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iPhone 5 - Streaming Bluetooth (BT) Audio In a X5 Without BT Enabled CIC / Combox

17K views 17 replies 10 participants last post by  Bmiah05 
#1 · (Edited)
Thought this post might help folks who are trying to stream music via Bluetooth (BT) in a X5 that is *not* equipped with a BT audio enabled CIC/Combox (i.e. no built-in A2DP).

My objective:
  • Stream audio from my iPhone 5 without having to connect any cables each time I step into the car AND use the phone like I always did via iDrive and steering controls. (Yes iPhone 5 can connect to two BT devices simultaneously)
  • Use devices I already own and keep the cost down to the barest minimum.

What I already had:
  • 2011 MY X5, June 2010 build, came with this Y-cable. My June 2010 built X5 does not have BT audio . . . BT audio started showing up after October 2010 build date
  • iPhone 5 - it has the lightening connector, does not fit the Y cable.
  • An old iPod from the junk pile whose battery is shot

What I had to buy:
  • Scosche USB charger that plugs into the cigarette lighter This is a low profile USB charger - if you use it in the socket next to the ashtray the sliding cover will *not* slide shut.
  • Note - not all USB chargers are the same - read this. Your choice will depend on whether you have an Android device or an Apple device and whether you want to charge at full power.​
  • Blackberry Music Gateway - I was very surprised with the sound quality - I was expecting BT to degrade the sound quality.
  • Yes I could have used the lightening to 30-pin connector adapter to connect my iPhone 5 to the existing Y-cable . . . but that still meant I have to manually connect my iPhone 5 each time I stepped into the car.​
To avoid any sound quality degradation I still have my iPod inside the armrest compartment.

If I didn't want to switch back and forth between the audio outputs from the BB Music Gateway and the iPod, I could use a switch like this one. Not sure whether using this switch will degrade the sound quality . . . . or if there is a better solution to plug two audio devices to the same 3.5mm audio jack inside the armrest compartment. I didn't want to try a simple splitter (like this one used to share an iPad) . . . I will be using it in reverse - instead of splitting one source into two listening devices, I am connecting two devices to one listening device. Not sure whether this will damage the car and/or the connected audio devices, hence did not try it. Comments anyone?

If others have other solutions or ideas to further improve the set up I describe above, please chime in.

PS: I listen to NPR all the time - NPR has a great iPhone app . . . I load the playlist before I get to the car . . . this way I can easily time-shift my favorite shows.
 
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#5 ·
+1

I personally don't like BB, so looked to see if others made similar devices . . . everything I read pointed to this BB device.

Sound quality is very subjective - unless one has a very keen ear, one may not notice the difference - i.e. spend money on audio to match your hearing ability.

For talk shows, news programs and podcast I can barely tell the difference between using this BB device and plugging the iPhone straight into the audio jack. Sound quality is impacted more by poor cell coverage than by this device.

I don't know how well this BB Gateway compares to the built-in A2DP in newer cars . . . if I get a loaner that has A2DP I will report back.
 
#14 ·
With the monoprice or other BT audio devices, does it let you control the phone via the BMW radio/steering wheel? For example - can can you skip tracks, go back/forth, see the album art, etc. or does that all have to happen via the phone?

I'm looking at a 2010 X5 and if the BT audio stuff is limited until the MY11 models (after the date above) - I may hold off...
 
#16 ·
+1 . . . only volume control can be done via the steering controls, everything else via the iPhone.

An interesting feature - my iPhone 5 establishes two BT connections - one with BB Music Gateway for music and the other with the car's BT (X5 MY2011, June 2010 build) for telephone. When a call comes in it does the right thing - mutes the music BT and the phone works like it always did via the car's speaker/microphone and you can hang up using iDrive, etc. Once the call is completed it flips back to the BB Music BT and resumes the song.

I suspect this switching back and forth feature between two BT channels is phone specific . . . may not work the same on older phones.
 
#17 ·
Is there any hack that can be done via BMW coding or other 3rd party reseller to retrofit the A2DP blue tooth streaming to early build 2010 X5 ?

I'd love to avoid using all these small gizmos if I can...
 
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