Can I play AVI files on 2011 X5 E70?

I just found out that I can play DVDs while parked. Is it possible to play AVI or mpeg files (like what you can get through torrents)? Either through the DVD R/W disks, or perhaps through external devices hooked up to the USB port in the glove compartment or armrest?

Originally Posted by bimmerdude7

I just found out that I can play DVDs while parked. Is it possible to play AVI or mpeg files (like what you can get through torrents)? Either through the DVD R/W disks, or perhaps through external devices hooked up to the USB port in the glove compartment or armrest?

I doubt it. From a technical perspective, the system first needs to recognize the file-type, or container (analgous to physical packaging). For a DVD this called a VOB file, and is a well known structure and package on the physical media. AVI, MPEG, or any other pc-based format is only a container, there can be a myriad of compression formats and structures within that file type. Unless BMW explicity added support for the most common of these formats, it's not likely to recognize them.

Try putting an AVI file on the USB stick, and see if the system can do anything with it.

You can take an AVI or MPEG file, or many other video formats, and with most PC or MAC based software, convert and burn to standard DVD format though. That will "transcode" the file into a regular DVD. That is NOT the same thing as copying the file to a DVD RW though.

I don't know whether or not the DVD player will recognize a DVD RW disc or not, I haven't looked for that info in the manual.