SD Card reader for ibus systems

[rogan]

This was posted on another forum. Could be a great alternative to the ipod integration kits. Don't know anything else about it. This was posted by a guy who's an absolute guru of BMW electrics and factory integration

Extremely easy if you use SD card instead of USB stick.
The CP600BMW is a replacement for the Cd changer.
Can be used on any car with the ibus-controlled CD changer (E46, E39, E38 from approx 1998, X3, X5 (non idrive), Z4, even the later E34s.


Unplug the CD changer, plug in the CP600BMW and you have a SD card reader that can handle over 1,000 songs, supports text display of artist and title on almost any model BMW radio, uses full radio controls, and is of really good quality.


Will be on the market any day now.

[Edwin NL]

Working on it!

[mrferg]

Very interesting, I'll need to keep an eye on this. My changer has been acting flaky every once in a while, so a solid state solution would be nice.

[Benny Z]

slick!

[rogan]

Only other info on the other forum

Originally Posted by jochen

The CP600BMW is recognised as a CD changer and uses the same CD changer protocol.

So it is limited to 6 x CDs, whereby each CD can hold hundreds of songs

Each CD is a directory and the CP600BMW can recurse sub directories as well

The text display happens in the same way as the Intravee - it overwrites the display generated by the nav

[admranger]

And no worries about a stolen iPod...

Price point?

[rogan]

If anyone can be bothered reading it there's a 31 page thread here:
http://translate.google.co.nz/transl...Bbmw%26hl%3Den

[12v Electronics]

Haven't read the other thread yet, but the build quality seems to be #1.

Gotta love a piece that is specially made for BMW's.

[bmtouring]

Production phase has started and the first batch is offered now. EUR 239 including european VAT (19%), excluding postage.

The mentioned thread is the beta testers' experiences thread (I'm Bmtouring there too). Interesting to read. That's where it's mentioned that it's on sale to consumers now.

Should you have questions concerning the player, I'll be happy to (try) to answer them.

I have a beta version in my E39 (2002) and am very enthousiastic about it.

[rogan]

Excellent.

Is there a full list of what BMW models it's compatible with? and any other car brands that use the same system.

Couldn't find the manufacturer's link on a quick google

[bmtouring]

I'm new to this forum and can't find a 'pm' or 'email' button.

sorry for the Dutch words but I think you'll decipher what you want to know.

3er, E46, Limousine Sept. 98 - Maart 2005

3er, E46, Limousine september 98 - Maart 2005

3er, E46, Touring Sept. 98 - Begin 2006

3er, E46, Touring september 98 - Begin 2006

3er, E46, Cabrio Sept. 98 - Maart 2007

3er, E46, september Cabrio 98 - Maart 2007

5er, E39, Dec. 1995 tot 2004,

5er, E39, december 1995 tot 2004,

7er, E38, Sept 1996 tot 2001

7er, E38, september 1996 tot 2001

X5, E53, 1999 - Sept. 2006

X5, E53, 1999 - september 2006

X3, E83, vanaf 2004 tot heden

X3, E83, vanaf 2004 tot heden

Z4, E85, Roadster, 2002–2008

Z4, E85, Roadster, 2002-2008

Z4, E86, Coupé, 2002–2008

Z4, E86, Coupe, 2002-2008

Z8, E52, Roadster, Dec, 1998 - Juli 2003

Z8, E52, Roadster, december, 1998 - Juli 2003

Mini Cooper, R50, 2001 - Dec.2006

Mini Cooper, R50, 2001 - Dec.2006

Mini Cooper S, R53, 2001 - Nov.2006

Mini Cooper S, R53, 2001 - Nov.2006

Mini Cooper Cabrio, R52, 2004 - voorjaar 2009

Mini Cooper Cabrio, R52, 2004 - voorjaar 2009

Land Rover, L30, Jan/2000 tot Eind 2005.

Land Rover, L30, Jan/2000 tot eind 2005.

Vanaf 2006 werd alles FORD, ook het Navi/HiFi-Systeem

Vanaf 2006 Werd alles FORD, ook het Navi / HiFi-Systeem

Rover 75, R40, Feb/1999 tot April 2005

Rover 75, R40, Feb/1999 tot april 2005

MG-ZT, R40, 2001 - 2005

MG-ZT, R40, 2001-2005

manufacturer is www.maintronic.de

[12v Electronics]

Guessing from the list and what I know about BMW's it should work on all i-bus BMW's (96-2004 ish cars). The connectors may vary though.

[bmtouring]

As far as I know the connectors fit all these models. either the analog or the digital out. But I'll ask about the types it works with to date.

I remember a thread concerning the older P-models changers need a lot of modding to connect. But that was a deep dig into the car's systems. In my car (2002 E39 with 16:9) it was extremely simple because I had already removed the changer (it was broken) but left the cables.

[attack eagle]

Originally Posted by bmtouring

Production phase has started and the first batch is offered now. EUR 239 including european VAT (19%), excluding postage.

I have a beta version in my E39 (2002) and am very enthousiastic about it.

$355 + shipping... ouch.
Just one question... why do people NOT IN EUROPE have to pay European Value Added Tax?

[rogan]

If it's being shipped international you should be able to get VAT back, If the supplier isn't offering this then it's going to struggle with overseas orders.

[attack eagle]

exactly...

[MJ DOOM]

Damn i was thinking $100-$200 maybe. O well. maybe the price will go down in the future.

[bmtouring]

Originally Posted by attack eagle

$355 + shipping... ouch.
Just one question... why do people NOT IN EUROPE have to pay European Value Added Tax?

who sais you have to? For exports the supplier does not have to pay it so you don't have to. But you may have import duties or local taxes depending on the local laws and regulations of your location.

Price without the 19% is 239 / 1.19 = 200 EUR what is some 300 USD.

Postage to the US shouldn't be too crazy I expect.

A quick look: between 14 and 26 EUR (depends on type of sending)

[attack eagle]

you are the one advertising it son, not me.
You are the one who didin;t say Non EU people don't have to pay it (especially since BF.c is primarily American).

$300+ $40 shipping is still a chunk of change. it is nice but just not very cost effective when 8 gb sd cars are still $30 a pop and a used ipod with 10x that is $50. Shoot DICE is 1/2 the cost, and you have enough money left over to buy an iPod that you can use in places other than the car.

it is a day late and a dollar short, IMO.

$150 shipped and you've got an alternative to an Ipod adapter...

Otherwise too expensive to go thru the inconvenience of buying SD cards (and a reader), swapping SD cards, taking SD cards in and out of the house to change songs, being limited to 6 (LONG) playlists like the old PITA BMW ipod adapters.

Nearly 3 years ago, he'd have had a hot product, and now it is just old passè tech... like mp3 playback on CD-Rs.

[bmtouring]

Originally Posted by attack eagle

you are the one advertising it son, not me.

I posted the fact that it is for sale in Europe. I didn't and don't advertise it for sales to the US. For exactly the reasons you mention: exchange rate and US alternatives (iPod).

My opinion on the price: 200 EUR is reasonable when compared to 450 EUR for a new changer (dealer) or EUR 250 for a second hand. Also the iPod is more expensive here than in the US, plus connecting materials and labor it would add up to more than 400 EUR here.
With this, plus the dollar-EUR rate taken into account, I can understand that it seems expensive for the US.

...house to change songs, being limited to 6 (LONG) playlists like the old PITA BMW ipod adapters.

The limitation of 6 is in the main folders, not the playlists. Within the main folders, playlists can be made.
Switch to the first in the main folder by hitting the number button, then again for the next playlist and so on.

Personally I don't use the playlists, I use the six main folders (genre) and a couple of subfolders (complete albums). Good enough for me as I use it as a replacement of the changer without the hassle of changing CD's.

[attack eagle]

Well you might have specified then it was for EU sales ONLY...
(you didn;t and the only poeple commenting are from the US and NZ!)
That eliminates about about 99.5% of the bf.c CA&E readers.

Might i suggest you try bimmernut.com? they have a LOT of EU based readers and would be much more your target audience.

I bought 4 'ipods' this year... Two 16gb iPhones (and both provide Sirius XM and internet streaming audio over 3g too) and a 16Gb Nano and an 8Gb nano... and 4 USB drives and two USB HDs. We both agree Ipod/USB is pretty much the standard for digital transfer/storage now...

I have two iphones and two Nanos, my D1 uses CF, my D40x uses SD, the PSP uses memory stick DUO the blackvberry uses MicroSD... and I have only one 7 year old computer that can read those cards themselves. But every device can transfer data via USB.

Add a USB 2.0 sicket for running USB sticks, Small HDs, or even an Ipod IN Mass storage mode, and you would VASTLY improve the usabiliy and feasability of the product... and people could still plug in a card... shoot, maybe eliminate the built-in card reader and let people use an External card reader in the USB slot?
most people/computers don;t HAVE card readers anymore, so to use your SD card they will be buying one anyway.

no one seems to have anyproblem in EU buying the $159 DICE unit or others... and Ipods are now under $150... so thats about 200 euro, right?

Actually my 16gb Nano is sitting next to my bed unused... I should probably trade it for the 14" overhead monitor that won't fit into either of my neighbor's cars nor his truck

[bmtouring]

just a moment, you seem to want to tell someone else something:

I did not start this thread, I found it and mention the fact that it is for sale in Europe. I am not targeting my audience, I targeted the thread starters and enthusiasts who found out about the device and might want to be updated.

Also I am not the producer, for a discussion on why it should have feature x or y or its price level it would be better to contact them (www.maintronic.de)

Discussion about what other solution is better or not, have a look at the mentioned thread ( no, I did not mention that first either). Most of them were used by the members and they wrote about the pros and cons of them.

USB vs SD, well, different opinions there: users mentioned USB sticks of various quality that reduced stability greatly, same for adapters. Apparently the producers chose for the stability over the advantages USB would bring.
And for computers: most laptops have SD card readers and even all new Apple's come with them. So I'm not so sure as you are that SD is out and USB should be in. Of course it would be wise to check other electronics in the house, I use camera's that have SD cards in them and everything else is connected over the network so I'm ok with only SD.

[G. P. Burdell]

The CP600BMW looks like a good solution for me, because I want a plug-and-play device that gives me steering wheel controls, lets me use my existing collection of SD cards, and doesn't require me to buy an iPod or install an iPod adapter. My car eats a CD changer every three years, and this looks like a great opportunity to ditch changers for good.

If a reputable vendor were to begin importing the CP600BMW to the U.S., I'd seriously consider buying one. (hint hint)

[attack eagle]

Originally Posted by bmtouring

just a moment, you seem to want to tell someone else something:

I did not start this thread, I found it and mention the fact that it is for sale in Europe. I am not targeting my audience, I targeted the thread starters and enthusiasts who found out about the device and might want to be updated.

Also I am not the producer, for a discussion on why it should have feature x or y or its price level it would be better to contact them (www.maintronic.de)


And for computers: most laptops have SD card readers and even all new Apple's come with them. So I'm not so sure as you are that SD is out and USB should be in. Of course it would be wise to check other electronics in the house, I use camera's that have SD cards in them and everything else is connected over the network so I'm ok with only SD.

well you are the one who SAID it was not for sale to the US, etc etc. I was under the impression YOU (since you were speaking for it and defending it like it were your own) were the manufacturer.

And for the record, I have 6 laptops under 2 years old, including a Macbook, a Toshiba and a Sony and none of them have card readers.

And honestly I'm not in the market: I don't own an I-bus BMW, nor am I short of music storage with over 500 Gb of portable storage, Sirius XM and other streaming music via 3g.

Originally Posted by G. P. Burdell

doesn't require me to buy an iPod or install an iPod adapter. (hint hint)

Break down and buy the ipod... costs less short term and long term.

1 year ago I had NONE and no digital music and no
now I have 4 ipods and 50 GB of 320 mp3 and 30+ Gb of wav files for my home network...

Assimilation is inevitable. Resistance is Futile.


But seriously, start a list, you get 20 people Committed to buying one at $400, and putting money down upfront to that effect, you can probably get one.

[bmtouring]

Originally Posted by attack eagle

well you are the one who SAID it was not for sale to the US, etc etc. I was under the impression YOU (since you were speaking for it and defending it like it were your own) were the manufacturer.

And for the record, I have 6 laptops under 2 years old, including a Macbook, a Toshiba and a Sony and none of them have card readers.

Please re-read my posts and find that I did not say it was not on sale in the US but that it IS on sale in Europe. I also quite cleary write who is the manufacturer, even including a link. And so on.

by the way: the new iMac and Macbook come with SD-card slot. next to the CD slot.


Anyway, peace: it does not really matter who is more right or not. Fact is, this device is not for people with iPods and lots of other cool stuff (no offense). There's other stuff that connects all that together.

For that, it is too close to the original changer. I see it as such: completely integrated yet I don't have to burn CD's any more. When (if) it comes with MP3TAG showing that will be nice but for me it's not a must have.

You might be right about the amount of music growing and growing though. However, I'm quite sure that 32Gb will suit my needs during the use of this vehicle.