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-   -   iDrive speed on Non-Nav versus Nav (https://5series.net/forums/e60-discussion-2/idrive-speed-non-nav-versus-nav-21553/)

RobertB 01-29-2006 05:03 AM

2 Attachment(s)
I had the chance to drive a 530xiT for a couple of days before my 530xi arrived. The xiT was an "early" 2006 (ie - no Start Button) model without Nav, and the standard US radio (whatever that means for that production day). My xi is a November 2006 build (I have a start button) with Nav and Premium Sound (Logic7). My two questions are this:

1 - Why is the iDrive so much more responsive on the xiT (that does not have nav)? I can be at the main menu and push the controller in any direction on any menu, and, POW - there's the next menu/option. On my Nav-equipped machine, I can push the controller and count to three before the iDrive actually does anything. This is in just about every menu option. Even changing the track on a CD. Before someone blames my CCC, I have had two CCC's and CIP 19.x and 20.x. The behavior was the same.

2 - This one is hard to describe: when selecting MP3 files from a long list: On the non-Nav xiT, I could scroll around quickly and easily, and the iDrive controller knob would not "kick back" when I got to the bottom of the screen, which was not the bottom of the list. The display would just scroll very smoothly. On my Nav xi, when I get to the bottom of the screen, but not the bottom of the list, the iDrive knob "kicks back" (like there are no more entries), pauses for a second (like it is retrieving more data), and then displays more of the list. The same thing happens while scrolling through my phone's address book via iDrive. It's like the non-Nav cars have more memory for buffering these entries, while the Nav-equipped cars can only buffer a little bit at the time and have to keep pausing while they retrieve more data.

3 - When playing MP3 files, why is it that Non-Nav cars show the MP3 "tags" for the song currently playing, while my Nav-equipped car only shows the file name? I played the same CD in my xi and the xiT and took pictures of what I mean (attached below).

Sure: this is whining for parts 2 & 3, but the speed issue in #1 is aggravating. Any ideas?

My Car (530xi with Nav):
Attachment 14842

530xiT without Nav:
Attachment 14843

David 01-29-2006 06:12 AM

idrive without Professional Nav or any of the other options is a lot quicker. I have a 535d with Professional Nav and a few other options and the response is slow and takes a while to boot up when I start the car, I've had a 530i loaner which had a basic spec but response times were much quicker.

Seems BMW could do with adding some memory or processing power!

Peter530i 01-29-2006 06:22 AM

I've also realized one thing.... the I-drive has some kind of pre-boot up process if you open the car with the remote key.....
I mean if you unlock the car with the remote and get in right away the I-drive is on right away as soon as turn the keyin the ignition

as opposed when you open already unlocked car the I-drive will take a few sec to boot up after ignition.
and yes, I have nav

dgjk 01-29-2006 07:08 AM


Originally Posted by RobertB' post='231362' date='Jan 29 2006, 09:03 AM
I had the chance to drive a 530xiT for a couple of days before my 530xi arrived. The xiT was an "early" 2006 (ie - no Start Button) model without Nav, and the standard US radio (whatever that means for that production day). My xi is a November 2006 build (I have a start button) with Nav and Premium Sound (Logic7). My two questions are this:

1 - Why is the iDrive so much more responsive on the xiT (that does not have nav)? I can be at the main menu and push the controller in any direction on any menu, and, POW - there's the next menu/option. On my Nav-equipped machine, I can push the controller and count to three before the iDrive actually does anything. This is in just about every menu option. Even changing the track on a CD. Before someone blames my CCC, I have had two CCC's and CIP 19.x and 20.x. The behavior was the same.

2 - This one is hard to describe: when selecting MP3 files from a long list: On the non-Nav xiT, I could scroll around quickly and easily, and the iDrive controller knob would not "kick back" when I got to the bottom of the screen, which was not the bottom of the list. The display would just scroll very smoothly. On my Nav xi, when I get to the bottom of the screen, but not the bottom of the list, the iDrive knob "kicks back" (like there are no more entries), pauses for a second (like it is retrieving more data), and then displays more of the list. The same thing happens while scrolling through my phone's address book via iDrive. It's like the non-Nav cars have more memory for buffering these entries, while the Nav-equipped cars can only buffer a little bit at the time and have to keep pausing while they retrieve more data.

3 - When playing MP3 files, why is it that Non-Nav cars show the MP3 "tags" for the song currently playing, while my Nav-equipped car only shows the file name? I played the same CD in my xi and the xiT and took pictures of what I mean (attached below).


try when you are playing hte song to click on it with the idrive and there is a selection for show info or someting like that, then it will display the information you want


Sure: this is whining for parts 2 & 3, but the speed issue in #1 is aggravating. Any ideas?

My Car (530xi with Nav):
Attachment 14842

530xiT without Nav:
Attachment 14843


RobertB 01-29-2006 07:59 AM

1 Attachment(s)

Originally Posted by Peter530i' post='231382 (Post 231395)
try when you are playing hte song to click on it with the idrive and there is a selection for show info or someting like that, then it will display the information you want

I'll check on it. I took this picture and thought that there was no option. I see now that there is a "down arrow" indicating more options, so I'll check it out.
Attachment 14852

RobertB 01-29-2006 07:42 PM

That was it - at the very bottom of the menu there is a "Details" checkbox. Once I selected that, then the MP3 ID tags are displayed.

w00t!

Now if I could only fix the scrolling issue, and the responsiveness of iDrive...

UUronL 01-30-2006 09:49 AM


Originally Posted by RobertB' post='231729' date='Jan 29 2006, 11:42 PM
That was it - at the very bottom of the menu there is a "Details" checkbox. Once I selected that, then the MP3 ID tags are displayed.

w00t!

Now if I could only fix the scrolling issue, and the responsiveness of iDrive...


Well, the force-feedback should be something that could be varied by BMW, but I imagine it's set the way it is to prevent the user from inputting lots of command requests that would likely be queued and then executed once the CCC got to them. This could be quite annoying - especially if you were to input too many while the CCC was pausing. We've all experienced this sort of thing with other devices - navigating past the point we intended because we were too impatient with a slow UI.

Also, I don't think there is any force-feedback on the non-Nav cars which would explain the lack of the pushback, but not the difference in speed.

TXPearl 01-30-2006 10:24 AM

RobertB, you're absolutely right, the idrive is much slower w/ Nav -- to the point of frustration. It's downright shameful that BMW didn't foresee this and put more processing power in Nav-equipped cars.

Hell, I've nearly wrecked screwing with this thing.

I had heard this is only a 5-series issue (the 7-series doesn't have this problem, even with the more 'complicated' version of i-drive) and that a change (not necessarily retroactive) is on the horizon.

TexaZ3 01-30-2006 11:04 AM

I have a non-nav 04 model, and my i-drive response is almost instantenious - I don't wait at all, except maybe for the lawyer screen to go away. :-)

Merv the Derv 01-30-2006 11:18 AM

I have the same problem with my Pro Nav :thumbsdown: On my last E60 I had the Business Nav with the small screen and the response was instantaneous. Also bus nav can calculate a route within a few seconds.


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