Cradle Hell

[THE TECH]

Help set me straight on all this cause I am pretty frustrated at this point.

1. What is the point/advantage of the cradle?
2. Is there a way to start BMW Apps or Pandora without touching the phone itself? Seems like a pain if it's in the cradle to have to mess with it.
3. Pandora seems to work easily when using through the USB cable but when the phone is in the cradle, I can only get it to work like 1 out of 10 times.
4. Is it possible that I could have the wrong cradle or will it not work at all if it's the wrong one?

[SamS]

1. Cradle offers several things, including faster interface with the iPhone/iDrive. The biggest thing is iPod-out, i.e.




2. Not that I know of
3. Not had that problem, myself
4. You could have the wrong cradle. The correct part number for the Media cradle is 84 21 2 218 390. It should say Media on the cradle, itself. Right by the home button, when the iPhone is docked.

[THE TECH]

Originally Posted by SamS

1. Cradle offers several things, including faster interface with the iPhone/iDrive. The biggest thing is iPod-out, i.e.




2. Not that I know of
3. Not had that problem, myself
4. You could have the wrong cradle. The correct part number for the Media cradle is 84 21 2 218 390. It should say Media on the cradle, itself. Right by the home button, when the iPhone is docked.

The ipod out thing works ok but not always seamless.

Yeah iirc mine says Media on it.

[Technic]

Originally Posted by THE TECH

The ipod out thing works ok but not always seamless.

Yeah iirc mine says Media on it.

Try the iPhone fully charged and then plug it into the cradle and see if you notice the difference in response.

[alpina527]

It states in the blurb that the 390 media cradle is for iphone4.

Will the cradles inductive antennae still work with the 4S?

[THE TECH]

Originally Posted by Technic

Try the iPhone fully charged and then plug it into the cradle and see if you notice the difference in response.

It's always pretty much been at 80% or more when I put it in the cradle.

[BIGW0RM]

Forget the cradle man! Just rock BT audio. It plays perfect for me every time and as I mentioned in another post of yours. It pauses and plays when I exit and reenter the car. And Im not sure when this started working. But I just noticed that Pandora track, song and album info now display on my entertainment screen display. Not sure if that was from the recent BMW bluetooth profile update, IOS5.01 or pandora. But now that I have song, track and album info, to hell with bmw apps. Thats the only reason I wanted BMW apps. Besides, the cradle is cool, but its a PITA to get to your phone sometimes. I just run a phone charger WHEN needed. For the most part I dont ever have my phone plugged in.

[Technic]

Originally Posted by THE TECH

It's always pretty much been at 80% or more when I put it in the cradle.

The Combox has two USB ports, one in the baseplate/cradle and the standard port besides the AUX port. The standard USB port power comes from the Combox directly. The baseplate/cradle USB port have their own power source separate from the Combox.

The cradle and the iPhone current draw is increased quite substantially when iPod Out is used; that's the main reason of the built in cradle fan and thus the requirement of its own power source.

If you have connectivity issues then it may be possible that charging is somehow deficient/not keeping up while the iPhone is in the cradle.

[SamS]

Originally Posted by ILSMKU

But I just noticed that Pandora track, song and album info now display on my entertainment screen display.

Right, but you can't thumbs up/down from the iDrive.

[Technic]

Originally Posted by ILSMKU

Forget the cradle man! Just rock BT audio. It plays perfect for me every time and as I mentioned in another post of yours. It pauses and plays when I exit and reenter the car. And Im not sure when this started working. But I just noticed that Pandora track, song and album info now display on my entertainment screen display. Not sure if that was from the recent BMW bluetooth profile update, IOS5.01 or pandora. But now that I have song, track and album info, to hell with bmw apps. Thats the only reason I wanted BMW apps. Besides, the cradle is cool, but its a PITA to get to your phone sometimes. I just run a phone charger WHEN needed. For the most part I dont ever have my phone plugged in.

IMO, that seems to be a fluke of BMW Apps. I have noticed the same even when the iPhone Music is selected, Pandora is playing and the iPhone is connected to the USB. All the Pandora song info is displayed.

[THE TECH]

Originally Posted by SamS

Right, but you can't thumbs up/down from the iDrive.

Exactly. I like the functionality...when it works.

[THE TECH]

One issue that I also found when just using the USB and playing Pandora was that once I didn't want to hear Pandora anymore, I couldn't get the iDrive to access the itunes library on the phone. It was like it was nonexistent.

[BIGW0RM]

Originally Posted by SamS

Right, but you can't thumbs up/down from the iDrive.

Originally Posted by Technic

IMO, that seems to be a fluke of BMW Apps. I have noticed the same even when the iPhone Music is selected, Pandora is playing and the iPhone is connected to the USB. All the Pandora song info is displayed.

Originally Posted by THE TECH

Exactly. I like the functionality...when it works.

Ah, well you got me there. I just skip skip skip!

[BIGW0RM]

Originally Posted by THE TECH

One issue that I also found when just using the USB and playing Pandora was that once I didn't want to hear Pandora anymore, I couldn't get the iDrive to access the itunes library on the phone. It was like it was nonexistent.

I dont even use ipod anymore. Takes to long to load music to itunes. Then load it to iphone.

I actually like slacker radio the best. I can pick almost any song I want and load it to my phone. Or I can make a playlist of almost any songs I want. Its just so much easier and quicker if you ask me. I think the ipod will die off soon enough. Streaming is getting pretty good.

[Technic]

Originally Posted by THE TECH

One issue that I also found when just using the USB and playing Pandora was that once I didn't want to hear Pandora anymore, I couldn't get the iDrive to access the itunes library on the phone. It was like it was nonexistent.

Update the Combox firmware if you have not done so yet: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=626202

[SamS]

Originally Posted by THE TECH

One issue that I also found when just using the USB and playing Pandora was that once I didn't want to hear Pandora anymore, I couldn't get the iDrive to access the itunes library on the phone. It was like it was nonexistent.

Just press Menu, then Connected Drive->Plugin.

[THE TECH]

Originally Posted by SamS

Just press Menu, then Connected Drive->Plugin.

Yeah but you don't have to use the plugin to use the itunes.

[THE TECH]

Originally Posted by Technic

Update the Combox firmware if you have not done so yet: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=626202

Gonna do that now. Thanks.

[THE TECH]

Updated my software. We'll see this afternoon if it made any difference.

[SamS]

Originally Posted by THE TECH

Yeah but you don't have to use the plugin to use the itunes.

But why wouldn't you use the Plugin interface? That's the only way to get the improved interface, as shown in the pictures in post #2.

[THE TECH]

Originally Posted by SamS

But why wouldn't you use the Plugin interface? That's the only way to get the improved interface, as shown in the pictures in post #2.

It's just kinda dumb to me to have to go back and forth between screens like when you have the navigation on.

[SamS]

Originally Posted by THE TECH

It's just kinda dumb to me to have to go back and forth between screens like when you have the navigation on.

I realize it's not the smoothest of transitions, but how else to do it? Takes three button presses. Actually, I have one of my presets programmed, so I press that (Activate Plugin), then press once on the iDrive.