[aakrusen]

2008 E90 335xi with Nav and Premium
There is an iPod cable tucked in my glove box. I removed the glove box and the iPod cable plugs into a silver box that is something by BMW. It looks identical to the MOST iPod Adapter people have been talking about in this forum.

I plug in my iPod (have a 4th gen Nano and 5th gen Nano) and no sound through the stereo. The screen on the iPod has the BMW logo, shows the song I'm on, says something about not charging the iPod, won't go out of paused mode. Stereo works fine with radio, CDs, and satellite. In my console is the AUX 1/8" stereo plugin, no USB port. My iPod works through the car stereo at the AUX port but I have to control the iPod manually and there is no charging.

Dropped car off at dealer to find out why the iPod box-thing won't play my iPod through the stereo. They first thought it was never programmed to the car. After leaving it for two days at the dealer they said they think the controller (silver box thing I mentioned earlier) needs to be replaced. They want $370 for the controller and $180 to install it.

I am the second owner, I have no info on if this was in the car at initial delivery or if it was installed later.

What are my options if I don't want to use the manual AUX port? I'd really like to be able to control the iPod via the steering wheel controls and have it be charged when I'm using it. Is it as simple as pay the money or go manual?

[alexwhittemore]

Originally Posted by aakrusen

2008 E90 335xi with Nav and Premium
There is an iPod cable tucked in my glove box. I removed the glove box and the iPod cable plugs into a silver box that is something by BMW. It looks identical to the MOST iPod Adapter people have been talking about in this forum.

I plug in my iPod (have a 4th gen Nano and 5th gen Nano) and no sound through the stereo. The screen on the iPod has the BMW logo, shows the song I'm on, says something about not charging the iPod, won't go out of paused mode. Stereo works fine with radio, CDs, and satellite. In my console is the AUX 1/8" stereo plugin, no USB port. My iPod works through the car stereo at the AUX port but I have to control the iPod manually and there is no charging.

Dropped car off at dealer to find out why the iPod box-thing won't play my iPod through the stereo. They first thought it was never programmed to the car. After leaving it for two days at the dealer they said they think the controller (silver box thing I mentioned earlier) needs to be replaced. They want $370 for the controller and $180 to install it.

I am the second owner, I have no info on if this was in the car at initial delivery or if it was installed later.

What are my options if I don't want to use the manual AUX port? I'd really like to be able to control the iPod via the steering wheel controls and have it be charged when I'm using it. Is it as simple as pay the money or go manual?

For $550, luckily lots (if you want to be an optimist :P). That price will cover even the best, most-integrated aftermarket solutions. For starters, I'd look at a denison gateway. It'll get you iPod/iPhone control (over JUST a normal USB cable), bluetooth handsfree and bluetooth A2DP streaming.

The first thing I'd do though is try a different cable. I'm assuming the cable in your glove box is a Y cable like this?
For $22 it might be worth investigating whether they ACTUALLY tried a second one. Although it does seem unlikely to me to be the culprit.

[aakrusen]

Alex, The cable you linked if the one that goes in the console and plugs into the AUX port and USB port, also known as the 6FL cable. The cable in the glove box is not like that. Other things that may me think it's not the cable is that the iPod is stuck in paused mode and the screen changes when that cable into the iPod. Yes, there could be a broken wire and that wire is an audio wire but I am leaning towards the cable not being the issue. Also, I have the premium package so I already have bluetooth for my phone.

[alexwhittemore]

But you don't have A2DP

[makkan00]

Firstly,
Check in your head unit options and see if you have CD changer enabled (CDC). It should give you 1-6 cds option and try to put it on option 1 when the ipod is connected.

If CDC is not activated, then you need to get that activated by coding.

If its active, then see on the silver box and see if there is a reset option. If yes, Reset it.

If no option for reset, disconnect your negative terminal of the battery for 10-15 minutes, reconnect and report.

[aakrusen]

Originally Posted by makkan00

Firstly,
Check in your head unit options and see if you have CD changer enabled (CDC). It should give you 1-6 cds option and try to put it on option 1 when the ipod is connected.

If CDC is not activated, then you need to get that activated by coding.

If its active, then see on the silver box and see if there is a reset option. If yes, Reset it.

If no option for reset, disconnect your negative terminal of the battery for 10-15 minutes, reconnect and report.

You, Sir, are a genius, it's ALIVE!!!.
I had no idea that I go through the "CD Changer" thing on my screen, I assumed it was through the "AUX" option. Apparently the dealer had no idea that's how you use the iPod either because they said they couldn't figure it out and they "think" I need a new controller.

If this is listed in the owners manual or if there is a sticky about this then I feel like a total D-Bag. If not, can someone add this info to the sticky info?

[aakrusen]

After working with it a little more after work, I noticed it still says something about not charging the iPod. Is it powering the iPod so I'm not using its battery or is it running off the iPod battery and I will have to charge it soon?

What about shuffling the songs? It looks like I get alphabetical songs or playlists. Is there a way to select other options like artist, album, etc?

While it is plugged in, the screen of the iPod is on but not back-lit. When I turn off the car it is still on. I waited a while and the screen on the iPod never turned off. Will the screen eventually turn off? Is it running on the iPod battery or is it running off the car battery right now while the car is off?

[alexwhittemore]

Originally Posted by aakrusen

You, Sir, are a genius, it's ALIVE!!!.
I had no idea that I go through the "CD Changer" thing on my screen, I assumed it was through the "AUX" option. Apparently the dealer had no idea that's how you use the iPod either because they said they couldn't figure it out and they "think" I need a new controller.

If this is listed in the owners manual or if there is a sticky about this then I feel like a total D-Bag. If not, can someone add this info to the sticky info?

Weird! That's typical of aftermarket adapters - emulating a CD changer is still feature-complete, but easier than trying to pretend your the OEM iPod system. I wonder if that's what you've got going on, maybe the box is actually a denison gateway already? Or something like it?

Originally Posted by aakrusen

After working with it a little more after work, I noticed it still says something about not charging the iPod. Is it powering the iPod so I'm not using its battery or is it running off the iPod battery and I will have to charge it soon?

Generally speaking, an iDevice will report that not charing message if it knows it's plugged in, but it can't draw as much power as it would like. For example, on the MULF, the most it can draw is around 200mA before the voltage starts sagging too low. That's enough power to charge the device when the screen is off, when it's not doing heavy processing, when it's not using GPS, etc etc etc, but when the screen is on it's barely charging at all or slightly draining.

In general, if you get that message, it's still getting power (so it's better that it's plugged in than if it wasn't), but don't expect it to charge quickly, and the battery will run down under any real usage. But if the screen is off and it's just stuffed in the glove box doing nothing but playing music (perhaps even streaming), it'll charge slowly, so don't worry about it.

Originally Posted by aakrusen

What about shuffling the songs? It looks like I get alphabetical songs or playlists. Is there a way to select other options like artist, album, etc?

While it is plugged in, the screen of the iPod is on but not back-lit. When I turn off the car it is still on. I waited a while and the screen on the iPod never turned off. Will the screen eventually turn off? Is it running on the iPod battery or is it running off the car battery right now while the car is off?

I don't really know enough about the device you seem to have to say one way or the other on any of those

[makkan00]

Originally Posted by aakrusen

After working with it a little more after work, I noticed it still says something about not charging the iPod. Is it powering the iPod so I'm not using its battery or is it running off the iPod battery and I will have to charge it soon?

Yes, as you are running newer version of ipod than the recommended one from the BMW.
You'd require something like this to charge your ipod.

I guess you need to really think if you should be going to your dealer.

[alexwhittemore]

Originally Posted by makkan00

Yes, as you are running newer version of ipod than the recommended one from the BMW.
You'd require something like this to charge your ipod.

I guess you need to really think if you should be going to your dealer.

That device doesn't actually *DO* anything besides quiet the error, though. The iDevice won't charge any faster with it. And at worst it'll break track control.

There ARE power injectors, something like this device that may work. I couldn't tell you from experience, though. I will say I made myself something like that for my Y cable. From the MULF alone, the iPod can only draw about 1 watt at best. By splicing a cigarette lighter to USB supply into the Y cable USB power rails, the iDevice will draw 500mA, or 2.5W. Unfortunately, even though the spliced-in supply can source 5W, there's no way to tell the iDevice that it can draw 5W while still leaving the USB data lines connected to the MULF for track control. Still, it's better than the meter running backwards with the screen on

[makkan00]

Originally Posted by alexwhittemore

That device doesn't actually *DO* anything besides quiet the error, though. The iDevice won't charge any faster with it. And at worst it'll break track control.

There ARE power injectors, something like this device that may work. I couldn't tell you from experience, though. I will say I made myself something like that for my Y cable. From the MULF alone, the iPod can only draw about 1 watt at best. By splicing a cigarette lighter to USB supply into the Y cable USB power rails, the iDevice will draw 500mA, or 2.5W. Unfortunately, even though the spliced-in supply can source 5W, there's no way to tell the iDevice that it can draw 5W while still leaving the USB data lines connected to the MULF for track control. Still, it's better than the meter running backwards with the screen on

Alex,
There is no doubt about your intellectual abilities and the great work you have done.
However, old ipods / iphones were getting charged at 12V and new generation get charged at 5V.
So if you are using an old kit / HU which send 12V to ipod / iphone, then you get the error on iphone / ipod that this device (ipod kit) does not support charging. And that device run out of the battery.

In that case, you'd require 12V to 5V converter. And when it comes to the quality, then there is no doubt about cablejive's quality.

HTH.

[alexwhittemore]

Originally Posted by makkan00

Alex,
There is no doubt about your intellectual abilities and the great work you have done.
However, old ipods / iphones were getting charged at 12V and new generation get charged at 5V.
So if you are using an old kit / HU which send 12V to ipod / iphone, then you get the error on iphone / ipod that this device (ipod kit) does not support charging. And that device run out of the battery.

In that case, you'd require 12V to 5V converter. And when it comes to the quality, then there is no doubt about cablejive's quality.

HTH.

Wow, you're probably right (do you actually have this system)? I guess USB charging support only came out in the 4th gen iPod in 2004, around when this system came out, so that makes sense. I had no idea how old that glovebox system actually is.

I also had no idea 12v charging was supported until so recently - it ended in
2008 with the 2nd gen iPod touch.

Relevant link: http://support.apple.com/kb/ta27749

I learned something today, thanks!