[syuan92]

So from what I've read on these forums, newer BMW models 2014/2015 BMW F30's have the ability to access SIRI by holding down the voice command button on the steering wheel? I have a 2013 AH3 with NBT (I'm pretty sure) and I was wondering if there is any chance that I will be able to get this functionality. I feel like it could be fairly useful especially when I'm on a long drive and I get a text message that I want to listen and respond to without fiddling for the home button on my iphone. Any thoughts?

Also, on another note, anybody enjoy satellite radio with their F30? I'm considering subscribing to it and maybe trying out the trial for a couple of months since I never even thought about using it.

[Halsifer]

It has to be coded in. I would check over in the coding forums:

http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=429

If you have the HU_NBT, I believe there is an option to code it in. You would have to learn how to code your vehicle or find someone to code it in for you.

[rking117]

Satellite --- I swore that we would never buy a subcsription to sat radio by when my prevous 1er came with the sat radio function already on and we were going on a long trip to th emountain that weekend. We fell in love wth it and have since had three cars with it (two at a time). I can certainly tell you that i enjoy listening to the news while driving sometimes and not jsut music. but the stations are very clear and you wont lose them as you travel. I hardly listen to FM any longer. I would try the free preview if you want to make a decision for yourself. Just plan it around a time when you will be in the vehicle to enjoy it.

Oh by the way this is post 900 for me. I am totally on this board too much... haha

[skypx]

Originally Posted by syuan92

Also, on another note, anybody enjoy satellite radio with their F30? I'm considering subscribing to it and maybe trying out the trial for a couple of months since I never even thought about using it.

If you listen to talk radio, sports or news then its awesome. If you listen to music it sounds worst than HD FM stations.

[Fronzdan]

I also thought I'd never PAY for satellite radio. Now I'm not so sure. I'm only a month into my first free year and I really enjoy the selection and variety. Granted, I have most of this music somewhere in iTunes, but it's nice to have someone else create the playlists for you. I also use it a lot more over the 'net and there, there are even more stations. We'll see at the end of the year.

To the OP, you can have your iPhone at least display/read your incoming text messages. I find this much easier than trying to do it "blindly" from Siri. You'd still use Siri to dictate messages yourself though, once you get that coded.

[warmtoes]

Originally Posted by skypx

If you listen to talk radio, sports or news then its awesome. If you listen to music it sounds worst than HD FM stations.

Completely agree. Music sounds like 64kb MP3's if not worse. The only redeeming thing is if you go on a lot of road trips where there aren't any radio stations between towns.

[MickAv8r]

Originally Posted by warmtoes

Music sounds like 64kb MP3's if not worse.

Thats because it literally is. Unless itts changed recently music is compressed to 39kb.

[adge7]

I am using ios 8 in its beta form, and a new feature is that you can say, "hey siri" to your phone to activate Siri. I've tried it out, and it works well.

[Halsifer]

Originally Posted by adge7

I am using ios 8 in its beta form, and a new feature is that you can say, "hey siri" to your phone to activate Siri. I've tried it out, and it works well.

Oh nice! I got the beta as well and have yet to try that out, kind of excited to now!

[Fronzdan]

So it's always listening and you can wake her/it up just by speaking, eh? So when you tried it, was this just with the phone? Or was it while connected to car via bluetooth? And the big question...was the mic on the device picking up your wake-up word? Or did it actually go over bluetooth using your car's mic. The way to tell is to cover up the iphone mic or put it inside something so you know the phone itself can't "hear" you. Reason being, if you have the iphone in the snap-in inside the arm rest, it's not going to be able to pickup the wake up, unless it can be done over bluetooth.

Hmm...I may update an iphone to the beta myself and play around with it.

[Halsifer]

Originally Posted by Fronzdan

So it's always listening and you can wake her/it up just by speaking, eh? So when you tried it, was this just with the phone? Or was it while connected to car via bluetooth? And the big question...was the mic on the device picking up your wake-up word? Or did it actually go over bluetooth using your car's mic. The way to tell is to cover up the iphone mic or put it inside something so you know the phone itself can't "hear" you. Reason being, if you have the iphone in the snap-in inside the arm rest, it's not going to be able to pickup the wake up, unless it can be done over bluetooth.

Hmm...I may update an iphone to the beta myself and play around with it.

Okay, so I just tested it out. Pretty sweet. On iOS 8, the "Hey Siri," feature is only actively listening while the phone is plugged in to a power source and from what I've tried, it only listens through the phone mic, even when connected to Bluetooth.
If Siri is activated while connected to your car, whether home button, BMW Voice Recognition button or "Hey Siri," it will activate the external dialogue, and then listen through the car microphone. Once done using siri through "External Dialogue", it will go back to listening to for "Hey Siri" through the phone mic.
Not sure how well it will work with your snap in, you may have to yell it, haha.

[Fronzdan]

Very cool. That makes sense cuz I I didn't think they could force the BT mic in the car to stay active. It would interfere with BMW voice activation. Probably will have to yell at her when it's snapped in. How funny would it be if she responded "Why are you shouting?"

[claykin]

Originally Posted by skypx

If you listen to talk radio, sports or news then its awesome. If you listen to music it sounds worst than HD FM stations.

I agree with the talk, news, sports.....Sat music sounds like AM stereo. Basically, horrible. Its not BMW's fault. Sat music can sound near CD quality, however Sirius/XM chose to sacrifice audio quality to pack in more channels. Anyone who was a very early XM subscriber back in 2001-2003 remembers near CD quality audio. back then XM even advertised their near CD audio quality. Boy, those days are OVER!

[skypx]

Originally Posted by claykin

Anyone who was a very early XM subscriber back in 2001-2003 remembers near CD quality audio. back then XM even advertised their near CD audio quality. Boy, those days are OVER!

Ah...... I always wondered why some people loved sat radio (music). Thanks for the info.

[Halsifer]

Originally Posted by Fronzdan

Very cool. That makes sense cuz I I didn't think they could force the BT mic in the car to stay active. It would interfere with BMW voice activation. Probably will have to yell at her when it's snapped in. How funny would it be if she responded "Why are you shouting?"

Haha, that would be very witty of her! Also keep in mind, the iOS 8 Beta is for developers so you have to either sign up as a developer ($99 per/year) or have someone else register your phone's UDID.

Although you could do the 'update' method which would be free, but very very buggy imo. Anyways, just food for thought.