Ipod/Usb and Navigation.

M34lnch · 09-03-2009, 07:06 PM

Hey guys,
So I've decided to splurge and get the Nav for my 135i coupe. Since the Nav comes with a USB port in the glove compartment, do I really need to spend $400 for Ipod/USB?

I intend to load music onto the Nav hard drive via USB in the glove. I can sync any smart phone using the bluetooth that comes with the premium package.

Am I missing something? Also, doesnt the car still come with a RCA port underneath the armrest?

JimD · 09-03-2009, 07:34 PM

I do not have the Nav so this is based upon others comments. But several people have reported that the USB in the glovebox does not work for ipods. It is used to load information onto the NAV hard drive. You could load music there using it but to play the songs on your ipod from your ipod, you need to use the accessory port in the arm rest. But if you do not also have the USB, which you get with the option you mention, you will not be charging the ipod. So you can play the music as long as your battery holds up.

I play MP3s from my Garmin Nav using the accessory port in the arm rest. It works well for me because my Garmin is also plugged into the cars battery.

Jim

SVT2BMW · 09-03-2009, 08:04 PM

The idrive is worth it. I was going to buy one without it but once i saw what it does i had to have it. If you do not get the ipod adapter I am not sure how you would hook it up since they told me that you have to plug it into the USB and the AUX port. I guess you would have to make your own which is possible. I just rather get something that works and I do not have to try to make something because I know I wont do it. The only thing is my USB and AUX is under the arm rest.

touareg · 09-03-2009, 08:11 PM

If you'll be using just the hard drive for music, then you don't need the iPod/USB option.

Without the iPod/USB option, you still get the audio input jack under the armrest, so you can still plug in any run-of-the-mill MP3 player using the AUX jack, but you won't be able to control the MP3 player using iDrive.

I have the iPod/USB option with a 32GB USB stick plugged in, so I can access all of my music in the iDrive, without having to upload music. Also the hard drive is too small to fit all my music onto it...

M34lnch · 09-03-2009, 10:36 PM

Toureg, you have NAV+PDC. I heard you get a rear camera. Is that true? I know, it's off topic.

Back to the topic: So, why would I want to control the Ipod via Nav when I can use the Nav interface to sift through all the music on the hard drive? I heard the Nav interface is pretty slick to navigate the music on the hard drive...

I guess I'm saying.. I would never hook up the Ipod/Iphone at all. Just dump everything on the hard drive and be done. Comments?

former · 09-03-2009, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M34lnch

Toureg, you have NAV+PDC. I heard you get a rear camera. Is that true? I know, it's off topic.

Back to the topic: So, why would I want to control the Ipod via Nav when I can use the Nav interface to sift through all the music on the hard drive? I heard the Nav interface is pretty slick to navigate the music on the hard drive...

I guess I'm saying.. I would never hook up the Ipod/Iphone at all. Just dump everything on the hard drive and be done. Comments?

Here's my issue with loading music to the hard drive. You have to physically organize it into folders for it to be useful and copy it in the same manner to the hard drive in the car. That's not really that easy to do for me. I don't have a whole lot of artists that I want to copy all of their music (folders) to the car.

My listening habits are more centered around playlists and/or podcasts. So, I prefer syncing those to my iPod and then take it to the car. I do have some music copied to the car but it's not well organized and is really just for the cases in which I forget the iPod at the house.

I'm not saying this is an issue for everyone, but since you are asking...

M34lnch · 09-03-2009, 11:30 PM

Ok, but then you have to control the music from the IPOD, rather than the convenience of the NAV input, right. Which is easier when you are driving?

amiller212 · 09-04-2009, 12:24 AM

I think it boils down to this:

a) if you have/use the Ipod option from the factory but no NAV, you'll be plugged into a port under your armrest and you'll control your music through the factory head unit (this is what I do)

b) if you have NAV, you can load music on to the hard drive from the glovebox USB port, but you can't interface to your Ipod through there. That port is only for loading music on to the harddrive.

In a perfect world, you will have both options so you can have the nice interface on the Idrive to navigate through your Ipod which you have connected to the factory Ipod option port under your armrest.

JimD · 09-04-2009, 06:59 AM

Using the hard drive to play music from seems it would be like my practice of playing MP3s from a SD card in my Garmin. You would see your music on the NAV display and I see it on my Garmin. It works well for me. But I do not use an ipod or other MP3 player for other things. My kids do and that is where they store their music. So for them, it might be better to have the ipod interface that gives you the USB in the armrest so they could see their play lists and songs on either the radio (no NAV) or navigation unit.

In other words, to me the key is whether you use an ipod a lot. If that is where you put your music, you may want the ipod option (and maybe use the harddrive as a backup source). If you are not into ipods, the hard drive alone seems like a very good option.

Jim

wmo168 · 09-04-2009, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M34lnch

Toureg, you have NAV+PDC. I heard you get a rear camera. Is that true? I know, it's off topic.

Back to the topic: So, why would I want to control the Ipod via Nav when I can use the Nav interface to sift through all the music on the hard drive? I heard the Nav interface is pretty slick to navigate the music on the hard drive...

I guess I'm saying.. I would never hook up the Ipod/Iphone at all. Just dump everything on the hard drive and be done. Comments?

Nav and PDC only give you a picture on the Nav screen showing the distance you have to the object. Look in the 1 series catalog...

touareg · 09-04-2009, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M34lnch

Toureg, you have NAV+PDC. I heard you get a rear camera. Is that true? I know, it's off topic.

Back to the topic: So, why would I want to control the Ipod via Nav when I can use the Nav interface to sift through all the music on the hard drive? I heard the Nav interface is pretty slick to navigate the music on the hard drive...

I guess I'm saying.. I would never hook up the Ipod/Iphone at all. Just dump everything on the hard drive and be done. Comments?

wmo168 is correct: there is no camera of any sort, but you get a diagram on the iDrive that tells you roughly where and how close something is to your back bumper.

If you will never connect an iPhone or iPod, then the only other use of the USB/iPod option is for hooking up a USB drive. If you won't do that either, then there is no need for the USB/iPod option.

Also note that if you have the USB/iPod option and have a iPhone/iPod hooked up, then you control it from the iDrive directly, very much like accessing music from the hard drive.

For me, here is why I don't use the hard drive uploading option:
- The hard drive isn't big enough for all the music I want to have in the car. I believe the hard drive has about 10GB for music.
- It takes significant time to upload music from the USB port to the hard drive. If you don't plan on uploading much this may not be a big deal.
- It seems like it would be a hassle to manage the music that's already on the hard drive, as former mentioned. I'd much rather manage my music on my computer, with my dual monitors and a mouse and keyboard.
- It's one more place to have to sync your music to. If I download some new music from, say, iTunes, it's automatically added to the rest of the music I have on my computer, and also automatically synced to my iPhone...I don't have to do any sort of manual music management. Then I can hop into my car, plug in my iPhone, and right away I can listen to my new music. If I want to upload the new music to the hard drive in the car, I'd have to put that music onto a USB key, then upload it onto the hard drive, and then maybe do a bit of work on organizing it into folders and such in the iDrive.

Ajumepke · 09-04-2009, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M34lnch

Toureg, you have NAV+PDC. I heard you get a rear camera. Is that true? I know, it's off topic.

Back to the topic: So, why would I want to control the Ipod via Nav when I can use the Nav interface to sift through all the music on the hard drive? I heard the Nav interface is pretty slick to navigate the music on the hard drive...

I guess I'm saying.. I would never hook up the Ipod/Iphone at all. Just dump everything on the hard drive and be done. Comments?

Re:
NAV+ PDC does not give you a camera - it does give you a "radar" image of Green/Yellow/Red zone behind your car. Let's just say you don't want your car to touch the red zone.

09-03-2009, 07:06 PM	#1
M34lnch Private First Class 18 Rep 140 Posts Drives: 2017 BMW 440i Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Cali iTrader: (0)	Ipod/Usb and Navigation. Hey guys, So I've decided to splurge and get the Nav for my 135i coupe. Since the Nav comes with a USB port in the glove compartment, do I really need to spend $400 for Ipod/USB? I intend to load music onto the Nav hard drive via USB in the glove. I can sync any smart phone using the bluetooth that comes with the premium package. Am I missing something? Also, doesnt the car still come with a RCA port underneath the armrest?
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09-03-2009, 07:34 PM	#2
JimD Brigadier General 368 Rep 3,547 Posts Drives: 128i convertible Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Lexington, SC iTrader: (0)	I do not have the Nav so this is based upon others comments. But several people have reported that the USB in the glovebox does not work for ipods. It is used to load information onto the NAV hard drive. You could load music there using it but to play the songs on your ipod from your ipod, you need to use the accessory port in the arm rest. But if you do not also have the USB, which you get with the option you mention, you will not be charging the ipod. So you can play the music as long as your battery holds up. I play MP3s from my Garmin Nav using the accessory port in the arm rest. It works well for me because my Garmin is also plugged into the cars battery. Jim __________________ 128i Convertible, MT, Alpine White, Black Top, Taupe Leatherette, Walnut, Sport Ordered 5/22/09, Completed 6/4/09, At Port 6/9/09, On the Georgia Highway 6/13/09, Ship Arrived Charleston 6/24/09 at 10pm, PCD 7/21/09
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09-03-2009, 08:04 PM	#3
SVT2BMW Private 2 Rep 53 Posts Drives: 2009 Black 135i Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Socal iTrader: (0)	The idrive is worth it. I was going to buy one without it but once i saw what it does i had to have it. If you do not get the ipod adapter I am not sure how you would hook it up since they told me that you have to plug it into the USB and the AUX port. I guess you would have to make your own which is possible. I just rather get something that works and I do not have to try to make something because I know I wont do it. The only thing is my USB and AUX is under the arm rest.
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09-03-2009, 08:11 PM	#4
touareg Second Lieutenant 30 Rep 219 Posts Drives: 2017 M2 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: LA iTrader: (0)	If you'll be using just the hard drive for music, then you don't need the iPod/USB option. Without the iPod/USB option, you still get the audio input jack under the armrest, so you can still plug in any run-of-the-mill MP3 player using the AUX jack, but you won't be able to control the MP3 player using iDrive. I have the iPod/USB option with a 32GB USB stick plugged in, so I can access all of my music in the iDrive, without having to upload music. Also the hard drive is too small to fit all my music onto it... __________________ Currently: 2017 M2 MT LBB In a previous life: 2011 Z4 sDrive35i MT \| 2011 Mk6 GTI MT \| 2008 EX35 \| 2008 Cooper S MT \| 2009 135i MT \| 2002 A4 1.8T
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09-03-2009, 10:36 PM	#5
M34lnch Private First Class 18 Rep 140 Posts Drives: 2017 BMW 440i Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Cali iTrader: (0)	Toureg, you have NAV+PDC. I heard you get a rear camera. Is that true? I know, it's off topic. Back to the topic: So, why would I want to control the Ipod via Nav when I can use the Nav interface to sift through all the music on the hard drive? I heard the Nav interface is pretty slick to navigate the music on the hard drive... I guess I'm saying.. I would never hook up the Ipod/Iphone at all. Just dump everything on the hard drive and be done. Comments?
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09-03-2009, 11:30 PM	#7
M34lnch Private First Class 18 Rep 140 Posts Drives: 2017 BMW 440i Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Cali iTrader: (0)	Ok, but then you have to control the music from the IPOD, rather than the convenience of the NAV input, right. Which is easier when you are driving?
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09-04-2009, 12:24 AM	#8
amiller212 Private First Class 1 Rep 118 Posts Drives: Le Mans Blue 135i Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Mississauga iTrader: (0)	I think it boils down to this: a) if you have/use the Ipod option from the factory but no NAV, you'll be plugged into a port under your armrest and you'll control your music through the factory head unit (this is what I do) b) if you have NAV, you can load music on to the hard drive from the glovebox USB port, but you can't interface to your Ipod through there. That port is only for loading music on to the harddrive. In a perfect world, you will have both options so you can have the nice interface on the Idrive to navigate through your Ipod which you have connected to the factory Ipod option port under your armrest.
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09-04-2009, 06:59 AM	#9
JimD Brigadier General 368 Rep 3,547 Posts Drives: 128i convertible Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Lexington, SC iTrader: (0)	Using the hard drive to play music from seems it would be like my practice of playing MP3s from a SD card in my Garmin. You would see your music on the NAV display and I see it on my Garmin. It works well for me. But I do not use an ipod or other MP3 player for other things. My kids do and that is where they store their music. So for them, it might be better to have the ipod interface that gives you the USB in the armrest so they could see their play lists and songs on either the radio (no NAV) or navigation unit. In other words, to me the key is whether you use an ipod a lot. If that is where you put your music, you may want the ipod option (and maybe use the harddrive as a backup source). If you are not into ipods, the hard drive alone seems like a very good option. Jim __________________ 128i Convertible, MT, Alpine White, Black Top, Taupe Leatherette, Walnut, Sport Ordered 5/22/09, Completed 6/4/09, At Port 6/9/09, On the Georgia Highway 6/13/09, Ship Arrived Charleston 6/24/09 at 10pm, PCD 7/21/09
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