BMW stereo won't play ipod?

[Dan32]

Dad has a BMW 535D and new ipod shuffle. BMW fitted ipod lead at factory which ends up USB port in armrest. When plugged in with ipod USB lead, ipod is recognised by its name on media screen on top of dash but only 1 podcast is recognised and playable, albeit with 2 references to it and both with strange names, yet the ipod has lots of songs which are not available to play or shown when you search songs/albums/playlists/genres etc.

When plugged same shuffle into my car stereo, its instantly recognised and plays everything. On BMW, ipod says 'connected. do not unplug blah blah' as if it was connected to computer, and you can't 'eject' as you would do from itunes so have to pull plug to remove which then does the little progress update thing as if disconnecting from computer, but on mine it goes to Pioneer screen followed by regular ipod screen and then has control either by stereo or ipod and can be disconnected at any time.

From reading BMW manual, implies that the stereo is actually acting more like hard drive and uploading information to it from ipod and also says won't play DRM protected music.

Any ideas, Dad going crazy having spent couple of hundred quid for this option!!

[PetrolDave]

also says won't play DRM protected music.

I think you've answered your own question ...

[Dan32]

Except BMW have never seen this problem before and don't see why it won't play music downloaded legally from itunes.

[khutula]

My sisters 130i does this too Dan.

BMW supplied her with a small black cable which is in effect a USB extender thingy and it all works fine. When the iPod is connected directly into armrest you don't get anything and it won't eject.

[Dan32]

Interesting. Cheers Tony

[khutula]

Interesting. Cheers Tony

No worries. You never know.

[PetrolDave]

Except BMW have never seen this problem before and don't see why it won't play music downloaded legally from itunes.

Whoever told you that doesn't understand that most downloads from iTunes are DRM protected - which the manual says it won't play!

Sorry I just don't believe they "have never seen this problem before" - someone at BMW is telling you bull..it

[bazza_g]

I'm afraid I don't get it? All the music on my ipod is DRM protected (download from itunes) - its connected via the BMW black cable (ipod to USB+headphone) and plays all content fine? I hadn't heard of any problems with it?

[Dan32]

BMW service weren't very helpful originally saying wouldn't need any special cables and so dad spoke to parts dept who confirmed what Tony said. For the ipod to work, you need the BMW cable with USB + 3.5mm jack and now it works fine. You'd think they might have included it for the £200 it cost for the USB connection although was only a tenner for the cable.

[mb]

Hi Dan,

It might be worth putting a few MP3s onto a USB stick & seeing if it plays them & then there would be no need for the shuffle ?