The Best Ipod Connection Option???

[freddiezb]

Hey all,

I am after thoughts and recommendations for the best ipod connection kit. I have a 2002 Cooper S with boost / CD changer and a factory sat nav ( mark IV). I definitely want to keep the CD changer connected and ideally i would be looking to have a simple cradle ( no drilling nonsense though ) for the ipod instead of using the ashtray.

Heard the rather expensive gateway 300 is a good option?..what about the belkins etc.
Sound quality is important to me and it would be cool to control some ipod functions or see info on the radio...
NewMiniStuff has a few options and i have read a good few of the threads but not sure what you guys and gals think is the clear winner???

[freddiezb]

Come on peeps!, i know you all have ipods

Gateway 400 is looking the best option for keeping the CD changer, Getting a good sound and charging the ipod too..
Is it worth the money ??, on the cheap end the Belkin that sits in the drinks holder looks good???? Help

[..Blackadder..]

Give Mikey a bell and have a chat with him he'll let you know whats the best option for you NewMINIStuff.com.

[humph]

I have the gateway 300 which allows control from the MFSW and displays info on the radio. The 300 gives you three options for connecting an mp3 player, ipod connection, USB, and 3.5mm jack. The only thing is that the older boost stereos don't have the same sockets at the back so you may not get the gateway to fit with the changer. On my previous Cooper that had no AUX socket I had to use the changer socket as the connection for my ipod link.

Mikey is the man and is sure to have something. But the gateway 300 is great.

[Richard_P]

You'll have problems with the Nav and the Gateway if you try and display any text, you won;t be able to keep the map displayed.

There is only one iPod solution that will allow text display on the Nav, there was thread about it but it was removed.

[Blusox]

Or you could spend a little more and do this, the dock is a custom one from 2point5 which has a Clarion connector on it. This goes through to the head allowing full control from the steering wheel. You also get the video files to when parked up of course

May be a little more then you wanted to spend, but I recko its possibly the coolest looking ipod solution going!!

PS, hope the photos uploaded ok

[freddiezb]

Thanks guys,

Mike 'the mini' has informed me that a gateway 100 with CD retention kit is going to be available on his site, sounds like it will do the trick!?.
I just want to keep the CD player and maybe have the song titles on the radio, not the satnav!.....

Quote: Originally Posted by Richard_P (original)

You'll have problems with the Nav and the Gateway if you try and display any text, you won;t be able to keep the map displayed.

There is only one iPod solution that will allow text display on the Nav, there was thread about it but it was removed.

[Richard_P]

Quote: Originally Posted by freddiezb (original)

Mike 'the mini' has informed me that a gateway 100 with CD retention kit is going to be available on his site, sounds like it will do the trick!?.

It will have the same problem displaying text.

Quote: Originally Posted by freddiezb (original)

I just want to keep the CD player and maybe have the song titles on the radio, not the satnav!.....

No, you can't do that

The Nav in the Mini is a little odd, it's basically a BMW system but with some of the bits missing and a standard 'Boost' radio.

To display text on a Boost radio you send it a phone message, the one that the phone would send to display a phone number or name from the address book. But when the Nav is installed this messages gets sent to the Nav display instead, which is where it would be sent on a BMW Nav. When the message is sent to the Nav screen it switches away from the map.

The Mini Nav is missing one of the buttons on the BMW Nav that allows you to control the display of either audio information or the map, probably because the audio information is displayed on the Boost radio. If a device displays text in the way that it would on a BMW Nav system there are two problems, firstly there is no message telling the device when it can display text and when it can't, as it never does as standard. Second there is no simple way to switch between the two screens, you can switch away by going back to the menu but you can switch back to it. The effect is that which ever way you try to display text on the Mini with Nav, using a mechanism designed to work on a BMW (which is what the Gateways are), you end up disabling the Nav map every time text is displayed. The Gateway range continually scroll text accross the display, every character scroll will cause the display to switch away from the map, that's a little over once a second!

[DaFlake]

The problem stems from the fact that they are using the phone channel to display the text on the radio. Because of this, the NAV will think that you have an incoming call and cover the map showing the incoming call (text). There is no way to "release" the nav from that function. That being said, there is a group working to do this and they do have a product but it is BETA, expensive, and not currently available. I was told they might actually release it soon.

[freddiezb]

Thanks guys,
So what do you think is best to get! .still confused as to the best option, want my CD player and def want my sat nav...is it the dodgy old fm transmitter route???

Quote: Originally Posted by DaFlake (original)

The problem stems from the fact that they are using the phone channel to display the text on the radio. Because of this, the NAV will think that you have an incoming call and cover the map showing the incoming call (text). There is no way to "release" the nav from that function. That being said, there is a group working to do this and they do have a product but it is BETA, expensive, and not currently available. I was told they might actually release it soon.

[Richard_P]

Bimmernav.com Online Store

[humph]

The Dension Gateway can still be used, (when Mikey has the right one), providing you use them without the scrolling text enabled. I'm guessing that any interface that displays text will work in the same way, so text and Nav probably isn't possible.

[njones7054]

Tried 2 different types of FM transmitter first, waste of money. Signals are too weak and too many other stations round here. Could never go more than half a mile without having to retune. Spent more time retuning the darn things than listening to the iPod. And they use a lot of power so if you are going any distance you need a charging lead.

Just fitted a Dension Gateway 100 to my Mini Cooper (1st generation) and it works just fine. The interface is hidden in the centre console below the switch panel, the iPod Nano is in the glovebox. When the iPod is connected its own buttons are locked out and the track info is diplayed on the BMW Boost radio head, so no need to have the iPod accessible. All totally invisible until you open the glovebox, so no need to worry about taking the iPod with me every time I leave the car.

[DaFlake]

You can fit the Gateway and it will work fine, you just won't be able to use the text option.

[freddiezb]

Yep agree on the FM transmitter front!, tried a Belkin one and it just became annoying having the signal fade or needing to retune.

Thanks everyone once again - think i'll get the gateway 100 and just deactivate the scrolling text so it doesn't interfere with the Nav..


PS BLUSOX - Your ipod setup looks the business!!

Quote: Originally Posted by njones7054 (original)

Tried 2 different types of FM transmitter first, waste of money. Signals are too weak and too many other stations round here. Could never go more than half a mile without having to retune. Spent more time retuning the darn things than listening to the iPod. And they use a lot of power so if you are going any distance you need a charging lead.

Just fitted a Dension Gateway 100 to my Mini Cooper (1st generation) and it works just fine. The interface is hidden in the centre console below the switch panel, the iPod Nano is in the glovebox. When the iPod is connected its own buttons are locked out and the track info is diplayed on the BMW Boost radio head, so no need to have the iPod accessible. All totally invisible until you open the glovebox, so no need to worry about taking the iPod with me every time I leave the car.