BMW Apps Does Not Work in M3?

[jphughan]

Originally Posted by Totti

I picked my car up 4 days ago I ticked every option incl. extended connectivity + internet...

As stated I do get album art when using the BMW cable, just not on the snap in.

Hmm, not entirely sure then. If you get album art through USB AND you ordered the BMW Apps option then make sure you have the Media cradle rather than the Music cradle. I don't know whether the Music cradle provides the USB data connection necessary to pull album art, but I know album art works through the Media cradle.

That said, Australian builds might be different. US builds don't have the "Extended Connectivity + Internet" option you mention, for example.

[Totti]

Originally Posted by jphughan

Hmm, not entirely sure then. If you get album art through USB AND you ordered the BMW Apps option then make sure you have the Media cradle rather than the Music cradle. I don't know whether the Music cradle provides the USB data connection necessary to pull album art, but I know album art works through the Media cradle.

That said, Australian builds might be different. US builds don't have the "Extended Connectivity + Internet" option you mention, for example.

Ahh that could be it. There was no option per se for the 'Apps', but my snap in adapter says 'Music', not 'Media'. Is that why I can't get apps or cover art?

[jphughan]

Originally Posted by Totti

Ahh that could be it. There was no option per se for the 'Apps', but my snap in adapter says 'Music', not 'Media'. Is that why I can't get apps or cover art?

That MIGHT be why you can't get cover art; I've never tried it with a Music cradle so I can't be sure. If you really want cover art through the cradle, ask if you can test a Media cradle at the dealer before you buy since they're pretty expensive.

However, Apps will work through USB. If you want to test that, download BMW Connected and/or Pandora to your iPhone, connect your phone to your car via USB, and launch either app. When you do that, inside iDrive under ConnectedDrive you should see BMW Apps pop up. If Pandora is open, you'll see it there (as well as in the Radio section of iDrive) and if BMW Connected is open, you'll see stuff like Facebook, Twitter, and Internet Radio. BMW Connected also has a few features in the app itself that are mildly useful -- just annoying the app has to be actually launched to update any of it, but that's Apple's fault.

[Totti]

Thanks for your help mate. There doesn't appear to be an App in the Australian App store for 'Connected Drive' so perhaps we don't support it yet? I know with internet it said its not supported in my region but then the browser booted up fine.

[Technic]

Originally Posted by jphughan

Not true. Combox was available before BMW Apps and has become standard as of 9/10 production. BMW Apps is a separate feature and is optional.

Actually, BMW Apps is also the Combox as that's where the feature is. My response was in reference of using the Y cable for 6NR, which it is not required anymore with the Combox and the iPhone.

Any car with the Combox -regardless of production date- can retrofit 6NR.

[Rshane]

Is there a software upgrade available to have the ability to run the BMW app in a 2011.5 M3? I hate it when I buy a car and a few months later some cool new option comes out.

EDIT: Nevermind, I found the info.

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthr...light=BMW+apps

[jphughan]

Originally Posted by Rshane

Is there a software upgrade available to have the ability to run the BMW app in a 2011.5 M3? I hate it when I buy a car and a few months later some cool new option comes out.

EDIT: Nevermind, I found the info.

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthr...light=BMW+apps

Before you consider that, check out the same thread on E90Post: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=507330. As you can see, myself and others have some real concerns about how this is being handled and Patrys has not been forthcoming with details to answer those. It starts to get especially interesting on Page 3.

[Technic]

Originally Posted by jphughan

Before you consider that, check out the same thread on E90Post: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=507330. As you can see, myself and others have some real concerns about how this is being handled and Patrys has not been forthcoming with details to answer those. It starts to get especially interesting on Page 3.

Your concern and others is to get this done for free. There's nothing interesting and knowlegeable in your posts there and here.

Patrys and any other vendor here and at any other forum run a business. The minimum fees in this forum alone to become a vendor equal the monthly payment of the average Toyota Yaris. So if you think that any vendor will just give out technical or business information for free just because this is an "Internetz forum" then you are the interesting one.

[jphughan]

Originally Posted by Technic

Your concern and others is to get this done for free. There's nothing interesting and knowlegeable in your posts there and here.

Patrys and any other vendor here and at any other forum run a business. The minimum fees in this forum alone to become a vendor equal the monthly payment of the average Toyota Yaris. So if you think that any vendor will just give out technical or business information for free just because this is an "Internetz forum" then you are the interesting one.

First of all, my posts are not focused on getting stuff for free; they're focused on Patrys sharing certain details that could potentially affect people's decision to buy, especially if as I suspect he's wiring things in ways they're not designed to be wired, like removing ground pins to repurpose them.

And second of all, people here DO give out technical and business information for free. There are DIYs posted here that mechanics would charge a fair amount to perform, general information that again a professional would probably charge to sit down and teach you, and some members -- including myself -- are even offering services like coding for free simply because it's not very difficult and we enjoy doing it. As I said in that thread, that doesn't mean that people don't have a right to charge for things, but don't suggest that nothing on the Internet or especially on these boards is free because there's an overwhelming amount of evidence to the contrary.

And again, sharing information does not equal lost business. The fact that I might know how something is done doesn't mean I'll want to do it myself, but it would definitely mean I'd be more comfortable with having it done by somebody else.

[Technic]

Originally Posted by jphughan

First of all, my posts are not focused on getting stuff for free; they're focused on Patrys sharing certain details that could potentially affect people's decision to buy, especially if as I suspect he's wiring things in ways they're not designed to be wired, like removing ground pins to repurpose them.

In my particular case, I do Patrys 6NR installs and swaps in South Florida and I use 100% OEM parts or the install/swap is simply not done. The install must pass the "idiot dealer" test. And so far my installs are supported by two of my local dealers.

Furthermore, I created the only harness for a PnP swap of a TCU for a Combox. Not even BMW has that right now.

The idea that somehow a vendor will be doing some patch work in the electronics of a BMW is -like Tyson said years ago- ludicrous.

And second of all, people here DO give out technical and business information for free. There are DIYs posted here that mechanics would charge a fair amount to perform, general information that again a professional would probably charge to sit down and teach you, and some members -- including myself -- are even offering services like coding for free simply because it's not very difficult and we enjoy doing it. As I said in that thread, that doesn't mean that people don't have a right to charge for things, but don't suggest that nothing on the Internet or especially on these boards is free because there's an overwhelming amount of evidence to the contrary.

And if you read a little bit more both Patrys and myself do give out some technical information for free. However there must be a line somewhere as this is a business. And there are complete forums dedicated to coding and retrofits. So it must not be a suprise that only a few people have been able to create a business out of that information.

By the way, I do coding for free as well, not only because I enjoy and learn from it but mostly because charging for using a software that is not my property and much less I paid for it is simply immoral -or illegal depending on who you ask- at least to me.

And coding is not the same as the whole install/swap/harness/update process.

[jphughan]

Yes, Patrys did indeed offer some technical details afterward, but never answered the original question of whether a custom dock-to-USB cable or adapter was required that remapped pins, for example. That wouldn't violate the whole "100% OEM" claim because BMW doesn't make that part, but it would mean getting a replacement of that cable/adapter would be rather difficult. He also never answered whether he was keeping the phone properly grounded. The fact that he answered other questions but not those, even after other members chimed in wanting to know the same thing, would be cause for concern if I were a potential buyer. The cable question is very simple, and the electrical grounding question is arguably very important.

/Threadjack

[Technic]

Originally Posted by jphughan

Yes, Patrys did indeed offer some technical details afterward, but never answered the original question of whether a custom dock-to-USB cable or adapter was required that remapped pins, for example. That wouldn't violate the whole "100% OEM" claim because BMW doesn't make that part, but it would mean getting a replacement of that cable/adapter would be rather difficult. He also never answered whether he was keeping the phone properly grounded. The fact that he answered other questions but not those, even after other members chimed in wanting to know the same thing, would be cause for concern if I were a potential buyer. The cable question is very simple, and the electrical grounding question is arguably very important.

/Threadjack

There is no custom "dock to USB cable/adapter" in a 6NR retrofit, perhaps that's the reason of the no answer.

[zhangzeyuandss]

Originally Posted by Technic

There is no custom "dock to USB cable/adapter" in a 6NR retrofit, perhaps that's the reason of the no answer.

Indeed.

[zhangzeyuandss]

Originally Posted by jphughan

Yes, Patrys did indeed offer some technical details afterward, but never answered the original question of whether a custom dock-to-USB cable or adapter was required that remapped pins, for example. That wouldn't violate the whole "100% OEM" claim because BMW doesn't make that part, but it would mean getting a replacement of that cable/adapter would be rather difficult. He also never answered whether he was keeping the phone properly grounded. The fact that he answered other questions but not those, even after other members chimed in wanting to know the same thing, would be cause for concern if I were a potential buyer. The cable question is very simple, and the electrical grounding question is arguably very important.

/Threadjack

I personally think the 100% OEM is real. All he add is the Video in Motion which is probably done through some coding.

[jphughan]

Originally Posted by zhangzeyuandss

I personally think the 100% OEM is real. All he add is the Video in Motion which is probably done through some coding.

Video in Motion is not at ALL the same as PlugIn/video playback. The former is just a restriction of when video from any source (including DVDs on CIC systems) can be played. The latter requires a tap to the video out pin on an iPhone dock. Since Apple's normal USB cable doesn't tap that pin (read a pinout of the dock connector and compare it to the pins in the dock connector, or even easier just read the pinout for a USB connector), I can't really see how this is accomplished without some sort of adapter or modification to the cabling. But in any case, 6NR is far more than ViM.

[DarkstarZero]

Just to update... As Pandora works just fine using the USB cable, I sent the cradle back for a refund. All these problems are not worth the $250 for the cradle. Until more apps and features come out, I'm perfectly happy using just the USB cable with Pandora.

[jphughan]

Originally Posted by DarkstarZero

Just to update... As Pandora works just fine using the USB cable, I sent the cradle back for a refund. All these problems are not worth the $250 for the cradle. Until more apps and features come out, I'm perfectly happy using just the USB cable with Pandora.

Back on-topic, finally!

Yeah, I ordered the cradle before my car arrived intending to use it for iPod Out, and then didn't because iDrive's interface is actually very good. Now it basically just lets my wife and I charge both of our phones at the same time since she can use USB. In retrospect I wouldn't have gotten it either, but I was hoping you were going to pursue this to find out what the fix was since I'm in a similar boat and I'm not entirely convinced my camera is to blame. Oh well, thanks for the update anyway!

And fyi, any new apps that do come out will almost certainly work over USB as well. The ONLY thing the cradle adds is video output from your phone to iDrive.

[DarkstarZero]

Originally Posted by jphughan

And fyi, any new apps that do come out will almost certainly work over USB as well. The ONLY thing the cradle adds is video output from your phone to iDrive.

And the video output isn't any good. You can still watch DVDs through the DVD drive but it isn't full screen, it's 1/4 screen, really tiny, and only when the car is parked. For video in the car, my soon-to-be-wife uses the laptop with the audio plugged into the aux-in. That works just fine and movies inside the car with premium audio sounds awesome!

[jphughan]

Originally Posted by DarkstarZero

And the video output isn't any good. You can still watch DVDs through the DVD drive but it isn't full screen, it's 1/4 screen, really tiny, and only when the car is parked. For video in the car, my soon-to-be-wife uses the laptop with the audio plugged into the aux-in. That works just fine and movies inside the car with premium audio sounds awesome!

The video expands to full screen if you leave it alone for 10 seconds or so and have Split Screen Display disabled. At least it did with video playback from my iPhone. I never bothered to test it with a DVD.