Week 42 delivered last week....
AUX port is there. No USB port. I looked for sliding panels and everything with a flashlight and my reading glasses.... still no USB. Has anyone in the USA received a 2007 MINI with a USB???


Steve

 

Yeah so no USB port. My bad. What I was feeling next to the aux was the end of the aux plate.

That said it makes sense to me that while the USB port may not be there maybe it's all prepped for it behind the dash somewhere.

discuss....

 

It would be nice it this were true and it was an easy retrofit! I can't see MINI stocking two different versions of the HU for something this silly. It would be far easier to just leave the cable off.

 

The USB capability is actually a function of the bluetooth module, it's more than likely it just plugs into the CAN bus like a CD changer or the SAT module would.

So far, nobody knows for certain why it's being delayed, but speculation has been everything from FCC clearance issues to supply issues to working the bugs out before a US release.

 

I just took delivery of my week 43 mini today. There is still no USB port (which is great for me as I would have felt pretty stupid getting the iPod adapter then). However, there is a supplemental manual they've released in addition to the main manual (I have the NAV version) which seems to outline all of the new features added to the car since the original NAV manual was built. This includes the new TPM, and in addition to some other stuff, a section on the USB port describing how to use it to playback music. Of course at this point I checked and my car doesn't actually have it.

 

You still could have used a USB stick, so it wouldn't have been entirely pointless... If it were me, I'd rather have more than less

 

While that may be true, 90% of the USB stick functionality probably would have been used for an iPod anyway. That's why I'd say in my case it would be largely redundant. Still... more is always better

 

I got my mcs last week (Bluetooth USB Audio interface, radio boost & HI-FI upgrade).
I am playing with the Audio for few days now - conclusions:

Although the audio and the speakers are not burnt in properly yet :

A. The Hi-Fi system sucks (MCS is a fine fun car - it deserves far better audio system!)

B. Tried audio Tuner, CDs, Ipod Classic 160GB, Ipod Nano 3g 8GB, usb sticks, SF, SD cards via USB converter. For the Ipods I use the Y-cable (got it from BMW - cca 55 Euros). Although I was aware the Ipod sucks big time regarding audio quality I bought one hoping it will play fine in the car.

C. CONCLUSION Audio Quality (from Best to Worst)

1. audio CDs
2. USB sticks , CF cards, SD cards (tried upto 8GB sticks and CFs)
(you see folders and songs in the headset display - playlists not supported)
3. Tuner (radio)
4. Ipod Nano 8GB 3.gen (this is tollerable)
5. Ipod Classic 160GB (this one sucks big time - you can hear the harddisk, sound is distorted heavily)

Note : The Ipods can be otherwise fully controlled through the Y cable
(real shame - the sound sucks !)

Anybody having the dedicated IPOD interface - is this any better ??


The MCS is almost a perfect small car, except for the audio system I WILL DEFINITELY REPLACE IT WHENEVER this becomes possible...

Herewith a photo of the little MCS beast !

 

Interesting 1-5. I have a Gen 4 iPod and it is noticeably better that audio cds and the tuner on my HiFi. Better bass and clearer cymbals. I'm using an iPod to stereo plug (not the headphone jack).

 

iPod sounding better than CDs !? (make sure you pick a decently recorded CD (best some clasiccal, jazz etc and give it another try)).

BMW claims that their Ycable ((which I used in the test ( USB /Aux - two plugs to the car and iPOD on the ipod plug)) should be the proper iPod interface adequate to the dedicated Ipod interface (sold as an option by MINI - here in Europe cca 500 Euro) which in my case is true as far as controlling the ipod -playlists, albums, artist , song etc; unfortunatelly the sound that comes from iPod through the hi-fi system in my car is a big joke: lows -mid and highs all are distorted ...
I suspect the iPOD DAC quality is so weak that the radio boost can not make much out of what comes through from the iPod ...

We tested before iPod, Philips GoGear 6320HDD, Qwon MP3 player - hooking them through their docks to high quality Home Audio Systems and the best throughput was from Philips (in fact much much better than iPod).
Listening to the iPod was acceptable though - not so lousy like in the MCS..
(Note : we used only lossless files (wav)).

 

Wow. That's not my experience here at all.

 

It could be a compression issue.

 

check that your EQ is set to off. If Dance is or another one is set it will distrort badly..

Has anyone tried put a Hard Drive into the sockets?

 

EQ is set to flat (i.e. to OFF)

I will try the HDD - I will let you know .

 

Too much gain coming into the Aux port could cause clipping, does the iPod volume control affect the volume sent out? You might try just turning it down.

The USB port has a limit to the amount of current it can supply, so that will decide if a HDD will work or not.

 

Tried few HDDs and IPOD Classic (in HDD mode) . So far no sucess.

 

Strange, I'd swear I saw posts saying the iPod worked in HDD mode. Did you have straight mp3's on there, or just your iTunes synced music? It won't work with any of the encoded files.

Also, it was speculated over on Mini2 that the limitation with USB HDD's was the amount of power they needed was too great. Are there externaly powered HDD's out there? I wonder if that'd be enough. If so, it sure would be neat to stuff an 80GB laptop drive with a USB adapter and a 12VDC power filter sourced from the battery.

 

Unfortunatelly MINI would not recognize any HDDs I tried so far:

1. Tried Trackstor 160GB (2.5" HDD) powering it through the lighter slot

2. 2.5" HDD 80 GB (as in notebooks) in a generic USB housing (powered and non powered)

3. Ipod Classic 160GB (copied to the Ipod on root & in directories with wavs, mp3s ..all through PC file explorer). Used the standard Ipod cable .

4. Philips GoGear 6330 HDD Mp3 player in HDD mode.

Note: 1. 2. 3. and 4. are otherwise recognised no problem by any kind of windows XP copmuter !

There must be some BMW/MINI catch refusing HDDs (I suppose thats why the MINI manual says : do not connect any USB HDDs !??)

Sticks, CF, SD, MM cards - all (many different makes ) I tried work - no problem ! (Note : with cards use dedicated USB readers/writers , multi card readers do not work !)

 

Ah sad- thanks for trying and letting us know though

 

Try this. It seems to work for BMW's and should work for Mini's too.

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=80270

 

Hey, I've had the same problems with my ipod. What you need to do is download mp3 gain off the internet and tell it to run on your ipod and in your music collection or just run it in your collection and restore your ipod. Then after that set your ipod to the R&B which has the highest bass and treble. I have the Ipod video and it works pretty good. I'm always telling people about this and they are sooo excited when they hear their collection sounding so much better.

 

So did anybody try what I said or is this post Dead