[Daya]

Although I did not receive the 6FL cable when I took delivery it was available 2 days after I got the car. It was definitely worth the $400. Before using this I highly recommend you spend some time organizing the files in iTunes, deleting duplicate songs, updating playlists, albums, genres, etc. This will help you navigate faster and more efficiently.

Pros: Seamless integration and excellent sound quality. The iDrive knob is just an extension of the scroll wheel of the iPod itself. Song will pause when you hit mute button (just like CD). Charges iPod while plugged in.

Cons: No way to "jump" to a specific letter, if you need to get towards the end of the alphabet you have to scroll quite a bit. No way to lock the armrest, if you valet you have to remove iPod and lock in glove compartment. If you cool or heat a sealed drink in the arm rest your iPod will also be subject to the cooling/heating. All minor complaints.

Initialization complete - start screen, you can choose to navigate to Playlists, Genres, Artists, Albums, Songs



Sample screen from Artist Menu



Sample screen from Artist > All Songs



You can also view all Details when going through a generic list i.e. genre, playlist



There still is plenty of space in armrest



This is one of the coolest options to have!

Thanks for reading

[drkeng]

In the first picture, you're at Fields BMW, right (based on the map)??

6FL looks great. Enjoy, and drive carefully. Hope this option doesn't tempt people to look for songs more than they would by looking at the ipod and take their eyes off the road too long.

[Daya]

Ha ha - good eye! I know you got your e93 there, but damn, you really know the north shore geography! I got mine at perillo.

Yeah, I stopped by there to pick up some license plate frames - I hate dealer license plate frames! Unfortunately they only had 1 of the specific frame I wanted so I will wait until I get 2 at the same time.

I hope to meet you and check out your e93 at a chicago meet some time

[DrewKo]

My cable is in the glove compartment and attaches to the ipod there. I wonder why yours in the middle btw the seats? I ordered my car with the ipod option so perhaps they install it differently when ordered with the car?

[jmonier]

Originally Posted by DrewKo

My cable is in the glove compartment and attaches to the ipod there. I wonder why yours in the middle btw the seats? I ordered my car with the ipod option so perhaps they install it differently when ordered with the car?

You have the dealer installed iPod Adapter. If your car was built before March that's the only possibility. This thread refers to the 6FL factory option.

[tibook]

I kind of wish you could get the factory option in the glovebox, and that it was "iPod" and not "Aux". I like the full integration; I don't like that it uses the armrest aux input...And that big-ass cable just takes up more space. Plus I think the aux input is heavily padded, which means a higher S/N ratio. The dealer installed option was designed to work with the iPod's unamplified line out.

BMW has another 18 months to get it straight, when I order my '09. Until then I'll get by with my dealer installed option...

We could also hope that Apple comes up with a way to allow DRM tracks to be played digitally...or by then we'll have the whole DRM thing out of the way (its very possible, already got EMI on board).

Its a step in the right direction, but its not a leap ahead of the dealer option...

[LEDZEP]

Compared to the Monster cable charger/iPod connector and 3.5mm audio cable, and air click assembly that I had in my '06... it is an advance of light years!!

I agree it will only get better, but I'm not complaining.

[X5FX]

Originally Posted by tibook

I kind of wish you could get the factory option in the glovebox, and that it was "iPod" and not "Aux". I like the full integration; I don't like that it uses the armrest aux input...And that big-ass cable just takes up more space. Plus I think the aux input is heavily padded, which means a higher S/N ratio. The dealer installed option was designed to work with the iPod's unamplified line out.

BMW has another 18 months to get it straight, when I order my '09. Until then I'll get by with my dealer installed option...

We could also hope that Apple comes up with a way to allow DRM tracks to be played digitally...or by then we'll have the whole DRM thing out of the way (its very possible, already got EMI on board).

Its a step in the right direction, but its not a leap ahead of the dealer option...

6FL does use the line out...the audio is coming out of the bottom dock connector not the headphone out.
The quality is exceptional...I can switch back and forth between CD and Ipod and you can not hear a difference in quality.

[tibook]

Originally Posted by X5FX

6FL does use the line out...the audio is coming out of the bottom dock connector not the headphone out.
The quality is exceptional...I can switch back and forth between CD and Ipod and you can not hear a difference in quality.

I know that, what I'm saying is that the aux input is designed to handle all kinds of signals coming at it, whether ipod, headphone outputs of many other mp3 players, heck, I use my laptop sometimes.

The dealer installed option was designed around the ipod line out, therefore, they could optimize the a/d for that specific source.

[genzo]

that one con you mentioned, regarding not being able to scroll by alphabet, can make scrolling a very long list nearly unusable. w/ something like 300+ artists, getting to Artists that start w/ P took so long i stopped trying. my scrolling was relatively sluggish as well, which is probably what really made it feel unusable. i'm not sure if others also expeience a sluggishness when trying to scroll over a very long list like that. my only work around has been not to use that function, and to make very good playlists instead.

but i do like the 6fl interface. i just think a scroll by first-letter option (or additioanl submenu) and a slightly more reactive scrolling speed would make a world of difference.

[jfulcher]

Originally Posted by tibook

I kind of wish you could get the factory option in the glovebox, and that it was "iPod" and not "Aux". I like the full integration; I don't like that it uses the armrest aux input...And that big-ass cable just takes up more space. Plus I think the aux input is heavily padded, which means a higher S/N ratio. The dealer installed option was designed to work with the iPod's unamplified line out.

BMW has another 18 months to get it straight, when I order my '09. Until then I'll get by with my dealer installed option...

We could also hope that Apple comes up with a way to allow DRM tracks to be played digitally...or by then we'll have the whole DRM thing out of the way (its very possible, already got EMI on board).

Its a step in the right direction, but its not a leap ahead of the dealer option...

With the 6FL option you can play DRM content. Also the 6FL cable uses the lineout from the dock connector - just like your glove box option. It doesn't used the amplified output.

I think they did get it right and it's leaps and bounds ahead of the dealer option. For one it doesn't use the cd changer inputs so you can still get one of those.

[crewjock]

i agree with the above comments, the one gripe i have about this wonderful option is the lack of being able to scroll all the way down through the artist list -- it seems like 30+ seconds before i'm at the end of my artist list "The Fray or The Beatles."

if BMW could modify the iDrive to push down on the know - thus making it scroll to the end, that would be an added plus.

[DCJAX]

Originally Posted by tibook

We could also hope that Apple comes up with a way to allow DRM tracks to be played digitally...or by then we'll have the whole DRM thing out of the way (its very possible, already got EMI on board).

Its a step in the right direction, but its not a leap ahead of the dealer option...

Amazon is going to be selling DRM free MP3s soon, with their size that will probably push the others to follow. Personally if they do it first they will have my Mp3 business for life ( I can't stand DRM BS)