MP3 meets BMW

[dflwshaft]

FINALLY! The BMW In-Dash CD player plays MP3 disks!

I just took delivery of my '05 X5 (production date 07/05) at the Performance Center. During delivery orientation, the rep told me that the X3 Cd player now will play an MP3 disk. I couldn't believe it. I asked if my X5 would do the same and he said he didn't know.

Well, after I finished installing my hitch last night, I burned about 50 MP3s onto a disk and BINGO... it worked. I was a little nervous when it displayed "CHECK CD", but then it kicked in. Nothing fancy, it just displayed the track- no folders, but hey, I'll take it.

Thank you BMW!

HOLD THE PHONE !!!

The new in-dash CD player DOES support folders!

Three Cheers!

[UCrewX5]

Cool, it's about time!! Now if they could only do the same for the 6 disk changer and also add ID3 song tags...

[JayBee]

Learn something every day!

So i have a single disk in the dash (05 X5) so you are telling me it will play MP3 disks?

Hmm maybe I don't need to Aux port my Ipod.....

[Big Yellow]

My CD changer supports MP3 as well ! However, does anyone know if you can get the display to show songtitles etc? It would help when you have 50 songs on a CD, it's hard to remember what they are...

[dflwshaft]

Your Factory OEM rear CD changer plays MP3's? When was your car built/bought?

I don't think you can get the MP3 Tags to show up on any display; However, I think the phatnoise hard drive based system will display tags. It's $1000 though.

[LeMansX5]

The part# on 6-disc changer changed as of 10/04. Mine is 10/04 built. I tried with MP3 disc and it said check disc and I immediately took it out. Seems like I need to try again.

[Big Yellow]

I took delivery of my X5 in March 2005 (France). It does indeed say CHECK CD, but then plays MP3 discs from the CD changer without problems.

[Hal]

Does the 2005 OEM CD player w/ mp3 play @ 192 kbps?
Can you place mp3 files in subdirectories and get them to play?

My X5 2005 OEM CD player plays mp3's @ 192kbps, but pauses in the middle of the track then increments the track counter and continues in the same track (play...pause...Increment Track...play).
Skipping to TR002-001 causes the player to stop playing.

Looking for confirmation that 192kbps & subdirs. actually do work.

In order to get the mp3 to work w/o pausing in the middle of tracks, I have to burn @ 320kbps and not place the mp3 files in subdirectories.

Based on my understanding from reading the manual it should work @ 192kbps w/ subdirs as follows:
TR01-001 = subdirectory: /Subdir_Name_1/Track_1
TR01-002 = subdirectory: /Subdir_Name_1/Track_2
TR02-001 = subdirectory: /Subdir_Name_2/Track_1
TR02-002 = subdirectory: /Subdir_Name_2/Track_2
TR03-001 = subdirectory: /Subdir_Name_3/Track_1
Etc…

Thanks
(Posted this on Roadfly as well: http://bimmer.roadfly.com/bmw/forums/e53/7294264-1.html )

[phuksi]

I cannot either play all the files on a cd. For example one of my cds has 7 folders with files in them. Only files in 4 of the folders work. The player is trying every track in every folder but is not able to play them all and skips some of the files. I have to write down the directories and files the player is skipping to figure out what is wrong with those. I'll do that tomorrow.

Has anyone tried files with variable bit rate?

- p

[Hal]

What I found that always works is 320kbps with No subdirectories.
Positive: No skipping - No Problems
Negative: No Subdirectories - No Control of play lists.