Busterdino

Yup! Look's like you've missed it...
[/quote]
Serves me right for trying to sound clever! OK, so I can now change from CD1 to FM

Still, I have 1 realistic wish - to change from CD1 to CD4 or whatever without having to go out of Nav mode, into entertainment, click through several menus and then dial up CD4, then back to Nav, only to remember that actually the disc in CD5 was the one I really fancied listening to, so back to entertainment etc... In my e39, I just pressed "4" on the radio - and then "5". If this is again something I've missed, then please ! Otherwise can someone really convince me that this is worth the reduction in dash clutter, because having owned my e60 for a year, I would happily trade the cool look for a few buttons! I still want the iDrive for secondary functions, but I'd also like to trade my nav for the system in a mate's car which has a touch sensitive screen with postcode input that actually locates the address, not just the town... IMHO it is much more user friendly and easily twice as fast as spinning the iDrive as I type in Town, Street, Junction etc.

znod

Serves me right for trying to sound clever! OK, so I can now change from CD1 to FM

Still, I have 1 realistic wish - to change from CD1 to CD4 or whatever without having to go out of Nav mode, into entertainment, click through several menus and then dial up CD4, then back to Nav, only to remember that actually the disc in CD5 was the one I really fancied listening to, so back to entertainment etc... In my e39, I just pressed "4" on the radio - and then "5". If this is again something I've missed, then please ! Otherwise can someone really convince me that this is worth the reduction in dash clutter, because having owned my e60 for a year, I would happily trade the cool look for a few buttons! I still want the iDrive for secondary functions, but I'd also like to trade my nav for the system in a mate's car which has a touch sensitive screen with postcode input that actually locates the address, not just the town... IMHO it is much more user friendly and easily twice as fast as spinning the iDrive as I type in Town, Street, Junction etc.
[/quote]Somehow this thread has made me Do you have the big screen? If so, why not just put NAV on the small side, after your destination is set, and use the big side as though the small screen is not there--e.g., for CD? Or do you have the small screen? If so, then you can do split screen with Nav on the right and use the number buttons to move between CDs. If I am way off, please forgive. I just did not have the stamina to try to follow all of this thread and to remember how both of our cars work.

Edit: Just came back from out in the 545i. I can't go from CD to CD using any of the steering wheel buttons--only between tracks on CD's. But, still if CD is displayed on the big screen, then one can easily use the iDrive to go from CD to CD. Tell me if my answer does not help you do what you want to do, and I'll rethink.

dgjk

see, this is my point - It would not be hard or cost any money to make a system that satisifes all 3 types of users in the same car. It is just software.
You guys are right - it does take alot of time to get software without a problem.

Here's a story from when windows 98 came out (this is just a paraphrase)
Bill Gates said the progess in computers is way ahead of anything - If Acura built cars with the same cahnges that computers made in the past few years cars would cost $5000 and get 200 miles toa gallon

To which Acura responded - true - but every 10 miles they would lock up and you would have to pull over, turn the car off, wait 10 seconds, and start again

Now I work with windows XP and do not have the software glitches that came with previous versions

Anyway, my point is this is just software (except for adding a few minimal radio buttons) - and I would be willing to work through all of the glitches until they get it right - whcih they eventaully will

Freewilly

(Off Topic!!) Hahaha. From Win95/98 to WinXP, Microsoft can never get it right, and never well. Part of my job is to deploy Microsoft critical security patches.

We all should feel lucky now becuase no one has interest to hack in our system and drive the car away, but only the matter of time.

BigGrey

hi,
To change from nav to entretainement, etc, I just push and hold the knob into the respective direction and hold it for a couple of seconds so I even get the last sub-menu It was in.

I would like a couple of simple things:
- radio/cd play with key off (had in 3 series)
- sound volume reset to default volume - after a big trip I tend to end with the radio volume much higher than I feel like in the moring silence... (had in the 3 series)
- idrive got back to previous area/sub-menu where it was when switched off (could be configurable)
- show destination list on the nav map

now some really nice ones:
- a simple web browser (to search google using the bluetooth phone or whatever)
- save the gps trip data to a sd card
- show sd pics/videos

nothing of these is tricky to implement. it is only marketing strategy not to give us all now...

dgjk

i think the video is illegal in the US - but I ahve seen aftermarket ones you acn buy - so I am not sure
and I bet if that is illegal then web surfing would also be illegal

lattelady

I really love the i-drive. I've had my 06 about 1 1/2 months now and I've discovered how convenient the i-drive is. Of course, I often wish I could do thngs with fewer steps, or that the Voice understood my voice better <_< .

One thing that has bugged me --- I use my nav a lot for finding houses that I'm taking my kids to, and most of the locations are in one of two cities. I wish there was a way to save a favorite city so when you enter a new destination, you wouldn't have to scroll through the letters to find the city again. Or maybe there is a way and I just haven't figured it out yet...

znod

Busterdino

Serves me right for trying to sound clever! OK, so I can now change from CD1 to FM

Still, I have 1 realistic wish - to change from CD1 to CD4 or whatever without having to go out of Nav mode, into entertainment, click through several menus and then dial up CD4, then back to Nav, only to remember that actually the disc in CD5 was the one I really fancied listening to, so back to entertainment etc... In my e39, I just pressed "4" on the radio - and then "5". If this is again something I've missed, then please ! Otherwise can someone really convince me that this is worth the reduction in dash clutter, because having owned my e60 for a year, I would happily trade the cool look for a few buttons! I still want the iDrive for secondary functions, but I'd also like to trade my nav for the system in a mate's car which has a touch sensitive screen with postcode input that actually locates the address, not just the town... IMHO it is much more user friendly and easily twice as fast as spinning the iDrive as I type in Town, Street, Junction etc.
[/quote]Somehow this thread has made me Do you have the big screen? If so, why not just put NAV on the small side, after your destination is set, and use the big side as though the small screen is not there--e.g., for CD? Or do you have the small screen? If so, then you can do split screen with Nav on the right and use the number buttons to move between CDs. If I am way off, please forgive. I just did not have the stamina to try to follow all of this thread and to remember how both of our cars work.

Edit: Just came back from out in the 545i. I can't go from CD to CD using any of the steering wheel buttons--only between tracks on CD's. But, still if CD is displayed on the big screen, then one can easily use the iDrive to go from CD to CD. Tell me if my answer does not help you do what you want to do, and I'll rethink.
[/quote]
Hi vnod - I just picked this up - I have the small screen (Business Nav in UK) - I didn't realise we could also get a split screen - please tell me more!!

I would love to have Nav split with CD numbers! How can I do this??

sdente

I just program the two optional buttons on the stearing wheel. One changes source for the audio (AM,FM,CD,Changer), the other calls up NAV. Easy fast. I like iDrive but rarely have to go into it.