135i iDrive - USB & Mac iPods

[thattallchap]

Guys,

Quick question for you all, do any of the US folks use a Mac formatted iPod with the USB.

My Windows formatted Nano works fine, but i can't get my the car to recognise my Mac based 80Gb iPod??? - Confused from the UK

On a separate note, i have been reading a thread that states that you use the AuxIn and USB with your iPods!! - I just plug mine in with the Apple USB lead and it works perfectly. Perfect sound from the Dock connector.

Maybe you should try it without the splitter lead, as you are loosing sound quality. - Just thought i would share that with you all.

[thattallchap]

I take it there are no 135i drivers with Mac iPods. Pity - I could have really used the help.:iono:

[Numb3rs]

Originally Posted by thattallchap

Guys,

Quick question for you all, do any of the US folks use a Mac formatted iPod with the USB.

My Windows formatted Nano works fine, but i can't get my the car to recognise my Mac based 80Gb iPod??? - Confused from the UK

On a separate note, i have been reading a thread that states that you use the AuxIn and USB with your iPods!! - I just plug mine in with the Apple USB lead and it works perfectly. Perfect sound from the Dock connector.

Maybe you should try it without the splitter lead, as you are loosing sound quality. - Just thought i would share that with you all.

That is because Apple uses DRM (Digital Rights Management). They control how many devices a single song can be copied to and also control what type of devices the music can be outputted too.

That is why many people hate iTunes and iPods, etc. Just go with a MP3 player.

[john970]

If you just use the usb cord you aren't using the ipod, it just shows up as a hard drive. In this case it will only work with a windows partition as you mention.

If you actually want to use it as an ipod, you have to use the splitter. There won't be a noticeable reduction in sound quality (might even sound better if the head unit has a crappy DAC) and the songs should show up quicker as the head unit doesn't have to index the drive.

[sethchan]

Originally Posted by thattallchap

I take it there are no 135i drivers with Mac iPods. Pity - I could have really used the help.:iono:

Four hours is not a long time to wait.

Mine works fine with the cable supplied by BMW. Playlists and everything.

[60Driver]

Do you mean the iPod Classic? I read somewhere, sorry couldn't find where, that it only works with certain versions of the Classic.

[john970]

It works with any ipod with a doc connector (all but the shuffle) as long as it has the current firmware.

[beeme]

As a future 135i owner and mac user I'd be interested to know the answer to this one. Although I find it very odd that Apple would join with BMW to make an iPod adapter that would only worked with Win-formatted iPods.

Glad to hear that you can plug the ipod to the USB connector and get better sound.

[Hobdul]

Originally Posted by beeme

As a future 135i owner and mac user I'd be interested to know the answer to this one. Although I find it very odd that Apple would join with BMW to make an iPod adapter that would only worked with Win-formatted iPods.

I tested out the iPod connection today at a dealer with 335i sedan using my Mac-formatted iPod and my iPhone. Worked fine. I'd imagine it is the same in the 135.

[Larry_Legend]

When I tried out my friend's ipod on a 5 series, I had issues. Song names and artist names were all messed up. His nano did go through the wash and might not have had the correct firmware - but im not sure. Only reason I'm really getting the nav is for the iDrive. Anyone else have issues or is it probably just his iPod?

[bdardashti]

Originally Posted by Hobdul

I tested out the iPod connection today at a dealer with 335i sedan using my Mac-formatted iPod and my iPhone. Worked fine. I'd imagine it is the same in the 135.

I tested this feature with my Mac-formatted 1.1.4 16GB iPhone on a 135i and a 128i that my dealer had on the floor - both failed. I tried with a USB key and it worked fine. Any details? Maybe BMW will fix the issue with a software update?

I remember the E90's CD player did not work with CDs if you got iDrive at first - they fixed it in September 2005 with a software update.

[denial]

I have a Mac-formatted 8 gig iPhone 1.1.3 as well as a 4th gen iPod which work perfectly fine (although the shuffle option at times acts up). No issues otherwise whatsoever.

EDIT:

I guess I should mention this is on a non-I Drive equipped vehicle.

[bdardashti]

Originally Posted by denial

I have a Mac-formatted 8 gig iPhone 1.1.3 as well as a 4th gen iPod which work perfectly fine (although the shuffle option at times acts up). No issues otherwise whatsoever.

EDIT:

I guess I should mention this is on a non-I Drive equipped vehicle.

Interesting to see that your 1.1.3 iPhone works but my 1.1.4 does not. Is yours unlocked or are you running ATT? I ask because if its running ATT, I was going to ask if you'd mind upgrading to 1.1.4 to see if that function still works? (And if it doesn't you could downgrade back to 1.1.3).

EDIT: One user is suggesting that "you need the cable that has both the USB and 1/8 headphone male plug."
Is that what you're using? Or just a typical iPod USB cable?

[denial]

Originally Posted by bdardashti

Interesting to see that your 1.1.3 iPhone works but my 1.1.4 does not. Is yours unlocked or are you running ATT? I ask because if its running ATT, I was going to ask if you'd mind upgrading to 1.1.4 to see if that function still works? (And if it doesn't you could downgrade back to 1.1.3).

EDIT: One user is suggesting that "you need the cable that has both the USB and 1/8 headphone male plug."
Is that what you're using? Or just a typical iPod USB cable?

I'm running a 1.1.3 JB'd iPhone. I honestly wasn't planning on upgrading to 1.1.4 as I didn't feel like installing all the programs again. Was going to wait until the next big firmware release was out.

But as far as what cable I'm using, it's the BMW proprietary cable supplied with the 6FL option. In other words the one with the USB and 1/8 headphone plug, both plugged in.

[bdardashti]

So this cable plugs into the dock connector (into USB) and into headphone jack (into aux-in)?

Have you ever tried using a normal iPod USB cable to see how it works?

[denial]

Originally Posted by bdardashti

So this cable plugs into the dock connector (into USB) and into headphone jack (into aux-in)?

Have you ever tried using a normal iPod USB cable to see how it works?

Yes, the cable I am using plugs into both available ports--the USB and the headphone jack (as the cable was supplied with the 6FL option, no extra cost).

As far as using the standard iPod USB cable, I haven't. Want me to give it a go and let you know how it turns out?

[bdardashti]

Originally Posted by denial

Yes, the cable I am using plugs into both available ports--the USB and the headphone jack (as the cable was supplied with the 6FL option, no extra cost).

As far as using the standard iPod USB cable, I haven't. Want me to give it a go and let you know how it turns out?

Please, if you could do that I would appreciate it greatly. I tried with that and it said "insert" when I selected USB from the source list. In other words, it wasn't detecting my phone. So I don't understand how connecting an extra headphone plug into the phone/car helps the car "detect" the phone... :iono:

[denial]

Originally Posted by bdardashti

Please, if you could do that I would appreciate it greatly. I tried with that and it said "insert" when I selected USB from the source list. In other words, it wasn't detecting my phone. So I don't understand how connecting an extra headphone plug into the phone/car helps the car "detect" the phone... :iono:

Well, it could be that the supplied BMW 6FL cable is a little more complex than the standard USB iPod/iPhone cable (which is my sneaking suspicion). Will post back with results shortly.

[bdardashti]

If you could also try with the supplied cable WITHOUT the headphone cable, that would be awesome. Thanks. I'm thinking maybe the headphone cable is only for Aux-purposes and comes on vehicles without the 6FL option as well...maybe.

Thanks for your help!

[denial]

Here are the results:

iPod 4th Gen:
-Factor BMW cable: If I disconnected the 1/8 male headphone jack, the music would disappear.

-Apple USB cable: BMW interface would not recognize the presence of the iPod. Upon attempting to select the iPod, it would simply state "insert USB"


iPhone 1.1.3:
-Factor BMW cable: when fully connected the iPhone displayed a message asking if I wanted to place it in "airplane" mode (normal function--to reduce all the fuzz and whirls cell phones cause when in close proximity to speakers). Also, as before, when disconnecting the 1/8 headphone jack, the music disappeared.

-Apple USB cable: BMW interface would not recognize the presence of the iPod. Upon attempting to select the USB input option, it would simply state "insert USB." Also, when connecting to the car, the phone would start charging but would not prompt me and ask to be placed in "airplane" mode

[bdardashti]

Denial, thank you very much for the help. One last question: Adding 6FL option gives you a iPod USB cable, a 6" inch cable, and a headphone cable, correct? I'm only asking to make sure it is the same in Canada, because in all of BMW's test cars there is a 6-inch extension, but no USB cable or headphone cable....

Thanks again!

[denial]

Originally Posted by bdardashti

Denial, thank you very much for the help. One last question: Adding 6FL option gives you a iPod USB cable, a 6" inch cable, and a headphone cable, correct? I'm only asking to make sure it is the same in Canada, because in all of BMW's test cars there is a 6-inch extension, but no USB cable or headphone cable....

Thanks again!

I'm honestly not sure what the 6-inch extension you're talking about it is. But the cable that came with the 6FL option is a single Y cable, with the single end being the male iPod/iPhone plug, and the other ends being the 1/8 male headphone jack and the male-end USB cable.

EDIT:
Also, adding the 6FL option alone gives you the USB port in addition to the AUX port. The USB port does not come standard--only the AUX port is standard equipment. Just want to make sure we're on the same page.