iPod/MP3 player integration with E46 'Business' system
Discussion
My 2000 model E46 has the BMW Business tape deck and 6 CD changer in the boot.
I would like a neat and tidy way of hooking up an MP3 player. A lot of my collection is in AAC format so iPod integration would be good. I don't yet have an iPod so it's a blank canvas.
I'd like to retain the existing headunit (nothing worse than a naff aftermarket system to ruin the OEM look of the interior!). I want a neat and tidy solution so £4.99 cassette to phono lead or FM transmitters. I'd like to, ideally, keep the use of the CD changer but that isn't absolutely essential if it boils down to it.
I've had a look around the net, but being a bit technically challenged I'm going round in circles.
Any help/advice very much welcome!
I would like a neat and tidy way of hooking up an MP3 player. A lot of my collection is in AAC format so iPod integration would be good. I don't yet have an iPod so it's a blank canvas.
I'd like to retain the existing headunit (nothing worse than a naff aftermarket system to ruin the OEM look of the interior!). I want a neat and tidy solution so £4.99 cassette to phono lead or FM transmitters. I'd like to, ideally, keep the use of the CD changer but that isn't absolutely essential if it boils down to it.
I've had a look around the net, but being a bit technically challenged I'm going round in circles.
Any help/advice very much welcome!
Dice units are great and due to them simply plugging into the cd changer wire they can be installed and tucked away in 5mins.
However, I preferred my cd changer and just built 6 playlists, one for each cd was more than enough music. most ipod integration units have a delay feature which can be very annoying. For example you press the button, nothing happens... You then press it again and the unit is still catching up and skips 2 songs ahead. However the dice unit does give text which is really cool and helps a lot with navigation.
However, I preferred my cd changer and just built 6 playlists, one for each cd was more than enough music. most ipod integration units have a delay feature which can be very annoying. For example you press the button, nothing happens... You then press it again and the unit is still catching up and skips 2 songs ahead. However the dice unit does give text which is really cool and helps a lot with navigation.
I've had three different alternatives - the Intravee, DICE and Connects2 iPod docks. Intravee is good with sat nav but it's far pricier than the others, you need an Alpina KCA-420i as well which is no longer available new and it doesn't have any better functionality with the Business head unit. So I'd discount that.
DICE was about £80, Connects2 about £50. They both have pretty much the same functionality but I found the DICE crashes or gets confused by multiple inputs. The DICE plugs into the CD changer connections in the boot (though they may do one which plugs into the head unit); this means you have to run a wire to the front of the car and I found that it picked up interference. The Connects2 fits to the back of the head unit; it's a bloody tight fit but it's worth it because it's cheaper, doesn't have interference and just works.
Neither the Intravee nor Connects2 will charge a recent iPod without an adaptor; my DICE didn't charge either but I think they now come with a different cable which does. And note that all of them mean doing without your CD changer in future so you might want to find a CD head unit from eBay if you don't use tapes any more.
DICE was about £80, Connects2 about £50. They both have pretty much the same functionality but I found the DICE crashes or gets confused by multiple inputs. The DICE plugs into the CD changer connections in the boot (though they may do one which plugs into the head unit); this means you have to run a wire to the front of the car and I found that it picked up interference. The Connects2 fits to the back of the head unit; it's a bloody tight fit but it's worth it because it's cheaper, doesn't have interference and just works.
Neither the Intravee nor Connects2 will charge a recent iPod without an adaptor; my DICE didn't charge either but I think they now come with a different cable which does. And note that all of them mean doing without your CD changer in future so you might want to find a CD head unit from eBay if you don't use tapes any more.
I've got an early 2002 e46 and used a connects2 CTVBMX002 box which was about £30. If you've got a post 2003 car the wiring changed and you can get a copy of the BMW factory aux in wire for about £17 off eBay.
The box was easy to install, it pretends to be your CD changer and reads "CD 1-01" when you set the mode to it, therefore you can't use it and keep a CD changer. To install you take the stereo out and plug the box into the back, there is a nice space for it to the passenger side rear of the stereo. I think the quality is slightly less good than a CD (maybe because of the compression of the file rather than the box itself?). My car came with a Nokia kit including phone holder, so I used a hacksaw, Araldite and new phone holder to make a mount for my phone and just trail the aux in lead out by the mount. If it's a long journey I use a charger for the phone off the cigarette lighter.
Hope this helps,
John
The box was easy to install, it pretends to be your CD changer and reads "CD 1-01" when you set the mode to it, therefore you can't use it and keep a CD changer. To install you take the stereo out and plug the box into the back, there is a nice space for it to the passenger side rear of the stereo. I think the quality is slightly less good than a CD (maybe because of the compression of the file rather than the box itself?). My car came with a Nokia kit including phone holder, so I used a hacksaw, Araldite and new phone holder to make a mount for my phone and just trail the aux in lead out by the mount. If it's a long journey I use a charger for the phone off the cigarette lighter.
Hope this helps,
John
I have a Parrot mki9000 installed in my E46 Compact. It comes with aux options: 3.5mm jack, a female USB connection, and an iPod dock connector.
I also bought a Brodit mount for my iPhone that holds this dock connector cable so that I can just drop my iPhone in to play music.
The down side to this, however, is that because the Parrot system is designed to be a handsfree, the music only comes out of the front speakers that are used for making a phone call.
This is the case for any of the aux input options on the Parrot system.
But I'm thinking about ordering this since I stumbled across it on eBay the other day.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/220992677967?ssPageName=...
Would be interested in hearing from anyone who has it already.
In theory, this would be perfect for linking your iPod to the stereo.
I also bought a Brodit mount for my iPhone that holds this dock connector cable so that I can just drop my iPhone in to play music.
The down side to this, however, is that because the Parrot system is designed to be a handsfree, the music only comes out of the front speakers that are used for making a phone call.
This is the case for any of the aux input options on the Parrot system.
But I'm thinking about ordering this since I stumbled across it on eBay the other day.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/220992677967?ssPageName=...
Would be interested in hearing from anyone who has it already.
In theory, this would be perfect for linking your iPod to the stereo.
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