[JSpira]

The one place where the 6FL USB /iPod option seems to really pale in comparison to the MOST bus interface is in the area of Podcasts.

Unlike the MOST bus interface and the iPod itself, there is no top-level category for Podcasts.

One finds them as a genre.

In addition, unlike with the MOST bus iPod interface, podcasts which have already been played still appear on the Bordmonitor making for a crowded and messy screen.

I have an enquiry into the appropriate BMW product manager on this issue but I was wondering what everyone else was experiencing.

[gloster]

I use 6FL. I get to Podcasts under Playlist. Works fine for me.

[JSpira]

Originally Posted by gloster

I use 6FL. I get to Podcasts under Playlist. Works fine for me.

So podcasts that you played disappear from the view (which they are supposed to do) so you only see unplayed ones?

That's one problem I have (that they stick around, unlike how they behaved with the MOST bus interface) and the other is the sort order is alpha, not by date, which makes no sense for podcasts.

One additional issue is when you restart the car, you get one track and the playlist has disappeared.

[tintivilus]

Originally Posted by JSpira

So podcasts that you played disappear from the view (which they are supposed to do) so you only see unplayed ones?

That's one problem I have (that they stick around, unlike how they behaved with the MOST bus interface) and the other is the sort order is alpha, not by date, which makes no sense for podcasts.

One additional issue is when you restart the car, you get one track and the playlist has disappeared.

Wait... what? I have the MOST adapter, and while I do have a playlist top-level menu (disc 5) they're sorted by alpha, not date, and they don't disappear when played. My adapter was installed 01/07.

[JSpira]

Originally Posted by tintivilus

Wait... what? I have the MOST adapter, and while I do have a playlist top-level menu (disc 5) they're sorted by alpha, not date, and they don't disappear when played. My adapter was installed 01/07.

Well, on my car with the MOST adapter, they disappeared after being played (even if they were still on the iPod).

My recollection about the alpha v. date sort could be wrong - since there were so few (now it´s just a big ol´mess).

On the 550i with the USB option, there is no top-level menu.

[gloster]

Originally Posted by JSpira

So podcasts that you played disappear from the view (which they are supposed to do) so you only see unplayed ones?

That's one problem I have (that they stick around, unlike how they behaved with the MOST bus interface) and the other is the sort order is alpha, not by date, which makes no sense for podcasts.

One additional issue is when you restart the car, you get one track and the playlist has disappeared.

Sorry; it sounds like you are a heavier podcast user than I. While it's not an issue for me, podcasts do not disappear from my list when I listen to them. They appear in alphabetical order.

I do not have the issue you describe upon restarting the car.

[JSpira]

Originally Posted by gloster

Sorry; it sounds like you are a heavier podcast user than I. While it's not an issue for me, podcasts do not disappear from my list when I listen to them. They appear in alphabetical order.

I do not have the issue you describe upon restarting the car.

Podcasts are the best way in some respects to customize your listening experience.

What version Progman or iLevel do you have?

Thanks for participating in this thread btw - I appreciate it.

[gloster]

Originally Posted by JSpira

Podcasts are the best way in some respects to customize your listening experience.

What version Progman or iLevel do you have?

Thanks for participating in this thread btw - I appreciate it.

I listen to podcasts a lot, but I only subscribe to about 5 different podcasts. I have them set in iTunes to only keep the latest three episodes. So I only have about 15 files on my pod at any time. Keeping track of them is not an issue for me.

How can I tell my Progman level? I assume I don't have an iLevel since I don't have iDrive.

[JSpira]

Originally Posted by gloster

I listen to podcasts a lot, but I only subscribe to about 5 different podcasts. I have them set in iTunes to only keep the latest three episodes. So I only have about 15 files on my pod at any time. Keeping track of them is not an issue for me.

Hmmm, I hadn´t thought of managing this in iTunes because it hadn´t been a problem until now. I´ll have to look into this. BTW, BMW has some great podcasts although they don´t appear regularly. Search in the iTunes store for BMW and see what you get.

Originally Posted by gloster

How can I tell my Progman level? I assume I don't have an iLevel since I don't have iDrive.

I think iLevel and Progman are essentially the same thing but I´m not sure. If E90Fleet were here, he could tell us.

You can´t determine the version yourself. If you haven´t had a Progman upgrade yet, you are still at whatever was current when the car was made.

Otherwise, you can ask the dealer what version the car was upgraded to.

[Gig103]

Jonathan, you may be best off creating a "Smart Playlist" for your podcasts. Try the following:

File -> New Smart Playlist
[x] Match [all] of the following rules:
[Podcast] [is true] +
[Playcount] [is] [0]
[x] Live updating

Then name it something like "Unplayed Podcasts". A song doesn't get a Playcount incremented unless the file gets to 0:00. This is good if you pause or change track, but not so good if when the show ends and you change tracks before it gets to the zero marker, so keep that in mind.

[JSpira]

Originally Posted by Gig103

Jonathan, you may be best off creating a "Smart Playlist" for your podcasts. Try the following:

File -> New Smart Playlist
[x] Match [all] of the following rules:
[Podcast] [is true] +
[Playcount] [is] [0]
[x] Live updating

Then name it something like "Unplayed Podcasts". A song doesn't get a Playcount incremented unless the file gets to 0:00. This is good if you pause or change track, but not so good if when the show ends and you change tracks before it gets to the zero marker, so keep that in mind.

That is an excellent idea. I use smart playlists for other things but I was so used to the way the podcast worked on the older iPod adapter I spent more time bemoaning that than creating a fix.

[gloster]

+1 Great idea Gig103!

[tintivilus]

how does that differ than telling iTunes to sync only unplayed podcasts? Does the smart playlist update on the iPod without syncing to iTunes?

Right now I have iTunes set to sync only the last 5 unplayed episodes of selected podcasts, and that keeps things pretty well under control. I do sometimes forget which ones I've listened to when I leave the iPod in the car for a while, though.

[Gig103]

Ah, here's the thread! I couldn't find it to followup, I'm glad it's working

Tintivilus - smart playlists is only a solution to browsing Podcasts; it doesn't change anything related to Sync preferences.