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      02-29-2012, 05:40 PM   #1
jgrasty
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iPod not working

I have a 328i with Premium Sound Package, no Nav, no BMW Assist. When I plug an iPod mini with a y-cable into the USB port and the 3.5mm into the AUX port, the iPod is not seen by the car. The iPod goes into the same mode as if syncing with a computer and charging, and the iPod does not show up in the "External Devices" on the CD/Multimode menu on iDrive. Because the iPod is in this mode, I can't play any music with it. The audio controls on the steering wheel can't be used to select a song.

When I plug my iPhone4 into the same connectors, the iPhone doesn't show up on the iDrive menu either, but I can play music (or anything else) using the iPhone apps such as iTunes or Pandora. However, the steering wheel controls can't be used to select songs on the iPhone, either.

If I plug a USB stick into the USB socket, I can see and play songs on the USB stick, select songs, etc. I can see the songs on iDrive.

A couple of photos:




Is this normal behavior with an iPod / iPhone?
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      02-29-2012, 05:52 PM   #2
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There have been issues with the ipod cables not being compatable(sp). Try a OEM 6FL option cable
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      02-29-2012, 06:11 PM   #3
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Ipod mini might be to old...
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      02-29-2012, 06:17 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by justinnum1 View Post
Ipod mini might be to old...
I don't think it's that at all, more likely that it's the cable. I tried using just an iPod cable, then an iPod Y cable that was not an authentic BMW cable (didn't work). I then went online for an OEM BMW iPod cable on ebay and BAM it works the first time.

I believe the cable goes for $70 officially but you should be able to get it for about half on ebay.

Good luck.
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      02-29-2012, 06:25 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 200Duece View Post
There have been issues with the ipod cables not being compatable(sp). Try a OEM 6FL option cable
Quote:
Originally Posted by wdlv View Post
I don't think it's that at all, more likely that it's the cable. I tried using just an iPod cable, then an iPod Y cable that was not an authentic BMW cable (didn't work). I then went online for an OEM BMW iPod cable on ebay and BAM it works the first time.

I believe the cable goes for $70 officially but you should be able to get it for about half on ebay.

Good luck.
There you go
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      02-29-2012, 06:32 PM   #6
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Suspecting the cable, too. I'll try a better quality one this time.
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      02-29-2012, 06:57 PM   #7
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A little off topic but how is the premium sound package? Is it worth the upgrade?
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      02-29-2012, 07:41 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jgrasty View Post
Suspecting the cable, too. I'll try a better quality one this time.
Try the Y cable without the aux in. The system shouldn't need the aux in to read from USB. What it does is it streams the music file being listened to from the iPod. With aux in, along with USB, the iPod/iPhone detects the USB and thinks, "Oh I need to lock down music so that nothing can access it except the system connected through USB." This is why you can't even play music on your iPhone 4. With just aux in, it streams the decoded analog data to your stereo that is simply amplified. In the case of aux in, think of your stereo as really fancy earbuds. However, I would imagine that, just as how the iPod/iPhone defaults to giving USB priority, the stereo in the car gives priority to aux in. Kind of silly if you ask me.

As for the stereo simply not recognizing Apple's official USB cable, that's just shoddy. There is absolutely no reason why that should happen if the cable still works with your computer. At least there's not a good reason.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Valentin View Post
A little off topic but how is the premium sound package? Is it worth the upgrade?
I was actually wondering this myself.
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      02-29-2012, 07:54 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Valentin View Post
A little off topic but how is the premium sound package? Is it worth the upgrade?
I love it
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      02-29-2012, 08:02 PM   #10
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I can't say how the Premium Sound compares to the standard stereo, because I've not heard the standard one, but the Premium Sound is great, better than any sound system I've had before. I've not used an iPod in any of my cars before, but the sound was so good with Sirius I decided to try the iPod and so I bought a $6 cable on Amazon. Should have bought a better one, it seems.

BTW, already boxed up the cable and sent it back to Amazon, so I can't try your suggested test. When I put the iPod or iPhone on a real Apple cable (without AUX IN, of course), it just says "Not supported", but it does charge the iPod and iPhone.
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      02-29-2012, 08:03 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jgrasty View Post
I can't say how the Premium Sound compares to the standard stereo, because I've not heard the standard one, but the Premium Sound is great, better than any sound system I've had before. I've not used an iPod in any of my cars before, but the sound was so good with Sirius I decided to try the iPod and so I bought a $6 cable on Amazon. Should have bought a better one, it seems.

BTW, already boxed up the cable and sent it back to Amazon, so I can't try your suggested test. When I put the iPod or iPhone on a real Apple cable (without AUX IN, of course), it just says "Not supported", but it does charge the iPod and iPhone.
sounds like you will need the black y cable from bmw, i just took it from another one of my bmw's and it worked fine.
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      02-29-2012, 08:22 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by justinnum1 View Post
sounds like you will need the black y cable from bmw, i just took it from another one of my bmw's and it worked fine.
I just bought a BMW cable off eBay, so hopefully that'll solve the problem.
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      02-29-2012, 09:42 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jgrasty View Post
I can't say how the Premium Sound compares to the standard stereo, because I've not heard the standard one, but the Premium Sound is great, better than any sound system I've had before. I've not used an iPod in any of my cars before, but the sound was so good with Sirius I decided to try the iPod and so I bought a $6 cable on Amazon. Should have bought a better one, it seems.

BTW, already boxed up the cable and sent it back to Amazon, so I can't try your suggested test. When I put the iPod or iPhone on a real Apple cable (without AUX IN, of course), it just says "Not supported", but it does charge the iPod and iPhone.
In the meantime you can stream from your iPhone over bluetooth. How is another question since I don't actually own a BMW yet. An easier solution would be to pick up a 3.5mm cable. Best Buy has them cheapest, but you have to get the Dynex male-to-male cable in the home theater section or else you'll be spending around $20. Last time I checked, they sold the cable I am talking about for $4-5.

Last edited by mkeath; 02-29-2012 at 09:48 PM..
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      02-29-2012, 09:48 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mkeath View Post
In the meantime you can stream from your iPhone over bluetooth. How is another question since I don't actually own a BMW yet.
You need the enhanced bluetooth option, i think its likt $600, but you cant bluetooth stream if you dont have the option.
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      02-29-2012, 09:58 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by justinnum1 View Post
You need the enhanced bluetooth option, i think its likt $600, but you cant bluetooth stream if you dont have the option.
Might as well fork over the money for the cradle. Somewhat absurd that this is an optional feature.

EDIT: Oh it's packaged with BMW Assist. Nice.
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      02-29-2012, 10:08 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mkeath View Post
Might as well fork over the money for the cradle. Somewhat absurd that this is an optional feature.

EDIT: Oh it's packaged with BMW Assist. Nice.
Actually not...
AFAIK, you need BMW Apps ($250) for the cradle to work and that forces you to get BMW Assist ($650). And then you need to purchase the cradle separately for ~$200.

Sure would be nice to know if there is a way to stream audio files from the iPod using the USB cable without BMW Assist, which should also give you basic control via iDrive. The base system can do this from a USB drive.
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      02-29-2012, 10:08 PM   #17
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I don't have BMW Assist / Enhanced Bluetooth, so I can't stream audio from my iPhone.
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      02-29-2012, 10:11 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pcbrew View Post
Actually not...
AFAIK, you need BMW Apps ($250) for the cradle to work and that forces you to get BMW Assist ($650). And then you need to purchase the cradle separately for ~$200.

Sure would be nice to know if there is a way to stream audio files from the iPod using the USB cable without BMW Assist, which should also give you basic control via iDrive. The base system can do this from a USB drive.
Streaming from a USB stick works great.
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      02-29-2012, 10:13 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jgrasty View Post
I don't have BMW Assist / Enhanced Bluetooth, so I can't stream audio from my iPhone.
Right, no BT streaming.
But, what about streaming digital audio files for the head unit to decode.
This works from a thumb drive on a base 328i.
Any way to do this from ipod without BMW Assists (maybe special Apple certified cable, etc.)?

Last edited by pcbrew; 02-29-2012 at 10:13 PM.. Reason: fix typos
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      03-01-2012, 01:06 AM   #20
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If you only have the Standard 6NH option you cannot just use the Ipod USB cable.
You will need the BMW Y Cable.

With the Assist and enhanced USB option ( 6NL) you can just use teh Ipos USB cable
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      03-01-2012, 02:38 AM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by E90Fleet
If you only have the Standard 6NH option you cannot just use the Ipod USB cable.
You will need the BMW Y Cable.

With the Assist and enhanced USB option ( 6NL) you can just use teh Ipos USB cable
Frustrating that BMW don't make this clearer in their literature, or better yet make it standard, but maybe that's just me.

I think you've covered this in another post (or two) but am I correct in understanding that without enhanced features the car cannot accept/read audio from an Apple product via the standard apple cable and apple Y cables? This would be because only the BMW Y cable includes the circuitry that makes this possible (it has a small in-line switching box that does the business).

The downside of course is that the sound signal is sent care of the Aux input rather than digitally but from what I've read on this forum the sound is pretty good, particularly for those of us who've ordered the premium Harmon Kardon system.
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      03-01-2012, 05:50 AM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PrinceBarin View Post
Frustrating that BMW don't make this clearer in their literature, or better yet make it standard, but maybe that's just me.

I think you've covered this in another post (or two) but am I correct in understanding that without enhanced features the car cannot accept/read audio from an Apple product via the standard apple cable and apple Y cables? This would be because only the BMW Y cable includes the circuitry that makes this possible (it has a small in-line switching box that does the business).

The downside of course is that the sound signal is sent care of the Aux input rather than digitally but from what I've read on this forum the sound is pretty good, particularly for those of us who've ordered the premium Harmon Kardon system.
Yes, you are correct.
Being from the UK you can also get Apple USB functionality with European option 6NK, Enhanced USB without Assist ( or pro Nav, not sure about business Nav)
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