Is it possible to update a Countryman with the Harmon Kardon stereo and bluetooth (but not Mini connect) to stream music from my iPhone?

I have seen that there are receivers I could use but it seems they have mixed reviews.

I have the iPhone 5 now and since the pin change the y cable is no good and I don't want to drag the adapter around. It would also be nice to just "cut the cables".

Thanks.

 

I streamed by Bluetooth after I upgraded to the iPhone 5 for while but I later got the adapter lightening cable so my phone would also charge. I just leave the cable connected in the car. it adds just the right amount of length to the Y cable so i can put the phone in the mesh pouch. That's where I had it before as i had added an extender 30 pin cable. The damn Y cable is too short anyway.

The BT connection works pretty well to stream music.

 

Hi

I have the HK radio paired with iPhone 5 and I don't think it is possible to stream over Bluetooth with this setup. As I understand it, you would click the Airplay button within the iPod. If it was supported, you should see the Airplay BT device listed, but mine doesn't show up with the iPhone 5 and 2012 CMS with HK radio. It must require MINI Connected. If anyone with HK and no connected knows a way, please chime in.

Cheers!

 

please chime in.. MEEHHHH

 

It's not possible to stream music over Bluetooth (also known as A2DP Bluetooth Profile) without MINI Connected, unless something has changed in the newer MINIs (which I haven't heard about). In this case, Bluetooth in the MINI will connect to your phone for phone calls and address book imports only.

But that's OK, there are plenty of great (less sexy) options. I have written the following and added information in the case that audio quality is important to you (which it probably is if you have a HK system):

1) Consider actually getting a 32GB tiny USB disk, fill it with audio and enjoy. This is the option I chose, I have two of them, it carries plenty of music, if you need more, get another one. They're roughly $16 a piece online. Because your MINI will be doing the digital audio decoding, this will be your best audio quality option (depending on the source, obviously).

I don't recommend an USB disk larger than 32GB, as MINI only accepts FAT32 file systems, 32GB is the maximum size. I have tried exFAT with a 64GB USB disk which my 2010 MINI didn't accept.

2) Hook in over audio in with an aux in to aux in audio cable. This will output the audio device and input to the car in analog. This wire will be one level of degradation of your audio.

The second degradation is due to the the audio being amplified by the phone. Then it is reamplified by your stereo, this will cause distortion, more when the phone is at the higher volume levels, if adjustments are made prior to listening, the degradation should be minimal.

3) Add a parrot (or other 3rd party) Bluetooth adapter with A2DP Bluetooth audio streaming. Bluetooth audio streaming is a low bitrate wireless audio streaming protocol that will degrade the quality of the audio.

There are two different types of adapters. One which directly wires into the system, and one which will go over radio frequency (usually FM).

The first method (wiring into the system) which hooks over the wire is the preferred method, and the method which MINI Connected uses. I'm not sure if there are any other Bluetooth adapters which hook directly into the system of the MINIs.

The second method (Bluetooth -> FM radio frequency) requires little to no setup, and will input to your radio through the FM antennas of your car. This also adds the normal FM degradation, on top of the A2DP Bluetooth streaming degradation.

Cheers

 

Its possible with this: http://www.newpotatotech.com/TUNELIN...link_auto.html

Using it today with my 2012 CMS and I don't have mini connect. It also doesn't interfere with the Bluetooth phone calls. The music is muted automatically for incoming and outgoing calls. The device has an AUX jack and cable that you can plug into the mini. It also offers an FM transmitter if you have to use that option as well. I use it with an iPhone 5 and it does offer a charging port that will work with the lightning connector cable.

I've been extremely happy with it as I always hated the cables. It's nice to get in the car and it just starts working without having to touch anything. It will work with any audio over the phone so I also use it with the new google maps app for nav and streaming music from a service (I use Spotify)

Just a note though about this setup is that it won't allow you to control (skip etc) or see the track names on the mini stereo interface. This means you have to use your smartphone to control. It uses it's own Bluetooth connection that originates from the device once its plugged in.

 

+1 for the USB way. I use an itunes-to-filesystem playlist exporter tool (that syncs up a playlist config w/ a file system, like a usb key) and leave one of those amazingly tiny 16GB (at this time) usb things. You get the car indexing the audio and thus you can do artist/album, etc. as if it was an ipad/iphone but indeed at the top quality; also retaining steering wheel control if you have it...

 

Bunch of guys on the BMW forum (yep I came over) have been using this.


I just have an iPod connected and left in the car in the center rail. I only remove it to sync music. I might get one of these in the future but I manage with ESPN in the AM and iPod on my ride home

Good luck

 

My only regret with my Mini so far is that I didn't get Mini Connected. I didn't seem to have any sound quality issues with the base stereo once I figured out how to adjust the levels, but the interface is just awful and the Y connector (which is both too short and will unplug from my phone at the slightest movement) prevents any practical control from the phone itself.

 

I agree.. The Y connector and the aux port are crap. I was lucky to have an older iPod kicking around and access the playlists/songs from standard the Mini interface. There is NO way I could use the Y connector with my iPhone on a daily basis.
I need to plug in my iPod and place it just right in the rail... and never touch it again.. After that...I think it sounds just fine.

I even had a longer (36") cable from my '06 BMW that I though would cure the issues...NOPE. I got a not compatible message from the Mini stereo...No dice and back to the Y connector I went.

 

I am having that same regret... I was on the fence as to get it or not and I am kicking myself now.

 

yes these most insane price of 1500 plus makes me long for the regular din size from the older models so you could go aftermarket and not mess up the speedo

I got mine used it has every option on it minus the connected and cloth seats (very hot here) and i hate (want the connected might even order from mini) it but i like the look of the other speedo and radio in it works nice for seeing it and i agree the playlists and 32 gig computer stickie thing is the best plan trust me i just lost my iphone left it on the y cable for 5 mins and came back to no phone they did leave the cable which was a surprise. its nice and hidden your iphone stays safe in pocket like the keys and start coopering
ntfs doesnt work eith just fat32 an old fail fat (too small)
mini micro usb are easy and cheap you can even make lots of extras for all your toons

 

Perhaps someone here can help me?

I have an R55 Mini Clubman Cooper S 2008. I have an aux port and a USB port in the centre console. I bought a Taotronics Bluetooth reciever and was told by many this would work. It did not.

So how do I solve this? How do I have my android tablet playing through the stereo?

Thank you.

 

I should clarify that I only get static.

 

I have tried two different options... One was a wifi setup which sounded great (the main reason I tried this first was lossless audio) when it worked , which was only about half the time . Also with wifi I could not use the iPod option, I just had to select aux. This means nothing would read out on the stock radio.

Then I tried this Bluetooth option.
This unit works much better. I can now use the iPod option, the song titles etc read out on stock radio, and steering wheel controls work. I like this adapter much better than anything else I have seen. It does not interior with calls either. I did a lot of research before I went with this one. It is specifically designed for BMW so it works great with a MINI.

 

Describe all the steps you did to set it up the Taotronics.

I see no reason why it shouldn't work. It is a simple Bluetooth receiver with an audio out. Do you hear anything when you plug in headphones into the Taotronics? If you don't hear anything, it won't work on the car aux input either.

 

I paired the receiver to the phone. Phone said connected to receiver taotronics. Receiver was plugged into 3.5mm aux and usb into its port. I tried usb not plugged in too. I set radio to aux and made sure volume was ok. I played Google music or HTC music to car....nothing. Only hiss.

I will try the headphones tomorrow.

Thanks.

 

Okay so I have established it is not the Bluetooth receiver that is the problem. It's the car.

 

hi,

Last night I was in a call on my mini cooper S ray edition R56 (it has bluetooth but only works for calls) and I accidentally play a whatsapp audio, the interesting thing was that audio was play on the car... then I realized that same case aplies for Spotify, but only while a call conection is stablished.

So, do you know if there is a way or an app or something to fool the radio and use the bluetooth to play music?

 

Leiato the same happened to me yesterday on a Mini Countryman Cooper S with Bluetooth.
we ness to search for code to use by NCS...

 

I use the same ViseeO, works great.

 

+1 for the Viseeo

 

So If I buy this Viseoo part from amazon I can play music from my iphone without having to plug my iphone in when I’m in the car? FYI it’s a 13 with the HK system

 

According to one of the q&a's on the amazon listing: "The Tune2Air WMA3000b will work with all Mini and BMW vehicles that have the AUX & USB connections". I don't have the HK so I can't answer your question definitively. But I would think if you have the AUX and USB ports, it should. Look through all the reviews and q& a's on the listing to see if anyone mentions the HK. It appears to create a separate Bluetooth "channel" from the phone connection. MINI27855 is the phone connection. Tune2Air is the Viseeo. Looks like this: