hmm..my dealer just gave me a USB extender cable?? when i use the standard ipod-usb cable, I get music but get wierd 4-character in my titles list "aabc, aebd..." etc etc.... Haven't gotten around to finding out what I'm doing wrong yet...

 

This is the exact problem I first had. You can work around this and find the sounds by not going into "Directory" yet choosing the options next to it and you can choose "artist" or "song". The tracks now kind of display the correct names but the ipod freezes sometimes and playlists don't work. Best thing is to use the y connector according to everyone.

 

You need the iPod cable. See posts above discussing this.

 

I stopped using the iPod cable that came with the car. The sound quality going through the aux port isn't that great. I copied all my music over to the iPod in disk mode and use a standard iPod cable into the usb port. The sound difference is like night and day

 

Are your playlists recognized? If so, how? I am having trouble with the playlists. I create them in iTunes and the BMW says that no playlists are recognized, while everything else, artists, song etc., come up.

 

I spoke to my salesperson today and he said it wouldn't be a problem. So I'm going to go pick up the cable from the dealer. I'll post on the sound quality once I try it out. Hopefully I won't have the same problem others are having.

 

If you are the 1st time purchaser then it's included in the I-Pod option package...my dealer handed it to me when I picked up the car. Although, I bet you could find a better deal on that same cable from an electronics store. After all, it's just a "Y" cable with USB & mini plugs one one end and an I-Pod plug on the other

Anyone know the answer as an extra cable probably wouldn't be a bad idea?

 

Interesting comment...I was thinking that the Logic 7 system in general is pretty weak, but I'll check that out and compare a normal CD to my I-Pod (sound quality). Question, does the I-Pod charge (I think so) when it's plugged into the car (with the '08 I-Pod interface option) and the engine is running?

 

I just had an ipod adapter installed in my 07 525, and it works fine. All I see in the glove compartment is an ipod cord. Playlists come under "cd 1". Artists under "cd 2" etc. I think it is limited to 500 though. I went under artists and tried to scroll to The Verve Pipe and I could only get to "p". Any one else notice this?

 

If the cable isn't anything special, why not try an audio patch cable (male mini plugs on both ends) and the USB cable that comes with the iPod? There's really no need for the "Y" part, two individual cables should be the same thing. Again, this is assuming that there's no additional circuitry embedded into the BMW cable. (They may have done something to regulate the volume output from the iPod to control any distortion, etc. coming into the car.)