Hi there,
Just got to try out my 3g iPhone in a friend's installed adapter. It works great through the stereo but it doesn't charge !!
Is there an update coming ? What about Apple's Made-for-iPod thing ??
I've really, really wanted to be able to navigate through my songs and playlists with my stereo and steering wheel controls ... I can do this with an mp3 cd, which is alright, but the iPhone has a little bit more potential with more memory and I don't have to burn and re-import cd's with purchased AAC content transformed into mp3-playable formats ... RRRRRRR

ANy thoughts ?? The prospect of paying 500-600 dollars also is not inviting, and the adapter better work with flying colours if i even THINK about spending that much ... The aux jack is ok, but it's annoying...

Just for reference, I have an 07 S, doesn't have the usb/aux connector so I can't use the nice little bmw Y-cable ...

PLEASE HELP !!!!!!

 

rrrrrrrr anybody ??

How about this then,

Does anyone have an iPhone and use it successfully in every way, through iPod adapter ??? ...

 

Well I do not have the 3G iphone, but I do have the prior model running 2.1 os and works great with my mini with the factory ipod interface.

Use it daily and on short or long runs (8 to 10 hour drives) and not had any issues yet. I also use my ipod with it with no issues either. I do not see the lightening bolt for charging, but neither does it when I plug into my apple wall chagrer, but my battery is always charged (I do drain it alot). My mini does not have the nav system.

Hope that helps.

 

thanks that helps! Do you use the Y-cable to aux/usb or through the sneaky sneaky compartment ? ...

 

I use the "sneaky sneaky compartment" cable. Mine was long enough that is snakes out and up behind the pro-clip mount. I control my music selection strictly via the stereo. Works very nice and have been very happy even with the airplane mode error that pops up.

 

The reason the iPhone 3G is not charging in the Mini (and basically every other car adapter) is as a side effect from Apple deleting the support for Firewire, they removed the 12v charging pin from the iPhone 3G. Firewire is a 12V bus, whereas USB is just 5V.
Basically there is no way around this as far as I know. Unless someone company has built a pass-through adapter that uses the 12V power source and converts into 5V.

 

Thanks both of you that really helps clear some of this up..

In regards to the 3g charging pin change, my dad's 09 m3 has the usb/aux in the armrest and he uses the bmw Y-cable, essentially the same thing on the newer 2nd gen minis (with usb).. His works fine in every way, music, charging, blue tooth and all, and i wonder why that works... but not on the minis ... whether through sneaky sneaky, or just the Y-cable under center console, 3g's dont seem to work with the minis ??

Hmm... strobes do you have any idea on this too ? that technical bit was just what i was looking for.

 

I don't have an iPod or the Mini iPod (or USB) connection in my car. I looked up pictures of the BMW USB Y cable and it has a USB plug and a 3.5mm male jack on one side and the iPod adapter on the other side. As far as charging goes, that cable should charge the iphone 3G fine because it is supplying the 5V via the USB port. Now on the Mini (and other car adapters) if the car does not have a USB port there is a very good chance they only are using the 12V power pin on the iPod connector. Now that Apple has made this change, I would imagine the adapter kits over the upcoming years will migrate to supplying power to 5V pin.

 

Okay here is update I just found. Someone IS making an adapter that may help this situation! Just found the following story on CNET. Go to http://www.scosche.com/passport to find this really simple adapter!!

So you just bought a new car that came with a built-in iPod cable. Great right? Well maybe not. Unfortunately, the cable is only compatible with the previous generation of iPod products and not your brand new iPhone 3G, nano 4G or iTouch 2G. A bummer yes, however Scosche is on this like an Apple fanboy is on Steve Job's every word. Or close to that at least. On Thursday Scosche announced the Passport is now on sale at Apple stores, although I was unable to find it at Apple's online store at press time. The Passport utilizes a female pass-through connector to purportedly attach to any in-car iPod integration system to charge all iPhone and iPod models, including the iPhone 3G and the recently introduced nano 4G and touch 2G. According to Scosche prior to the Passport many car owners could not get these integrated systems to work with the new products and now they don't have to buy a new car to do so. I've found a few users that have experienced this problem with their built-in car adapters. My guess is that these are adapters hard-wired into the car and cannot be replaced and there is some kind of voltage incompatibility that prevents them from working. If that is the case, the Passport could be a fix to this. The Passport retails for $29.99.

 

This adapter seems to be just like the others that do not work in the Mini.

Now why they do not work is beyond me as the wiring in them should transfer the proper power to the proper pins but alas they have not worked.

 

Hmmm ....

Well in the midst of this waiting and reading all of your information I made an mp3 cd this weekend, after burning and re-importing iTunes purchased content so it would actually work in the mini's player ./... and
FINALLY. I can navigate everyyyyyyything heck it even has FOLDERS sorted by artist or whatever way i want to sort it when i first burn it in iTunes... now the trouble is, there's like 1 or 2 songs per artist, but it is only a cd...
now to solve this crisis for the iPhone ... hmm ....

 

So has anyone actually tried the Scosche?

 

On another thread the guy said the Scosche Passport did not work, but haven't heard anything else. Any word on MINI updating it ?? I REALLY want to use my iPhone through the stereo controls !!!!!!!! freaking why does it have to affect 3g'ssssssss only .... Stupid.

Anyways, I had mentioned that I put a lot of time into making an mp3 cd through iTunes and burning and re-ripping my purchased content to be able to convert some songs I bought through iTunes store to mp3 .... so that they would play, bc mini stereo cannot interpret Apple lossless...

ANYWAYS. The mp3 cd is sweet, it's basically a 700mb version of an mp3 player and I can navigate folders and everything- it puts all the songs into folders according to artist.

BUT. sound quality.... hmmm... It's . "ok" .
However, if I listen to a song on the mp3 cd, and then switch to AUX in and play the SAME song from my iPhone, with EXACT same equalizer presets (under the music note button on the mini dash, bass +2, treble +2, etc)..
.. the iPhone input through the AUX jack is much clearer and better balanced, bass response is full not popping or clicking, and treble is excellent. And if the AUX input is better, I cannot even imagine how much clearer it is moving to digitial through the iPhone dock jack...

:/ .... Are there any other solutions like DICE or something ??? I want to control my iPhone 3G !!!!!!

 

i just picked up my 09 cooper s with the ipod connector and it works great with my iphone 3g. charges and plays it just fine.

 

Ditto. The only caveat is the 3G does not charge when the power is super low.

 

When it has a low charge my iphone vibrates on/off and then I can see the display show charging then not charging. But if you put in your apple iphone cable it will charge just fine. So it must have something to do with the cable IMHO.

 

guyver, desertmini, are you using the sneaky sneaky cable ??? or are you using the BMW "Y-Cable" ?? Because the Y-cable gets usb power and should work fine, regardless... but since that isn't an option on 07 builds, I am looking at the iPod integration in the sneaky-box. ...
Let me know !!! THANKS !!!

 

using the bmw cable with aux/usb port for the iphone connection. sorry didnt realize u didnt have the usb/aux port.

 

I have a 09 and all is well with the 3g till the bat gets below 1/2. They it will not charge. I have not done a long enough drive at that power point to figure if the iphone will stay where it is or will keep draining till the point where it turns off. I carry the iphone cable with me and a 1/8 plug so if It shuts down I can plug the apple cable in and charge and use the 1/8 for the music.(no control via the car in this setup). My MA said the snap in will have more power to change and should be in end of november.

 

So your 3g charges ?? or what.
I know it still works with the controls... but charging seems to be the issue. It charges until the battery gets below 1/2 ? that wouldn't make sense, if it was charging, it wouldn't be draining....

According to your MA , there's a revision end of november ??
I was talking to my friend in parts dept. and he said bmw's current fix is just some 60.00 adapter onto the sneaky sneaky cable... Hmm..

let me know what you found out1!

 

It charges if the phone is around 1/2 full or more. (start at one half and drive it will move towards full). If the phone is around 1/3 to less than 1/2 charged it will initaly show the bolt but will soon switch to the plug at which point it is not charging(drive and no movement of the bat meter). Acording to the iphone manual the inital charge is a fast charge then a slower charge rate to top off the bat. If the MINI cable does not have enough current that would explain why it can not charge when the bat is in the low power stage as the phone will try to do a fast charge which will pull the most current but it can do the over half full since it will be doing the slow charge which will pull less current.
My MA said the snap in adaptor which goes in the arm rest if you ordered smart phone prep will be at the end of november and that will have more power to charge. As far as I know MINI has told people that there is no plan to make a new y cable but I have not heard that my self.

 

See this thread. It tells all that is going on with the "y-cable" and what the problem is.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=157933

In your case when it is less than 1/2 full it needs to pull more than the 100ma limit of the original "Y-cable" can handle.

 

I am not using nor have option to, this bmw "y" cable... :/ mine is an 07 build and my only route will be to go sneaky sneaky.

hence... problems...

 

There are a few threads circulating with similar questions or issues. My MA sent me this message that he recently received from BMW:

"This DCS message is directed to all BMW centers and MINI dealers with regards to charging the latest generation iPhone 3G, iPod Touch, iPod Nano and iPod Classic with the accessory iPod interface.
With the new line up of Apple devices, Apple switched from a (12 volt) FireWire charging protocol to (5 volt) USB, causing the devices to display the following error message:
"Accessory not made to work with iPhone" or "charging not supported"
We are aware of the issue and have started development of a new interface cable with an inline 12- 5 volt converter. The new cables are currently undergoing approval at Apple and will be available Q1 2009.
As these devices were created well after the development of the our interface it was unable for us to anticipate this issue."