[chipwell]

Okay, I'm a total new guy here, so forgive me if any of this is remedial and please feel free to refer me to a sticky/wiki/FAQ if I missed it.

Just bought an '11 335d (w/ iDrive) and am curious about a few things. For starters I'd just like to be able to play audio over Bluetooth. Eventually I'd like to learn more about Apps availability and maybe some coding, but I'm not super technical so that's a long way off.

I've tried a few searches (okay, several) but can't seem to make sense of what information matters (year? model? options?) or even what some of it means (CIC? 6NR? MULF?). I admit I still might not know how to proceed even with those answers, but at least I'd be able to figure out what I have, what I don't, and do some more informed self-education from there.

Any and all guidance is greatly appreciated.

[cdgatti]

have you read your manual?

[chipwell]

Originally Posted by cdgatti

have you read your manual?

Yes and no.

Yes, I have read the entire manual for my model and year, in addition to several dozen threads. Nothing in any of them answers the questions that I asked.

No, I haven't read MY manual... because none was provided with the car.

But that's sort of my point... That there is no definitive source of information. That even if I did possess MY manual, there would be too many "if equipped" asterisks next to each feature and explanation to make sense of it. That nothing really seems to apply to MY situation, only a broad set of them that may (or not) apply to me.

[sp1tfire]

As long as you have A2DP(stereo streaming) in you bluetooth receiver in your car (my 2010 doesn't have it, i used to have 2011 that had that feature) - you just pair your phone to car's bluetooth and choose it as external device in Idrive Multimedia section (as far as i remember it). If you don't have A2DP - you are going to be able to pair it, but not choose phone in external music sources.

To pair your phone go to Idrive==>Tel=>pair device - go to phone==>enable bluetooth==>wait for BMW to appear,
Choose Bmw in your phone and pair it with code that you will enter on the screen of Idrive first, then repeat same code on iPhone, complete.

[deepsrd]

As a nice starting point, get your VIN and enter it here http://www.bmwvin.com/

Then look at the options you have in your car.
Then read what those options mean..

Ask what you dont understand, and we can help..

[chipwell]

sp1tfire Thanks. So, the way to determine whether I have A2DP streaming is by pairing it and then looking for it as an external device?

deepsrd I had done the first part, but it's the second ("read about what those options mean") that proves a bit harrowing, since there are SO many mentions of them in so many threads, without any context or explanation.

But I digress. It looks like I have 6FL & 6NF (in a MY2011 with a 3/10 production date). Since I see them listed in your signature, can you help me understand what those mean, in addition to CIC & Combox?

Many thanks in advance.

[deepsrd]

Cool..

6FL is when you have the USB functionality under your armbox.
This allows you to plug in USB sticks/hard drives to play music off.
Yuu can also connect your phone to it which will charge and play the music off it..
6NF is the functionality where you you can connect an iphone (usually) to the snap in cradle..
Usually, you will have to buy the snap in adapter separately, as they come in different sizes for different phones. (3gs,4, 5,6...)
This allows you to have the phone plugged in, and allow you to see the music on the iphone. Oh, and it charges the phone as well.

[deepsrd]

Originally Posted by chipwell

sp1tfire Thanks. So, the way to determine whether I have A2DP streaming is by pairing it and then looking for it as an external device?

Many thanks in advance.

CIC is the main entertainment head in the middle, simply put
If you have a screen in the dash that is the CIC.

Combox is a box in the boot which gives you the actual 6FL and 6NF functionality.
Since you have these, A2DP should work as well, as it is a functionality of the Combox.

All these modules are interconnected, and modular, hence the options..
Each option can be added, or removed because of this modular design..

[chipwell]

deepsrd That's hugely helpful, and most of what I was looking for. I do have a USB port in the armbox, and there is a spot for a snap-in cradle there. However, when my phone (iPhone 6S) is connected to Bluetooth, I still only see two sources listed under "External devices," one for USB and one for AUX in. I also don't see any mention of Bluetooth audio playback in the owner's manual for MY11. So does that mean I don't have the Combox? Or that A2DP wasn't enabled/available as of 3/10 builds? Or should I should spin up a new thread now that you've helped me understand the terminology?

Two other related questions:
1) Do they make snap-in cradles for current-generation iPhones?
2) What is the difference between 6NF & 6NR?

[deepsrd]

Originally Posted by chipwell

deepsrd That's hugely helpful, and most of what I was looking for. I do have a USB port in the armbox, and there is a spot for a snap-in cradle there. However, when my phone (iPhone 6S) is connected to Bluetooth, I still only see two sources listed under "External devices," one for USB and one for AUX in. I also don't see any mention of Bluetooth audio playback in the owner's manual for MY11. So does that mean I don't have the Combox? Or that A2DP wasn't enabled/available as of 3/10 builds? Or should I should spin up a new thread now that you've helped me understand the terminology?

Two other related questions:
1) Do they make snap-in cradles for current-generation iPhones?
2) What is the difference between 6NF & 6NR?

Hmm, can post your full options list here? I can have a look..
Bluetooth is an option which need to be ordered when ordering the car, but can be easily retrofitted since you have Combox..

1) I am not sure.. they do exist for the iphone 5..
2) 6NR is BMW Apps, you have an app on your iphone, which will then allow you to use certain apps (like spotify) from your idrive screen.. You can buy that option from BMW, as a retrofit.

[chipwell]

Originally Posted by deepsrd

Hmm, can post your full options list here? I can have a look..

Yes, here they are:

No. Description

1CA SELECTION COP RELEVANT VEHICLES

2MF M L.-A. W. STAR SPOKE 193 M/MIX.T.

2VB TYRE PRESSURE INDICATOR

205 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

302 ALARM SYSTEM

319 INTEGRATED UNIVERSAL REMOTE CONTROL

322 COMFORT ACCESS SYSTEM

337 M SPORT PACKAGE

4MG INT. TRIM FIN. ALU GLACIER SILVER

4NA INTERIOR MIRROR WITH DIG. COMPASS

403 GLAS ROOF, ELECTRIC

415 SUNBLIND FOR REAR WINDOW

417 ROLLER SUNBLIND, REAR SIDE WINDOWS

423 FLOOR MATS, VELOUR

428 WARNING TRIANGLE

430 INT/EXT RR VW MIRROR W AUT ANTI-DAZZLE

431 INTERIOR RR VW MIRROR W AUT ANTI-D

459 SEAT ADJUSTM., ELECTR. W. MEMORY

465 THROUGH-LOAD SYSTEM

481 SPORT SEATS F DRIVER/FRONT PASSENGER

488 LUMBAR SUPPORT DRIVER/FRONT PASSENGER

494 SEAT HEATING F DRIVER/FRONT PASSENGER

5AC AUTOM. HIGH-BEAM HEADLIGHTS CONTROL

502 HEADLIGHT WASHER SYSTEM

507 PARK DISTANCE CONTROL (PDC)

521 RAIN SENSOR

522 XENON LIGHT

524 ADAPTIVE HEADLIGHTS

534 AUTOMATIC AIR CONDITIONING

544 CRUISE CONTROL WITH BRAKING FUNCTION

563 LIGHTS PACKAGE

570 STRONGER ELECTRICITY SUPPLY

6AA BMW TELESERVICES

6AB CONTROL TELESERVICES

6FL USB-/AUDIO INTERFACE

6NF EXT.CON.OF THE MUSIC PLAY.I.MOBILPH

6UH TRAFFIC INFORMATION

609 NAVIGATION SYSTEM PROFESSIONAL

615 EXTENDED BMW ONLINE INFORMATION

620 VOICE INPUT SYSTEM

639 COMPLETE PREP. CELLULAR PHONE USA/CDN

688 HARMAN/KARDON SURROUND SOUND SYSTEM

693 SATELLITE TUNER PREPARATION

697 AREA-CODE 1

7XA M LEATH.STEERING WHEEL W.PADDLES/MULTI

704 M SPORT SUSPENSION

715 M AERODYNAMICS PACKAGE

760 INDIVIDUAL HIGH-GLOSS SATIN CHROME

775 INDIVIDUAL ROOF-LINING ANTHRACITE

8SC COUNTRY SPEC. RELEASE OF TELESERVICE

8SP COP CONTROL

8S4 DECODING VARIABLE LIGHT DISTRIBUTIO

840 HIGH SPEED SYNCHRONISATION

863 EUROPE/DEALER DIRECTORY

880 ENGLISH / ON-BOARD DOCUMENTATION

9AA EXTERNAL SKIN PROTECTION

925 SHIPPING PROTECTION PACKAGE

[chipwell]

Update: According to another thread I just found, my version of Bluetooth software (9231090) appears to not have a combox. So now it looks like I'll start reading through the retrofit threads...

[cdgatti]

if you don't have a2dp protocol from a combox, the Kinivo BTC450 is excellent way to stream audio to your head unit through the aux connection.

[deepsrd]

Originally Posted by chipwell

Update: According to another thread I just found, my version of Bluetooth software (9231090) appears to not have a combox. So now it looks like I'll start reading through the retrofit threads...

Correct..
Combox code is 6VC, and you dont have it..

So, sorry, no A2DP ..

[chipwell]

deepsrd cdgatti thanks again!