Best Audio Solution

[Mrbodger]

Could somebody give me some advice on the above. My cd changer has recently given up the ghost and I want to enter the digital age. In my last car I had an aftermarket headunit with a usb socket that I would plug a memory stick into and scroll through the albums at will. It was cheap and very convenient. I don't really want to shell out big money for an intravee and I would also have to buy an ipod of some sort.

In short, can I replicate my old setup on my Z4m C obviously using the current headunit. I've searched and read loads of posts but am still none the wiser. Can I connect a dension directly to the current cd changer wiring and use a mem stick with this?

Thanks for any help/guidance.

 

[srhutch]

Denison will give you this facility, there are a few users in here so hopefully one will be along soon with some feedback.

 

[Stuart Truman]

I had a Dension Gateway 300 in my mini to replace the changer. It took USB and worked fine. Not sure if Dice units support USB

 

[Woody]

Hey MrBadger I'm after the same sort of setup as you, not really fussed for expensive intravee, just something that can play songs digitally. I have the OEM aux cable but am finding the ability to not change tracks and my nano battery dying very quickly quite annoying. It's dangerous trying to change tracks from the Nano whilst driving. Plus it'll be fully charged and I'll play it for half hour on way to work, press the sleep button and then on the way home the battery's half gone! But obviously don't want to leave it plugged in permanently as will drain battery and will encourage my car to get broken into! Not fussed for on screen info, is there an aux to USB connector...?!

 

[Mrbodger]

Hey MrBadger I'm after the same sort of setup as you, not really fussed for expensive intravee, just something that can play songs digitally. I have the OEM aux cable but am finding the ability to not change tracks and my nano battery dying very quickly quite annoying. It's dangerous trying to change tracks from the Nano whilst driving. Plus it'll be fully charged and I'll play it for half hour on way to work, press the sleep button and then on the way home the battery's half gone! But obviously don't want to leave it plugged in permanently as will drain battery and will encourage my car to get broken into! Not fussed for on screen info, is there an aux to USB connector...?!

Woody

Not sure if there's such a thing but I found this http://shop.dension.com/en/gateway-lite
Went through densions compatibility pages and this looks like a reasonably cheap solution and if it connects directly to the cd changer wiring it'll be an easy install. I'd ideally like to find someone on here who's successfully running one before I buy though.

 

[Woody]

Quality, good shout Thanks Bodger (sorry not Badger!)

Are you also running DSP, sat nav, cd changer, bluetooth set up? Looking forward to results...

Intravee also looks like quite a complicated install so if this other option is just a simple plug in then brill

 

[Stuart Truman]

How about a Dice Mediabridge?

 

[theblues]

I've just changed from the cd stack in the cubby box as it had packed in and went with the standard BMW lead from the back of the unit to the glove box I do change my tracks a bit on the ipod but you have 5 playlists so you can load all you want into different Genre's and it works a treat

 

[Woody]

I've just changed from the cd stack in the cubby box as it had packed in and went with the standard BMW lead from the back of the unit to the glove box I do change my tracks a bit on the ipod but you have 5 playlists so you can load all you want into different Genre's and it works a treat

Ok yep I get that, playlists is a good idea so that should solve the changing tracks dilemma.

But what about charging? Are you not finding that your iPod loses battery very quickly? That's my main bug bear at the mo, how to keep it charged up all the time...

 

[theblues]

I've just changed from the cd stack in the cubby box as it had packed in and went with the standard BMW lead from the back of the unit to the glove box I do change my tracks a bit on the ipod but you have 5 playlists so you can load all you want into different Genre's and it works a treat

Ok yep I get that, playlists is a good idea so that should solve the changing tracks dilemma.

But what about charging? Are you not finding that your iPod loses battery very quickly? That's my main bug bear at the mo, how to keep it charged up all the time...

I have a Roberts clock radio it stays on during the night so haven't had any problems. I do have a charger for the iphone so I suppose i could always charge it with that

 

[Woody]

I have a Roberts clock radio it stays on during the night so haven't had any problems. I do have a charger for the iphone so I suppose i could always charge it with that

Sorry, I'm a little confused.com! What is a Roberts clock radio and what relevance is it to the charging of an iPod? I leave my iPod Nano in the glovebox all the time connected to the aux cable. Then I have a car charger to charge the iPod up when it's depleted of battery, which seems like all the time so I'm just not using it, hence posting here! If only the aux cable charged the iPod every time the ignition turned on...what would do that easily and not cost the earth?

 

[theblues]

sorry Woody what I meant was my ipod classic stays on a charger all the time so never really noticed the battery going down. but you should be able to get anything up to 20 hrs without putting on a charge, with the Nano there are tricks you can do to keep more battery power. don't add EQ's to playlists and turn off the backlight sorry if not much help

 

[chris g]

I have a Roberts clock radio it stays on during the night so haven't had any problems. I do have a charger for the iphone so I suppose i could always charge it with that

Sorry, I'm a little confused.com! What is a Roberts clock radio and what relevance is it to the charging of an iPod? I leave my iPod Nano in the glovebox all the time connected to the aux cable. Then I have a car charger to charge the iPod up when it's depleted of battery, which seems like all the time so I'm just not using it, hence posting here! If only the aux cable charged the iPod every time the ignition turned on...what would do that easily and not cost the earth?

hi - if you are using a standard cable to connect to the aux, (something that connects to the charging end) ther eis a cable on ebay that plugs into the bottom of the ipod and splits so that it can charge via a usb car charger, and connect to the other end connects to the aux - its only a few quid, its on my santa list

would that not work for you

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-iPod-iPhone-Y-Cable-USB-to-AUX-Interface-Lead-fits-2007-to-Present-/190631518734?pt=UK_MP3_Player_Accessories_Cables_Adapters&hash=item2c6286220e&_uhb=1

 

[BPM-Z4R]

I have the Dension Gateway 300, bought from a forum member for £75. Has USB, AUX & iPod and controlled from original headunit or steering controls, i love it, ipod in glovebox all hidden away. Easy to control from stereo via number and skip track buttons, playlists, albums, artists, tracks etc.

 

[Mrbodger]

I have the Dension Gateway 300, bought from a forum member for £75. Has USB, AUX & iPod and controlled from original headunit or steering controls, i love it, ipod in glovebox all hidden away. Easy to control from stereo via number and skip track buttons, playlists, albums, artists, tracks etc.

Thanks for that. I think you've made my mind up. Was it an easy install?

 

[Woody]

Will this charge the iPod?

 

[srhutch]

I used to have a Dension Icelink plus which only worked with iPods, but was very good. Used in my last 3 BMWs and it charges.

If you can find one on ebay might be worth a look. I sold mine for £75 to a forum member.

 

[sb78]

I have the Dension Gateway Lite BT.
Dead easy to fit (once you get the vents off!).
I have the main unit velcro'd inside the glovebox.
You can stream from your iphone via bluetooth, play music from a usb stick and play music from an ipod / iphone with the optional cable.
The cable charges my iphone 4.
Dension say it will display track names on the Business CD, but this seemed a bit buggy in my zed. Works fine without the text. Hopefully they will do a firmware update soon.
The BT version also lets you receive phone calls hands free via the stereo.
It's worth a look.

 

[BPM-Z4R]

Yep easy install. Remove vents and stereo and connect supplied cable between original stereo wiring and stereo. Then run cable into glovebox am plug in the dension. And yes it charges the iPod too.


iPhone 5 TapaTalking

 

[Woody]

Cool, sounds good

So why do people go for the more expensive Intravee over the Denison then?

And a few Denison models have been listed above, which would be best for my needs (as noted above) for the least dosh! Don't need Bluetooth, just the ability to charge the iPod, steering wheel controls and seeing info on sat nav screen would be nice but not crucial. And if course easy to fit, no removing of centre console etc!

Hopefully I'm not asking questions that have already been posted in the past!