[djtex]

Has anyone else spotted the annoying bugs in the ipod interface? I have e-mailed MINI to ask if they plan to update the software at some stage, as its annoying my enjoyment at the moment.

1. Random Play - When you use the Skip Tracj function in random mode it doesn't select a random track like the old interface, just the next one on the ipod. Total pants this, it is supposed to be random afterall.

2. Track position memory - This is the most annoying. I listen to a lot of DJ Sets and whenever you stop the car and turn the engine off the track restarts from the beginning, this drives me up the wall on a long journey when you stop for petrol for example.

Why could they not get these basics right? It's great being able to see the info on the display in the car, but seeing that the new interface costs twice that of the old one, I don't see why functionality should be lost.

I'll let you know what response I get from MINI.

[Martin F]

Yes I have noticed both these issues. I think the first has been mentioned on another thread. I shall be interested in the response that you get.

[djnas]

Ive also noticed these issues, I had an ipod connection on a JVC headunit in my old car and it seemed to load up my album and track details much quicker, remember last position and random worked properly (cost £80 more than just the mini ipod kit for headunit,dab and ipod) I would have thought that this ipod kit would be the same if not better.

Id be interested to know what they say too

[devaisl]

Yes its happening with my iPod interface too
It also is'nt playing my playlists properly, but maybe that something I'm not setting up properly. My iPod has frozen twice as well which I informed my dealer about - I'm just going to see how it goes for a week or two.....

[Purple Dave]

Quote: Originally Posted by djtex (original)

Has anyone else spotted the annoying bugs in the ipod interface? I have e-mailed MINI to ask if they plan to update the software at some stage, as its annoying my enjoyment at the moment.

1. Random Play - When you use the Skip Tracj function in random mode it doesn't select a random track like the old interface, just the next one on the ipod. Total pants this, it is supposed to be random afterall.

2. Track position memory - This is the most annoying. I listen to a lot of DJ Sets and whenever you stop the car and turn the engine off the track restarts from the beginning, this drives me up the wall on a long journey when you stop for petrol for example.

Why could they not get these basics right? It's great being able to see the info on the display in the car, but seeing that the new interface costs twice that of the old one, I don't see why functionality should be lost.

I'll let you know what response I get from MINI.

It seems to be different if you have sat nav. The track remembers where it was. Not sure about random track skip - not tried it. I'll try it later.

Do any of you guys have sat nav?

[Martin F]

No, I don't have the sat-nav. Is this another benefit of Sat-nav perhaps? I have just discovered that with Sat-nav you can adjust the sensitivity of the auto headlights on, otherwise its not adjustable

[devaisl]

No, I don't have Satnav

[Purple Dave]

Quote: Originally Posted by Martin F (original)

No, I don't have the sat-nav. Is this another benefit of Sat-nav perhaps? I have just discovered that with Sat-nav you can adjust the sensitivity of the auto headlights on, otherwise its not adjustable

The reason I asked about the sat nav was for two reasons:-

1. The software must be different for sat nav anyway - interface, etc.

2. I had discovered a problem with my sat nav / ipod combo. It wouldn't play an mp3 CD on the boost
CD player. This was discovered to be a software issue and my car has been reprogrammed with
the latest ipod software update. It now plays mp3 CD's no problem. I wondered if it had fixed any
other bugs. However the track position has always been remembered.

[djtex]

I don't have Sat Nav either! No reply as yet.

[jmelrose]

Does it matter if, in iTunes, you go into track info and specify "remember playback position" to get it to return to that point? Did you try that? It's on the "other" tab once you do "get info" about the track.

[djtex]

Quote: Originally Posted by jmelrose (original)

Does it matter if, in iTunes, you go into track info and specify "remember playback position" to get it to return to that point? Did you try that? It's on the "other" tab once you do "get info" about the track.

Don't know, but sounds worth a try, I had never noticed this option before. I'll try it out and let you all know.

Thanks for this.

[djtex]

Here is the reponse I got from MINI, not really very helpful as they didn't confirm whether these functions should be working or not. Will be sending another mail later on.

"Thank you for your email to MINI Customer Information.

We are delighted to read that you are happy with your new MINI Cooper S, however we are concerned that you are not entirely happy with the iPod interface.

As a first point of call, we would advise you to ask your MINI dealership who fitted the interface to check that it is indeed working correctly.

As this is a relatively new product, we have not at present had a great deal of feedback from MINI owners or from the MINI dealers regarding any problems that customers may be experiencing. Therefore, at present, we are unable to confirm whether there is likely to be a software upgrade in the future.

We will pass your comments about the iPod interface onto the MINI Accessories Department, who will inform us in due course should any upgrades or adjustments become necessary.

We hope this is helpful to you, and that the issues you have highlighted do not detract from your enjoyment of your new MINI Cooper S."[/size]

[Martin F]

Thats a bit disappointing. Sounds like the writer did not really have much idea about how it is supposed to work. Maybe the next step is to ask your dealer to confirm with MINI that this is indeed the designed functionality. It is possible that the software that has been distributed has a bug in it. MINI can check against their design spec to confirm this.

Or maybe they omitted to address this aspect of functionality when they specced the software.

[Mini Me GB]

I have the ipod/sat nav combo and it does indeed always remember what position in the track it was at

[Purple Dave]

Quote: Originally Posted by djtex (original)

Has anyone else spotted the annoying bugs in the ipod interface? I have e-mailed MINI to ask if they plan to update the software at some stage, as its annoying my enjoyment at the moment.

1. Random Play - When you use the Skip Tracj function in random mode it doesn't select a random track like the old interface, just the next one on the ipod. Total pants this, it is supposed to be random afterall.

2. Track position memory - This is the most annoying. I listen to a lot of DJ Sets and whenever you stop the car and turn the engine off the track restarts from the beginning, this drives me up the wall on a long journey when you stop for petrol for example.

Why could they not get these basics right? It's great being able to see the info on the display in the car, but seeing that the new interface costs twice that of the old one, I don't see why functionality should be lost.

I'll let you know what response I get from MINI.

Just had a look in the manual and it actually states that if you use the track skip buttons (either on the Boost or the MFSW) it will skip to the next track in the list NOT a random track.

Also mine remembers it's track position when I switch off the engine no problem.

[djtex]

Here is the latest response from MINI, far more satisfactory than the last one, they have offered some workarounds....

Thank you for your reply to our previous email. We are sorry to read that you are unhappy with our previous response.

We have made further enquiries into this, and we can now confirm the following:

The two scenario's that you have mentioned are in fact correct characteristics of the current system.

Feedback regarding these quirks has been sent back to Germany and we are hoping that this functionality will be improved in the near future. However, at this stage we have no indication from Germany as to whether this will be offered a software upgrade or indeed even if it 'can' be overcome at all. The likelihood of a solution being available quickly is very remote.

However, through their own use and experience with the current system, MINI technicians have found a couple of ways round these issues, which although not as simple or straight forward as one might expect/hope (especially for point 2), do overcome these issues.

So in answer to your questions:

1. When in random mode and you want to skip to the next track, it doesn't skip to a random track like the old Interface in the R53 did. It just selects the next track on the ipod. (e.g. If it has selected an Elvis song randomly and you don't want to listen to it, by hitting next it would just select the next track which would be Elvis again).


To overcome this - if the randomly selected song played is not to your liking, simply press the 'random' button twice.
(This effectively switches off random with the first press of the button leaving the undesirable track playing, but as soon as you press random again it randomly selects a completely new track).


2. My second point is that the interface restarts a track each time the engine is restarted, therefore if listening to a long concert or DJ Set and then you have to stop for petrol, when you restart the music restarts from the beginning. This is really irritating!


To overcome this (for short stops only - such as petrol stations) - as soon as the engine is stopped and the key removed press the joystick to turn the sound system back on immediately. The last playing track will continue to play from exactly where it was for up to a further 30 minutes. From this point you now have two options:

1, If you do not mind missing any of the playback of the current track you can now get out of the car, fill-up with petrol etc, lock the car and walk away. The track/album etc will continue to play without you. When you return to the car (after paying for your petrol for example), you can simply unlock, get in, start up and drive off - the track/album will still be playing but you will have missed the content played while you where not in the car.

2, If you do not want to miss any of the playback of the current track/Album - press the 'Audio' button and then select the 'Tuner', this will then pause the iPod playback and play the radio, you can now get out of the car, fill-up with petrol etc, lock the car and walk away. The radio will continue to play without you. When you return to the car (after paying for your petrol for example), unlock, get in, and start up - the radio will still be playing - so now press 'Audio' again and then select 'CDC', the iPod will now begin playback from exactly the last heard point. Drive off.

We hope the above will be helpful to you.

[stuvoi]

Hopefully this will be sorted out soon.

But I must add, current (R53) Ipod interface that I have doesn't always "remember" the song when I leave the car - sometimes it does, but I have no idea why the difference.

Also, when in Random play, it's like half random (for some bizarre reason), so new one shouldn't be too different.

Maybe I'll just plug the car into the mains, so I can leave the stereo on all night, just to save my last position on my playlist )

[Martin F]

Well done for persevering djtex. That is a much better reply. It shows they now understand the problem. Hopefully a software upgrade will be forthcoming fairly soon.

[weslim]

I have a similar problem with the ipod in the random mode when playing the whole ipod library.
Sometimes it will not play when the random option is used and sometimes it will play but you can't go foreward or backwards. My local dealer told me that these could accure as the iPod interface cannot handle usage of an 30gb or more iPod. As the dealer ha no idea what kind of ipod I use it surprised me as is i use the 60gb iPod

[cosmic68]

The most annoying thing/bug/oversight I have found with the ipod connector is that, seemingly, you cannot simply pause a track...or am i doing something wrong?