Finally iPod free!

[sp3ctre]

Would be nice if it worked with the NAV screen (not that I have one).

Yeah,,, would be really great if it worked in the Aston Martin Vantage as well... not that I have one

[SpikedJuice]

Does anyone know of a Denison product that will give me the following in my 2004 2.5i (with multi CD changer):

- iPod/iPhone connectivity
- bluetooth connectivity to an iPhone 4S to answer and make calls as well as listen to music
- able to use the buttons on the MSFW to control the iPod (skip tracks and volume) as well as make and receive calls
- display current music information (track, artist etc.) on the BMW Business headunit

It appears the highest model I can get to work with my Z4 is the Gateway 300 but this has no bluetooth. The only Denison product with Bluetooth that will work with my setup is the Gateway Lite BT but I'm not sure if this will display information on the BMW Business headunit...

Many thanks!

[Foyzy]

Thank you for this fantastic guide. I have used it to successfully get IPod text display working on my Denison Gateway 300 which I just couldn't work out before.

However, while the iPod connectivity is working well, for some reason when I plug a USB flash drive in (brand new HP 64gb) the display simply says 'no USB', so I can't access any of the folders. Can anyone help please?! The main reason I bought the unit was to run USB, not iPod. Cheers!

[chris g]

Ha - did you get IPOD text on your display - my gateway lite shows USB text but not IPOD text ....

[Foyzy]

Yes, I get Ipod text perfectly, but no USB. I don't even get to browse folders or play music with USB, let alone text. Probably something really simple but I just can't figure it out!

[nightyard]

my coupe came with a dension 300 when I bought it, its a nice solution and I have an ipod and a usb flash stick plugged into it and I switch between the 2...but I think an aftermarket headunit is what im going to get next as I don't like the quality of the business class one

[chris g]

i fitted the parrott to the landrover and the dension to the zed, the parrot is good if you dont mind an additional display

i had an amp fitted to the zed at the same time and its currently giving me feedback as the dension has an amp too .... back to the shop on monday ...

[TonyP]

Sorry to liven up an old thread, but I thought I'd add to this rather than start a new one, my question is this----Is there any additional functionality by using an iPod as opposed to a USB Stick?

Tony

[Stuart Truman]

That depends upon the hardware solution you're using. Most iPod interfaces just pass through the head unit or steering wheel controls to the iPod. USB keys are obviously dumb devices so any functionality like shuffle, playlists etc are provided by the interface you buy.

[TonyP]

Thank-you, although we're predominately Apple/iTunes users in our household I rarely use playlists anyway so I'm thinking a USB stick may be ok.

However a cheapy iPod would be easier as 90% of the music in my iTunes has been ripped in .m4a format which the Dension wont play natively so it would save me using a coverter to make them all into mp3's.

[Mangozac]

Thank-you, although we're predominately Apple/iTunes users in our household I rarely use playlists anyway so I'm thinking a USB stick may be ok.

However a cheapy iPod would be easier as 90% of the music in my iTunes has been ripped in .m4a format which the Dension wont play natively so it would save me using a coverter to make them all into mp3's.

If that's the case I'd go with the cheap iPod then. Functionally there's no difference, it's just that iPods have disadvantages:
- Cost
- Additional complexity (so more prone to failure)
- Internal battery won't like being completely charged all of the time