|
|
12-09-2011, 12:02 AM | #2 |
Lieutenant
36
Rep 469
Posts
Drives: X5 50iMSport & MP4-12C
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: California
|
Are you referring to the dock in the center arm rest.
__________________
2012 McLaren MP4-12C
2015 BMW X5 50i MSport 2017 BMW M2 (on order) |
Appreciate
0
|
12-09-2011, 01:16 AM | #4 |
Low Pro...
35
Rep 1,067
Posts |
Personally, I connect with Bluetooth, and plug it into the USB. I had to download and install the app BMW Connected, but that's it. It works great. I don't think the very expensive dock station is worth it... IMO anyways.
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-09-2011, 06:56 AM | #5 |
Lieutenant
98
Rep 525
Posts
Drives: '21 F95 X5 M C, '11.5 E92 M3 C
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: NYC
|
I have the iPhone cradle adapter and rarely use it because I have a case on my iPhone4s. It's a pain to remove the case each time I need to use the cradle. I just use the USB port. If you use a case on your phone, save yourself $250 and just use the USB port.
__________________
Drives: '11.5 Interlagos Blue E92 M3 Comp, '21 F95 X5 M Comp DIYs: Enable Rear Fog | Easy Side Gill Replacement | Front Grill Replacement |
Appreciate
0
|
12-09-2011, 08:21 AM | #6 | |
Happy Camper
612
Rep 7,869
Posts
Drives: C63 AMG & 280 SL on Weekends :
Join Date: May 2010
Location: GTA, Ontario - Canada
iTrader: (0)
Garage List 1969 Restored Merce ... [7.50]
2011 M3 Coupe TRADED [7.34] 1987 BMW 535is [1.00] Cars from the Past [6.50] The ///M3 Engine S65 [9.59] |
Quote:
The centre council under my arm rest has the iPhone dock and I can connect it for charging. I've not used the dock station as of yet since I only would use it if I go on long drives.
__________________
Cheers, Rolf-Dieter
Life will take us to some interesting places, fortunately The ///M3 will too with a many of us know this very well, now my C6.3 AMG with 487 HP does it too ---> Click here for some good stuff I found |
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-09-2011, 08:53 AM | #7 |
Captain
42
Rep 959
Posts |
I agree with the posts above. I have a docking station and have only used on long drives when I need my phone to charge. Most times I get in the car, my phone stays in my pocket. I would order the apps package if I were you.
__________________
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-09-2011, 09:39 AM | #8 |
Brigadier General
594
Rep 4,488
Posts |
If you do NOT have BMW Apps, the only real benefit to the dock is that it keeps your USB port free to charge and/or play music from another device, like your passenger's iPhone. It also keeps your phone more securely mounted if you're going to be driving hard, but that's pretty minor. Some have claimed improved antenna reception using the dock, which the 6NR/6NF option supports, but the iPhone doesn't have an external antenna pin connector in the dock, so at best it would be an improvement from signal induction through the baseplate. And lastly the new iPhone 4/4S cradle has a fan to address thermal concerns, though I actually managed to have my phone overheat even while it was in the cradle with the fan running. When I first took delivery of my car and heard the fan buzzing I thought something was wrong with the stereo; took me a while to figure out it was the cradle since the fan runs even while the car is off.
If you DO have BMW Apps, then buying the Media cradle (NOT the Music cradle) will allow you to use PlugIn and play videos from your device (the latter only while the car is stopped). All other BMW Apps features (BMW Connected, Facebook, Twitter, Pandora, etc) are available with the standard USB connection. I have both BMW Apps and the Media cradle and honestly it's not a big deal. PlugIn is kind of cool to see once and show off to friends, but honestly iDrive's iPod/iPhone navigation is so good that I never use it. I don't care about video playback and I DEFINITELY don't care about Twitter and Facebook. Unless you really like Genius Playlists, you probably won't either. And actually the PlugIn and video features are no longer working, I think because of my rearview camera, but I haven't bothered to test that theory by disconnecting the camera because even if that turns out to be the reason, I'd still rather have the camera. Everything else works fine though. At the end of the day I usually just stream music over Bluetooth, a Combox feature which I never expected to care about due to battery drain and audio quality concerns but which has turned out to be a godsend. I was always annoyed at having to take off my iPhone case to snap it into a cradle and/or forgetting my phone in the center console, so for shorter trips Bluetooth Audio is perfect. Plus the iOS 5 update allowed the iPhone to send track information over Bluetooth, which makes it even nicer. The only thing you can't do is browse your library to switch playlists and such, which is unfortunate because iDrive supports that but the iPhone doesn't (you need AVRCP 1.4 and the iPhone only goes up to 1.3 on iOS 5).
__________________
'16 Cayman GT4 (delivery pics, comparison to E92 M3 write-up)
Gone but not forgotten: '11.75 M3 E92 Le Mans | Black Nov w/ Alum | 6MT (owned 5/2011 - 11/2015) Last edited by jphughan; 12-09-2011 at 09:52 AM.. |
Appreciate
0
|
12-09-2011, 09:40 AM | #9 |
New Member
3
Rep 23
Posts
Drives: 2015 M4
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Marietta, GA
|
I took my case off to use the dock. I love Pandora & the only way to get it with full control is with the dock. When docked there are no commercials I guess because of the BMW sponsership. I like having the album cover art which I think is only displayed when docked. Mog is also now a BMW app. Of course, BMW connected app only available when docked.
__________________
2015 M4 Mineral Grey/Black extended leather/-speed/Executive package/19" silver rims/HK stereo/Enhanced Bluetooth-USB/-speed/Moon roof/LED lighting package/HEX tuning stage 1
Sold -2011.5 M3 Convertible/Space Grey/Black Sold - 2002 M5 with Dinan springs & exhaust. |
Appreciate
0
|
12-09-2011, 09:51 AM | #10 | |
Brigadier General
594
Rep 4,488
Posts |
Quote:
__________________
'16 Cayman GT4 (delivery pics, comparison to E92 M3 write-up)
Gone but not forgotten: '11.75 M3 E92 Le Mans | Black Nov w/ Alum | 6MT (owned 5/2011 - 11/2015) |
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-09-2011, 10:20 AM | #11 |
Private First Class
30
Rep 143
Posts |
Yes, if you don't have 6NR/BMW Apps, the cradle is exactly the same as plugging it in via the usb cable. If you use a case on the iphone then definitely, don't get the cradle. In my case, I have 6NR/Apps, don't use a case, and have coded the videoinmotion so that I can play some vids on my iphone. One thing I didn't realize was that, unlike DVDs that you can zoom to full screen, you cannot zoom in with videos on your iphone. So I don't really think it was worth 200 bucks, but at least my gf can also charge her phone at the same time via the usb.
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-09-2011, 11:01 AM | #12 |
Major
53
Rep 1,153
Posts |
Actually, the cradle does do a few unique things.
1. It lets you play videos 2. It lets you use iPod plugin which gives you the cover flow view 3. I believe it also connects you to the cars antenna for better reception With that said, I don't bother using a case on my phone anymore, but I don't bother using the cradle for short trips. |
Appreciate
0
|
12-09-2011, 12:10 PM | #14 |
Banned
866
Rep 6,248
Posts |
OK, I have a really dumb question. This mainly stems from me having an ED delivered car, and being my first BMW.
If I'm using 6NR/Media cradle/etc. with iPhone, do I still have to pair the phone and car via Bluetooth to make/receive calls? Seems like it should do this through the 30 pin cable, but of course I have no idea. And if calls/text go over Bluetooth, how does the car no not to stream the audio over BT and use the USB/dock interface for music, instead? I pick up my car at PCD one week from today. I already have a Media cradle coming with me, along with iPhone4. |
Appreciate
0
|
12-09-2011, 01:50 PM | #15 | |
Brigadier General
594
Rep 4,488
Posts |
Quote:
When you plug your phone into the dock or the USB connector, iDrive puts up a notification that Bluetooth Audio on that device has been disabled to make sure the audio comes over the dock (standard Bluetooth for calls continues to work though). When you disconnect it, you have to go into your phone's Bluetooth settings and re-check the Audio checkbox. Personally I think it's lame that that happens because you can choose the USB, cradle, and Bluetooth devices separately in iDrive, but who knows maybe there's a good reason for implementing it that way besides minimizing confusion for inattentive users. At the very least it'd have been nice for Bluetooth Audio to be re-enabled when the phone is disconnected, though.
__________________
'16 Cayman GT4 (delivery pics, comparison to E92 M3 write-up)
Gone but not forgotten: '11.75 M3 E92 Le Mans | Black Nov w/ Alum | 6MT (owned 5/2011 - 11/2015) Last edited by jphughan; 12-09-2011 at 02:15 PM.. |
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-09-2011, 02:04 PM | #16 | ||
Banned
866
Rep 6,248
Posts |
Quote:
Quote:
|
||
Appreciate
0
|
12-09-2011, 02:10 PM | #17 | |
Brigadier General
594
Rep 4,488
Posts |
Quote:
Of course if you have no intention of using BT Audio ever on any device, just don't enable it when you make the initial pairing and you'll never have to worry about any of this. But I'd recommend using it, because as I mentioned above, I initially didn't bother with it but once I did just to experiment I became hooked.
__________________
'16 Cayman GT4 (delivery pics, comparison to E92 M3 write-up)
Gone but not forgotten: '11.75 M3 E92 Le Mans | Black Nov w/ Alum | 6MT (owned 5/2011 - 11/2015) |
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-09-2011, 02:14 PM | #18 | |
Banned
866
Rep 6,248
Posts |
Quote:
|
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-11-2011, 09:31 PM | #19 |
Lieutenant
124
Rep 507
Posts |
So I was reading over this, and have a (possibly dumb) question. I have a 2011 E92, without the iphone dock. I use an aux cable to connect my iphone to the port in the middle console. I have my phone synched for phone calls via BT. Is there a way via BT or the USB drive in the dash to have the car play the music stored on my phone??
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-20-2011, 08:06 AM | #21 |
BimmerPost Supporting Vendor
307
Rep 13,093
Posts
Drives: BPMsport 2012 E92 M3
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Kansas
iTrader: (45)
Garage List 2013 Nissan GTR [0.00]
2019 Sierra Denali ... [0.00] 1999 Nissan Silvia [0.00] 1999 Nissan Skyline ... [0.00] 1998 Toyota Supra [0.00] |
The dock has been such a pain for me. Over half the time it's not recognized. Just a thorn in my side.
|
Appreciate
0
|
Post Reply |
Bookmarks |
|
|