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      11-19-2011, 12:51 AM   #1
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Another audio question - USB or not to be?

I have ordered the Pro Nav package in the UK which includes 6NL (USB and bluetooth and voice control).

I plan to use my blackberry for phone over Bluetooth and/or my iPhone 4S (one is work and one is Personal). I am going to get the Iphone snap in adapter which will just charge the phone and connect it to the antenna.

I am going to use the USB port for music.Which iPod devices support album cover art (thinking of the latest gen Nano)? Or, could I use a USB drive and still get cover art? Or would I be better off streaming over Bluetooth from the IPhone?

When I tried Bluetooth streaming with the test vehicle the interface was less good than with an iPod plugged into USB (no cover art)- has this improved with iOS5/BMW updates?

The car is being built this week so answers that say get option 6NR may not be helpful! I thought about it and decided that I was quite happy not to have that extra option.

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      11-19-2011, 01:37 AM   #2
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get the 6NR... BMW is constantly working on improving the services available on this. for the small investment it is, its worth it. You may not use it now... but down the road you might wish you gotten it.
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      11-19-2011, 02:49 AM   #3
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6NR not an option

I don't want any of the features of 6NR. I am not a big fan of twitter or Facebook in a car and with capped and likely to be further capped/charged mobile data (that is the trend in the UK) the idea of streaming to the car (radio) is never likely to fly.

So - let's start with no 6NR. What are the bet combos of connection to USB and Bluetooth?
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      11-19-2011, 03:26 AM   #4
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Unfortunately I know little about the 6NF as this option was not available to me back in January.
Like you, as I wished to have full media functionality using both the USB and armrest telephone cradle connections I was forced down the 6NF + 6NK route. Using a BMW 'Y' USB cable my iPod Classic works perfectly via iDrive/steering wheel controls.
After some difficulty (thanks to the perseverance of my dealer) I now enjoy full media & phone functionality with both my iPhone 4S and 3GS, using the appropriate cradle.
My 4S would not work with an older 4 cradle!
I have now been supplied with a MOG(?) cradle (part No to follow). This has a fan built in and now works a treat with the 4S.
To be fair to the dealers they are still learning about all of the options available and as there are bugs in the systems it make it very hard for then to keep up with developments.
Hope this helps?
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      11-19-2011, 03:35 AM   #5
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Artwork will appear regardless if you embed it correctly as an ID3 tag. iTunes doesn't always do this correctly. Most mp3 devices with correctly embedded artwork will work over USB including all iPods and iPhones released over the last few years. There's a thread on how to embed en masse. Search album artwork
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      11-19-2011, 03:37 AM   #6
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And I second the call to get 6NR if you have an iPhone regardless of whether you like or need what is available now. You'll be future proofing. The apps will get better
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      11-20-2011, 02:53 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TogMogX3 View Post
Unfortunately I know little about the 6NF as this option was not available to me back in January.
Like you, as I wished to have full media functionality using both the USB and armrest telephone cradle connections I was forced down the 6NF + 6NK route. Using a BMW 'Y' USB cable my iPod Classic works perfectly via iDrive/steering wheel controls.
After some difficulty (thanks to the perseverance of my dealer) I now enjoy full media & phone functionality with both my iPhone 4S and 3GS, using the appropriate cradle.
My 4S would not work with an older 4 cradle!
I have now been supplied with a MOG(?) cradle (part No to follow). This has a fan built in and now works a treat with the 4S.
To be fair to the dealers they are still learning about all of the options available and as there are bugs in the systems it make it very hard for then to keep up with developments.
Hope this helps?
I spoke too soon as after a day my iPhone Media (no MOG) cradle has again stopped working correctly in my car! Yes, I too think that the fault is defiantly in the car itself and all this cradle swapping is resolving nothing.
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      11-23-2011, 02:01 PM   #8
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Hi there, why my ipod doesn't play thru usb port? or it should be thru aux? or is it because i didnt have prof nav? i only have business nav
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      11-23-2011, 02:10 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by degarfs View Post
Hi there, why my ipod doesn't play thru usb port? or it should be thru aux? or is it because i didnt have prof nav? i only have business nav
Your iPod should still work.
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      11-23-2011, 02:12 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TogMogX3 View Post
I spoke too soon as after a day my iPhone Media (no MOG) cradle has again stopped working correctly in my car! Yes, I too think that the fault is defiantly in the car itself and all this cradle swapping is resolving nothing.
I too noticed that blue tooth settings get affected when I connect my iPhone directly to USB port. In such cases I needed to do something like reestablish pairing. In short, the current iDrive system is still not perfect or I do not understand it correctly.
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      11-23-2011, 02:21 PM   #11
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All works fine via the normal cable.. dont see the point in buying the cradle at the prices they charge.. and it means taking the bumper off the phone each time which is a pain.. and i've never noticed any improvement on signal when using a cradle personally
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      11-23-2011, 02:46 PM   #12
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Update - Phone cradle vs USB/AUX Ports.

Audio playback is only possible from a phone installed in an armrest cradle when the Aux port (below the USB port) does not have a cable fitted. Please find below an extract from my dealer who was at a loss to understand why audio from my phone was no longer possible.
*
"What we have discovered is that within the AUX connector there is a signalling changeover switch to the eject box which is all part of where your phone cradle plugs into. This switched changeover signal is used to determine which source of audio is going to be processed for audio playback. When the AUX wire is plugged into the AUX socket, the audio signal from the i-pod is the source for audio playback. This switchover also initiates the display of information about the album, track, play time etc to be displayed on your i-drive screen. When the AUX lead is removed, the switchover within the AUX socket signals that the audio source to be played back is now to be from the (eject box) i-phone 4S".
*
In short what this means is that you can only expect to hear the audio from your phone if an AUX cable is not fitted. Having the phone and iPod connected will mean that only iPod sound is possible. This fact is not currently published by BMW!
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      11-23-2011, 02:59 PM   #13
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Update - Phone cradle vs USB/AUX Ports.

Audio playback is only possible from a phone installed in an armrest cradle when the Aux port (below the USB port) does not have a cable fitted. Please find below an extract from my dealer who was at a loss to understand why audio from my phone was no longer possible.
*
"What we have discovered is that within the AUX connector there is a signalling changeover switch to the eject box which is all part of where your phone cradle plugs into. This switched changeover signal is used to determine which source of audio is going to be processed for audio playback. When the AUX wire is plugged into the AUX socket, the audio signal from the i-pod is the source for audio playback. This switchover also initiates the display of information about the album, track, play time etc to be displayed on your i-drive screen. When the AUX lead is removed, the switchover within the AUX socket signals that the audio source to be played back is now to be from the (eject box) i-phone 4S".
*
In short what this means is that you can only expect to hear the audio from your phone if an AUX cable is not fitted. Having the phone and iPod connected will mean that only iPod sound is possible. This fact is not currently published by BMW!
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      11-23-2011, 07:55 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by alokbhargava View Post
I too noticed that blue tooth settings get affected when I connect my iPhone directly to USB port. In such cases I needed to do something like reestablish pairing. In short, the current iDrive system is still not perfect or I do not understand it correctly.
totally agreed
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      11-24-2011, 10:32 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by alokbhargava View Post
I too noticed that blue tooth settings get affected when I connect my iPhone directly to USB port. In such cases I needed to do something like reestablish pairing. In short, the current iDrive system is still not perfect or I do not understand it correctly.
You do always have to re-establish BT pairing each time you plug in using USB. It's annoying but you only have to go to the BT settings screen - you don't have to completely unpair and re-pair. Can't remember the exact process but I've posted it somewhere before. I don't get this problem using my cradle, the BT pairing isn't affected
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      11-24-2011, 11:44 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sfax View Post
?....... I don't get this problem using my cradle, the BT pairing isn't affected
surprised knowing that cradle can handle this issue!
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