changing stations in 328i?

Hi all---I picked up my new 328i yesterday and like it lots. I've got a question about doing something that should be simple but I can't seem to find out the answer. If I am listening to the Sat radio, say channel 100, and I want to change the station up or down to 99 or 101, how the heck do I do that without using the wheel/menu on the display? The toggle on the steering wheel only lets you cycle thru the stations on a category, but if I am listening to station that is in a different category that doesn't do it for me. And the arrow buttons at the end of the preset buttons also don't do what I want. It can't be that this is not possible? I could do this in my 2008 335i no problem using the steering wheel up/down buttons.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Originally Posted by berkeley223

Hi all---I picked up my new 328i yesterday and like it lots. I've got a question about doing something that should be simple but I can't seem to find out the answer. If I am listening to the Sat radio, say channel 100, and I want to change the station up or down to 99 or 101, how the heck do I do that without using the wheel/menu on the display? The toggle on the steering wheel only lets you cycle thru the stations on a category, but if I am listening to station that is in a different category that doesn't do it for me. And the arrow buttons at the end of the preset buttons also don't do what I want. It can't be that this is not possible? I could do this in my 2008 335i no problem using the steering wheel up/down buttons.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

That can be done by using the iDrive screen to call up satellite radio and use the iDrive controller to scroll through the stations numerically.

Most of us use the Presets function to store all of the satellite and terrestrial radio stations that we like in sequential order, this way when you use the steering wheel controls it brings them up precisely how you want it. iDrive can store 40 Presets from all bands mixed together (AM, FM, SAT, HD) and its quite convenient.

Additionally, if you program just one of the 1-8 buttons to a station on your Presets list, you get one touch access to that list and use up only one of your 1-8 function buttons.

BJ

thanks. seems really complicated though just to change the freaking station up or down

I had a loaner f30 a few months back and after fooling with it for a while I found that when you scroll on the slider wheel on the steering wheel, you see it on the HUD. You'll see (depending on the source of the content) arrows to go back or forth, radio station presets, etc. It drove me nuts since I was able to do this effortlessly on my e90.

The RADIO button near the controller can drop you right to the last radio list used. In practice for me that is the favorites list that is like BJ pointed out capable of saving FM/AM as well as SAT and even "web radio" via the apps. I go between there and using the MEDIA button to get to what is stored on car or phone etc.

I figured that out by accident this last weekend it was driving me nuts as well. It also works for going through songs on the iphone.

thanks, I guess I will set up station playlists and go from there

another question, i have the enhanced bluetooth thing. it is cool that I can stream from my iphone but it takes me to the last song I was listening to on my phone, and I can only listen to whatever album I happend to be listening too last. Doesn't seem like I can change albums/artists. Do I need to plug the phone into the car in order to do that?

I haven't found a way in fact I have found the bluetooth functionality pretty limited.

Originally Posted by berkeley223

another question, i have the enhanced bluetooth thing. it is cool that I can stream from my iphone but it takes me to the last song I was listening to on my phone, and I can only listen to whatever album I happend to be listening too last. Doesn't seem like I can change albums/artists. Do I need to plug the phone into the car in order to do that?

The sound quality of Bluetooth vs. USB is bad, so if you're talking about streaming music from your iTunes library, here's some honest advice:

Don't bother using your iPhone as a music source. Just blow the dust off of that beater iPod Touch you have laying around the house, load it up with 1000's of songs, and leave it permanently sync'd to USB in the armrest.

The upside to using your iPhone for this purpose is very limited, actually causes more confusion and configuration than is necessary. Use the iPhone via Bluetooth only for calls and texts, use an iPod Touch in the armrest via USB for the music. Trust me on this one.

BJ

Originally Posted by berkeley223

thanks, I guess I will set up station playlists and go from there

Just to clarify:

There is only 1 "station playlist" and it's called the Radio Presets screen. Once on that screen, you can add up to 40 stations mixed from all sources (AM, FM, SAT, HD) in any order you like. There are then three tricks you need to know:

1. Hover over the first station on the Radio Presets screen (red box around the first station on your list) and then press + hold one of the 1-8 buttons.

2. Using the iDrive controller, push the controller to the left (don't spin the dial, push the controller) so that the Radio Presets screen retracts and you're left on the Radio mode screen.

3. Hit the Nav button to bring up the map or whatever you like as your default screen display.

Once you have created your 40 favorites on the Presets screen, made a single 1-8 shortcut to the first station on that list, and 'tucked' away the Presets menu, you can tap that 1-8 shortcut button which will jump you to the first station on the list and then let you scroll through all 40 stations on your steering wheel and the head up display.

BJ

that's what i did in my 335i and it worked fine. I do like the streaming bluetooth though so I can listen to pandora radio and some of the out of market radio apps I have on my iphone, so it does serve a purpose

I read the title and thought of diaper changing....I need to get out more!

Originally Posted by boltjaM3s

Just to clarify:

There is only 1 "station playlist" and it's called the Radio Presets screen. Once on that screen, you can add up to 40 stations mixed from all sources (AM, FM, SAT, HD) in any order you like. There are then three tricks you need to know:

1. Hover over the first station on the Radio Presets screen (red box around the first station on your list) and then press + hold one of the 1-8 buttons.

2. Using the iDrive controller, push the controller to the left (don't spin the dial, push the controller) so that the Radio Presets screen retracts and you're left on the Radio mode screen.

3. Hit the Nav button to bring up the map or whatever you like as your default screen display.

Once you have created your 40 favorites on the Presets screen, made a single 1-8 shortcut to the first station on that list, and 'tucked' away the Presets menu, you can tap that 1-8 shortcut button which will jump you to the first station on the list and then let you scroll through all 40 stations on your steering wheel and the head up display.

BJ

Thanks BJ for taking so much of your time to help the new owners here. Several hours from now, I will be picking-up our new 328i. I have printed several of your savvy answers. That will save us all a lot of time and frustration.

Hugh

Originally Posted by boltjaM3s

The sound quality of Bluetooth vs. USB is bad, so if you're talking about streaming music from your iTunes library, here's some honest advice:

Don't bother using your iPhone as a music source. Just blow the dust off of that beater iPod Touch you have laying around the house, load it up with 1000's of songs, and leave it permanently sync'd to USB in the armrest.

The upside to using your iPhone for this purpose is very limited, actually causes more confusion and configuration than is necessary. Use the iPhone via Bluetooth only for calls and texts, use an iPod Touch in the armrest via USB for the music. Trust me on this one.

BJ

+1 this is exactly what I do, my iPod stays in the car and my iPhone stays in my pocket.

My music is all stored as mp3s. Is there any downside to using a thumb drive in the armrest instead of an iPod? If so, how difficult is it to convert mp3 files to a format playable through an iPod?

Why not just transfer your ipod into the car's hardrive? I plugged in to the glove box USB and it transferred all the songs right to the car so they are always there and you don't need to leave the touch plugged in. Only negative is you don't have playlists.

Originally Posted by boltjaM3s

Just to clarify:

There is only 1 "station playlist" and it's called the Radio Presets screen. Once on that screen, you can add up to 40 stations mixed from all sources (AM, FM, SAT, HD) in any order you like. There are then three tricks you need to know:

1. Hover over the first station on the Radio Presets screen (red box around the first station on your list) and then press + hold one of the 1-8 buttons.

2. Using the iDrive controller, push the controller to the left (don't spin the dial, push the controller) so that the Radio Presets screen retracts and you're left on the Radio mode screen.

3. Hit the Nav button to bring up the map or whatever you like as your default screen display.

Once you have created your 40 favorites on the Presets screen, made a single 1-8 shortcut to the first station on that list, and 'tucked' away the Presets menu, you can tap that 1-8 shortcut button which will jump you to the first station on the list and then let you scroll through all 40 stations on your steering wheel and the head up display.

BJ

thanks, I will give this a try when I get home. I don't have nav, though, will I still be able to do this?

Wow, It sounds like many CAs did a poor job during your BMW training session

Originally Posted by cchrisv

Wow, It sounds like many CAs did a poor job during your BMW training session

well, it's not really their fault. I just wanted to get out of there and DRIVE so I cut them short. I figured coming from the 335 there wouldn't be too much learning curve (for the most part, that's been correct)

Originally Posted by HugH

Thanks BJ for taking so much of your time to help the new owners here. Several hours from now, I will be picking-up our new 328i. I have printed several of your savvy answers. That will save us all a lot of time and frustration.

Hugh

Happy to help. Enjoy your new ride when it arrives.

BJ

Originally Posted by mdsbuc

My music is all stored as mp3s. Is there any downside to using a thumb drive in the armrest instead of an iPod? If so, how difficult is it to convert mp3 files to a format playable through an iPod?

Your MP3 collection is ready to go into an iPod, no conversion necessary.

The beauty of having an iPod instead of a thumb drive is that the iPod sync's to iTunes which is the best way to organize your music, clean up the names/artists, and create Playlists which are like cassette mix-tapes and what many of us listen to exclusively. It also has a turn-key sync to iDrive so that your genres, artists, albums, and songs are easy to navigate to without additional configuration and file/folder management.

You can save a few dollars by putting the songs on a thumb drive, but the iPod is really the way to go because of how easy it makes it to organize your collection. You can get a beater iPod Touch off of Craigslist for under $50.

BJ

Originally Posted by enig44

Why not just transfer your ipod into the car's hardrive? I plugged in to the glove box USB and it transferred all the songs right to the car so they are always there and you don't need to leave the touch plugged in. Only negative is you don't have playlists.

Not only do you lose Playlists (which is a major concession) but you constantly have to shuttle new music out to your car via a thumb drive.

With an iPod Touch and it's wi-fi sync, you can leave your car and the iPod in the garage, launch iTunes on your notebook, and sync over wi-fi without ever taking the iPod out of the armrest.

And since iCloud keeps track of your purchases, you can be 100 miles from home, park at a Starbucks, snarf their free wi-fi, and download songs straight into your car's iPod without ever leaving the drivers seat or buying a latte.

BJ

Originally Posted by berkeley223

thanks, I will give this a try when I get home. I don't have nav, though, will I still be able to do this?

Yes. If you don't have the head-up display you will still be able to see the scrolling list beneath the speedo and tach.

BJ

Or you can press this button and say "Satellite channel two hundred seven."