The car has to be on for the iPhone to charge.

 

I need some kind of iPhone spam filter.

I got the BMW one from Morristown Mini 20% discount...

 

LOL, well I was just making sure, I figured you had the car off when you were taking the picts. Thanks for posting up your info about the adapter! I'll be ordering one up for myself.

 

The one I use is the BMW one and it works perfectly.

 

Video of the iPhone and the connectors...

 

From the video, it looks like it may be possible to remove the current connector and install the Y cable. May need to get a closer look to see how the cradle is put together.

 

The cradle connections to the car's harness are the same for all the phone cradles. My Razr cradle is the same on the bottom as the iPhone cradle. The round connector in the middle is the antenna. Inside the cradle it goes to a wire that feeds to a loop; the Razr cradle doesn't utilize a direct antenna connection to the phone. Some cradles do, some don't. The rest of the connector is soldiered directly to a circuit board, with a plug in lead that feeds the USB connector on the Razr. There is plenty of open space inside the cradle for the Razr. Obviously the iPhone might be different.

 

That's what it looks like. Wondering how to get access to the iPhone connector and if it can be removed and replaced with the full connector from the "y-cable".

Found these pics from scoopz:

 

thanks for the picture

 

Check out this working iPod connector.



https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=135178

 

I have a brand new 08 Cooper S I got loaded with every option. One of the reason I bought the snap in was from the info on the miniusa website which implies the snap in will do both phone and iPod integration (for 08 models). Here is the text from the website. You can see they refer to a phone and Mp3 cradle.

[SIZE=2]COMFORT BLUETOOTH AND USB/IPOD ADAPTER
And with the optional "comfort system" center arm rest with phone and mp3 cradle, you can plug your phone in to take advantage of the full might of the exterior antenna while charging your phone at the same time.
Make and receive hands free calls with a strengthened antenna signal with charging your phone in the center armrest cradle. You can also control your iPod or other MP3 player right from the leather multi function steering wheel controls.

Since the current snap only does phone functions I contacted Mini Customer Relations. They are currently researching with thier Technical Dept if that is how it is suppose to work (both phone and iPod) and let me know what the final answer will be. They said it is possible that the current BMW phone snap in may be just a interim part until a Mini Approved one is released but did not know. They will confirm. I'll post when I get a final answer.
[/SIZE]

 

This other thread may be of interest. A very nice writeup of moving the USB/audio input to an Iphone cradle in the armrest.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=135178

 

Yes that a great writeup, but it misses one thing, no antenna boost. When I use the cradle I get 2 more bars on my phone. Its very easy to also get a USB and mini stereo extension cable and reroute it to the hidden compartment above glove box. But again, no antenna boost. The advertised use of the cradle is suppose to do it all, so thats why I called Mini Customer Relations.

 

Thanks Sean for looking into it. I hope I made the wrong assumption thinking the phone/mp3 cradle was the same as the BMW's. Let us know what you find out!

Great writeup Minidrivr! You should post that as an instructable. If there is no way to hack the BMW iPhone insert in a similar manner by simply extending the factory "y cable" , then your writeup removing the phone interface all together would be a second option.

 

It is a nice writeup, but it's not from me.

The fact that they offer a cradle for the iPhone, but no connection to use it for music while it's in the cradle is ridiculous. I would have gotten an iPhone instead of a Razr if they had an audio connection at the cradle as well.

Hope you guys figure out a way to do it.

 

I don't read it the way you do. The way I read it is with the package and snapin you can charge your (whatever) phone and get a stronger signal. And with the cable you can use the iPod or other mp3 player with integration and use the steering wheel controls. It doesn't say you can do the whole deal using an iPhone from the armrest snapin thingy (and you can't). You know you can't fit an iPod into the armrest, only a phone.

 

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=135178

In my write up for the iPhone cradle in the armrest I had to disconnect the cable that runs up to the phone adapter. And I'm sorry to say that the cables are only for power and antenna, there is no cable for aux input and usb.

There's no way the iphone adapter will do music unless they replace the phone cradle and add another cable.

 

So your mod job doesn't allow music to go from the iPhone to the stereo? I thought that since you spliced in the Mini supplied dock/headphone Y wire it would be just like having it in the cupholder wrt controlling the music. No?

 

Sorry for the misunderstanding... I was simply stating the factory wiring harness (for the phone adapter) does NOT include cabling for ipod control.

The armrest mod that I did DOES give full iPod controls via the usb/aux cable extension, but does not have any benefit from the car antenna.

The iPhone factory phone adapter kit that's being discussed on the thread will charge the iPhone and boost the antenna signal, but does not allow for ipod controls and music from the iphone.

There is an unused cable guide on the bottom of the armrest that could, possibly, maybe, someday add ipod functionality (but a whole new cradle w/ controller board would be necessary).

But for now, it can't.

 

I got a repsonse from BMW NA/MINI USA. Basically it says the iPhone snap in in the center console DOES control both music and phone functions for my vehicle (2008 with Comfort Package). Here is the actaul repsonse. Now I an inquiry as to why it is not working.

[SIZE=2]Hi Sean,
I appreciate your patience. I was able to locate the information you were seeking. With that option, yes, you can control both phone lists and music through the iPhone when it is in the Center Console. The part number for the snap-in adapter for the Apple iPhone is 84 10 9 82 792. I hope this information is helpful.
If there are further questions I can assist with, please feel free to drop me an e-mail. I will be happy to lend a hand.
LET'S MOTOR.
Jase Gammon
MINI Customer Relations and Services
Representative
866.ASK.MINI (275.6464)
[/SIZE]

 

Sean,

I hate to be the one to say it, but...

MiniUSA Customer Relations are highly unreliable when it comes to this kind of nitty-gritty information. PLEASE be sure that, if you are going to rely on this solution for music and phone integration, your dealership knows up front that you expect it to be returnable should it NOT meet with that expectation. I'd bring the email from MiniUSA to show why you would be expecting it.

I dunno, maybe your dealership is pretty reasonable about such matters. I'm still feeling burned that, for as much as I spent on it, the iPod integration package doesn't work as advertised because I'm using it with the Sat Nav. When I do my big drive this summer from FL to WI, I plan to use the aux in for the iPod so I can actually access all the music on it, and us the iPod/dashboard setup for keeping the phone charged and readily available. Mini USA Customer Service assured me that, first, I should be able to expect the iPod and Nav systems to work "as expected" together, and then that I should have the iPod intergration system looked at by my dealer. 2 weeks after bringing the car in, the dealership finally got an email saying it was a known flaw related to memory in the SatNav. Sigh.

Also, I'm very curious as well regarding if the iPhone actually does utilize the car's external antenna. My understanding of the dock connector is that it does not have access to the phone antenna, but perhaps I'm mistaken. Is there any imperical evidence of this?

 

I think you're right, the armrest adapter does not directly hookup to the car's antenna. For that to happen the phone needs a separate external antenna jack and the snapin piece needs to have a plug for that jack. Not many units will do satisfy those 2 requirements. Otherwise they say that the phone's signal is somehow boosted in the armrest via some electronic gizmo in there. At least one person said he got 1-2 more phone bars even though his phone has no external antenna jack. I'm pretty sure the iphone dock has no antenna input.

 

I do notice an increase in signal in the cradle. From what I seen online it uses some kinda passive repeater just like the old through glass cell antennas from the early 90’s.

 

It doesn't get the antenna signal through the ipod connector it just gets it wirelessly from the phone to the snap in adapter. The adapter has like copper strips that take the signal then goes to antenna on car. It definitely boosts it 2 bars in my car.

I do plan to take the letter to the dealer and have them investigate the music access issue. But at least I have something from Mini so they won't give me the old, that normal routine. I plan to go all the way up the chain until I get the real answer.

 

I'll find out in 3 weeks when the car arrives. I guess it would be conceivable Sean's contact is correct since the 3 series BMW has the USB and aux input in the center arm rest, thus I'm hopeful they might have ported that over to the Mini? but if not, I may end up modifying the cradle...