I have placed my order for a 2008 MC Clubman but it is still pre-production if I want to change anything. My question is about audio connectivity. From reading tons of the posts here it is clear that I can buy a variety of navigation systems with bluetooth aftermarket if I decide I want them. So I will not order those factory.
But can someone tell me what is the difference between the factory Bluetooth and USB/iPod adaptor ($500) and the dealer iPod adaptor ($330)?

I don't have an iPod, I have a flash mp3 player (Samsung YP-U3) which has a USB at one end and headset jack at the other end.
Questions.:
1. how can I, and what is the best way to connect it to play?
2. once connected will it display on the radio/CD display?
3. Is there an after market, affordable way to get a USB port in a U.S. mini?

MFSW --I also have questions about the multifunction steering wheel--what exactly are you able to control from it? And if I had an aftermarket nav system, bluetooth and USB port (if possible) are any of these controllable from the MFSW?

Thanks tons!

 

1. you have to buy the USB/Ipod adaptor to be able to use it.
2. Yes it will display the songs you have in there, you can navigate between folders.
3. If you find one please let me know!!

MFSW, cruise control, stereo controls, bluetooth controls.

I don´t think that you can control aftermarket bluetooth/usb from MFSW

 

1. the best way to connect a MP3 other than an I pod is just the standard aux input.
2. through both our USB and I pod adapter the song is diplayed on the radio head unit or through the navigation screen which ever you have.
3. I do not know if there is a USB aftermarket as i have not heard of one yet.

MFSW controls the radio both volume and station, cruise control, and the bluetooth if you get bluetooth. It also controls the i pod and aftermarket items typically are not interfaced with the MFSW

The differenct between the Ipod adapter the USB i pod adapter is that one is installed at the dealer and one at the factory. The I pod actually sits in the "secret" compartment and charges the i pod adpater. The USB is exactly what is says a USB adapter that you plug a cable into and it plays the i pod. It comes with the bluetooth and actually interfaces with the i pod really well. Also keep in mind that the $330 on the i pod adapter does not include installing the adapter so that is something to keep in mind.

 

From what my MA has told me. The $500 is for the factory to install it. The $330 cost will only include the unit NOT Installation. I'd check with your dealer to be sure this is how it is.
Good Luck!!

 

It seems there may be some confusion here. If you get Bluetooth/USB then your car will come with an adapter to hook an ipod up to the usb connection. There is a separate ipod connector that you can buy that hooks into the connection for the CD changer.

I have a 16GB flash drive that I have hooked into the USB connection and it runs perfectly I can browse music via the stereo or the MFSW.

 

So is there any way to get a USB port connection other than the $500 Bluetooth USB/iPod adaptor. I don't need bluetooth but would like to connect flash MP3 player via USB rather than AUX connection so that I can control MP3 player thru radio controls. But $500 seems pretty steep to do this.

Thanks for the info so far
zeddy

 

I wasn't sure about some things from what I've been reading, so I decided to do some testing while I was at the Mini dealer taking measurements.

My baby (08 MCS ss/b) has the convenience package (and more) which includes the USB/ipod adapter.

This gives you a USB socket in the pocket below the toggle switches, next to the AUX-IN 3.5mm jack.

I put a bunch of MP3 files on a USB memory stick I carry around, and plugged that into an 08 Mini at the dealership with the convenience package.

Lo and behold, a list of titles came up on the two-line display in the speedo!

(After a certain amount of button-pushing and gnashing of teeth. These people aren't going to win any awards for user interface design, at least the good awards.)

Turning up the OTHER **** (the unmarked one, you know, the volume ****) got music to play.

("Low Rider" by War seemed to go over better than "Meltdown" by Atrium Carceri)

Mashing buttons on the MFSW allowed me to change volume and go forward and back a track within the folder it had chosen to navigate.

Choosing ANOTHER folder to navigate was an exciting exploration, involving another round of seemingly random button pushing and **** twisting. SOMEHOW I got the thing to select another folder, and playing more music. At times I felt like a rat in a skinner cage, whapping at buttons randomly and increasingly frantically, hoping that something I did would make another food pellet drop before the floor shocked the (*) out of me again...

The good news:

It looks like if you've got the USB connector, you can load up MP3 files on a cheap memory stick and play 'em. Good use of cheap memory sticks!

The unknowns:

Didn't try AAC files on a USB memory stick, which is 90% of what I have on my iPod. I'll repeat the experiment with a few AAC files. Gee, I wonder what the software in there would think of a(n) un/powered hub? Multiple devices? Gee, I wonder how you reset/reboot the thing, other than disconnecting the battery?

The bad news:

If I'd tried this experiment while driving, I'd be dead.

I've been in the computer racket a long time. I've done a lot of user interface design, and documentation, with some stuff better than others. I not so humbly suggest that if I have trouble figuring out how to use a system, something is wrong. You shouldn't need to RTM to figure out how to use the bloody radio!

Still looking forward to motoring!

Cheers--

 

Bob, thanks for the info! I know that I have been interested in finding out if anything other than an Ipod could be conveniently connected to the radio. BMW isn't renown for their software or their user interface technologies. Don't worry though, I'm sure that someone will chime in and tell you that you will quickly adapt yourself to the quirky interface provided.

 

So, my impression of the difference between the dealer-installed and factory iPod kits for the '08 models is this - dealer-installed is in the dashboard storage compartment, and the factory one hangs from USB/audio ports under the center console. Is this correct, and if so, how easy would it be to modify the factory kit to run the supplied cable into the dashboard compartment like the dealer kit?

 

This is what MINI says:

 

Just be sure that they aren't protected AAC files, i.e. ones that you bought from the iTunes store. Those woulldn't just play off a USB memory stick.