[linus]

Originally Posted by JackMac

Linus - if you want help to get a cable from here and ship it up, send me a PM. Would be happy to assist.

JackMac, thanks for the offer. I'll check with my dealer in a week's time. If no luck, I'll give you a shout.

[LEDZEP]

linus - I won't swear to it, but it could be. I do know there are limitations to the iPod without that cable. There is also the added value of the charging of the iPod while connected.

EDIT: I don't get commission or anything, I just hate to see my brethren getting less than they should from 6FL.

[linus]

LEDZEP, I hear you. Hopefully, the cable will become available shortly here. Strange that they do not offer it in Canada. That's totally crazy. In fact, the owner's manual provides instructions to hook the ipod via (unspecified) cable into both ports (usb and aux).

BTW, the ipod is still getting charged through the conventional cable.

[Iceberg]

Originally Posted by LEDZEP

PLEASE DO NOT PAY FOR THIS CABLE - IT WAS INCLUDED IN THE $400 PRICE FOR THE 6FL iPod/USB option!!!!!

LedZep is right on with his post. The only exception applies to military car sales, where the buyer is charged $350 for the option and has to acquire the cable themselves from a dealer.

It's not a BMW scam or trick. I don't know exactly why they do this, but I suspect that it has something to do with the fact that mil sales can involve dealers all over the world. And since the price works out to the same anyway, it's just a slight bit more inconvenient, but that's the only difference.

[LEDZEP]

Iceberg - thanks, that's an important tip!

BTW - Thanks especially for serving those of us back home!!! Wishing you and all our servicemen a safe tour and a speedy return home!

[ezatnova]

FYI - When I picked up my car Saturday I made a note to look for the cable. The USB - USB one was there, but no i-Pod one. I asked the CA where it was and he had no idea what Iw as talking about. I demostrated by showing up that the USB does very little when trying to jam it in the bottom of an ipod. He marched right over to parts and asked them. Parts knew of the issue and said "It's BMW NA, they are shipping cables AFTER the car arrives. Annoying." So, I got a call yesterday that it had arrived just as they said, and they popped it in the mail to me. Handled very well, but still scary because if I didn't ask, I'd have never gotten it I'm sure.

[Iceberg]

Originally Posted by LEDZEP

Iceberg - thanks, that's an important tip!

BTW - Thanks especially for serving those of us back home!!! Wishing you and all our servicemen a safe tour and a speedy return home!

Thanks LZ. Yeah, today starts my five month countdown, and 386 days til my wedding...

I honestly think she would break one (or both) of my legs if they tried to send me back within a year...

[AZ-BMW]

Originally Posted by LEDZEP

PLEASE DO NOT PAY FOR THIS CABLE - IT WAS INCLUDED IN THE $400 PRICE FOR THE 6FL iPod/USB option!!!!! (United States only)

+1
Got mine from my CA juat a few days before my ED trip and it works great with the iPod and Navi display. Cost was included in the 6FL option.

[sson01]

In case people dont know, you can buy cable at many places and I pod charger that that can be hooked into a car for less than $20 at brookstone. And it works great with Ipod.

[LEDZEP]

If you have 6FL, please participate in this poll:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59669

[ukthunderace]

I must be missing something. If one end of the cable is USB and the other end is for the iPod, can't you just use the same cable that came with the iPod used to hook it up with your computer?

[LEDZEP]

Originally Posted by ukthunderace

I must be missing something. If one end of the cable is USB and the other end is for the iPod, can't you just use the same cable that came with the iPod used to hook it up with your computer?

You can, but with limited functionality. Some members were able to get it to work satisfactorily, but I was not.

['Cane]

Originally Posted by ukthunderace

I must be missing something. If one end of the cable is USB and the other end is for the iPod, can't you just use the same cable that came with the iPod used to hook it up with your computer?

It's a different cable. One has the 20 pin iPod connection, but the other end has USB and a 3.5mm audio connection.

[ukthunderace]

so you have to have the usb AND the 3.5mm audio connection plugged in? thi just doesn't make a lot of sense...a cable is a cable as long as it has usb at one end and iPOD at the other. I can think of no tech reason why the cable would not carry the same info into the usb port that the BMW cable would.
Led, what kind of issues did you have with it? You said limited function.

[LEDZEP]

I was not able to get mine to work at all with just a USB connection. Others who did had limited function, in that the iPod is simply treated as a mass storage USB device. You do not have access to your playlists, etc.

The reason for the two connections is that one is for the iPod controls (USB) interface, which allows the full iPod functionality and interpretation, the 3.5mm is strictly for the audio output.

[mrbelk]

Originally Posted by ukthunderace

so you have to have the usb AND the 3.5mm audio connection plugged in? thi just doesn't make a lot of sense...a cable is a cable as long as it has usb at one end and iPOD at the other. I can think of no tech reason why the cable would not carry the same info into the usb port that the BMW cable would.
Led, what kind of issues did you have with it? You said limited function.

It's not just a cable with an iPod dock plug on one end and USB/3.5mm connectors on the other. There is a small "black box" in between the iPod dock connector and the USB/3.5mm side. It's that "black box" that allows the iPod to be controlled as an iPod.

The architecture is very similar (maybe even identical) to those iPod boomboxes that have the iPod docks in them. The audio is actually line-level audio from the dock connector; same as the boomboxes. This way, you can play the DRM protected tunes and audiobooks downloaded straight from iTunes; the iPod actually does the decoding and just sends the analog audio to the head-unit in the car.

-MrB

[ukthunderace]

ahhh...okay...knew there must be something more to it.

[imike20]

Here is my thoughts,

Since the Y Cable (The cable with both USB and the 3.5mm jack) allows you to play extrat content like AAC files I'm assume the reason for the Y Cable is because of DRM (Digital Rights Management). DRM only allows you to playback certain content on an analog connection (i.e the 3.5mm jack) which is why you need the Y Cable for full integration.

Apple tries to protect all the songs on the iPod which is why it is difficult (but not impossible) to directly copy songs from your iPod onto your computer via the standard USB cable. Just trying to copy the songs leads to garbage filenames and song information.

Same thing with the USB/IPod integration, Apple is preventing the content from being exposed digitally. Either that or BMW made a mistake in iPod interface in the radio and the Y Cable is the fix.

[tjm]

I just picked up my E93 at the weekend and got a USB extension cable. Should the 6FL in the UK spec be given out with the car rather than the dealer charging for it seperately?

[Jaimito]

Originally Posted by imike20

Here is my thoughts,

Since the Y Cable (The cable with both USB and the 3.5mm jack) allows you to play extrat content like AAC files I'm assume the reason for the Y Cable is because of DRM (Digital Rights Management). DRM only allows you to playback certain content on an analog connection (i.e the 3.5mm jack) which is why you need the Y Cable for full integration.

Apple tries to protect all the songs on the iPod which is why it is difficult (but not impossible) to directly copy songs from your iPod onto your computer via the standard USB cable. Just trying to copy the songs leads to garbage filenames and song information.

Same thing with the USB/IPod integration, Apple is preventing the content from being exposed digitally. Either that or BMW made a mistake in iPod interface in the radio and the Y Cable is the fix.

then why mercedes has a digital interface? i think it is just bad design.

[LEDZEP]

Originally Posted by tjm

I just picked up my E93 at the weekend and got a USB extension cable. Should the 6FL in the UK spec be given out with the car rather than the dealer charging for it seperately?

The "Y" cable is a purchase option everywhere but the U.S. - but your price is lower for 6FL, so it's pretty much a wash. I would get it though if you use iPod.

[ALPINE6SPD]

Originally Posted by LEDZEP

Iceberg - thanks, that's an important tip!

BTW - Thanks especially for serving those of us back home!!! Wishing you and all our servicemen a safe tour and a speedy return home!

+1
you guys are the real heroes. Not actors or people who play sports.