automobile" as they claim.

I'll get excited when someone puts out a product that will actually let you control the iPod and provide true playlist and track info.

-Ken

[oldgromit]

Ok I really love them, but... they keep coming up ways to yank my $$$ from my hands... now this is a kinda must-have for our bimmers, but... this requires dealer installation??? ahh... how much is that going to cost? any speculation? is this a easy DIY project? the adpater costs $150 alreay!! :mad:

[rewind]

What I'd like to see is a Smart i-move like dock with the (promised) integration of the Alpine iPodReady system. That would be perfect, I think.

[Guy Kuo]

Interesting to see that only the dock connector seems to be involved. That suggests that the dock connector does indeed carry control lines like those of the remote control jack. A single connection to get both audio and control is something I'd love to hack my system into accomplishing. Using the top jack for the remote control function is an extra cable connection to get rid of.

[ort]

So, do you really think it only says, "Track 1", "Track 2", etc... or was that just used as an example?

That would suck.

[MOCKBA]

Why it's limited to 5 lists? Should we update firmware? I hope this adapter can be integrated not only with BMW cars.

[kloh]

The BMW's that this is compatible with have a 6-disc changer and the adapter fools the car into thinking the iPod is 6 CDs. So, the 5 BMW playlists act like the first 5 CDs, and the 6th CD represents your entire library.

[rewind]

Originally posted by ort
So, do you really think it only says, "Track 1", "Track 2", etc... or was that just used as an example?
I'm hoping that they did that on purpose to avoid have to pay someone to show a real artist's info. I'm pretty sure everyone in the ad is an actor, not recording artists. Also, you'll notice that the drawing/sketch artwork on the BMW website shows "Track 01", etc. and the TV spot shows "TR 01", etc.

Does anyone have a BMW with changer that can tell us if it supports CD-TEXT or some other method of displaying track info from the changer? There is no info on the BMW web site (that I could find).

[rewind]

Originally posted by MOCKBA
Why it's limited to 5 lists? Should we update firmware? I hope this adapter can be integrated not only with BMW cars.
There are other adapters to connect an iPod to the aux input of a car stereo. None of the other (currently released) adapters allow you to control the iPod, they just carry the audio. Alpine is working on an iPodReady adapter that will allow control of the iPod from Ai-Net HE's.

P.S. is your username a transliteration of the Russian word for Moscow? I lived there for a couple years and I was curious.

[kloh]

If I'm not mistaken, ICE-link allows you to control similar functions on the iPod (play, skip, scan, volume)...they're all limited to anything that the apple remote can control. As long as there is a display interface, it would be great to actually be able to have scroll control. But I suppose Apple/BMW don't want to be responsible for people looking at the head unit and not the road.

[rewind]

Yes, that's true. The ICE-link allows for skip controls and the other controls will work on the iPod itself.

[MOCKBA]

Indeed ICE-link has the same functionality and can be integrated with more car makes. iPodYourBMW just added 6 more functions, like select one of 5 lists or random play. I expect that the 6 functions was reserved in remote interface for future usage. In this case I expect firmware update to give them a spin, unless 2.2 already included them.

PS yes MOCKBA can be read as Moscow in Cyrillic.

[Morfious]

Originally posted by kloh

I'll get excited when someone puts out a product that will actually let you control the iPod and provide true playlist and track info.

-Ken

Wait for Alpines iPod integration kit. This will allow you to actually view track info on teh head unit as well as controll the ipod from the head unit. In my understanding of teh BMW unit it will only say track 02, track 05 etc, not actual filenames. I am very interested in getting an M3 and iPod integration is a must!! I think I'll wait for the Alpine units to ship and see which is better, I'm thinking aftermarket is the only way to go!

[kloh]

An M3 would be awesome. It would be a shame to not have the best possible iPod integration in a car like that!

-Ken

[peacemaker]

hi,
in my opinion bmw should combine the Idrive, the head-up display and the ipodintegration to a perfect ipod-navigation-system ;-)

[kloh]

This seems like a slightly more integrated solution. A custom-designed cradle to fit in the car. However, it doesn't have steering wheel controls. From Apple UK: http://www.apple.com/uk/hotnews/articles/smart/

[MOCKBA]

Originally posted by peacemaker
hi,
in my opinion bmw should combine the Idrive, the head-up display and the ipodintegration to a perfect ipod-navigation-system ;-) Certainly, and it's the reason why iPod integration availalbe only for entry level cheap BMW. iDrive integration seems to be much more complicated.

[callanish]

Originally posted by MOCKBA
Certainly, and it's the reason why iPod integration availalbe only for entry level cheap BMW.


Like that cheap $55,000 M3 or affordable $70,000 X5 4.8is

[bhb399mm]

Originally posted by Guy Kuo
Interesting to see that only the dock connector seems to be involved. That suggests that the dock connector does indeed carry control lines like those of the remote control jack. A single connection to get both audio and control is something I'd love to hack my system into accomplishing. Using the top jack for the remote control function is an extra cable connection to get rid of.

I supose you're right.... alpine's beta unit also only have a dock conector, not a remote plug....

very interesting post... let me know if you hear anything else about the dock conector carying other data...

[bhb399mm]

Originally posted by callanish
Like that cheap $55,000 M3 or affordable $70,000 X5 4.8is

Neither the M3 or the X5 have idrive... i think thats what MOCKBA meant when s/he posted that....

by the way... if anyone has used idrive... its not that cool... kind of a pain in the ###

[MOCKBA]

Originally posted by callanish
Like that cheap $55,000 M3 or affordable $70,000 X5 4.8is Ha-Ha-Ha Ok. Which one you drive?

[callanish]

Originally posted by MOCKBA
Ha-Ha-Ha Ok. Which one you drive?

I was pretty sarcastic wasn't I :D

I am waiting on the delivery of a BMW 330ci with the ipod adapter and also waiting for delivery of an ipod mini from Apple to use with it, so my contribution right now on the forum is pretty useless, but my opinion is this. $149.00 for the adapter and $149.00 for the installation and I still can't make my mind up if I've done the right thing, but I'm hoping I won't be disappointed. If truth be known, I'd probably have been happy with a built in MP3 CD player like BMW's Mini cooper option and burned music onto MP3 CD's, rather than have spent $300 on the adapter, and $250.00 on the ipod mini, but that's not an option with BMW outside of the Mini. Now, I know I'll get a lot of use out of the Ipod mini outside of the car, but its just the principle behind having a player connected to the car. Living in Las Vegas with all its heat and my mind is already working on overtime as I'm worried I'll leave the player accidently in the glove compartment while the car is in the sun and I know I'll end up destroying it pretty fast as temperatures can reach as high as 150 degrees inside a car; also, If I park in Valet, forget to bring my valet key, forget to lock my glove box, come back to valet, and someone steals it, will I only end up spending less time enjoying it and more time worrying about it.

It's stupid stuff like that where I think do I really need the hassle. Was it just an impulse buy to have the latest and greatest, yet when it comes to real world practicle use, did I just throw money out the window. I guess I'm being pessimistic about the whole deal, but until I'm physically using it and enjoying it, so far I'm a bundle of nerves about an adapter I don't have, a car I don't have, and a player that, not only don't I have it, but I've already destroyed it and it's also been stolen before I've uploaded my first song to it. Pretty sad, isn't it!

[d2mini]

To me, this thing is pointless and a waste of money. For $40 you can buy the BMW Aux Adapter which is basically a headphone jack that you can mount anywhere and it plugs into the back of the stock stereo. I just left mine behind the stereo. My ipod is attached to the interior of my mini using a ProclipUSA holder. The Belkin Auto kit works great and plugs into the cigarette lighter adapter right below the ipod. Other than seeing the white Belking plug and the white wire going to the ipod's docking jack, it's a very clean install. So unless you just can't stand the sight of the ipod, why spend all that money on the BMW solution? You have to have bmw specific playlists and you can't display the names of the tracks on the stereo. WTF?! I can still adjust volume with my steering wheel controls, i just can't change tracks with it. Big deal. Track forwarding/reversing and hiding the ipod is not worth the price of a second ipod. Once they figure out how to gain full functionality of the ipod and display the track names/info, then it will be worth considering.

[bhb399mm]

Originally posted by d2mini
For $40 you can buy the BMW Aux Adapter which is basically a headphone jack that you can mount anywhere and it plugs into the back of the stock stereo.

Very good point. Do you have any idea if this accessory is available with the idrive system? My dad just got a 645 coupe and hes interested in hooking up an MP3 player (not ipod... but hes thinking about getting one soon) to his car.

I'm going to do an ICE-Link instal in my S4 when i get time this summer, which seems pretty similar to the BMW solution, minus the playlist confusion.

[MOCKBA]

Originally posted by callanish
I was pretty sarcastic wasn't I :D

.....having a player connected to the car. Living in Las Vegas with all its heat and my mind is already working on overtime as I'm worried I'll leave the player accidently in the glove compartment while the car is in the sun and I know I'll end up destroying it pretty fast as temperatures can reach as high as 150 degrees inside a car; also, If I park in Valet, forget to bring my valet key, forget to lock my glove box, come back to valet, and someone steals it, will I only end up spending less time enjoying it and more time worrying about it.
I left iPod many times in the glove compartment when sun shined and it was around 100F just outside. However iPod is still working fine. It doesn't mean that it's Ok to keep it there all time, however to be too paranoic isn't well either.

bhb399mm
You can suggest to trade 645 for CLS. MB supply DVD MP3 player, so he should get near of 9GB music from double layer disk. Say more MB displays sound title on command monitor and provide advanced navigation. Accordingly some not confirmed rumors, new S class will have 6 disk DVD changer with MP3 playback, that's obviously beats any iPod capacity,

[telegramdan]

are they going to make this available for the Mini Cooper as well?

[ort]

For what it's worth, when Steve Jobs was talking about this at the Developer's Conference, he said that it "displays track names on the stereo" while discribing the features. Maybe he mispoke, or maybe he considers "track 1" to be a track name, I don't know. But he did say it.

[bhb399mm]

Originally posted by MOCKBA

bhb399mm
You can suggest to trade 645 o paranoic isn't well either.for CLS. MB supply DVD MP3 player, so he should get near of 9GB music from double layer disk. Say more MB displays sound title on command monitor and provide advanced navigation. Accordingly some not confirmed rumors, new S class will have 6 disk DVD changer with MP3 playback, that's obviously beats any iPod capacity,

i supose he could do that... but the Mercedes CLS isnt avaliable in the United States

he could trade in for the CLK500 ... but with the same tested 0-60mph time (5.3 seconds), MB has nothingt to throw at the 645.

[nindustrial]

does anyone know the band-list from the tv commercial [http://www.apple.com/ipod/bmw/ad/]?? i would love to get some of the songs from that ad, especially the last one with the three people in the back of the car, one of whom is wearing the skeleton gloves - and he gestures in time to turn the music off..

thanks in advance..

[random person]

Well I just bought a BMW 330xi and I will be getting the Ipod adaptor installed on July 15th -- making me one of the first to accessorize my Ipod with a BMW! (The adaptor release date is July 12).

When I get it I will post my impressions.

One thing I will say is that the cost is $149 for the adaptor and $100 for installation. It is then integrated with the steering wheel which is really incredibly awesome. I don't know about track name display but frankly I don't care -- I just wanna listen, not read the track names. And I certainly won't miss messing around with the Ipod itself to change or select music.

For long drives, my plan is to create genre-specific playlists with tons of tracks on them -- one for jazz, one for trance, you get the idea. Just so I have a lot of music on the go without having to think about it. The steering wheel integration is a major convenience and safety factor.

While I am sure there are other options I don't want to have any wires anywhere visible in this car. It's a gorgeous interior and doesn't need extra cords strewn about!

I can't say that I picked the BMW cuz of the Ipod gizmo but it definitely was a factor! A way cool factor!

Too bad I had to give up the idea of Sirius Radio to do it, but I decided that my music was more important to me than Sirius Radio, and you can't have both with this installation.

I will let you all know what it's like when I get it.

Callenish -- relax! The car is awesome! Ipod is aawesome! You won't leave it in the car to melt and you're gonna love the whole rig!

[callanish]

you're right. I just went through one of those anxiety phases ( pre-purchase jitters), but now I'm looking forward to the car, the ipod mini and the adapter.

[random person]

callanish -- Ahh, that phase is totally normal. In marketing-speak we call this "post purchase dissonance" -- which is, "ohmigod I just spent some serious coin -- did I do the right thing?"

When you spend a LOT of money you tend to have the potential for a LOT of post-purchase dissonance, which you then have to spend serious time reducing. Hence the activity called "reducing post-purchase dissonance." What does that? Well, posts like "I just got this way cool . . . " or lots of extra research to hear that others have bought the same thing and like it, etc. Or constantly talking to people about what you just did, hoping for simple reassurance.

Unfortunately, in the act of attempting to reduce post-purchase dissonance you can have some bad experiences which might make your dissonance worse -- like some of the posts here, you know the usual "Why spend that kind of money when you can do it yourself for $25 in only 8 or ten hours and using only a chainsaw."

The moral is I can tell that you feel better already!