iPhone 4 Sat Nav and BMW stereo muting

Mackle · 09-19-2010, 07:30 AM

Hello,

I am trying to find out if it's possible to get a (non-iDrive) OEM BMW stereo to mute from an iPhone or an iPhone cradle - I would like to use the TomTom SatNav application that I have on the iPhone, but would not really hear the spoken instructions over the noise of the BMW stereo (I don't want to connect the iPhone to the Aux port and use the iPhone interface for playing music).

Back before Bluetooth, in the "Good old days", phone cradles could connect to a lead at the back of the car stereo which sent a signal for the stereo to mute the volume, all I am after is a way of doing this so that if I am listening to a CD or the radio, when SatNav wants to speak the volume of the BMW stereo is muted and then I can hear what TomTom wants to say.

It sounds so simple, yet lots of googling and searching has so far not found anything

The only suggestion I've had so far was on the TomTom forum, which was to use a device called an iO-Play but as the car already has Bluetooth hands free it seems a bit of a waste using something like the iO-Play plus I don't want to have to stick a controller somewhere.

Is it possible to have the volume mute without having the iPhone connected to the Aux socket and without having to use the iPhone as the music player?

Thanks in advance

akhter · 09-19-2010, 06:41 PM

pressing the volume button mutes the stereo. its not automatic which i think is what you want...

Mackle · 09-20-2010, 03:52 AM

Yes I'm after it happening automatically.

There is a device called the iO-Connect which looks like it does what I'm after, provided that 1) when the iPhone is synced to a HFP Bluetooth device that no audio from telephone calls is outputted to the 3.5mm and 2) That the iO-Connect device is compatible with Logic7...

The iO-connect looks like it's designed to enable SatNav systems with 3.5mm jacks to mute car stereos and play instructions through the car speakers.

All I was really after was a way of getting the volume to automatically mute, but as I've not yet found any iPhone cradle that has a telephone mute lead, this device might be the solution.

Mackle · 09-20-2010, 03:54 AM

Come to think of it, I also don't know if the BMW-iPhone/iPod Y-cable has this functionality?

fdriller9 · 09-23-2010, 11:10 AM

I use the Blackberry Stereo Gateway to stream music to my AUX port in my center console. When I get a text, email, or any other alert, the music fades for a second and plays the sound indicating I have a new message or whatever.

Maybe the Nav app your using will do the same thing? When your phone is playing music from it's speaker and your using the nav prompts in your nav app, does the music fade and the voice talks over it? If so it will carry over the BB stereo gateway.

Another plus is that when I get a call, the music fades and my BMW bluetooth picks up the call. When I end the call, the music fades back in from where it left off.

Also sound is better than using the 3.5mm headphone jack because the bluetooth streams the line output signal, which is superior to the analog 3.5mm headphone jack.

Edit: Re-read your original post. You have to use the iPhone to control things if you use the BB stereo gateway. However, I think the iPhone interface is alot better than the BMW interface in the radio, especially non-iDrive. This also only works when the AUX input is selected.

You could use Pandora and other internet radio providers for radio. As for CD's I guess you'll have to rip them on to your computer and transfer them to your iPhone. I personally use my iPhone for music most of the time....I also have iDrive though so NAV is built in.

Mackle · 09-23-2010, 02:26 PM

Yes the Nav app can mute music playing on the iPhone, but I'm trying to find a solution that avoids having to use the iPhone for music.

It just seems odd that a couple of years ago getting the car radio to mute was very simple because it was just a case of connecting a cable from the phone cradle to the phone mute lead at the back of the head unit, but with the iPhone I've not found a cradle that has what used to be considered a basic feature of a phone cradle kit.

09-19-2010, 07:30 AM	#1
Mackle New Member 1 Rep 25 Posts Drives: 2011MY E93 320d SE Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Swindon, Wiltshire, UK iTrader: (0)	iPhone 4 Sat Nav and BMW stereo muting Hello, I am trying to find out if it's possible to get a (non-iDrive) OEM BMW stereo to mute from an iPhone or an iPhone cradle - I would like to use the TomTom SatNav application that I have on the iPhone, but would not really hear the spoken instructions over the noise of the BMW stereo (I don't want to connect the iPhone to the Aux port and use the iPhone interface for playing music). Back before Bluetooth, in the "Good old days", phone cradles could connect to a lead at the back of the car stereo which sent a signal for the stereo to mute the volume, all I am after is a way of doing this so that if I am listening to a CD or the radio, when SatNav wants to speak the volume of the BMW stereo is muted and then I can hear what TomTom wants to say. It sounds so simple, yet lots of googling and searching has so far not found anything The only suggestion I've had so far was on the TomTom forum, which was to use a device called an iO-Play but as the car already has Bluetooth hands free it seems a bit of a waste using something like the iO-Play plus I don't want to have to stick a controller somewhere. Is it possible to have the volume mute without having the iPhone connected to the Aux socket and without having to use the iPhone as the music player? Thanks in advance
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09-19-2010, 06:41 PM	#2
akhter Lieutenant Colonel 419 Rep 1,690 Posts Drives: 911 992 C2S Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Hong Kong iTrader: (0) Garage List 2014 BMW X5 M Sport ... [0.00] 2007 335i M Sport E90 [10.00]	pressing the volume button mutes the stereo. its not automatic which i think is what you want... __________________ Current 2021 Porsche 911 992 C2S Sold 2021 X7/2018 X5/2014 X5 Sold 2013 520i/2010 325i Sold E90 335i M Sport Alpine White\|Tokyo Sold E36 328i Jet Black\|NYC
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09-20-2010, 03:52 AM	#3
Mackle New Member 1 Rep 25 Posts Drives: 2011MY E93 320d SE Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Swindon, Wiltshire, UK iTrader: (0)	Yes I'm after it happening automatically. There is a device called the iO-Connect which looks like it does what I'm after, provided that 1) when the iPhone is synced to a HFP Bluetooth device that no audio from telephone calls is outputted to the 3.5mm and 2) That the iO-Connect device is compatible with Logic7... The iO-connect looks like it's designed to enable SatNav systems with 3.5mm jacks to mute car stereos and play instructions through the car speakers. All I was really after was a way of getting the volume to automatically mute, but as I've not yet found any iPhone cradle that has a telephone mute lead, this device might be the solution.
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09-20-2010, 03:54 AM	#4
Mackle New Member 1 Rep 25 Posts Drives: 2011MY E93 320d SE Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Swindon, Wiltshire, UK iTrader: (0)	Come to think of it, I also don't know if the BMW-iPhone/iPod Y-cable has this functionality?
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09-23-2010, 11:10 AM	#5
fdriller9 Banned 252 Rep 7,089 Posts Drives: '06 AW 330xi Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: North Jersey/Philly/NYC iTrader: (4) Garage List 2006 330xi [6.44]	I use the Blackberry Stereo Gateway to stream music to my AUX port in my center console. When I get a text, email, or any other alert, the music fades for a second and plays the sound indicating I have a new message or whatever. Maybe the Nav app your using will do the same thing? When your phone is playing music from it's speaker and your using the nav prompts in your nav app, does the music fade and the voice talks over it? If so it will carry over the BB stereo gateway. Another plus is that when I get a call, the music fades and my BMW bluetooth picks up the call. When I end the call, the music fades back in from where it left off. Also sound is better than using the 3.5mm headphone jack because the bluetooth streams the line output signal, which is superior to the analog 3.5mm headphone jack. Edit: Re-read your original post. You have to use the iPhone to control things if you use the BB stereo gateway. However, I think the iPhone interface is alot better than the BMW interface in the radio, especially non-iDrive. This also only works when the AUX input is selected. You could use Pandora and other internet radio providers for radio. As for CD's I guess you'll have to rip them on to your computer and transfer them to your iPhone. I personally use my iPhone for music most of the time....I also have iDrive though so NAV is built in. Last edited by fdriller9; 09-23-2010 at 11:21 AM..
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09-23-2010, 02:26 PM	#6
Mackle New Member 1 Rep 25 Posts Drives: 2011MY E93 320d SE Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Swindon, Wiltshire, UK iTrader: (0)	Yes the Nav app can mute music playing on the iPhone, but I'm trying to find a solution that avoids having to use the iPhone for music. It just seems odd that a couple of years ago getting the car radio to mute was very simple because it was just a case of connecting a cable from the phone cradle to the phone mute lead at the back of the head unit, but with the iPhone I've not found a cradle that has what used to be considered a basic feature of a phone cradle kit.
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