Question about Dension ICE->link

[Stephen C]

Hi, I'm new to these forums so please bear with me. I'm eagerly awaiting delivery of my new Cooper S convertible, which is somewhere off the coast of South Africa at the moment.
I wanted to ask about the Dension ICE->link Plus iPod connector. As it stands my Sydney dealer is expecting to fit a standard OEM system to the CD Boost (with HK speakers), when it arrives at the end of the month. Before I annoy him by changing my mind I wanted to know if the Dension is actually any better than the OEM system?
Firstly I gather that I will only get track details displayed on the radio with the Dension, is that right? I also understand that the OEM kit only allows browsing by playlists, which has got to be less than ideal. With the Dension, do the steering wheel controls allow you to browse by artist, albumn etc. or does that have to be done on the iPod? Their web-site also implies that you only get the track names when in playlist mode, not when tracks are selected from the iPod. Can anybody confirm or deny that?
Finally, are there any good arguments for sticking with the official BMW/Mini version?
Many thanks for any advice, I'm sure that whichever solution I choose it will be a big improvement on the dodgy tape adapter I use in my wife's Toyota.

[DaFlake]

Are you getting an OEM nav? If so, then forget about trying to get text. It uses the same channel as the phone and it will only overtake your map. As for the rest of the Icelink, it is a great buy and has more features than the OEM version of current. Installtion is a snap.

FYI, the H/K upgrade is much more than a simple set of speakers. It includes an amp as well that is controlled via the H/U thus making it hard to swap to a different H/U. My 06 has H/K with Nav and the Icelink plus works like a champ. Welcome to the forum.

[Stephen C]

Thanks for the info on the HK system. I'd have liked the Sat Nav but my wife is already letting me spend more of her money on the car than I should. I've opted to not put a phone system in either.
Does the text appear in all instances with the ICE->link Plus or just when emulating the CD changer with playlists? I'll probably go with the Dension anyway, if the dealer will fit it, which looks likely.

[V70R]

There are two big advantages to the ICE link + over the mini ipod interface - the ICE link allows navigation from the HU (or MFSW controls) to ANY playlist on the ipod. The mini ipod interface only allows navigation to five playlists. I have a similar system in my Volvo (only being able to call up 5 playlists) and it is rather annoying.

The other difference is that the denison will display ID3 tags (song names) - the mini ipod interface will not.

[Stephen C]

My dealer is away at the moment but I'll ask him to look into the Dension system when he gets back. Thanks for the advice.

[DaFlake]

Quote: Originally Posted by Stephen C

My dealer is away at the moment but I'll ask him to look into the Dension system when he gets back. Thanks for the advice.

I don't think that the dealer will install a third party item, but you can try. I know in the USA, that some dealers will go outside of the BMW/MINI realm, but this may be an install that you have to do. Either way, it took me about 15 min to do by myself. Not hard at all.

Good luck and let us know if we can help you further.

[Stephen C]

My Mini dealer was quoting AU$550 for the original BMW iPod kit but thinks he can do the Dension one for a bit more. The local Dension people want $449 but won't come out to Bathurst (we're about 200km from Sydney). However, the Mini garage seem willing to let them do the fit while my Mini is awaiting collection so that will probably be the cheapest solution.

[Stephen C]

Well my car has arrived (see the convertible forum). I elected for the Dension ICE Link+ in the end, which was fitted privately but whilst the car was at the dealership. The sound quality is fantastic but I'm disappointed that I can't get text on the HU to work.
I have the HK Boost installed and the car is brand new, so I assume the radio is the latest version. It is the Boost with the small volume knob at the top left and the 'Mode' button to the right of that and the skip track buttons at the bottom right. (In the manual they show a picture with the 'Mode' button below the 'Tone Control' button and the buttons to skip tracks are at the top right of the unit - I'm not sure why this is different). Should this radio be able to display text on the HU?

[Paul]

This is the latest style boost head unit.


That said, I can't find a photo of a MINI with sat nav and that boost head unit, they all seem to have the older style.

But I'm not MINI ICE expert.

[OZChris]

Quote: Originally Posted by Paul Mullett

This is the latest style boost head unit.


That said, I can't find a photo of a MINI with sat nav and that boost head unit, they all seem to have the older style.

But I'm not MINI ICE expert.

Paul can I ask when MINI started fitting this headunit?

[Paul]

As far as I know (and I've check back and can't find anything to suggest otherwise) it came in with the July '04 facelift.

[OZChris]

Quote: Originally Posted by Paul Mullett

As far as I know (and I've check back and can't find anything to suggest otherwise) it came in with the July '04 facelift.

Hmmm, that's odd - maybe it's a destination country thing. As I have a November 05 build S and it's the same as the old one that I had in my '02 build MC.

[Paul]

Maybe they thought you wouldn't notice being on the other side of the world and everything? I know the US has it, as I'm sure does mainland Europe. Do your new head units play MP3 etc (like the new look ones do here)?

[OZChris]

Quote: Originally Posted by Paul Mullett

Maybe they thought you wouldn't notice being on the other side of the world and everything? I know the US has it, as I'm sure does mainland Europe. Do your new head units play MP3 etc (like the new look ones do here)?

Supposedly, it plays MP3 - haven't tested it though

/runs out to try MP3 files in CD player

[Stephen C]

My Boost manual shows a similar unit to Paul's post above but the photo below is my actual radio. I'd be interested to know when they changed them as my car is absolutely new (build date Feb 06). Does this mean that I have an old radio? My understanding is that all HU's in the last year or so were able to display text.