Hi,

I've just bought a 2000 330 SE Touring. It came with a BMW
proferssional radio and a 6 CD changer in the back.

It's a great car in every way - but, I would like to upgrade the CD
changer to one capable of playing MP3 cds. Six ordinary CDs just isn't
enough

I would also like to retain the original head at the front if
possible, as it is tied into the steering wheel controls etc.

What are my options?

Is there something as simple as a firmware upgrade?

Would a later MP3 capable BMW CD player be compatible with the
existing head? Are they even for sale as separate units.

Sorry , I don't know much about BMWs at all.... :-)

Thanks

On Thu, 05 Oct 2006 16:18:27 +0100, SteveL
<stevelon@deletethisbitntlworld.com> wrote:

The 2005 head unit plays MP3s and should swap with your existing
model just fine.
epbrown
--
"Everybody wants a normal life and a cool car;
most people will settle for the car." Chris Titus
2003 BMW 325i Black/Black, 2003 BMW Z4 Black/Black

On Thu, 05 Oct 2006 19:40:03 GMT, E Brown <three1983s@att.net> wrote:


Thanks for the response.

It's an MP3 capable cd changer I really want - as opposed to wanting
the head itself to be MP3 capable. (but that changer has to be
compatible with either the current head, or a new head that fits
seamlessly in a 2000 dashboard, and that can preferably also be
controlled by the steering wheel buttons).

I presume, since you say the 2005 head should swap with my existing
unit just fine, that the 2005/6 CD changer should likewise be OK?

MTIA.

"SteveL" <stevelon@deletethisbitntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:caCdnUuYZrvYv7jYRVny1Q@giganews.com...

Here's what you need (no connection with the supplier, except as a satisfied
customer):

http://caraudiosecurity.com/shop/pr...cts_id/407.html
http://caraudiosecurity.com/shop/pr...cts_id/409.html
http://caraudiosecurity.com/shop/pr...ts_id/1280.html

I've used this setup on an E39 and two E46s and it works really well. The
Alpine is a perfect fit in the original CD changer brackets - at least on
the saloon, although I would guess that the Touring fitment would be the
same.

Only disadvantages are that you get no info on the display other than track
number (i.e. no different from the standard unit) and you have to step
through dozens (or hundreds) of MP3 tracks to get to the one you want.

Chris.

"SteveL" <stevelon@deletethisbitntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:67KdnbFq4ZxvmbvYnZ2dnUVZ8sudnZ2d@giganews.com ...

The Alpine unit with a suitable adapter should meet your needs, but that's a
cludgy solution. I'd recommend a Dension Icelink or DICE unit and your
choice of ipod. You'll actually have as much or more control over the ipod
as you'll have with 6 MP3 CD's and their roughly 100 songs / disk. Overall
cost is roughly the same and your ipod is portable (take your tunes to the
gym, the beach, anywhere) and playlists etc are more easily manipulated via
itunes than burning additional MP3 disks.

Why not get somewhere near the leading edge of the technology? A CD
changer, even MP3 capable, isn't it.

R / John

On Thu, 05 Oct 2006 16:18:27 +0100, SteveL
<stevelon@deletethisbitntlworld.com> wrote:



Thanks for replies.

The iPod solution looks like a winner.

SteveL wrote:
Rather than locking yourself to an iPod, have you considered BMW's
official Aux Audio Input connector: http://www.my330i.com/mod26.php

The piece is only $40, and it will take audio from any source. I have
an iPod now, but I don't know (and honestly doubt) I will in the next
couple years (but I'll most likely have my 330 still). Like the guide
above, I mounted it above the shifter and it works great.

On Sun, 08 Oct 2006 22:22:34 -0700, Nicholas Andrade
<sdnick484@nospam.yahoo.com> wrote:


Sure, if you want low-quality audio, no ID3 tags, and no ability to
control it from the steering wheel controls. It's perfect then.

On Sun, 08 Oct 2006 22:22:34 -0700, Nicholas Andrade
<sdnick484@nospam.yahoo.com> wrote:


Forgot to add - no charging of the iPod, either.

Toby wrote:

First off, if you're using a stock deck, chances are audio quality isn't
a top priority. Furthermore, the post I'm replying to is suggesting a
solution that will lock the user into an iPod -- a device where unless
the user is only using Apple's Lossless codec will already have lossy
songs. With the auxillary in option, you can use a device which
supports line out and a multitude of lossless codecs (FLAC, MonkeyAudio,
etc.) -- in this case audio quality would actually be better. If the
user already has all their songs in Apple's Lossless format, they might
as well go with the iPod solution as they're pretty much vertically
locked to Apple devices. Personally, I keep most of my songs in both
FLAC and MP3, so in the future when I find a device I like which
supports FLAC, migration will be trivial.

no ID3 tags,

The ID3 tags are on the device; personally at the moment I just leave my
iPod in the cup holder, and I'm fairly confident I'll do the same with
any future device. If you do a lot of night driving, than perhaps this
is an issue; I usually try to pay attention to the road and not scroll
through my music collection when I'm driving at night...

and no ability to control it from the steering wheel controls. It's
perfect then.

While you can't change tracks, you can still control the volume. I
guess the importance of being able to scroll through your music depends
on how you go about listening to it. About 85% of the time I use either
a "My Top Rated" or "Songs Not Played Recently", and the remaining 15%
of the time I just listen to a single artist/album. In both cases,
scrolling through isn't a major issue since I can just press the next
track on the device.

Basically what it comes down to is if you foresee yourself staying with
an iPod for as long as you have your car or you buy all your music
through iTunes and are locked in, than you should probably go with an
iPod solution. If you believe that before you sell your car you'll be
switching audio players (at the moment I expect to, my iPod is a 3rd
generation, and I definitely don't see enough value added in Apple's
current offerings), then going with a generic audio in is probably the
better choice.