[trey100]

For those wondering why BMW doesn't just change your MULF, I found this on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-G...mZ170130665054

Don't know which version this is but Buy It Now is just under $600....wow.

[olli_g]

Can those of you with the USB interface comment on the following three problems:

1. I read that if you are in random mode and you don't listen until the end of the song but press the "Next" button, it's not the next random song that gets played but the next song from the list. So if you're listening to the third song of an album and press the "Next" button (or the arrow on the steering wheel), the next song is not some random song, but song 4, then song 5, 6, and so on.
2. Some also mentioned that if you listen to some songs in random order, this order is always the same. So even if you would play those same songs on random a week later, the order of the songs is not a new, different, random order, but the same order like last time you played them on random.

So what can you tell me: are those just problems only a few have or is this the case with all the cars with USB interface?
As I almost exclusively listen to my songs in random mode, this would be a deal-breaker for me...

[100mph]

Originally Posted by olli_g

Can those of you with the USB interface comment on the following three problems:

1. I read that if you are in random mode and you don't listen until the end of the song but press the "Next" button, it's not the next random song that gets played but the next song from the list. So if you're listening to the third song of an album and press the "Next" button (or the arrow on the steering wheel), the next song is not some random song, but song 4, then song 5, 6, and so on.
2. Some also mentioned that if you listen to some songs in random order, this order is always the same. So even if you would play those same songs on random a week later, the order of the songs is not a new, different, random order, but the same order like last time you played them on random.

So what can you tell me: are those just problems only a few have or is this the case with all the cars with USB interface?
As I almost exclusively listen to my songs in random mode, this would be a deal-breaker for me...

I can confirm that with an Ipod when you hit the next button it doesnt go to the next random song but goes to the next one in the list.

However, I can say that with a portable HDD like a western digital passport it does indeed choose the next random song when you skip ahead.

Another annoyance with the ipod was that if you stopped the car when you restarted the playlist would only show the current song not all the others - with an HDD you get the whole list back.

Check out my thread on how to set up a 160GB WD passport

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=80270

[olli_g]

@100mph: thanks for your reply! Did you use the iPod with the special Y-cable from BMW?

[100mph]

Originally Posted by olli_g

@100mph: thanks for your reply! Did you use the iPod with the special Y-cable from BMW?

Yes I was using an 8GB nano with the special bmw cable

[100mph]

Originally Posted by 100mph

I can confirm that with an Ipod when you hit the next button it doesnt go to the next random song but goes to the next one in the list.

However, I can say that with a portable HDD like a western digital passport it does indeed choose the next random song when you skip ahead.

Another annoyance with the ipod was that if you stopped the car when you restarted the playlist would only show the current song not all the others - with an HDD you get the whole list back.

Check out my thread on how to set up a 160GB WD passport

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=80270

I can also now confirm that unlike with an Ipod when you restart the car with a WD passport the playlist picks up where it left off, showing the entire list AND if you were on random play it stays on random play.

Another ipod annoyance was that if you stopped/started the car the Ipod wouldnt continue on random play, it would revert to sequential order.

[olli_g]

100mph, thanks for your input! Sound like a version 1.0 device, and a bad one at that. Do you have iDrive?

[100mph]

Originally Posted by olli_g

100mph, thanks for your input! Sound like a version 1.0 device, and a bad one at that. Do you have iDrive?

Ya no kidding a little more thought and testing would have been great - can't wait for 7FL on my next car LOL.

Yes I do have iDrive.

[olli_g]

I'm more and more convinced that I'm not gonna have the USB option on my new 1-series.

[100mph]

Originally Posted by olli_g

I'm more and more convinced that I'm not gonna have the USB option on my new 1-series.

Don't get me wrong, I love 6FL and would have been kicking myself if I didnt get it (I actually waited for a March build). Its by no means perfect but its one of the best solutions I've seen for in car mp3's, particularly when mated with idrive

[Steage]

I was using random with my 6FL and iDrive this weekend... when I hit next I got the next random song. Also, when I left the car and came back it resumed random.... even after I took the iPod with me and played it on my home stereo for a while.

[100mph]

Originally Posted by JeremyDS

I was using random with my 6FL and iDrive this weekend... when I hit next I got the next random song. Also, when I left the car and came back it resumed random.... even after I took the iPod with me and played it on my home stereo for a while.

Interesting, particularly if you took it out of the car, played it and then put it back... I wonder two things.

1. Mine is a march build - perhaps progman updates have corrected some of these 'bugs' since? I've been reading that there has been quite a few since march but haven't read that any have 6FL updates

2. I wonder if there are some Ipod settings/preferences that could be coming into play or perhaps differences between ipod models.

[olli_g]

@JeremyDS: do you use your iPod with the special Y-cable from BMW? If not, that would explain it.

[jmonier]

Originally Posted by JeremyDS

I was using random with my 6FL and iDrive this weekend... when I hit next I got the next random song. Also, when I left the car and came back it resumed random.... even after I took the iPod with me and played it on my home stereo for a while.

That's the way mine works as well (at least with a playlist). I'm using the Y-cable and mine was built March 4th.

[olli_g]

@jmonier: I'm glad there's still hope!

So why do some get a normal shuffling behavior and others don't, even though the Y-cable is used?

EDIT: could it be that one of them is Windows formatted, and another one is Mac formatted?

[jmonier]

Originally Posted by olli_g

@jmonier: I'm glad there's still hope!

So why do some get a normal shuffling behavior and others don't, even though the Y-cable is used?

EDIT: could it be that one of them is Windows formatted, and another one is Mac formatted?

Have you tried a playlist? I made a playlist in iTunes of everything I want to listen to normally and then use that most of the time. I actually set it up to play random before I took delivery of the car and it worked perfectly (in random) when I plugged it into the car.

If you select a new playlist, you start off on the first (non-random) song in the list. Then select random, and the next song (or album) will be random. This is apparently dictated by the iPod because it works exactly the same way on the IPod adapter for my Denon 3808 receiver.

[olli_g]

@jmonier: I haven't even ordered the car yet Still deciding on the options...

[Steage]

Originally Posted by olli_g

@JeremyDS: do you use your iPod with the special Y-cable from BMW? If not, that would explain it.

Mine is with the Y-cable too. I do have an ancient iPod though... perhaps that is a factor.

This is on a June '07 build car with all the latest software/MULF hardware.

The only inconsistancy I have is when I remove the iPod from the car, sometimes it resumes from the last song I was listening to on my home stereo/headphones and sometimes it doesn't. Its a minor annoyance though... I usually want to listen to something different in the car anyway.

[olli_g]

I really don't think that this has anything to do with generation of the iPod or formatting (Mac/Windows) of the iPod...

Could it be that the skipping only works properly if you enable shuffling on the iPod itself?

[drwtsn32]

I just received the iPod Y-cable...but it appears to be a different part number than previously discussed:

61 12 0 440 796

It still looks like the right thing. Anyone know what the difference is?

[jmonier]

Originally Posted by olli_g

Could it be that the skipping only works properly if you enable shuffling on the iPod itself?

I believe that setting Random from the iDrive DOES enable shuffling on the iPod. That's the way it appears to work for me. In any case, it works fine for me either way.

[olli_g]

Originally Posted by drwtsn32

I just received the iPod Y-cable...but it appears to be a different part number than previously discussed:

61 12 0 440 796

It still looks like the right thing. Anyone know what the difference is?

I believe the new one is a bit smaller.