i read some of the post ups about ur Ipod in ur mini... i was wondering.. is that part of an add-on when u buy the car at dealer ship? or u just go out and buy the stuff or w/e and plug it in??

+planning to buy MCS.. just want to know more about it so i can have a nice MCS as my FIRST CAR! and u can post up some pics so i can see where it looks good to put at =D TY

 

I ordered my 2005 MCS with the Mini iPod Interface Adapter ($150). They put the connector in the glove box. The iPod is hidden, but easy to get to when I want to upgrade my music collection. I control everthing through the radio and the buttons on the steering wheel. It sure beats taking up valuable space in the boot with a CD changer. I also have every CD I own with me at all times. No need to decide before a trip which 6 or 10 CDs to bring. It also leaves the dash area uncluttered, leaving room for a cup of java.

 

I also had the iPod adapter installed into my 2005 MCS. Works great, though there are some after market adapters that allow a little more flexiblity. You have the option of MINI1 through MINI5 which are the playlists you create that work off your radio buttons (button six being play everything). However selecting any song or other playlists is not possible with the present dealer installed adapter. You might want to check out the podcast from Whiteroof radio where they discussed some of the options. I just bought a NeoIon from mp3yourcar.com for my wife's 2002 Honda. I do love having the iPod hooked in... I don't know what I did before. Just with the technology advancements you might want to check out some of the other options.

 

There is no option from that factory that allows you to connect your iPod to your MINI. All of the available options are either dealer add ons or aftermarket items...

Also could you please take the time to actually type out what you're trying to say? It doesn't take long, and it prevents people from getting frustrating that they have to decrypt what your saying in order to respond to your posts... Thanks!

 

Does it display ID3 tags on the screen of the Headunit? Is it limited to a selection of Playlists? Their website doesn't include this information.

Thanks

 

I have the dealer installed ipod adapter. The navigation is limited to 5 playlists and no ID3 tags of any kind. It really is frustrating to have thousands of songs on the ipod and not being able to find them.

I often wonder if next time I would get the aux input instead. either that or one of the aftermarket adapters.

Oddly enough HK makes an after market ipod adapter that allows better navigation. Yes it is HK but no its not something designed specifically for the MINI's HK.

 

I was asking about the NeoIon - I passed on the dealer installed version after parts and labor it was $300. I think it was another instance of marketing telling engineering what to do - I can't believe that any BMW/MINI engineer would settle for such a piece of junk. BTW there is a new Ipod adapter from Mini on the horizon - haven't seen any details.

 

Oops - sorry. I need to read more carefully. I agree with what you said. And with all the pride they tout in the HK and the extra $ for that upgrade you would think the ipod adapter would be substantially better. Now especially since HK manufactures its own after market ipod adapter that looks better than the one we get with our factory HK.

 

Sorry to say I haven't gotten the NeoIon installed... yet but I don't believe the ID3 tags will show. From what I read it works just like the dealer installed version which I have on my MINI. The big thing was getting something that would work with her 2002 S2000 radio. Having it charge the iPod while driving is a plus. Something the aux input won't do. I'll keep you updated once it has been installed.

 

I am assuming that the ID3 tag ability is not a feature - it wasn't included as part of the product description - I sent them an email but it could be days/weeks/monthes before I get a reply.

I preordered a IcelinkPlus for $179 from Dension - I just haven't paid them or given them a shipping date. I am really hoping Mr.Bridger breaks a story about the details of the new MINI Ipod adapter - it would really help me make up my mind as to what to buy

 

Considering the general control limitations that the MINI HU design imposes on any iPod integration option, I wouldn't expect the expected MINI iPod adapter to be any better than the Dension. If we're lucky it will offer ID3 tag support finally, but beyond that I wouldn't hold my breath... Plus given MINI's track record I would expect that the MINI solution would be 25% or more expensive than the Dension plus installation...

 

I agree - but - When I was with Philips everything was designed with the ability to update the products operating system so to speak. I guess I assumed that the headunit firmware could be updated. As I see it - the ability to drill down and back up isn't a very difficult feat from an engineering/software point. A button combination assignment could be done to allow this.

 

Anything's possible... Although whether it's likely, well that's a different story.

If the MINI HU has upgradeable firmware, BMW/MINI hasn't issued a single upgrade to it since the MINI was introduced... There've been definate changes to the HU such as the the Aux capable version, MP3 capable version, and the current version which can display ID3 tag data from an ICELink... However, none of these changes have been backward compatible.

As for using button combinations, again doubtful that BMW/MINI would implement this. The reason that BMW/MINI claimed that they didn't introduce ID3 tag display for MP3 CDs and the iPod adapter was because they didn't want to move the driver's attention off the road, and that by displaying ID3 tag data they would be distracting drivers. If they were resistant to ID3 tag displays because they were too distracting, I wouldn't expect them to introduce multiple keypress options to use the radio... Of course anything's possible since we are talking about the company that pushes iDrive, but I wouldn't bet any money on it.

I suspect that the revised adapter we've heard rumors about will finally introduce ID3 tag support as well as removing the old play list limitations which will bring it on par with the ICELink, but beyond that I wouldn't get my hopes up.

 

Michael:

I want to discuss this topic with you in more detail - but the Redskins just kicked off - so it's going to be awhlie. Please check back

 

Oh it's just the Redskins, Snyder still can't buy himself a winning team!

 

We have the HK with the iPod adaptor installed by the dealer. Yes, it's great to hook up your 20GB iPod in the glove box and have tens of thousands of songs available--but you won't be able to find them! The MINI1-MINI5 playlists work fine if you can easily remember which songs you put in the playlists. Even if you have a passenger who can look at the iPod in the glovebox while you're driving, the screen blanks out to say MINI and doesn't display the name of the song or artist. We put it in because the kids keep all their music on iPods. I think I'm going to buy a cheap iPod shuffle which should just about hold as much as a CD changer and just manage the playlists on my computer. It is definitely better than a CD changer, but I don't understand why it can't display the stuff on the head unit readout like the RDS radio stations do.

 

I think the current OEM iPod adaptor is underrated. Yes it main downside its the lack of id tag display support, but beyond that, the system works fairly well IMO.

 

I think if that was the only shortcoming of the adapter it would have been more popular. Remember the first version of the ICELink didn't have ID3 tag support either. The other downside to the OEM solution is that it only recognizes 5 playlists which have to be specially named. That's a pretty big restriction, especially when you consider that all of the iPod solutions that have come before and after the OEM solution recognized all of your playlists regardless of how they were named...

 

[quote=mbabischkin]As for using button combinations, again doubtful that BMW/MINI would implement this. The reason that BMW/MINI claimed that they didn't introduce ID3 tag display for MP3 CDs and the iPod adapter was because they didn't want to move the driver's attention off the road, and that by displaying ID3 tag data they would be distracting drivers. quote]

Versus looking at the Nav?

I was taught in defensive driving school to always keep my eyes moving - mirrors - road - instrumentation. Logic dictates a need for easy navigation of our music selecton as well - hence radio station presets. I don't feel that any of the current available solutions adequately address the need for selection and easy menu navigation.

Here are my ideas:

Use the NAV screen to display menus in a larger format to ease selection -this could be accomplished in an A/B fashion. I am not familar with heads up display and don't know if there is a daylight limitation to its use but I assume it would work great for night time driving. And then there is voice command and verbal menus.

I think that there is an essential need to have the ability to drill down and up. Searching for music be it Ipod or CDs takes our eyes away from where they should be. We need a better solution.

BTW - Who managed to get into the playoffs without depending on Dallas losing???

 

You mean besides the Seahawks, Bears, Bucs, Panthers and Giants?

 

I was misquoted! I never gave the Skins credit for anything!

Actually considering how dismal things have been for the Skins over the last several years, it's nice to see some progress...

 

I never said the logic made any sense, I just said that was the reason that came out of BMW/MINI for leaving ID3 tag support out.... Although in defense of Nav, it's much closer to your field of view than the radio, you shouldn't be operating it while driving, and it does provide voice prompts thereby reducing the amount of time you're focused on the Nav instead of on the road...

Absolutely. Honestly I love the new breed of car radios that feature those huge displays that are easy to read. Hopefully the relocated display on the '07s will be much easier (and safer) to read than the current HU's.

Unfortunately the current HU on the MINI doesn't allow for this... Heck I'd be happy if there was at least a pause button! While I've got the ICELINK, I find that anything that I'm playing for more than just background noise (Podcasts, audiobooks) I end up just using the Aux jack, that way I can pause and more easily in the time I'm sitting at a stoplight, as opposed to either changing the mode or just dinking with the Dension interface for several minutes...

 

That's funny. The quote button not working right?

I quote samiam01 and it says quote from mbabischkin.

mbabischkin quotes me and it says quote from samiam01.

 

Looks like it quoted your entire post which had some malformed code in it.

 

I don't know how that happened but now it is fixed.