USB Interface

[rockmed]

Are the cables supposed to come with the factory installed USB Interface? It's not clear in the manual if they are included or not. Further, why do you need AUX cable for the audio to go through from an iPod? I would think the USB interface alone should do the trick.

What is strange is you can supposedly connect a USB memory stick. However, what's the point if you must use a separate AUX cable and the USB sticks don't have audio jack?

[chuck92103]

Originally Posted by rockmed

Are the cables supposed to come with the factory installed USB Interface? It's not clear in the manual if they are included or not. Further, why do you need AUX cable for the audio to go through from an iPod? I would think the USB interface alone should do the trick.

What is strange is you can supposedly connect a USB memory stick. However, what's the point if you must use a separate AUX cable and the USB sticks don't have audio jack?

The car should come with the cable. the 6FL adapter includes the cable.

I will attempt to answer your other question.

A typical iPOD has a wide connector in which the cable provided by Apple will connect to a computer's USB connection. The cable provides power, audio, a music selection data.

However, when BMW designed the 6FL interface, they wanted to accomodate three technologies.

1. An iPOD
2. USB stick
3. Generic MP3 player

To avoid having to design multiple interfaces they came up with a clever design.

The separated the data signals on a typical iPOD interface jack, with USB, and the DIN8 audio connector. Essentially splitting the iPOD output into two paths although one cable.

Now if you use another music player that supports USB or just the audi jack, or both, you can still connect it and get some or full integration with the head unit.

Had they one implemented the IPOD connector to USB connection, no other technology, USB stick, or generic music player would have worked.

BMW knows that for cars, USB sticks will be a dime a dozen, and there is no sense keeping an expensive iPOD in your car.

[rockmed]

Originally Posted by chuck92103

The car should come with the cable. the 6FL adapter includes the cable.

I will attempt to answer your other question.

A typical iPOD has a wide connector in which the cable provided by Apple will connect to a computer's USB connection. The cable provides power, audio, a music selection data.

However, when BMW designed the 6FL interface, they wanted to accomodate three technologies.

1. An iPOD
2. USB stick
3. Generic MP3 player

To avoid having to design multiple interfaces they came up with a clever design.

The separated the data signals on a typical iPOD interface jack, with USB, and the DIN8 audio connector. Essentially splitting the iPOD output into two paths although one cable.

Now if you use another music player that supports USB or just the audi jack, or both, you can still connect it and get some or full integration with the head unit.

Thanks for shedding some light. Where in the car would I be able to find the "dual" cable? What would be the difference between using the "dual" special cable and just connecting an iPod with standard Apple USB cable?

[chuck92103]

Originally Posted by rockmed

Thanks for shedding some light. Where in the car would I be able to find the "dual" cable? What would be the difference between using the "dual" special cable and just connecting an iPod with standard Apple USB cable?

The AUX/USB connections are in the center console. The cable would be in there. They may provide other cables, extensions, etc.

I know there is more than one cable. But the Y is all you need for an iPOD and USB stick from what I have heard.

[JeffCBH]

When I got my X6, the cable was in the owner's manual leather packet...you have to hook up the wide connector to the iPod and the Y output of that into the USB plug and the stereo mini plug audio input...2 connections on one end, and the other wide connector into your iPod...works perfectly...an amazing integration of the iPod...best I have seen.
On my other cars, the iPod integration has been laughable...a complete waste of time.
BMW has nailed it.
Jeff

[ggatlin]

On my X6 5.0i, for some reason I did not get a cable. What I am doing is using the USB Cable that came with my Ipod Classic 80GB which I just bought last week to connect to the car (So its a new model of Ipod Classic). The Ipod works but I do not get all my songs listed on the car. Could it be because I am using the Ipod USB cable that came with the Ipod, and not the one that came with the car? I get some songs from an artist, but not all.

Please advise.
George

[shenard]

Originally Posted by ggatlin

On my X6 5.0i, for some reason I did not get a cable. What I am doing is using the USB Cable that came with my Ipod Classic 80GB which I just bought last week to connect to the car (So its a new model of Ipod Classic). The Ipod works but I do not get all my songs listed on the car. Could it be because I am using the Ipod USB cable that came with the Ipod, and not the one that came with the car? I get some songs from an artist, but not all.

Please advise.
George

That is probably the case because I do not have that problem with mine and I am using the supplied cable

[ggatlin]

Shepard,

You are right, I was reading in other websites, and indeed the Ipod will work completely without the special BMW USB Y Cable. "For full integration, you need the BMW supplied Y cable that plugs into the USB and Aux in at the same time..."

Does anybody know where can I buy this cable in the U.S.A? My dealer in El Salvador does not have one.

Thanks
George

[xDrive50i]

Originally Posted by ggatlin

On my X6 5.0i, for some reason I did not get a cable. What I am doing is using the USB Cable that came with my Ipod Classic 80GB which I just bought last week to connect to the car (So its a new model of Ipod Classic). The Ipod works but I do not get all my songs listed on the car. Could it be because I am using the Ipod USB cable that came with the Ipod, and not the one that came with the car? I get some songs from an artist, but not all.

Please advise.
George

Only BMW USA includes the Y cable with the 6FL option (that is also the reason why the 6FL option is more expensive in the USA than in other countries!).

The Y cable is not JUST a cable that splits the audio and data cables from a wide ipod docking style connector into a USB and audio connector. There is a small box in between the docking connector and the USB and audio connector. This box contains some electronic to convert the USB data stream into serial data to control the ipod/iphone. Essentially this cable translates the commands from the head unit into serial data to control the ipod/iphone. The ipod/iphone does the actual decoding of the song (e.g. MP3) and outputs the audio via the docking connector in analog form. The Y cable presents this signal at the audio output cable that you have to plug into the aux input in the center console.

If you use a USB stick, any other MP3 capable player or ipod/iphone connected to the head unit via a REGULAR USB cable, the head unit does the actual decoding of the data (e.g. MP3) and hence there is no analog connection required. The difference for the ipod/iphone is that to the head unit, it simply looks just like any other storage medium (rather than an actual ipod/iphone).

You will notice that the integration of the ipod/iphone will look quite different when you use the Y cable compared to a simple USB cable.

Hope this helps you.

[shenard]

Originally Posted by ggatlin

Shepard,

You are right, I was reading in other websites, and indeed the Ipod will work completely without the special BMW USB Y Cable. "For full integration, you need the BMW supplied Y cable that plugs into the USB and Aux in at the same time..."

Does anybody know where can I buy this cable in the U.S.A? My dealer in El Salvador does not have one.

Thanks
George

They should be able to order one for you. If not, I would think you could call a US dealer and have them order one and ship to you.

[xDrive50i]

Originally Posted by shenard

They should be able to order one for you. If not, I would think you could call a US dealer and have them order one and ship to you.

If you do, make sure you get the latest version. BMW went through quite a few different revisions on that Y cable. The latest one is quite a bit smaller than the older ones!

[ggatlin]

Thanks guys, am definetely clear on Y-Cable now, and will order one with a U.S. Dealer.

George

[rockmed]

I tried the iPod nano, iPod and iPhone via the regular Apple USB cable but nothing worked. Has anyone tried, and if so, how long does it take before iDrive recognizes it? Thanks!

[chuck92103]

Originally Posted by rockmed

I tried the iPod nano, iPod and iPhone via the regular Apple USB cable but nothing worked. Has anyone tried, and if so, how long does it take before iDrive recognizes it? Thanks!

Use BMW's cable. It si not a standard USB.

Remember the iDrive controls the iPOD as well. This is not one way communication.

[rockmed]

Originally Posted by chuck92103

Use BMW's cable. It si not a standard USB.

Remember the iDrive controls the iPOD as well. This is not one way communication.

True, but it will be a at least 1 week before I get the Y cable. I need an interim solution. Thanks.

[chuck92103]

Originally Posted by rockmed

True, but it will be a at least 1 week before I get the Y cable. I need an interim solution. Thanks.

Just use the Din8/DIN8 audio jack. you can't control the iPOD and it won't sound as good but it is easy and works.

[JOHNBMWM5]

Originally Posted by rockmed

True, but it will be a at least 1 week before I get the Y cable. I need an interim solution. Thanks.

Any USB cable and a Memory stick, all the functions work perfect.

[rockmed]

Just received the Y-Cable today, plugged it in and the USB Integration worked perfectly with the iPod. For those of you who have USB Integration but are missing the Y-Cable just Google 61120440796 and you should see a list of online BMW parts stores which you can order from.

[MeEmZ]

I haven't read through all the posts but when I hook up my ipod to the car I use the white cable that came with the ipod for apple and it works just fine no problems what so ever

but i have tried a usb flash disc (a kingstone 2gb) and it wasn't working at all the car didn't discover it

[x5cabrio]

Hello, la mia x6 3.5 D futura ha solo la presa aux in. Come faccio a mettere la presa usb ? dove posso trovare un kit post montaggio ?
Grazie. Fabrizio
fa.bo@libero.it

[CONVOY]

when i got my bmw x6 30d i noticed it didn't have a usb port only AUX port,is there way to update the software of the iDrive?

[BLK-EDTIONX6]

Originally Posted by MeEmZ

I haven't read through all the posts but when I hook up my ipod to the car I use the white cable that came with the ipod for apple and it works just fine no problems what so ever

but i have tried a usb flash disc (a kingstone 2gb) and it wasn't working at all the car didn't discover it

I tried a flash drive also and it didn't work as well but after debugging my samsung N9 it was able to connect through the interface and it plays music from my phone. However, i can copy music from my phone to the idrive. Can anyone shed some light?