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Finally Ipod Integration Kit

12K views 50 replies 19 participants last post by  Tim_M 
#1 · (Edited)
Today I got the genuine Bmw Ipod Adaptor Kit and it works absolutely great:hihi: .

I've installed it by my own without problems within an hour. You have to remove the cd-changer in the glove box to mount the adapter. Then you connect your Ipod and it always stays in the glove box.

For the control of the ipod in the i-drive you have to access the virtual cd-changer an then you can switch between the virtual cd's.

cd1: playlist
cd2: artist
cd3: albums
cd4: genres
cd5: podcasts
cd6: songs

For the kit you need option SA672 or SA694.

Here is the installing instruction:

Installation instructions
 
#4 ·
what dension says...

bro, i saw your post and i was getting excited. i first wanted to call dice/dension in the U.S> and find out if they built it for them, etc. the guy wouldnt say but he did say he was aware of it, and that it was, per him, not a complete digital integration. it was an aux port, for a 3.5mm plug. he said he was quite familiar with it, had spoken to his local dealerhisp recently and checkedit out as well. atleast thats what he says. he went on to say they were just a bit away from having a full optical, digital fully integrated solution, not sure what exactly that means, and then again he worksfor dension not bmw, so not sure what he's gonna says, "oh yeah, their stuff is awsome. go ahead and buy it and dont wait for us. we're not in it for the money, just the furtherance of technology"....so take it witha grain of salt.

i just dont know. i'd love to have a full ipod integrated, i'd love to have my cdchanger as well. i'd love ot have the connection fully digital rather than analog thru the 3.5mm analog dongle.

anyone know how to satisfy my needs?

lastly, i saw a few posts about an AUX IN feature in the IDrive, and some notes about an AUX IN loose female port somewhere in the glvoe box, etc.

is that something that can be enabled AND keep CDCHanger 6changer, or does that have to be disabled?

what is wrong with people? you're putting together the best, why in the world not just give an extra digital or analog port, nice and easy. my chevy suburban has that. plug in and atleat you got something.

music rules. digital rules. ithrew out my 8tracks years ago.

rem said:
Today I got the genuine Bmw Ipod Adaptor Kit and it works absolutely great:hihi: .

I've installed it by my own without problems within an hour. You have to remove the cd-changer in the glove box to mount the adapter. Then you connect your Ipod and it always stays in the glove box.

For the control of the ipod in the i-drive you have to access the virtual cd-changer an then you can switch between the virtual cd's.

cd1: playlist
cd2: artist
cd3: albums
cd4: genres
cd5: podcasts
cd6: songs

For the kit you need option SA672 or SA694.

Here is the installing instruction:

Installation instructions
 
#5 ·
I just had the female AUX IN port put in and it works well. All you need is a male-male plug to connect the IPOD to the port in the glove-box. The sound is quite good, but not SACD/digital quality. I have to control the IPOD itself, as opposed to using the modified IDrive. I put that in as opposed to the IPOD adaptor because I wanted to save my CD changer and I know that BMW or another aftermarket company will have a much better solution that what exists right now.
 
#7 · (Edited)
I don't understand why you guys want to keep the CD Changer, it's only 6 CDs? A perfect iPod interface can hold all those CDs plus about a few 1000 more. Rip those CDs and put'em on your ipod.

The single CD player in the dash can still play 100 CDs in MP3 format on one CD disk and the single DVD player in the dash can play 1000 CDs in MP3 format one one DVD disk. The 6 CD changer won't even play MP3 files.

So, what is the hangup with that 6 CD changer? It sucks! If it's quality of audio you're worried about use the apple lossless format on your iPod and it's equivalent of the wav format of any CD.

Help me understand your desire to keep the old fashioned CD changer.....


??????
 
#10 · (Edited)
spgm6 said:
bro, i saw your post and i was getting excited. i first wanted to call dice/dension in the U.S> and find out if they built it for them, etc. the guy wouldnt say but he did say he was aware of it, and that it was, per him, not a complete digital integration. it was an aux port, for a 3.5mm plug. he said he was quite familiar with it, had spoken to his local dealerhisp recently and checkedit out as well. atleast thats what he says. he went on to say they were just a bit away from having a full optical, digital fully integrated solution, not sure what exactly that means, and then again he worksfor dension not bmw, so not sure what he's gonna says, "oh yeah, their stuff is awsome. go ahead and buy it and dont wait for us. we're not in it for the money, just the furtherance of technology"....so take it witha grain of salt.

i just dont know. i'd love to have a full ipod integrated, i'd love to have my cdchanger as well. i'd love ot have the connection fully digital rather than analog thru the 3.5mm analog dongle.

anyone know how to satisfy my needs?

lastly, i saw a few posts about an AUX IN feature in the IDrive, and some notes about an AUX IN loose female port somewhere in the glvoe box, etc.

is that something that can be enabled AND keep CDCHanger 6changer, or does that have to be disabled?

what is wrong with people? you're putting together the best, why in the world not just give an extra digital or analog port, nice and easy. my chevy suburban has that. plug in and atleat you got something.

music rules. digital rules. ithrew out my 8tracks years ago.
The electronic box is from Alpine an it has an optical input for digital sound quality, that's why you need to remove the cd-changer because you need the optical input .

Now we have an absolute perfect solution for an ipod integration and some of us miss the "oldfashionned" cd-changer, strange world:dunno:

I'll try to post some pictures tomorrow.
 
#11 ·
I burn every CD i have to wmv and mp3 format. i use mp3s for snowboarding, etc. and to go to the Gym, etc....my issue is that, according to what i read here and per my discussion with Dension, it is an analog connection. the cdrom, if i'm not mistaken, is digital throughout. dension says wait a month or two and they'll have an optical connection to connect to the unit.

so i guess i'm still trying to figure out if REM's solution is infact an optical/digital connection so you dont lose quality there. there is a huge difference between digital and analog sound. i dont like radio, however crisp relative to digital.

REM, i think you advised you thought the box installed was an Alpine. do you know the model #?. when i reviewed the installationinstructions for the BMW that you posted, it shows the AUX port, and an analog connection.

anyone have greater details.



snowball said:
I don't understand why you guys want to keep the CD Changer, it's only 6 CDs? A perfect iPod interface can hold all those CDs plus about a few 1000 more. Rip those CDs and put'em on your ipod.

The single CD player in the dash can still play 100 CDs in MP3 format on one CD disk and the single DVD player in the dash can play 1000 CDs in MP3 format one one DVD disk. The 6 CD changer won't even play MP3 files.

So, what is the hangup with that 6 CD changer? It sucks! If it's quality of audio you're worried about use the apple lossless format on your iPod and it's equivalent of the wav format of any CD.

Help me understand your desire to keep the old fashioned CD changer.....


??????
 
#12 · (Edited)
OK, so that still doesn't explain why keep the CD Changer when you do get the perfect ipod connection. (I said "A perfect iPod interface ") ??????

If you don't like the fact that the BMW ipod is possibly not a digital connection, wait till you can get one - that I do understand completely. But we still don't know the facts on that yet.

Rem, when you installed the kit, could you tell if it was digital or analog connection?

:blink:
 
#13 ·
rem said:
No need to reflash only plug&play;) .

Mine is oct 2005, but it should work with all e6X.
Again many thanks, Rem. I was leaning towards the "aux" route to retain use of the CD changer (I know, I know) but since you have kindly made us aware that the iPod Adaptor Kit can be self installed, I'll probably go that route.

The instructions attached by Rem indicate that the connection is fiber optic, so I imagine that it's digital. I would disagree that it is a perfect intergration, however, as piggybacking on the CD settings seems far different from duplicating the iPod interface.

Many of the topics raised in this thread are also addressed in http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=78705, including the still-rumored Dension solution that would retain the CD changer.
 
#14 ·
Can someone please post pics on this!!!! The CD Slot under the Navigation Slot, I believe is MP3 capable.
 
#15 · (Edited)
MP3 in DVD slot

bmw1986 said:
Can someone please post pics on this!!!! The CD Slot under the Navigation Slot, I believe is MP3 capable.
To my great dismay as an '05 645 owner, but delight as a future M6 owner, I tested an '06 650Ci at the dealeship last Fall, and indeed, the Nav DVD does play MP3 discs on a DVD disc. You lose navigation of course, but it only highlights that at DVD-A changer should replace the CD changer in the glove box regardless of what happens on the iPod front.

Approx 6 albums on the DVD I burned prior to the test (at high sample rate). "One disc to rule them all". A 6 DVD changer would be equivilent to about 35 CDs (maybe 350 songs). Not quite iPod territory but not a bad factory update IMO. They should still do a standard AUX input with iPod integration as standard equipment on the M5/M6 in addition to a DVD-A changer. Maybe an extra cost option on other 5er/6er models.
 
#19 ·
Gave them the part numbers but they told me these were non BMW part numbers. They then looked up the iPod for the M6 and said it wasn't available as yet. When I asked if there was a leadtime, I was told that there was no leadtime listed and 'its in when it's in'.

So, looks like REM needs to order us a whole bunch or we need to call a European stealer! Have you got a number for your dealer REM??
 
#20 · (Edited)
Guys,
Why not wait for the fully integrated iPod adapter from BMW? It's probably only a few months away, will be fully digital, and have more functionality! I guess I don't understand the impatience. I'm holding out until I can hear my music in pure digital format, period. What's the use of having the sweet HK Stereo if you are going to listen to an analog signal?!? It sounds noticeably worse!
 
#23 ·
Pukka means like the real McCoy, the real official thing. I think what Hunts is trying to say is he thinks this is the one & only solution that BMW will come up with, ie we are discussing here the one and only BMW IPOD interface...whereas you Holmes seem to think that this is not the final solution that BMW will come up with, and that a more integrated solution will be designed by BMW in the future....the real deal if you like = pukka
 
#25 ·
Thanks for the English, uh I mean Indian lesson:) If BMW's solution for the iPod is not completely digital, I'm gonna get on the "software bashing train" as well!! This seems incomprehensible!! I was told that it is not even available yet in NA and that it was a fully digital signal from iPod to speakers. Why would it not be?!?
 
#26 ·
holmesmd said:
Why not wait for the fully integrated iPod adapter from BMW? It's probably only a few months away, will be fully digital, and have more functionality! I guess I don't understand the impatience. I'm holding out until I can hear my music in pure digital format, period. What's the use of having the sweet HK Stereo if you are going to listen to an analog signal?!? It sounds noticeably worse!
I'm not sure what you are waiting for, but it could be a long wait.
There is no digital output from an iPod, it is always analog.
The BMW iPod "integration" leaves much to be desired, but it seems unlikely BMW will have another version anytime soon.
 
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