iPod/USB vs. AUX Plug.

Other than the integration into iDrive, what is the advantage of the iPod/USB integration over the standard AUX plug that is standard equipment?

It charges your iPod.

what hardware is involved with the iPod/USB integration? does it fit into the AUX input in the center armrest via the Y-Cable?

Recognizing that the aux cable will not charge the ipod, can you use the aux cable to transmit sound and also use a separate charge cable in the 12V connector at the same time?

Originally Posted by Pootz19

Recognizing that the aux cable will not charge the ipod, can you use the aux cable to transmit sound and also use a separate charge cable in the 12V connector at the same time?

Probably, I suggest you ask your salesperson to verify. I ordered my X5 with the iPod/USB because I wanted to be able to load MP3 files to the car's hard drive via the USB port. There was absolutely zero indication, in any if the BMW documents, to indicate that the vehicle already comes with a USB port in the glove box for this exact purpose. So, while I am not 100% sure I have this correct, I am at least 95% certain that I could have saved myself the $400 option that puts an ipod and USB connectors in the center console. From post I have read in these forums, it appears that the additional USB port in the center console is only for playing music directly from a USB connection while the USB port in the glove box is for downloading to the hard drive and I am 95% convinced the one in the glovebox comes as standard equipment even if you do not pay for the iPod/USB. Thus, any files you have on an iPod, you can use your computer to drag and drop onto a USB thumb drive stick (cheap - about $20 for a 4GB stick and less than $30 for an 8GB stick). Then you can simply plug that stick into the USB in the glove box and download to the hard drive. Once you have filled the HD (12.5 GBs) you can continue to use the USB port in the glove box to play additional files and you can have multiple thumb drive sticks so you have potentially endless supply of music.

Using the iPod does give you more capacity in one place (on the iPod if you have a 40 GB or larger iPod). But not many people actually have THAT much music (some do but not many).

Finally, I suspect (not sure as I don't even have an iPod to test this theory) if you pass on the ipod/USB and connect your iPod via AUX (and use the 12 v to charge), I think you will have to use the iPod to change songs and navigate thru your music. If you have the iPod connector, I THINK you can navigate the ipod's music through your iDrive.

Again, I suggest you verify ALL of this with your salesperson but if I am correct, you can save yourself $400 by simply copying your iPod music onto a USB thumb drive stick and loading to the HD. Oh, BTW, my salesperson told me (at delivery) that the HD's 12.5 GBs are shared between music files and stored/saved NAV points. I do not know how much HD space each saved NAV point uses but I doubt it is very much. If you only have a few stored NAV points this would not be much to worry about but if you have many NAV points to permanently store - it will likely reduce your music capacity to that extent.

All I can say is that I am still absolutely furious that no-one told me the vehicle comes with the glove box USB for downloading music to the HD. As I said, I don't even have an iPod so I did not need that $400 option. And, I have even re-searched through the X5 brochure and all dealer supplied options lists and that glove box USB port isn't listed anywhere!

Originally Posted by RedRockin

I wanted to be able to load MP3 files to the car's hard drive via the USB port.

Just as a heads-up to people reading this thread, there's also another way to load music files onto thr X5 hard disk.

Just the other week I wanted to load my modest collection of songs from i-tunes onto the hard disk in my X5. Not having a large capacity memory stick, I found the easiest way was to simply use itunes to make a "back-up" DVD with all the songs in Apple's AAC format, and then just put the DVD into the CD/DVD slot and save all the songs to the X5 hard disk. Now all the songs are in the X5 and still in the native ipod format, without a need to change all the files to MP3 format.

And now I've got a DVD as a backup for all the music in the X5.

Originally Posted by Penguin

Just as a heads-up to people reading this thread, there's also another way to load music files onto thr X5 hard disk.

Just the other week I wanted to load my modest collection of songs from i-tunes onto the hard disk in my X5. Not having a large capacity memory stick, I found the easiest way was to simply use itunes to make a "back-up" DVD with all the songs in Apple's AAC format, and then just put the DVD into the CD/DVD slot and save all the songs to the X5 hard disk. Now all the songs are in the X5 and still in the native ipod format, without a need to change all the files to MP3 format.

And now I've got a DVD as a backup for all the music in the X5.

Best idea I've heard. I didn't know you can play AAC files in the car, I thought they would have to be converted to MP3s. Am I wrong?

I have my car on order, or else I'd confirm myself.

Originally Posted by JBIZZ

Best idea I've heard. I didn't know you can play AAC files in the car, I thought they would have to be converted to MP3s. Am I wrong?

I have my car on order, or else I'd confirm myself.

I thought it would require MP3 as well, but tried it with the AAC files and it worked. Well, mostly.

I found that it would copy the AAC files which I put into itunes from my CD collection, but the few songs I purchased, it would not copy. I suspect it sees some copy protection code and doesn't copy the songs purchased from the itunes store. Those you probably have to convert to MP3's to copy to the BMW HD.

Perhaps it will copy song purchased from the itunes store under the new non-limited use pricing, but I haven't tried it.

Is it just the 2010 or newer x5s that have this hd capability or does it include the 2009 idrive harddrive?

Originally Posted by RedRockin

Finally, I suspect (not sure as I don't even have an iPod to test this theory) if you pass on the ipod/USB and connect your iPod via AUX (and use the 12 v to charge), I think you will have to use the iPod to change songs and navigate thru your music. If you have the iPod connector, I THINK you can navigate the ipod's music through your iDrive.

Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner!

Yep, that's the reason. We have the iPod connector in all our cars. We can access playlists, choose artists, change songs on my wife's iPhone through the iDrive. And on the new cars withthe Combox Controller (week 40 build, onward) you also get the album cover art.

OTOH when my son wants to listen to something from his Sansa, he just plugs it into the Aux port. Nothing appears on the iDrive screen, and he has to use the Sansa controls to navigate. Since he's too young to drive, that's not an issue. But if he were behind hte wheel, I would NOT want him glancing down to his Sansa trying to find Cold Play. IMHO that's as bad as texting while driving.

EDIT: Just in case this thread is not confusing enough.... The iPod adapter WOULD allow my son to use the iDrive controls to scroll through playlists, etc., so it IS functional with devices that don't bear the Apple logo. However, my son's content is all subscription (Rhapsody) and the DRM's don't allow it to play through the iPod controller, only through the Aux in jack.

Originally Posted by Pootz19

Recognizing that the aux cable will not charge the ipod, can you use the aux cable to transmit sound and also use a separate charge cable in the 12V connector at the same time?

Absolutely. I have my ipod connected through the auxiliary input for sound transmission, and connected through a separate Belkin charging cable to the 12v connector to keep the ipod juiced up and the system works flawlessly.

Originally Posted by Marwan

Absolutely. I have my ipod connected through the auxiliary input for sound transmission, and connected through a separate Belkin charging cable to the 12v connector to keep the ipod juiced up and the system works flawlessly.

Thanks. Exactly the answer I was looking for.

Originally Posted by Pootz19

Thanks. Exactly the answer I was looking for.

If u uses MP3-player instead of I-pod then through I-drive u can change songs and etc.. if u connected it through USB-port. And since USB -port also gives in the reverse direction electric power it charges MP3-player.

Otherwise if u connected it through AUX u are just giving low volume audio signal ( as to headphones) to the main unit of the car which amplifies it and gives to speakers in its order. Disadvantage of AUX in the case of MP3-players: 1) it is not charging (2) u'd manually push buttons on MP3-player to change songs.

AUX is simply "line-in" port as usually in all audio devices.

funny, I knew I could burn my files (pretty much all Mp3 and wav but also all in itunes) and load to car from CD. Just figured with my collection that would take a long time and it would be so much quicker to drag/drop and load thru a thumb drive. What never occurred to me was burning to a DVD which has so much more capacity than CDs.

Still, amazed that the glove box USB port for loading is not mentioned anywhere in any of the docs and the SA didn't mention it either! I guess they don't want us to know so we will throw down another $400

Just to see what it would do, I hooked my iPhone to the glove box USB port and it indicated it was charging. I kind of remember the manual saying it wouldn't.

I didn't leave it connected very long so I don't know if it would have fully charged the phone, but it would have been good to know on my first road trip the other day when my out-of-car phone usage nearly drained the battery.

how big is the hard drive for the 2010 x5 35d?? i thought my dealer said it was a 50gig
can anyone correct me on this??

Originally Posted by R6soldier

how big is the hard drive for the 2010 x5 35d?? i thought my dealer said it was a 50gig
can anyone correct me on this??

I have read few different numbers ranging between 50-80 GBs but regardless of actual most is used by the Nav system (possible other vehicle software as well). All reports are that 12.5 GBs are allocated for music. And, as I posted above, my SA told me that 12.5 gets shared between music and storing saved navigation "location" points. Haven't seen or heard any confirmation about this last part but it makes sense. If 12.5 GBs are user allocated, some would be used for storing saved nav points.

Anyone ever try to use this USB port to connect a Blackberry for music and/or Pandora? If yes, which BB are you using and are you using the standard USB cable that comes with the BB (micro USB to phone and regular USB to car)? Or, will only a double male 3.5mm work? Thanks.

If you have the IPOD/USB attachment and leave your IPOD connected after you turnoff the car are you still drawing power from the car battery?
I'm hoping this is not the case. If so, anyone have any idea what kind of power draw it consumes?

@sampsonite - its only on 2010 and newer

i have the 09 idrive and i use got myself a nifty 64gb usb stick. works really well if you dont have an ipod.

I've got an mp3 player that works but preferred using a usb stick because I just leave it in the car. I enjoiy starting the car and having the music immediately qued up. Unless I won't be driving the car for a few days, I leave the usb stick plugged in without any trouble.

Originally Posted by PUZZ

Other than the integration into iDrive, what is the advantage of the iPod/USB integration over the standard AUX plug that is standard equipment?

On a 2009 35d, the answer is NONE.

BMW correctly labels this option iPod/USB integration. It does work with the iPhone, but ONLY the iPod app on the iPhone (or iPod Touch) can be heard via the X5's sound system. So forget listening to Internet Radio, etc. while plugged into this $400 USB port and Y cable.

I wish I had understood this when we ordered our 35d. Now we have a $400 USB port in our center console that we hardly ever use.

Funf Dreisig

Originally Posted by Funf Dreisig

So forget listening to Internet Radio, etc. while plugged into this $400 USB port and Y cable.
Funf Dreisig

A contraire, mein freund Hill Country. I think it was you that relayed instructions on how to make this happen with a series of hand slights (nee, soft resets) on the iPhone. Might be MY specific, but I have no problemo streaming WWOZ via 3G into the '10 X5d sound system via the Y cable option. I did exchange the delivered Y cable for an upgraded ver. when the original proved to not be charging the phone.

So let me get this straight..

I am getting a 2011 X50i.....now if I have an iphone 3gs now if I don't get the 400 dollar ipod option I can put music on my flashdrive, plug it in the glovebox USB and upload on to my car..

then take the USB out and the music will be CD quality on my car???

can anyone confirm this?

Yes.