[gr8sho]

Originally Posted by 325er

Just got my IPOD and I want to start ripping my CD library. Can you recommend the best most efficient way to do so?

I like Musicmatch. You can also use their supertagging feature to get album art cover and such. I rip at 256 bit.

I thought it would be cool for the iDrive crowd if BMW grabbed that tag and threw it up on the display along with artist and track name.

[bsjd00]

Originally Posted by obLu

I shied away from lossless just because there's no market standard yet

Did you try Apple's lossless format?

There's no real concern with standardization there, as you can always convert the Apple lossless file back into a WAV with no loss of quality.

[325er]

Im confused

[obLu]

Did you try Apple's lossless format?

I'd thought about that, but then I can't reallly play it on anything else but the ipod right?

(I've a got a server at home that houses all my music and I stream it to different appliances, tivo, xbox360, etc ... but honestly, not very often)

[gr8sho]

Originally Posted by 325er

Im confused

You don't need to be. What I gave you is a tried and true implementation of converting CDs into MP3 files that work flawlessly on the iPod. Is it the only? No. But pick a way, experiment and find what you like. 256bit MP3s are good format and don't really have any noticeable quality degradation over CDs. Plus with MP3s you can tag them with whatever you like including timed lyrics if you were so ambitious.

[findtom]

Originally Posted by bsjd00

Findtom, did you use the headphone port on the iPod, or the dock connector on the bottom?

The dock connector.

[cobradac]

Originally Posted by bsjd00

Cobradac, if you have a DL-DVD with 8+ GB on it, which is presumably over 1,000 MP3 files ...

1. How long does this disc take to load the first time it is inserted into the car?
2. How long does this disc take to load each subsequent time?

Also, do you ever notice tracks skipping? When using CD-Rs I have intermittent skipping when the car decodes the file - even though the files are correctly encoded and play correctly elsewhere.

Slip disk in, get message saying "reading cd directory" or something close to that. In about the time it even takes to read the message it is done. I organize my disks by artist, then folders of different albums under the artists.

I record at fairly high bit rates, no less than 192kbs, but normally 256 or 320. Typical disk does indeed have over 1000 song titles.

If I am finished with an album (or at any time) and wish to select something entirely different I press iDrive knob (if return arrow is highlighted in upper left corner) and it re-reads disk info and shows root directory. Again it takes 2-3 seconds at most. Most disks have anywhere from 40-60 artists, 100+ albums. I think it only has to read those 40-60 names and that is why it is so fast. If it had to read the entire 1000 plus at this time it would take considerably longer.

I also record at only 2x or 4x. I did get some skipping early on when recording at the computer/software/writer auto select speed. It apparently was too high a speed.

[JSpira]

With CDs you lose a lot of the iPod functionality, which includes the ability to sort by genre, album, artist, and playlist. I like this capability a lot.

This is why just being able to plug in a memory card into the car isn´t comparable.

[gr8sho]

Originally Posted by JSpira

This is why just being able to plug in a memory card into the car isn´t comparable.

You actually bring up a very good point. The iPod from a design point has 2 major functions. Storage of the data and a custom UI to manipulate that data. You can eventually envisage the storage to change from a harddisk to SDRAM completely once the cost per GB crosses-over; basically a high capacity Nano.

For the UI, it wouldn't be that much of a stretch for Apple to license that code for integration into the audio system. Or just rewrite the code.

Why does this matter? Because if I separate the UI and the storage, and simply have the data on say an SD card, that could be my portable music data that I could use in my PSP or Treo 650 or, or, or.

[JSpira]

Originally Posted by gr8sho

You actually bring up a very good point.

Thank you. I thought this was obvious but I realized in this thread that people who were talking about burning CDs were oblivious to this.

Originally Posted by gr8sho

For the UI, it wouldn't be that much of a stretch for Apple to license that code for integration into the audio system. Or just rewrite the code.

Apple, similar to Xerox, does not have a good track record of licensing their intellectual property.

[LEDZEP]

I'm waiting for BMW to provide the optional 8-Track deck! Or, maybe I could get one that mounts under the dash on galvanized brackets.

[JSpira]

Originally Posted by LEDZEP

I'm waiting for BMW to provide the optional 8-Track deck!

Does it connect to the MOST bus?

[gr8sho]

Originally Posted by LEDZEP

I'm waiting for BMW to provide the optional 8-Track deck! Or, maybe I could get one that mounts under the dash on galvanized brackets.

I chuckle at the thought of so many people not undertanding your post given the amount of very young people on this board.

Happy Father's day to all the Dad's out there.

[gr8sho]

Originally Posted by JSpira

Apple does not have a good track record of licensing their intellectual property.

A friend of mine that used to work at Motorola and now works at XM (I've been told this stands for Ex-Motorola), loathes Apple and wants nothing to do with them for this very reason.

As for the UI code, let's face it, it's just not that complicated. I'm sure one decent programmer with the right skills could re-write this code no problem. We're talking about writing code that acts upon the ID3 tags in the MP3 files and simply provides choices for sorting on them.

[JSpira]

Not that complicated, no.

But the mindshare BMW gets by having Apple's brand associated with it is priceless.

[BMW0]

Good job JSpira, very well done

[JSpira]

Originally Posted by BMW0

Good job JSpira, very well done

Danke. I continue to be impressed by the Interface. It just gets better and better.

I find myself listening to more Podcasts now! Esp. about the Weltmeisterschaft!

[bsjd00]

Originally Posted by JSpira

Danke. I continue to be impressed by the Interface. It just gets better and better.

JSpira, are you experiencing any noise with the interface, specifically hissing or static when iPod is paused or in between tracks, and the volume of the car is turned up high?

I purchased the Monster car charger today along with a high-quality Belkin 3.5mm cable, just to test out iPod in the car before I commit to installing the BMW interface when it's released. I notice that when the car's volume is turned up high, a very noticeable combination of hissing and static is noticeable when iPod is paused or in between tracks - just as one track fades out and the other begins. The noise is extremely distracting when the volume is high. It also seems to occur only when the engine is on, not surprisingly.

Obviously when music is playing you cannot hear this noise, but it is there in the background, distorting the music. I know other members have had success quieting it using various cables, but am wondering if you could test this with the new BMW interface as well.

As always, thanks...

[JSpira]

Originally Posted by bsjd00

JSpira, are you experiencing any noise with the interface, specifically hissing or static when iPod is paused or in between tracks, and the volume of the car is turned up high?

I purchased the Monster car charger today along with a high-quality Belkin 3.5mm cable, just to test out iPod in the car before I commit to installing the BMW interface when it's released. I notice that when the car's volume is turned up high, a very noticeable combination of hissing and static is noticeable when iPod is paused or in between tracks - just as one track fades out and the other begins. The noise is extremely distracting when the volume is high. It also seems to occur only when the engine is on, not surprisingly.

Obviously when music is playing you cannot hear this noise, but it is there in the background, distorting the music. I know other members have had success quieting it using various cables, but am wondering if you could test this with the new BMW interface as well.

As always, thanks...

Dead silence - from the iPod not from me.

[bsjd00]

Originally Posted by JSpira

Dead silence - from the iPod not from me.

Thanks, I was hoping you'd say that!

Sorry, but I do have one other question for you. Currently, you can use the steering wheel buttons to switch between FM, AM, CD, and SAT sources, but not Auxillary - the button just skips over that option. Since iPod will be listed under CD, is it safe to assume that you can use the steering wheel buttons to switch over to iPod?

[JSpira]

Originally Posted by bsjd00

Thanks, I was hoping you'd say that!

Sorry, but I do have one other question for you. Currently, you can use the steering wheel buttons to switch between FM, AM, CD, and SAT sources, but not Auxillary - the button just skips over that option. Since iPod will be listed under CD, is it safe to assume that you can use the steering wheel buttons to switch over to iPod?

Please deposit 25 cents for each additional minute....

Uh, haven´t tried that yet - but I will.

[bsjd00]

Originally Posted by JSpira

Please deposit 25 cents for each additional minute....

Uh, haven´t tried that yet - but I will.

Ok, since I'm paying...(and seriously, I will send you a check...)

You mentioned earlier that iPod's EQ is disabled. By this do you mean that you simply cannot access it via Ipod (because of the BMW logo) or do you mean that iPod is actually sending a flat signal to the car? It'd be nice to retain the option to set equalization on iPod before connecting it to the car, and then having that setting used.

Aren't you glad you started this thread?

P.S. THANK YOU!