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      02-25-2007, 06:13 PM   #89
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cisoid View Post

6fl will ship starting March 2007 with the 1-series, 3-series, 5-series. In April X5 is added. In August the Mini and in September the 6-series. It works togther with all iDrive models and with Radio Professional.

Hallo cisoid

Great post.

One clarification. The 6FL option is available as of March 2007 production for the 6er including the M6. 6er drivers don't have to wait until September.
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      02-25-2007, 06:39 PM   #90
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      02-25-2007, 06:54 PM   #91
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Originally Posted by STE92VE View Post
Things were simpler in 1973 when I got my Capri and the only audio option was a radio upgrade to an AM/FM...it wasn't even stereo.
Yes, I remember when 'modding' your automotive sound system meant attaching an under-the-dash 8-Track player!
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      02-26-2007, 03:35 PM   #92
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Selection of Music, iPod and 6er

There where a couple of further questions to be answered.

Music selection works similar to the iPod or other mp3-players with database. You can select Genre, Artist, Albums or Songs. E.g., if the Genre Pop is selected it will show all Artists of this category. If an Artists is selected then it will show the Albums of this Artists that are in Genre Pop. When selecting an Album it will show the corresponding songs. As mentioned earlier for an USB device the metainformation (e.g. ID3-tags) need to be analyzed before these categories are available. Some detail information about the tags: only latin characters can be displayed (e.g., a Japanese tag will result in an empty string) because of limitations of the fonts available; ID3-tags version 2.0 and higher are perfered over version 1.x tags (but these are not really relevant anymore); 20.000 tags can be stored.

What is also different to the iPod interface currently available is you can browse through all categories while you listen. Furthermore, when an iPod is connected it will continue to play the song that is currently selected at the iPod. For USB devices the last track session is stored and invoked when the device is connected again and/or the car is started (track sessions of 4 devices can be stored).

One more important detail with USB devices. Digital rights protected songs cannot be played. 6fl does not come with digital rights management (which is pain in the *** for a control unit in a car).

Now to the iPod thing. The general answer is: use the BMW specific adapter cable - it's worth the investment. However, under certain conditions iPod can be operated without this special cable as well. First of all it is necessary that you have a "Windows" iPod. iPod's that are operated at a Mac have the Apple filesystem (HFP+) which cannot be read by 6fl. Next thing is that you connect your iPod at iTunes and configure the iPod to operate also as standard storage device. If the iPod is now connected to 6fl with the USB cable that comes along with the device it will be recognized and treated as an USB mass storage device (basically everything said about USB devices applies know also to the iPod that is connected in the described way). The problem now is that you first get the directory view (metadata need to be analyzed know by 6fl; there is no way to read the internal database of the iPod). The directory view of the iPod is a mess: all audiofiles are renamed with random names of 5 letters, all audiofiles are randomly stored in some sub-subdirectories of names f01, f02, etc. Once the metadata is analyzed by 6fl things improve dramatically because it will offer the selection via Genre, Artist, etc. However, there are some more drawbacks. It can take time until all metadata is analyzed. While it will be acceptable for an iPod Nano it can take hours for an iPod Video 80GB that is completely filled (don't expect performance miracles by controll unit installed in a car). Furthermore, DRM protected songs will not be displayed because 6fl cannot deal with them, e.g., all songs from the Apple music store. Playlists cannot be displayed because they are stored somewhere in the internal database of the iPod. So, these are the reasons why it's worth to go for the adapter cable and congratulations if you have read all of this.

Some more congratulations if you come around of some 6er or M6 with 6fl before September 2007. To my knowledge this is hardly possible. But I think the 6-series is a nice car even without the 6fl.
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      02-26-2007, 03:57 PM   #93
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cisoid View Post

Now to the iPod thing. The general answer is: use the BMW specific adapter cable - it's worth the investment. However, under certain conditions iPod can be operated without this special cable as well.
Does this mean that the USB port is installed even if you did not order the 6FL option?
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      02-26-2007, 03:59 PM   #94
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LEDZEP View Post
Yes, I remember when 'modding' your automotive sound system meant attaching an under-the-dash 8-Track player!
I was more technologically advanced than 8 track....I added a stereo cassete deck!
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      02-26-2007, 04:16 PM   #95
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cisoid View Post
There where a couple of further questions to be answered.

Music selection works similar to the iPod or other mp3-players with database. You can select Genre, Artist, Albums or Songs. E.g., if the Genre Pop is selected it will show all Artists of this category. If an Artists is selected then it will show the Albums of this Artists that are in Genre Pop. When selecting an Album it will show the corresponding songs. As mentioned earlier for an USB device the metainformation (e.g. ID3-tags) need to be analyzed before these categories are available. Some detail information about the tags: only latin characters can be displayed (e.g., a Japanese tag will result in an empty string) because of limitations of the fonts available; ID3-tags version 2.0 and higher are perfered over version 1.x tags (but these are not really relevant anymore); 20.000 tags can be stored.

What is also different to the iPod interface currently available is you can browse through all categories while you listen. Furthermore, when an iPod is connected it will continue to play the song that is currently selected at the iPod. For USB devices the last track session is stored and invoked when the device is connected again and/or the car is started (track sessions of 4 devices can be stored).

One more important detail with USB devices. Digital rights protected songs cannot be played. 6fl does not come with digital rights management (which is pain in the *** for a control unit in a car).

Now to the iPod thing. The general answer is: use the BMW specific adapter cable - it's worth the investment. However, under certain conditions iPod can be operated without this special cable as well. First of all it is necessary that you have a "Windows" iPod. iPod's that are operated at a Mac have the Apple filesystem (HFP+) which cannot be read by 6fl. Next thing is that you connect your iPod at iTunes and configure the iPod to operate also as standard storage device. If the iPod is now connected to 6fl with the USB cable that comes along with the device it will be recognized and treated as an USB mass storage device (basically everything said about USB devices applies know also to the iPod that is connected in the described way). The problem now is that you first get the directory view (metadata need to be analyzed know by 6fl; there is no way to read the internal database of the iPod). The directory view of the iPod is a mess: all audiofiles are renamed with random names of 5 letters, all audiofiles are randomly stored in some sub-subdirectories of names f01, f02, etc. Once the metadata is analyzed by 6fl things improve dramatically because it will offer the selection via Genre, Artist, etc. However, there are some more drawbacks. It can take time until all metadata is analyzed. While it will be acceptable for an iPod Nano it can take hours for an iPod Video 80GB that is completely filled (don't expect performance miracles by controll unit installed in a car). Furthermore, DRM protected songs will not be displayed because 6fl cannot deal with them, e.g., all songs from the Apple music store. Playlists cannot be displayed because they are stored somewhere in the internal database of the iPod. So, these are the reasons why it's worth to go for the adapter cable and congratulations if you have read all of this.

Some more congratulations if you come around of some 6er or M6 with 6fl before September 2007. To my knowledge this is hardly possible. But I think the 6-series is a nice car even without the 6fl.

cisoid - Thanks again! You're not really Jonathan Spira in sheep's clothing are you?
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      02-26-2007, 05:07 PM   #96
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So your saying purchased songs cannot be played through the 6fl option?
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      02-26-2007, 05:25 PM   #97
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TheDuke83 View Post
So your saying purchased songs cannot be played through the 6fl option?
Looks like that's what he's saying. I guess we'll have to resort to the old iPod-two-step: Burn the purchased tunes to a CD, then reimport them into iTunes (sans protection). It's a PITA, but looks like the only way.
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      02-26-2007, 05:30 PM   #98
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TheDuke83 View Post
So your saying purchased songs cannot be played through the 6fl option?
No, he's saying that you would have to use the special (BMW supplied) iPod adapter cable if you want to play purchased songs. The purchased songs cannot be decoded when (and only when) you use the standard iPod USB cable.
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      02-26-2007, 05:44 PM   #99
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<---- Mac User who just bought a new Ipod for his new BMW with 6FL option...
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      02-26-2007, 05:48 PM   #100
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jmonier View Post
No, he's saying that you would have to use the special (BMW supplied) iPod adapter cable if you want to play purchased songs. The purchased songs cannot be decoded when (and only when) you use the standard iPod USB cable.
You're right. I was misunderstanding the description for the USB only vs. the iPod connector.
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      02-26-2007, 07:15 PM   #101
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Okay thanks, I misunderstood what was said. I got it now however why wouldn't you always use the special (BMW supplied) iPod adapter cable?
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      02-26-2007, 07:35 PM   #102
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Quote:
Originally Posted by STE92VE View Post
Does this mean that the USB port is installed even if you did not order the 6FL option?
uh, no

since the usb port IS the 6FL option, that would not be possible
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      02-26-2007, 08:14 PM   #103
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if I buy a laptop USB hdd will this work?

Something like this:

http://www.westerndigital.com/en/pro...sp?DriveID=262
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      02-26-2007, 08:14 PM   #104
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JSpira View Post
uh, no

since the usb port IS the 6FL option, that would not be possible
So for $400 you get a usb jack and this special cable? Wow

It doesn't even support PlayForSure

Atleast tell me this, does it still use the lame CD1-6 tabs for navigating, or do the tabs correctly label (ie: Genre) now? I assume since the CD changer can now be installed its the later, but I want to confirm.

-Brett
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      02-26-2007, 08:15 PM   #105
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Quote:
Originally Posted by iatacs19 View Post
if I buy a laptop USB hdd will this work?

Something like this:

http://www.westerndigital.com/en/pro...sp?DriveID=262
As Long as it gets the power from the USB cable.

-Brett
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      02-26-2007, 08:18 PM   #106
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This is good then a 160GB hdd will hold all my music and have left over tons of space!
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      02-26-2007, 08:35 PM   #107
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brett View Post

Atleast tell me this, does it still use the lame CD1-6 tabs for navigating, or do the tabs correctly label (ie: Genre) now? I assume since the CD changer can now be installed its the later, but I want to confirm.

-Brett
Everything is labeled properly now :rocks:
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      02-26-2007, 08:38 PM   #108
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I am still researching MP3 players as I do not own one. The Creative Zen Vision M gets really good reviews. Anyone know if it will be fully functional with the 6FL option?
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      02-26-2007, 09:23 PM   #109
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OK my dealer finally gave me the price for the factory installed ipod setup...ordered my car two weeks ago...$400, seems a little high to me, anyone else get a quote like this?
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      02-26-2007, 09:49 PM   #110
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Sounds right according to this:
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