Airplay in the car...Best option?

Sample · 04-04-2014, 05:25 PM

I've been using a tunelink a2dp adapter and it works perfectly, but I'm thinking about doing airplay for better audio quality.
The options are to modify an airport express, an Airenabler, or an Auris Skye. Which is the best to get? Are there any other options?
Things I'm considering are noise/hissing, boot time, and audio quality.

mathematics · 04-04-2014, 05:32 PM

Personally, I'm going with an airport express via optical to a Cambridge dac magic 100 into my amp. I think it's the best way to do airplay without using aux in.

Sample · 04-04-2014, 08:04 PM

Also, can the USB port on the airport express charge an iphone?

In regards to boot time...is there a portable battery charger that can power that airport while the battery is being charged via USB? I have a portable battery charger for phones, but it will only charge my iphone when it's not connected/being charged. Would a phone battery charger even be able to keep the airport powered on by itself? For how long?

mathematics · 04-05-2014, 01:37 AM

The USB port on the airport is only for connecting a printer. It's not for power. To power the airport you have to modify the internal power supply.

Sample · 04-06-2014, 07:36 PM

I already ordered parts to do the airport extreme mod, but I just came up with this idea...

If you have a jailbroken iOS device there are two apps in Cydia that will let you setup your iPod/iPhone/iPad as an Access Point and act as an airplay receiver: MyWi and AirPlayServer. I tested it using my Wifi iPad Air and I was able to airplay from my iPhone 5s to the iPad. It seems to work okay as long as the screen does not goto sleep. When the iPad's screen goes to sleep the music starts to stutter.

To fix that you could disable the auto-lock option and setup an activator so that when power is connected (car is on) the screen unlocks and when the car is off the screen locks. That will fix the stuttering problem.

I was also able to setup a static ip so that I could use data on the phone.

Anyway, just wanted to throw this out there for those with an old iPhone/iPod that's jailbreakable.

mathematics · 04-06-2014, 09:40 PM

That's fine, but how does the iPhone to iPad airplay idea help stream music to your car?

Sample · 04-06-2014, 10:00 PM

I'm thinking you can connect it to the bmw y-cable, except instead of powering the iPod from the 6FL, use a cigarette lighter/usb adapter. So basically iPhone->iPod->Aux-In. The iPod stays in the car and would eliminate the boot time of what an airport express requires.

I have a 30pin y-cable, but my devices have lightning connectors, so I can't test if this will actually work.

mathematics · 04-07-2014, 12:11 PM

but why would you want to do that? seems like all you'd be doing is having hand control over your music and sending it wirelessly a foot away to an iPod attached via aux-in in your arm rest. am i missing something?

Sample · 04-07-2014, 04:13 PM

Update - I ended up going back to the New Potato Tunelink, because of buggy firmware in the tune2air, the 4th Gen iPod being unreliable and the airport boot time being too long.

The tune2air audio quality is good for bluetooth and the idrive controls do work, however the tune2air firmware is annoying. It will not let you output audio to anything else besides itself. Siri will not work, because the bluetooth profile for handsfree is set to Supported in the firmware, where it should be set to Unsupported. Therefore, Siri will try to use the tune2air for commands. The work around to get siri to work with the car's handsfree doesn't always work either.

04-04-2014, 05:25 PM	#1
Sample Second Lieutenant 67 Rep 236 Posts Drives: E90 335i/G05 X5 xDrive40i Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: US iTrader: (8)	I've been using a tunelink a2dp adapter and it works perfectly, but I'm thinking about doing airplay for better audio quality. The options are to modify an airport express, an Airenabler, or an Auris Skye. Which is the best to get? Are there any other options? Things I'm considering are noise/hissing, boot time, and audio quality.
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04-04-2014, 05:32 PM	#2
mathematics Captain 71 Rep 994 Posts Drives: 08 328i e93 alpine white Join Date: May 2009 Location: Queens, NY iTrader: (0)	Personally, I'm going with an airport express via optical to a Cambridge dac magic 100 into my amp. I think it's the best way to do airplay without using aux in. __________________ iPhone 6 Plus (iTunes library/iTunes radio/Waze, etc) to Airport Express via AirPlay. Toslink out of Airport Express to Helix P-Six DSP. PHD AF 1.C tweeters, PHD FB 4.1 midranges. Jehnert Door Cards and mid-bass'.
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04-04-2014, 08:04 PM	#3
Sample Second Lieutenant 67 Rep 236 Posts Drives: E90 335i/G05 X5 xDrive40i Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: US iTrader: (8)	Also, can the USB port on the airport express charge an iphone? In regards to boot time...is there a portable battery charger that can power that airport while the battery is being charged via USB? I have a portable battery charger for phones, but it will only charge my iphone when it's not connected/being charged. Would a phone battery charger even be able to keep the airport powered on by itself? For how long?
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04-05-2014, 01:37 AM	#4
mathematics Captain 71 Rep 994 Posts Drives: 08 328i e93 alpine white Join Date: May 2009 Location: Queens, NY iTrader: (0)	The USB port on the airport is only for connecting a printer. It's not for power. To power the airport you have to modify the internal power supply. __________________ iPhone 6 Plus (iTunes library/iTunes radio/Waze, etc) to Airport Express via AirPlay. Toslink out of Airport Express to Helix P-Six DSP. PHD AF 1.C tweeters, PHD FB 4.1 midranges. Jehnert Door Cards and mid-bass'.
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04-06-2014, 07:36 PM	#5
Sample Second Lieutenant 67 Rep 236 Posts Drives: E90 335i/G05 X5 xDrive40i Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: US iTrader: (8)	I already ordered parts to do the airport extreme mod, but I just came up with this idea... If you have a jailbroken iOS device there are two apps in Cydia that will let you setup your iPod/iPhone/iPad as an Access Point and act as an airplay receiver: MyWi and AirPlayServer. I tested it using my Wifi iPad Air and I was able to airplay from my iPhone 5s to the iPad. It seems to work okay as long as the screen does not goto sleep. When the iPad's screen goes to sleep the music starts to stutter. To fix that you could disable the auto-lock option and setup an activator so that when power is connected (car is on) the screen unlocks and when the car is off the screen locks. That will fix the stuttering problem. I was also able to setup a static ip so that I could use data on the phone. Anyway, just wanted to throw this out there for those with an old iPhone/iPod that's jailbreakable. Last edited by Sample; 04-06-2014 at 09:17 PM..
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04-06-2014, 09:40 PM	#6
mathematics Captain 71 Rep 994 Posts Drives: 08 328i e93 alpine white Join Date: May 2009 Location: Queens, NY iTrader: (0)	That's fine, but how does the iPhone to iPad airplay idea help stream music to your car? __________________ iPhone 6 Plus (iTunes library/iTunes radio/Waze, etc) to Airport Express via AirPlay. Toslink out of Airport Express to Helix P-Six DSP. PHD AF 1.C tweeters, PHD FB 4.1 midranges. Jehnert Door Cards and mid-bass'.
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04-06-2014, 10:00 PM	#7
Sample Second Lieutenant 67 Rep 236 Posts Drives: E90 335i/G05 X5 xDrive40i Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: US iTrader: (8)	I'm thinking you can connect it to the bmw y-cable, except instead of powering the iPod from the 6FL, use a cigarette lighter/usb adapter. So basically iPhone->iPod->Aux-In. The iPod stays in the car and would eliminate the boot time of what an airport express requires. I have a 30pin y-cable, but my devices have lightning connectors, so I can't test if this will actually work. Last edited by Sample; 04-06-2014 at 10:17 PM..
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04-07-2014, 12:11 PM	#8
mathematics Captain 71 Rep 994 Posts Drives: 08 328i e93 alpine white Join Date: May 2009 Location: Queens, NY iTrader: (0)	but why would you want to do that? seems like all you'd be doing is having hand control over your music and sending it wirelessly a foot away to an iPod attached via aux-in in your arm rest. am i missing something? __________________ iPhone 6 Plus (iTunes library/iTunes radio/Waze, etc) to Airport Express via AirPlay. Toslink out of Airport Express to Helix P-Six DSP. PHD AF 1.C tweeters, PHD FB 4.1 midranges. Jehnert Door Cards and mid-bass'.
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04-07-2014, 04:13 PM	#9
Sample Second Lieutenant 67 Rep 236 Posts Drives: E90 335i/G05 X5 xDrive40i Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: US iTrader: (8)	Update - I ended up going back to the New Potato Tunelink, because of buggy firmware in the tune2air, the 4th Gen iPod being unreliable and the airport boot time being too long. The tune2air audio quality is good for bluetooth and the idrive controls do work, however the tune2air firmware is annoying. It will not let you output audio to anything else besides itself. Siri will not work, because the bluetooth profile for handsfree is set to Supported in the firmware, where it should be set to Unsupported. Therefore, Siri will try to use the tune2air for commands. The work around to get siri to work with the car's handsfree doesn't always work either. Last edited by Sample; 04-21-2014 at 03:16 AM..
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