[frs3052]

My Y Cable has arrived from Amazon and so far works well with my car

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00C75PE5..._mILtsb09HS131

[N116i]

Originally Posted by kolais

Actually, the problems were specific to the adapter, they didn't appear when my iPhone was connected directly to Y-cable. First, sometimes the static (white) noise noticeable appeared, especially when playing music whilst navigating: one would hear Tomtom instruction following a residual static that would disappear after the next instruction and so on. Another annoying issue is the tone distortion (this was appearing mostly on losless AAC tracks but I'm not sure if there is a correlation). It sounds like as if tape recorder plays with slightly variable speed and the pitch slightly "flows" up and down.

It wasn't recognised at all, I was just using it as an AUX-connected device so controls didn't work and the track info wasn't available.

Dear kolais,

Thank you very much for your information.

One quick question.

With this adapter attached, are you still able to use hands-free call on steering wheel?

How do you use the phone call while streaming audio with this adapter?

I'm curious if the iPhone is paired with only this adapter or both (car builtin Bluetooth for hands-free).

Regards,

[kolais]

Originally Posted by N116i

Dear kolais,

Thank you very much for your information.

One quick question.

With this adapter attached, are you still able to use hands-free call on steering wheel?

How do you use the phone call while streaming audio with this adapter?

I'm curious if the iPhone is paired with only this adapter or both (car builtin Bluetooth for hands-free).

Regards,

My iPhone is paired with both builtin hands-free and the adapter at the same time and the hands-free controls on steering wheel work flawlessly. Should I wish to make a call whilst listening to the music the iPhone pauses the music and the call gets correctly routed through the hands-free. The music gets resumed after the call is completed and again it goes through the adapter. All works as you'd expect.

I have just two complaints so far: the adapter only accepts one connection at the time, and as both me and my wife have iPhones it may connect to my wife's iPhone instead of mine when I enter the car parked near our house (even though her phone is well inside the house!) causing me to stop and reconnect my phone after driving out of the range. Another minor annoyance comes from the fact that the music starts automatically which is fine if iPhone remembers the last played track. After a reboot though it picks the top track (always the same) and starts it - very annoying. At least it should be random.

[N116i]

Hi kolais,

Thank you for your reply.
I'm going to buy one!

Regards,

[Math]

Originally Posted by matsemann

I got this one http://dx.com/p/eser-003-audio-cable...w-black-205727 from Deal Extreme. Works perfectly

Originally Posted by frs3052

My Y Cable has arrived from Amazon and so far works well with my car

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00C75PE5..._mILtsb09HS131

I just got the same one from DX (finally) at first glance it works fine with my iphone 4s, I can controll the iphones music files from the idrive & steering wheel.
Only thing is, I have no album art in my car screen.
Do you guys??

[Tigershark]

You need extended Bluetooth to get album art.

I haven't used my Y cable much since buying it. Navigation and sound quality are far, far better using a memory stick. It was exactly the same in my VW. Bluetooth and iPhone connections might be convenient but they're poor in terms of sound quality. I also don't like using the iPhone for choosing the music and often the tag data isn't displayed correctly, yet they are using a memory stick (identical files).

[Math]

Originally Posted by Tigershark

You need extended Bluetooth to get album art.

I haven't used my Y cable much since buying it. Navigation and sound quality are far, far better using a memory stick. It was exactly the same in my VW. Bluetooth and iPhone connections might be convenient but they're poor in terms of sound quality. I also don't like using the iPhone for choosing the music and often the tag data isn't displayed correctly, yet they are using a memory stick (identical files).

Ohh..ok, thanks for the info
I noticed the lower sound quality also, but I like listening to itunes radio in the car so I'll probably use it quite often. I dont put the music too loud and dont have HK or premium sound system, so I'm not to bothered by the lower quality.

[ttimbo]

Originally Posted by Tigershark

You need extended Bluetooth to get album art.

I haven't used my Y cable much since buying it. Navigation and sound quality are far, far better using a memory stick. It was exactly the same in my VW. Bluetooth and iPhone connections might be convenient but they're poor in terms of sound quality. I also don't like using the iPhone for choosing the music and often the tag data isn't displayed correctly, yet they are using a memory stick (identical files).

Gosh, my experience (yes, I have extended BT) is quite different. From IP5 via BT the sound quality is at least on par with the USB connection. More importantly it's much more convenient to just hop in and out, and the connection is there. That said, I don't have much spare room on my IP, so now use a 64Gb USB stick which has all my music in about 80 playlists, and stream Pandora or TuneIn radio from my IP5. Provided you set preferences to the highest sampling rate, the sound is brilliant

[malcbo]

Same feedback as ttimbo.
Sound is really great using BT

[JHZR2]

Hi everyone,

Great thread! Im a little out of place, but this is the best thing I've found after searching a while, to address my issues.

I have a 2011 135i with the professional HU and the top H/K hifi stereo, as well as the USB/ipod input (mine came from the factory with the 30 pin ipod/phone Y-cable).

Problem is, I just came home with an iPhone 5S, so my world is shook up regarding the lightning connector. On all my other vehicles I purely use an aux in cable, and then have a cigarette plug charger... but I like that the 135i is integrated a little tighter.

The car is a keeper, I bought it planning to hold on to it for a long time. Owned since new and don't put many miles on it - not even at 10k yet! So I need a workable plan.

I saw that someone mentioned (around post 105) that one can actually use a separate phone cable and a 3.5mm plug and it will work. But has this been verified in BMWs?

Alternately, the high quality BT device seems pretty smart, though then Ill have to add a charger separately. Because it is wireless, I assume there is no chance of ground loops or anything like that? How about sound quality? Some tests have found the iPhone headphone DAC to be quite good.

http://www.kenrockwell.com/apple/iph...io-quality.htm

And the posts on here seem to indicate that the better BT units do well.

How about the Apple lightning adapter? it has a DAC, but Ive heard it isn't as good.

So, recommendations? My car doesn't have BT of any sort, though Ive been toying with the idea of retrofitting it if I can...

Thanks!

[BenN]

Hi Guys.

So, I was originally skeptical about the ViseeO Tune2Air device, and whether it would work with my F20 setup, since i noticed most people had some sort of upgraded iDrive system. I just wanted to write this post to clear up any confusion and to give my experience with this fantastic module.

I purchased yesterday a ViseeO Tune2Air WMA1000 module for use in my F20 120d M Sport, which is a completely stock UK car as of October 2012, apart from its Valencia Orange Metallic. I purchased a Y-Cable from eBay last year, it wasn't an official BMW lead or anything (i do not have a link to hand for the exact one i purchased as the seller doesnt exist anymore, but it cost £6.99). At the time, i had purchased the lead to use with my iPhone 5 through a 30pin to lightning converter. This didn't work, i'm not sure whether it was due to being a non-official BMW lead, but the phone kept connecting/disconnecting in fast succession to the car. I returned the lightning converter to Apple and put my Y-Cable in a drawer and just used AUX in and a USB stick for the interim.

I looked at 30-pin Bluetooth adapters for a while, but never took the plunge as there was far too many on the market, i had heard that their quality was hit and miss and to be honest i wanted a fully integral solution into the iDrive.

When the ViseeO adapter was posted in here, it looked and sounded promising but i didn't really want to pay £70+ on something that might not work with my basic iDrive setup, so i put it off. I then noticed last week that they had come down in price to just under £60 on amazon, also meaning easy returns if it didn't work so i took the plunge. I read on another forum that if an older iPhone worked on my 30-pin lead then it should work with the ViseeO, so i borrowed my friends phone and there was nothing wrong with the cheap y-lead i had purchased from eBay.

I must admit, i am thrilled with this little device, it works flawlessly, automatically connects to my phone on getting into the car, and has full functionality through the iDrive, it works as if my phone was plugged in. Another important thing for me was that i use streaming services alot, such as Deezer, Polkast etc.. as i rarely carry music on my device. These even work fantastically, allowing me to skip, pause and play and all of the steering wheel controls work as intended (it obviously cannot search through the various albums or playlists these third party app's might have, but that i did not expect, just choose your playlist or album before driving away on the handset). Music information is also displayed, even if u use a streaming service. The only limitation, and this isn't the ViseeO is that whilst streaming music (songs not within my iTunes library) i cannot see which track is coming next, but skipping with the head unit buttons does the change. Music quality is also great, it might not look perfect on paper, but tbh with my basic speaker setup i cannot tell the difference. It also claims that multiple devices can be paired to the dongle and they are remembered, you just have to turn off the ones that are not being used so that it can connect to the correct one, which is what i would expect from such a simple device - i am yet to try this.

Just to re-enforce whats been said before, if you are thinking of taking the plunge, go for it - you won't be disappointed! Just make sure that you purchase the WMA1000 and not the WMA2000, as that one is for use with a USB lead, its the 30 pin version you will need with such a basic F20 setup.

Thanks for everyone's help within this thread, i just wish i had purchased this a while back now!!

Ben

[KH0]

Hello All,

Just Got The iPhone 5s Y-Cable $118.65

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted by KH0

Hello All,

Just Got The iPhone 5s Y-Cable $118.65

Ooh, do tell! Works with older systems?

I assume there's a d/a converter inside the item?

Any reason to buy one of these vs an apple adapter on the old 30-pin y??

Thanks!

[dstampfer]

Anybody know how this thing is wired? I just acquired a 2011 M3 which plays from my iPhone 4s just fine with a standard Apple white USB cable alone. However, my previous car was a 2009 335i and I saved the OEM Y cable when I made the trade. Anyone know if using the Y cable as the connection without the aux mini plug inserted will still work? (i.e. does the wiring behave like a standard cable?) I haven't had time to test this yet and was trying to fighure out if I need to buy yet another extra cable, or could I just use the USB portion of the Y-cable. I guess if it doesn't work, then I would be happy to sell my OEM Y-cable pretty cheap....

[BGM]

just use a white cable then? sound like you have one of the myriad of confusing extended options to allow it

[dstampfer]

Answer to my own question... Tested white USB only cable vs. BMW Y-cable on my car which clearly does have the newer tech that allows the audio to pass digitally through the USB connection. The BMW Y-cable routes the audio signal to the mini plug only-- if not plugged in, no sound is heard. White cable works perfectly. If anyone wants an OEM BMW Y-cable which came with my '09 335i, please send me a message.

[Freaknice]

Does this come Bmw Media Package (BMW business). Which is what I have ordered. But am slightly confused.