IceLink problems ...
 

I have an 05 X5 3.0 with a bunch of options but no CD changer and no DSP. I got a video iPOD for xmas and wanted to connect it to the X5, so after reading on this forum I decided the IceLink is the way to go ... and beofre goin thru the install I wanted to try it out for a few days and just left the iPOD in the rear ... working great initially, get the ID tags on the MIDI, can choose playlists etc thru the controls in the front, but ...
I have not been able to keep my iPOD "controllable" thru the front controls for more than 1 day, sometimes after a few minutes it just switches into iPOD control mode (I guess), it keeps playing music but I can't chage anything but the volume, this has been going now for a week and the only way to get it back to control thru the front is to power off (disconnect the power plug) the IceLink. rebooting the iPOD does not solve the problem ... anyone experienced that or any advice?
my iPOD is version 1.1 and the Icelink is firmware 2b2 ...

Thanks much!

What do you mean, 'left it in the rear'? If you have not installed it and double checked all connections are seated and secured properly you get partial sound, drop outs and all sorts of wonderful features.

Keep in mind too, that the Ipod / Icelink needs time to respond to a command. If you cycle through a playlist or something too fast it can hang.

Installing without disconnecting the battery (or at least pulling the radio fuses) will cause all sorts of behavior like this.

The ice>Link Plus should never just "switch" to iPod mode, I would recommend temporarily bringing the iPod in the cabin area to verify until the control is mastered.

My iPod now only works properly in the Apple GUI mode. Using the Dension GUI results in the ipod suddenly being uncontrollable with the display freezing and needing a soft reset. The Ice>Link Plus adapter board has been replaced once and the curreent firmware version is V2 2B2.

Still awaiting a response from Dension, but on their past track record I'm not holding my breath. Original supplier not co-operating either, and Apple provide no Support for non-Apple badged items.

Car install is a full Sat Nav plus pro car phone kit but no DSP. CD changer installed but disconnected and the ipod is up front on the long cable. No known issues at present apart from the door speakers in one rear door keep failing to make any noise - but that's being looked at on Friday.


Battery was removed but made no difference to the Dension GUI issues I'm having.

I can't speak for the support issues overseas, but I'll help as best as I can.

Is there a specific button press that causes the issue or does it freeze up on its own? Also, how often does the freezing happen (daily, weekly)?

update ...
 

I don't think there is anything wrong with my installation, I do not have any audio quality issues, just the issue that I loose control of the iicelink control ...
I updated my ipod last sunday to 1.1 and it appears that it is more stable now than before, as it took until today (Wed) lunch time for the issue to re-occur. I was skipping 5-6 songs on a playlist using the > button on the radio, waiting at least 5 sec between pushing the button ... and voila, lost control again ... but, this time after turning the radio off for 20 sec or so the icelink controls came back ... previously this happened on a daily basis ...
so maybe things are improving ...

Mine is having a simular problems the text on the sat nav says AUX 1 and the song info on the ice link freezes but does keep playing and the only function to work is the volume after 3 or 4 songs the I pod shuts down and re boots then all is fine for another hour or so including the Song titles on the sat nav.

This behavior can happen when the iPod is removed from the computer without "ejecting" it first - it never allows the iPod to revert back to iPod mode.

Ok I will try that

Thanks Tom

See,s to be the Track/Up Down button that causes it. Random time intervals. Sometimes it's immediate, and sometimes it's after an hour or so. Running in Apple GUI mode never has a problem. I always eject my ipod from itunes rather than just removing it.

Strangely enough I'm also having a problem with one set of rear door speakers and the dealer is balming the Ice>Link. I've told him that doesn't seem right as it does it on all audio sources so they're going to chage the amp as they have had a number of issues with the X5 amps. We'll have to wait and see.

Looks like there's beginning to be a common trend here. I have had my BMW adapter changed with only a slight improvement, and I always eject the ipod from the PC. V2 2B2 is more stable but still has problems. See my earlier post about only using it with the Apple GUI.

I have had the exact problem happen to me as well. I have been running V2B2 and quite often (and randomly) the ipod screen will freeze (music still plays). I loose all controls from the car and sometimes I can't even soft reboot my ipod. Another thing I have expereinced is that sometimes it will just switch over to AUX1 and no longer have text display too.

I am getting quite frustrated with these glitches.

I have tried reverting back to the 2.07 SW, but have even more problems. Now the Ice LInk dosen't even play music anymore when it's plugged in. Is there away to reconfigure the firmware that is found on the IceLink??

To make things clear, can Tom or anyone direct me to reset the firmware on my IceLink, to the way it was when first purchased??

Thanks! :)

the "AUX" message coming up on the display means it is losing communication with the iPod - either from the iPod closing the connection or possibly the dock connector is loose. If you have a case on your iPod - make sure is is firmly locked in the connector on both sides.

If there is a module fault - the BMW sees the connection as dead and reverts back to radio. This is not happening on your setup.

I'm not sure why you downgraded the firmware - you need to be at v2B2. Let's get your firmware back up to date and then troubleshoot from that point - you can respond to me directly via email or here on the forum. :thumbup:

I have done this now will see if it works any better now. I used my friends nano all weekend and that has been fine. So i am hoping this solves it. One other idea I had this problem has only happened since I updated the I pod firmware maybe this could be a problem too?

We have every version of the iPod (from Classic to Video) we test new firmware on as they are released from Apple.

http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/6...onsmall9do.jpg

So far there are no reported issues with the Jan release of the iPod updater, nor have we run into any problems with our bench unit.

Was just idea but as always you got it covered, just hope it was me not disconnecting the I pod in the correct way.

Tom,

I chose to downgrade the firmware, b/c of two main reasons, after my upgrade to v2B2:

1) My photo ipod screen has been freezing while connected to the IceLink atleast once a day. The musci will continue to play, however I no longer am able to control any thing on my ipod through the car.

2) I can no longer access the ipod UI w/o disconnecting. I would rather give up text display and be able to use ipod UI. Disconnecting w/o a cradle is quite a pita after awhile. :)

I maybe had one or two freezes while I was on the original firmware, however after this upgrade, it has been nothing but nightmares. These aren't minor freezes either, it's to the point where I cannot even reboot by holding down select and menu keys (I just had to let the batteries completely drain out) . This happened to me while I was on a roadtrip, and needless to say, I had no music for the rest of the trip. :thumbdown

As you can see, I have been having quite some problems as of late with the IceLink which I hope to be able to resolve. It's a great system while it's working!!

Exactly the same with mine. Have contacted Dension several times with no response apart from an automated ticket number reply.

Apple don't want to know as it's not Apple badged, and my supplier (the UK importer for all UK suppliers) is not rersponding now either.

It's good kit, but maybe the diesel X5 has something different that causes a problem. V2 2B2 is much better the V2 2B1, but the only thing that works with mine is running it permanently in Apple GUI mode. Running in Dension mode results in continual problems with the device hanging or freezing and it takes a while to get a reboot. I keep my ipod software up to date and changes to this have not made any difference to the problems.

Version 2 2B3 on the way perchance? some support from the manufacturer would be nice too. Anyone got a contact on the inside that we can get to look at this?

What displays on the radio screen when this happens? Is there a specific button press that can replicate this or is it random?

In your prior post, you say you went from 2B2 to 2.07, then claim to have upgraded. Did you have a version of firmware on the ice>Link prior to 2B2 or 2.07?

Sorry for all the questions, but I need to know all the details before going further.

My IceLInk came with 2.07 from the factory. I upgraded to 2B2 a few weeks ago. I have had nothing but problems. I tried to go back to 2.07, it worked for a while, however now when I plug in my ipod there is no response from the IceLink.

What I want is simple: I just want to have a working IceLink that does not freeze my ipod and allows me to scroll by ipod UI. These are things that I enjoyed while on firmware version 2.07. Can you please instruct me how to reset the firmware on my IceLink??

We are sidestepping the issue here - the problem is possibly hardware related and not necessarily firmware. I would recommend replacing the module with Dension to be 100% certain. There are many people running v2B2 without the problems you are describing.

If you still decide to want to go back to v2.07 - email me directly and I will show you how.

Tom,

Strange how the hardware did not have these symptoms when using w/ 2.07 but would right when I switch over to 2B2.
I would return the unit to Dension, being that the unit appears to be defective will Dension cover the reinstallation of a new unit? I have forked $50 to have it installed by BestBuy the first time already.

Granted that I am not the majority, I am not alone in experiencing these problems. For the time being, I will send you an email and look forward to instructions of reverting back to an earlier 2.07 firmware.

Not sure, this would be a question for Dension. Since I cannot see the vehicle beforehand - I can only give advice on what information you have given me.

Looking forward to the email.

Tom just making sure that your email address is the one listed in your sig. I sent off an email right after that last post not sure if you received it. In the event that you didn't, my email is [email protected]

Thanks!

Youe email has bounced back 2x so far - is there another address I can use?

That's very strange, I am still getting email updates from X5World. You can try [email protected]

Thanks!!

email resent! :)

Nope mine still has the same fault did it on the way to work this morning. Looks like I am going to have to go back to dension again good job the impoter form the UK is only 10 mins from my house.How many times will they change this before they get pis**d off. Do you think we get different ice link modules to the states. This will be my 2nd one in two months.

I am beginning to think that this is a more widespread problem that should be looked at by Dension. Clearly I am not the only one experiencing these issues. Tom G. has turned me to Dension to take of rhis issue. In his previous posts, he has determined that my unit needs to be sent back, possibly as a defective unit. X5Sport what did Dension do in regards to your last unit?? Did they reinstall for you, provide you with new/refubished units?

The same ice>Link modules are used for overseas and US - all manfactured in Hungary.

update ...
 

an update on my situation: I left the ipod in the car for the past week, it was working just fine for 3 days, then yesterday morning, after dropping off my kids at school (and everything was working on the way to school), about 30 sec into the drive, not touching anything on the radio ... I lost control of the icelinnk UI entirely and the display showed AUX1. after parking my car at work I hard reset the ipod and plugged it back in ... going home everything was working again (icelink UI) but after forwarding some tracks it happened again. I switched to the CD player, turned the radio off for ~ 30 sec, then switched to the ipod and it was working again. and all day today I had no issues ...

somethiing is wrong since I'm not the only one with problems. Dension support seems to be non-existent, they don't acknowledge nor return my emails (others seem to have the same experience). My expectations were different for this device, but I think I will live with it, however, I would not recommend this device based on the experience so far (icelink UI not working but audio quality is wonderful).
Tom G - you are doing a great job on this board here and all your advice and help is very much appreciated, I think I can make that statement on behalf of everyone here.

I am quite lucky for importer for the UK is 15 Mins from my house so just swaped it over no questions. After the problems I have had I have left the ice link very accessable.also I have the source selector so I can change to CD and cut the power to the ice link so no need to disconnect the battery. Or perhaps this is not correct and causes the problem.

I totally agree with the previous post above with thanking Tom for all his help and advice. Shame dension are not as helpfull, and to be honest I will always ask here first for help before even trying to contact dension.

Thanks again Tom

Perhaps if I drop in on them, they'll do the same. I keep sending emails to Lee down there and apart from a read receipt - no action. I have had the adapter module replaced once, but it made no difference. I get the impression that the importer is just as frustrated with Dension's poor customer care as some of the owners are.

I know this is an X5 forum, but just wanted to mention that I am having the exact same 'drop to AUX' problem in my 325i. I found this thread doing a search on the problem. Since one poster mentioned that a new module did not fix the problem, I wonder if the problem lies elsewhere. Bad cable between module and ipod? Bad adapter connection??? Something unique in our use of the iPod?? Too many variable, unfortunately.

Feel free to email me with your specific issue directly, so we don't hijack the thread. :)