Anything worth doing is worth doing right, or: how BMW audio player sucks

augerpro · 08-20-2015, 02:27 PM

So today I thought I had finally beat the stupidity of BMW's audio player - which does not allow you to start playing or browse by artist and proceeding through each artist alphabetically like every damn media player ever made - by making a playlist of my library. So I can start at A artist - or M or whatever - and have it proceed to the next artist (still can't skip ahead easily though), when I noticed while playing the first song that it was 1/500...yes they capped my playlist at 500 songs. Got me to D. For Dolts I suppose.

Zooks527 · 08-20-2015, 02:35 PM

You'll also find that it won't support calling a playlist from within a playlist.

isthar · 08-20-2015, 03:05 PM

?

What do you mean you can't browse artists.

Press the voice activation button.
Say "Artists"

augerpro · 08-20-2015, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by isthar

?

What do you mean you can't browse artists.

Press the voice activation button.
Say "Artists"

Yes I know how to browse. It's not a really a browse though, more of a filter. And it just plays that artist over and over. How often do you do that? Usually I just want to start playing and have it continue playing through my library. Or maybe I want to listen to Jane's Addiction right away, then when that artist is done just continue playing whatever comes next.

BarryJI · 08-20-2015, 06:31 PM

Yes, audio is the Tower of Babel of modern automobiles, it's a gigantic mess of competing formats and proprietary technologies not designed to work with each other. I have no faith in BMW's on-board solutions; the inbuilt hard drive is too small and, as you say, the ability to search and sort is crude. For me, the best solution was to spend the $250 it took to get the cradle for my iPhone that sits in the center console. At least this enables me to see all my content on the iDrive screen and navigate through it almost as I can in iTunes (almost). This solution is not perfect but it beats the crappy quality of music played via Bluetooth. I have also connected an old iPod Classic via a joint Aux/USB cable but even though I can play it through the car's speakers, it is not seen by iDrive so I can only navigate through my music collection on the device itself. On top of all this nonsense, the stock audio system in the 2-series is lamentably bad.

sputman · 08-21-2015, 04:01 PM

I ended up purchasing an iPod and leaving it in the car. Mine's just hooked up via a USB cable and it has full functionality including searching and playlists... well until it overheats from staying in the center console on a crazy hot day.

I think if you have the tech package or the advanced communication something or other you can simply use the regular Apple USB cable, otherwise you require a special BMW cable. Unfortunately I'm not 100% sure of the requirement as my vehicle has both.

08-20-2015, 02:27 PM	#1
augerpro Second Lieutenant 60 Rep 214 Posts Drives: 2015 BMW M235i, Nissan 370Z Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Denver, CO iTrader: (0)	Anything worth doing is worth doing right, or: how BMW audio player sucks So today I thought I had finally beat the stupidity of BMW's audio player - which does not allow you to start playing or browse by artist and proceeding through each artist alphabetically like every damn media player ever made - by making a playlist of my library. So I can start at A artist - or M or whatever - and have it proceed to the next artist (still can't skip ahead easily though), when I noticed while playing the first song that it was 1/500...yes they capped my playlist at 500 songs. Got me to D. For Dolts I suppose. __________________ Brandon
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08-20-2015, 02:35 PM	#2
Zooks527 Captain 310 Rep 886 Posts Drives: 2015 M235xi / 2005 Tacoma 4x4 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Mansfield, MA iTrader: (0)	You'll also find that it won't support calling a playlist from within a playlist. __________________ 2015 M235xi coupe, Black Sapphire Metallic, Black Leather, Fineline Stream trim, Steptronic, xDrive, ZPP, ZTP, ZCW, ZDA, ZDB, 5DP, hk w/BimmerTech amp, Enhanced BT Prior 40 years: 67 BelAir wagon / 68 LeMans Tempest / 70 Mustang Mach 1 / 72 El Dorado / 78 Corvette / 81 Subaru GL wagon 4WD / 83 s10 Blazer 4x4 / 85 Bronco 4x4 / 96 Bronco 4x4 / 04 Passat 4mo / 09 BMW 335xi
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08-20-2015, 03:05 PM	#3
isthar Second Lieutenant 60 Rep 273 Posts Drives: M235i xDrive Join Date: May 2015 Location: Boston, USA iTrader: (0)	? What do you mean you can't browse artists. Press the voice activation button. Say "Artists" __________________ //M235ix Alpine White
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08-20-2015, 06:31 PM	#5
BarryJI Captain 424 Rep 980 Posts Drives: 2015 BMW 228i M Sport Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: United States iTrader: (0)	Yes, audio is the Tower of Babel of modern automobiles, it's a gigantic mess of competing formats and proprietary technologies not designed to work with each other. I have no faith in BMW's on-board solutions; the inbuilt hard drive is too small and, as you say, the ability to search and sort is crude. For me, the best solution was to spend the $250 it took to get the cradle for my iPhone that sits in the center console. At least this enables me to see all my content on the iDrive screen and navigate through it almost as I can in iTunes (almost). This solution is not perfect but it beats the crappy quality of music played via Bluetooth. I have also connected an old iPod Classic via a joint Aux/USB cable but even though I can play it through the car's speakers, it is not seen by iDrive so I can only navigate through my music collection on the device itself. On top of all this nonsense, the stock audio system in the 2-series is lamentably bad.
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08-21-2015, 04:01 PM	#6
sputman Private 22 Rep 85 Posts Drives: '15 M235i xDrive + '21 Z4 M40i Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Burlington, ON iTrader: (0)	I ended up purchasing an iPod and leaving it in the car. Mine's just hooked up via a USB cable and it has full functionality including searching and playlists... well until it overheats from staying in the center console on a crazy hot day. I think if you have the tech package or the advanced communication something or other you can simply use the regular Apple USB cable, otherwise you require a special BMW cable. Unfortunately I'm not 100% sure of the requirement as my vehicle has both.
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