[Steve748]

I have put lots of music on a memory stick and put it in the slot in the armrest and I can't work out how to download it or play from it. I looked in the H/B but it wasn't much use, anybody know a way to make it work?

[greatbm]

Originally Posted by Steve748

I have put lots of music on a memory stick and put it in the slot in the armrest and I can't work out how to download it or play from it. I looked in the H/B but it wasn't much use, anybody know a way to make it work?

Plug in, switch to usb option, directry should apear, select album to play or track using right hand knob press to play, simple as that. What have you coverted your music to ?

[doughboy]

Originally Posted by Steve748

I have put lots of music on a memory stick and put it in the slot in the armrest and I can't work out how to download it or play from it. I looked in the H/B but it wasn't much use, anybody know a way to make it work?

You can only play from the stick using the armrest socket.

To upload to the car you need to use the socket in the glovebox.

Make sure the music is in an approved format, AAC or MP3 are the most common. Also the stick must be formatted in FAT32, not NTFS as most sticks come setup as standard these days. Device must operate as a 'Mass Storage Device'. (you'll see what windows calls it when you plug it in a pc)

In the car, put the stick in the armrest socket, press the CD button by the idrive knob, then select 'external devices', the usb stick should appear by name, select that then either explore the directories on the stick or search by genre etc.

[mjh93sa]

Well, it will depend slightly on the age of the car and the Nav. I'm unsure of how to proceed if you have the newer multimedia Nav that allows you to download to the HardDrive.

However,as you mention the slot in the centre console I'll assume that you have the older system or are trying to use the 6FL, in which case...

Go to the entertainment system and select AudioAux, or use the voice control "Audio Aux Menu". You should then have an option for the input and your memeory stick, select the memory stick and you're in. Note though that if you have lots of data on the stick it can take a while to sort out and build a directory of what is on there. I used to use a memeory stick, but have finally caved and bought an ipod, so have all my music loaded at once.

If you could be a little more specific as to what you are doing and seeing it might help us sort you out.

An old u-tube of mine playing with the 6FL

[Steve748]

It looks like I have finally managed to do it and at the moment the car is locked with the ignition on while it downloads all the stuff.

I have a March 08 and I cannot find a USB port in the glove box.

I plugged it in the armrest, I then went to USB2 and then clicked on every option offered until it said 'download in progress' or something like.

Now waiting to see what will happen!

[SoYank]

USB in the glovebox is an LCI feature. It's used for downloading to the hard drive which is also an LCI feature.

[M3-FAST]

Originally Posted by SoYank

USB in the glovebox is an LCI feature. It's used for downloading to the hard drive which is also an LCI feature.

Correct! It will only play music ripped to the HDD - the glovebox USB is the 6FL option which is used for playing from USB storage sticks or Ipods etc

I believe all Idrive LCi cars have a chunk of HDD space spare to store ripped music onto. Transferred either by the USB port or ripping a disc put into the in dash player

[Steve748]

I thought I had done it but it won't play from the stick or play anything I thought I had downloaded.

Where is the glovebox USB supposed to be?

I have got the ipod connectors if that makes any difference should I have used the USB lead even though all it seems to be is an extension lead?

[SoYank]

Originally Posted by Steve748

I thought I had done it but it won't play from the stick or play anything I thought I had downloaded.

Where is the glovebox USB supposed to be?

I have got the ipod connectors if that makes any difference should I have used the USB lead even though all it seems to be is an extension lead?

The glovebox USB is on the side with the valet switch...about where the flashlight, er, torch used to be. You'll find it only if your vehicle was made after September 2008. If your car is older than that it won't have the hard disk to which to download anything. As for not playing from the stick I have that problem with a 16GB stick yet an 8GB stick works.

My car came with a short (8") USB extension cable and I use it for the memory sticks. I also have an iPod cable that plugs into the bottom of the iPod and into the 6FL. It works well for me so I never bothered getting the Y-cable that also plugs into the AUX jack. Only problem is it is about three feet long and needs to be coiled up inside the armrest compartment.

Not intending to hijack your thread but does anyone know where I can get an 8" iPod cable?

[Steve748]

ahhh...........built Feb 08 and I am using a 16gb stick, it is fat32 as well

[greatbm]

Originally Posted by Steve748

ahhh...........built Feb 08 and I am using a 16gb stick, it is fat32 as well

I must admit I use a 120gig iPod classic most of the time and have only ever used up to 4gig on a stick with no problems.

[doughboy]

Originally Posted by redE93cab

Correct! It will only play music ripped to the HDD - the glovebox USB is the 6FL option which is used for playing from USB storage sticks or Ipods etc

I believe all Idrive LCi cars have a chunk of HDD space spare to store ripped music onto. Transferred either by the USB port or ripping a disc put into the in dash player

Are we getting muddled here:

1. Pre LCI (steve's car) can't 'download' anything? there's nothing to download to is there??? You can just realtime play from the stick via the armrest port.

2. LCI cars (like mine) you can ONLY realtime play from the armrest socket. The Glovebox socket ois ONLY for downloading to the CAR HDD (or uploading/backup to a USB stick). I use a 64GB (yes 64Gig) memory stick full to 57gig / 6000 tracks, no problems in the armrest socket, there's no point downloading to the car IMO, i tried it and it is REALLY SLOWWWWWWWW. Even for 4BG I finished a 1 hour drive before it was finished transfering and had to cancel it.

Steve,

When the memory stick is in the socket, is it shown as a aux input device in you menus?

Have you got another different make of USB stick to try, some work and some don't?

[SoYank]

Originally Posted by doughboy

Are we getting muddled here:

1. Pre LCI (steve's car) can't 'download' anything? there's nothing to download to is there??? You can just realtime play from the stick via the armrest port.

2. LCI cars (like mine) you can ONLY realtime play from the armrest socket. The Glovebox socket ois ONLY for downloading to the CAR HDD (or uploading/backup to a USB stick). I use a 64GB (yes 64Gig) memory stick full to 57gig / 6000 tracks, no problems in the armrest socket, there's no point downloading to the car IMO, i tried it and it is REALLY SLOWWWWWWWW. Even for 4BG I finished a 1 hour drive before it was finished transfering and had to cancel it.

Steve,

When the memory stick is in the socket, is it shown as a aux input device in you menus?

Have you got another different make of USB stick to try, some work and some don't?

Doughboy's quite right with his separation of the models and functionality of the two USB ports. He's also right about the slowness of downloading to the hard drive.

Steve, when you attach your USB stick to your computer, try giving it a volume name. My USB stick defaults to the manufacturer's name (KINGSTON). Then when you insert it into the USB port on the car it should come up as a source in the menus; for me it comes up above the AUX item. Select the volume you've named and it should provide a directory of tracks.

It's a bit difficult helping someone with problems on a system one doesn't know about, i.e., 2007-2008. I could help you better if you had the 2009 (58 plate). So, when are you planning to get one?

[Steve748]

Bought a 8gb stick, loaded the music on, plugged it in, went to Aux/USB and it started playing straight away, so the problem must be that a 16gb stick is too big even though it had the same amount of music on it

[doughboy]

Originally Posted by Steve748

Bought a 8gb stick, loaded the music on, plugged it in, went to Aux/USB and it started playing straight away, so the problem must be that a 16gb stick is too big even though it had the same amount of music on it

Must be the BRAND/TYPE of stick causing the problem.

Glad its working now.

[MAW]

Gentlemen, I just had my retrofit ACM and USB installed on my 2008 E90. The USB functioned well with a small flash drive that was tested by the local BMW dealer. However, when i tried several flash drive (2 or 8 gb) nothing happened! it said something like "searching for files".

PLEASE HELP.