[BarryJI]

I am wondering if any of you use this feature and, if so, could you share with me your experiences of it? I am asking because I have 32.43 GB of music on an iPod Classic (the one with a mechanical hard drive). My new 2-Series BMW does not make it easy to connect this now discontinued device; I can hook it up to the Aux and USB sockets in the center storage compartment but no data can be displayed or manipulated via the iDrive control screen and it is very awkward and distracting to fiddle with the iPod inside the center compartment. I have some music on my iPhone 5 and can avoid Bluetooth by connecting this device directly to the car's speakers (and iDrive functionality) via USB but this music selection is, of necessity, small compared to what is available on the 64 GB iPod.

For this reason, I figured I'd investigate putting my entire music collection on the hard drive provided by BMW for this purpose. However, I am a little leery about this and would appreciate confirmation of the following assumptions:

- I can upload all 33 GB from a USB thumb drive. Does the engine have to be switched on for all this time and how long might it take? Will it upload when the car is in motion?

- I assume I will just upload all the music from my PC's hard drive in the folders labelled by artist, with the album title folder inside that and the MPEG-4 audio song files themselves inside the second folder? Or is it necessary to strip out the MPEG-4 files (that would be a laborious business)?

- Uploading my music library to the car's hard drive would not involve iTunes but iDrive will be able to read all iTunes audio output formats plus MP3?

- If I do the upload right, using the right file format, this will enable the files to be shown alphabetically, and be scrolled/selected via the iDrive controller screen?

- What is the best way to update this music collection in the car's hard drive as I update it on my PC? Just drag over new folders to the USB stick and upload?

I would appreciate your advice. Doing this is a large undertaking. Not uploading the data in the right format in order for the car's system to be able to play back the music and display it via iDrive would be a huge exercise in frustration that I would rather avoid, many thanks.

[zipphreak]

I used a 16gb usb stick to transfer over a good chunk of my library. It does take some time maybe 15-20 minutes. But it all happens in the background while your listening to music. I do it before leaving for work and it transfers over during the drive!

The library is pretty slick, arranged by album, artist, title, and you can filter on any one to search for a particular song/album etc.

Give it a try, once you do it you will get the hang of it. It's a very straight forward system.

[SoCal235]

I have had my 235 for over a year now, and have never used the built in music library. From what you guys are saying, it sounds like it is actually pretty cool. Thanks for the tip, I'll try it later today.

[Viffermike]

Originally Posted by BarryJI

I am wondering if any of you use this feature and, if so, could you share with me your experiences of it?

Several things to note here. But first:



Answers to all of your questions are on this subforum. Please look for them first.

And second:



Some answers (supported formats, etc.) are even in the Owner's Manual!

Anyway ... the Music Collection HD is only 20GB; your iPod Classic's content will not fit in its entirety. (I also have a Classic with about 65GB of music on it.) You're simply going to need to edit your Classic's content for transfer to the car's MCHD.
Also, files transferred to the HD are automatically converted to a 256kb bitrate. If you want higher quality than that, you'll need to use a separate DMP.
Finally, transferring songs from iTunes MUST be done without folders (i.e., no Playlists, etc.), and metadata doesn't always transfer with the song. There are a couple of good transfer tutorials in this subforum.

[BarryJI]

Many thanks for the responses, gents.

Viffermike, I have read and -- much to my wife's amusement -- annotated the manual and have, as always, researched widely on the Internet. I really appreciate the valuable advice you provided but, as usual, I find this kind of finger-wagging from self-appointed forum monitors slightly obnoxious, sorry. I did not ask for information -- although it is certainly welcome -- but rather for accounts of users' personal experiences, which people are usually more than happy to provide.

I am beginning to realize that there will be no perfect solution to these music issues. My iPod Classic is unsupported, my iPhone lacks storage space and the downgrading of the files stored in the car's hard drive is very discouraging. Does anyone know if there is a dedicated HD for music that will work with iDrive?

[sakitnyatudisini]

Originally Posted by BarryJI

Many thanks for the responses, gents.

good luck guys!

[Viffermike]

Originally Posted by BarryJI

Many thanks for the responses, gents.

Viffermike, I have read and -- much to my wife's amusement -- annotated the manual and have, as always, researched widely on the Internet. I really appreciate the valuable advice you provided but, as usual, I find this kind of finger-wagging from self-appointed forum monitors slightly obnoxious, sorry. I did not ask for information -- although it is certainly welcome -- but rather for accounts of users' personal experiences, which people are usually more than happy to provide.

I am beginning to realize that there will be no perfect solution to these music issues. My iPod Classic is unsupported, my iPhone lacks storage space and the downgrading of the files stored in the car's hard drive is very discouraging. Does anyone know if there is a dedicated HD for music that will work with iDrive?

No offense, but I only go where I went - suggesting search, etc. - when I observe a serial lack of appropriate associated forum behavior ...

There are tradeoffs for most car audio systems, which have become far less modular and upgradeable than before thanks partially to brand-proprietary interface OSs in autos (i.e., iDrive) and the competition in digital music software and hardware. We 2ers with the Tech Package are fortunate to have the Music Collection HD that plays fairly nice with iTunes content.

My advice would be to buy a 64GB iPod Touch for use specifically with your car. That way you can load it with all of your music in as high a bitrate as you prefer, feed it to the car and charge it through the USB interface, use BMW Apps and other apps (such as Spotify) on it so you don't rely on your phone for any of that, and have the option of using Bluetooth music streaming on it if you need the USB interface to charge your phone. iOS should be fully searchable on iDrive.

Your phone's functionality works with the hands-free interface and BMW Office via Bluetooth, so there is no real reason to keep it attached to the USB interface except to charge it - and in a pinch, you can use a 12v USB charger adapter if you need to charge both Touch and iPhone simultaneously.

[pikcachu]

Originally Posted by BarryJI

Many thanks for the responses, gents.

Viffermike, I have read and -- much to my wife's amusement -- annotated the manual and have, as always, researched widely on the Internet. I really appreciate the valuable advice you provided but, as usual, I find this kind of finger-wagging from self-appointed forum monitors slightly obnoxious, sorry. I did not ask for information -- although it is certainly welcome -- but rather for accounts of users' personal experiences, which people are usually more than happy to provide.

I am beginning to realize that there will be no perfect solution to these music issues. My iPod Classic is unsupported, my iPhone lacks storage space and the downgrading of the files stored in the car's hard drive is very discouraging. Does anyone know if there is a dedicated HD for music that will work with iDrive?

What about buying a 64gb usb stick and leaving the music there? it's probably $15 or so... they are pretty cheap....

[BarryJI]

Really welcome advice, many thanks. I sprung for the snap-in charger so maybe the iPod touch could live in there…

As for the 64MB stick, that's a good idea too, but I assume I'd have to be feeding data from it into the car's HD (and removing it) because the latter drive is only 20GB.

(EDIT: Yowza, that 64 GB iPod Touch is expensive...!)

[pikcachu]

Originally Posted by BarryJI

Really welcome advice, many thanks. I sprung for the snap-in charger so maybe the iPod touch could live in there…

As for the 64MB stick, that's a good idea too, but I assume I'd have to be feeding data from it into the car's HD (and removing it) because the latter drive is only 20GB.

(EDIT: Yowza, that 64 GB iPod Touch is expensive...!)

I mean can't you just leave the 64gb stick plugged in and just play from there ?

[BarryJI]

Originally Posted by pikcachu

I mean can't you just leave the 64gb stick plugged in and just play from there ?

Heh, nope. It would be like trying to run a game on your PC from a thumb drive.

[pikcachu]

Originally Posted by BarryJI

Heh, nope. It would be like trying to run a game on your PC from a thumb drive.

really? why?

your are not transferring a lot of data at a time...

[BarryJI]

If that works I will owe you a decent bottle of wine. Er, Viffermike…?

[Supernaut]

I have a 16GB stick attached to a 4 port USB hub plugged in. It works great. I take it in the house to add music if I want. It allows me to sort by artists & genre and displays album art. I'm having some trouble getting all my playlists to read, but I need to troubleshoot that some more. It will read from the different ports as different sources, if you want separate sticks to segregate music. I bought a stick that barely sticks out from the hub. The 64 GB version is 26 bucks on Amazon. I'm not sure if there's a size limit to what the car will read.

[pikcachu]

Originally Posted by BarryJI

If that works I will owe you a decent bottle of wine. Er, Viffermike…?

I'll get my cork screw ready

[BarryJI]

I will get my credit card ready.

[BarryJI]

So let me get this straight: a memory stick plugged into the car's USB port will display music files on the controller screen and show artist/album/song titles from folders copied over from a PC hard drive?

[zipphreak]

Yes and you can also transfer to the internal drive.choice is yours!

I just move files to the hd, and clean up when it gets ridiculous.

[Supernaut]

Originally Posted by BarryJI

So let me get this straight: a memory stick plugged into the car's USB port will display music files on the controller screen and show artist/album/song titles from folders copied over from a PC hard drive?

I don't have tech package, hence no hard drive, so I have to use attached storage. I have one playlist working out of four, but the rest of the music I've been playing by genre or artist off the iDrive menu. If I switch sources, it picks up exactly where I left off.

[BarryJI]

Interesting, and very useful, thanks so much. I don't think I will have much use for the car's HD if it's only 20 GB so I am surprised but happy to learn that a thumbstick can be read and the data displayed on the main control screen and played without a problem. I think what I will do -- if this makes sense to you guys -- is not attempt playlests but simply transfer the data from my HD to the stick in the way it's organised outside iTunes, which is in folders arranged as follows: Artist/Album/Song. Assuming iDrive will present the data in that way and enable me to search/play up and down that tree structure, I'll be good.

Pikcachu, your location is "undisclosed" but if it's at all possible to get that bottle of wine to you, I will (I am in Los Angeles) as I do not want to be known around here as a man who does not honor his debts!

[pikcachu]

Originally Posted by BarryJI

Interesting, and very useful, thanks so much. I don't think I will have much use for the car's HD if it's only 20 GB so I am surprised but happy to learn that a thumbstick can be read and the data displayed on the main control screen and played without a problem. I think what I will do -- if this makes sense to you guys -- is not attempt playlests but simply transfer the data from my HD to the stick in the way it's organised outside iTunes, which is in folders arranged as follows: Artist/Album/Song. Assuming iDrive will present the data in that way and enable me to search/play up and down that tree structure, I'll be good.

Pikcachu, your location is "undisclosed" but if it's at all possible to get that bottle of wine to you, I will (I am in Los Angeles) as I do not want to be known around here as a man who does not honor his debts!

It's all good. If I go to LA I'll ping you

[Viffermike]

Originally Posted by Supernaut

I have a 16GB stick attached to a 4 port USB hub plugged in. It works great. I take it in the house to add music if I want. It allows me to sort by artists & genre and displays album art. I'm having some trouble getting all my playlists to read, but I need to troubleshoot that some more. It will read from the different ports as different sources, if you want separate sticks to segregate music. I bought a stick that barely sticks out from the hub. The 64 GB version is 26 bucks on Amazon. I'm not sure if there's a size limit to what the car will read.

That's exactly the thumb drive I used for music in my previous car; great low-cost option, and it runs fairly cool for a small flash drive. As long as the playlists are searchable ...

Eventually I think the OP would be wise to invest in an iPod touch - not just because of the Bluetooth/App functionality it adds and the Snap-In Adaptor option that would make simultaneously charging his phone with the center-armrest USB possible, but because eventually that iPod Classic's mechanical HD is gonna go. (Another idea for the OP: when you eventually upgrade your iPhone to whatever else, keep it and re-task it as your default music player/storage and retire the Classic.)