[TMP]

My Dad is having a small but very annoying problem with his car.
He is using the Cd player for MP3 playback, and if he leaves the car for more than 45 mins, the first mp3 track is played rather than starting where it left off.

If he gets back in within 45 mins, the mp3 that was playing continues where it left off

The local stealer have had the car in several times, and even replaced the head unit (with a recon unit ) But the fault is still occuring.... so they are now speaking to BMW.....

Any ideas guys?

Cheers.

[AlanQS]

If you stop in the middle of a track, get out for a couple of minutes (like at a petrol station) and get back in, the track will continue from where it left off. If the car is switched off for a longer period of time - I don't know how long it is but 45 minutes would do it - then the music will start off at the start of that track and not where you left off. This is deliberate - upon the basis, I presume, that you've been away so long that you would listen to the track from the beginning again.

When you say the first track, do you mean from the beginning of that track or the beginning of the album. If the former, there is no fault, it was doing what it is supposed to do.

If the latter, I have no clue except to say that it might have something to do with the way the album hierarchy has been written to the CD.

To find out if this might be the case, try it on a normal non MP3 disk. Play the fourth track, stop it half way through, leave it for 45 minutes, switch it on again and see if it plays the start of the fourth track or the start of the album. If the start of the fourth track, there is nothing wrong with the head unit.

[TMP]

Thanks Alan,

hmmm, will ask if its re-starting the track or the whole disk. However, my car doesnt do the former, it continues playback from where you turned the car off even if thats for days......

Only difference is I have idrive, my Dad does'nt?

[AlanQS]

Your car sounds like the one that is unusual! Unless iDrive has something to do with it (I don't have it.)

The only time my unit goes to the start of the CD which has multiple MP3 albums is if the disk is ejected then pushed back in.

[TMP]

Yeap - its just the track restarting (rather than the whole disk). However as my Dad listens to lots of classical i.e. 10-20 mins tracks this is not a 'feature' he likes. The garage are still looking into it though so they havent yet used the usual "they all do that sir"......

As for my car being unusual, the 5er does the same as well (but then that also has idrive).

[jimmylimmy]

i find this when using my ipod with the ipod kit in the glovebox. Listen to a few audiobooks and podcasts and having to fastforward 10-20 minutes every time i turn the ignition off is a pain in the arse

[Boyd1963]

Originally Posted by jimmylimmy

i find this when using my ipod with the ipod kit in the glovebox. Listen to a few audiobooks and podcasts and having to fastforward 10-20 minutes every time i turn the ignition off is a pain in the arse

I've got the same setup in my car but I find that if I set the "Remember position" property to "yes" in iTunes it works fine. (In the Options Tab after you right click and choose Get Info)

[jimmylimmy]

thanks! i'll give it a try

[AlanQS]

Well, they all do "do that" - without iDrive at least.

Has he tried fast forwarding to the approximate part of the piece he is listening to? In case he doesn't know, holding the up arrow on the steering wheel will fast forward through the track and is audible through the speakers to allow you to identify when to stop.

[Boyd1963]

Originally Posted by AlanQS

Well, they all do "do that" - without iDrive at least.

Has he tried fast forwarding to the approximate part of the piece he is listening to? In case he doesn't know, holding the up arrow on the steering wheel will fast forward through the track and is audible through the speakers to allow you to identify when to stop.

I knew that you could do it from the buttons from the radio but never realised that FF worked from the steering wheel as well.

[TMP]

Originally Posted by AlanQS

Well, they all do "do that" - without iDrive at least.

Has he tried fast forwarding to the approximate part of the piece he is listening to? In case he doesn't know, holding the up arrow on the steering wheel will fast forward through the track and is audible through the speakers to allow you to identify when to stop.

I get your point, but cmon that's a naff 'feature'...go out shopping and the car resets the track? (another plus for idrive then )

btw it does also do it this with normal CD's....

[AlanQS]

I knew it would with normal CDs. It was just to check that it was doing the same thing regardless of type of playback.

Like you, I was used to CDs picking up from where you left them but I don't really mind. The argument might go like: if you were listening to a really good piece of music why would you want to return to the car one hour or one day later and pick up in the middle of the piece (which for most would be a three or four minute rock/pop song) - that would be like interrupting an important conversation for - say a day - and then restarting it in the middle of a word. You would bound to re-cap a bit before continuing with the conversation, wouldn't you.

Anyhow, they could have set the system up either way, they chose one, most of you don't seem to like it.

But there's nothing wrong with the head unit, it is working as designed.

[jimmylimmy]

Originally Posted by Boyd1963

I've got the same setup in my car but I find that if I set the "Remember position" property to "yes" in iTunes it works fine. (In the Options Tab after you right click and choose Get Info)

can you post a screenshot? I cant find anything that looks like what you have advised

[Boyd1963]

Right click on the track or album and select "Get Info" The screen below will be shown.