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Using a FlashDrive with 2015 BMW RT Audio System

exgman

exgman

Active member
I looked around some, tried searching but came up with no prior Forum posts on this issue.

I have a 2015 RT with audio. I know it can handle an input from a USB FlashDrive because I have done it. My issue is that I don't know how to create a file order in the FlashDrive which will help me organize and then find the songs (all MP3s) and finally play them through the audio system. I did RTFM and p38 of the "Audio System and Pairing" manual says: "Playlists can be created as a means of sorting tracks."

If I look at the list of files on the FlashDrive it shows a list of names and numbers. On playback, I can get things to play via the LH grip thumbwheel, but don't seem to be able select a particular album or artist. Perhaps creating a playlist is the way around this? I don't know. It's all confusing.

Thank you for whatever help you might give me.

John
 
It will be interesting to see how this works out. Chances are someone has done it or at least has a clever work-around. :ear
OM
 
During a conversation with a friend of mine regarding listening to music on a GS, he mentioned something about syncing the flash drive through a GPS unit. Is that possible?



-Bill
 
IIRC, you need to put each artist in a file of its own on the flash to be able to select individual artists. Make a file of playlists if you want to vary the songs.
If you look on K1600forum, there are few posts regarding this that may be of more detail.
 
My '11 1200RT connects to my Flash drive. I have learned that to make a playlist come up in the radio, I have to give it an incremental BMW name. (BMW1...).
In each playlist, I have renamed the files copied to it with a prefixed number, which is the spot within the playlist.
I found a script online to have it automated from iTunes on my Mac... But, I have to say... It wasn't easy.

That was the only way I found to keep the playlist order when putting it on a flash drive.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
yez216 said:
During a conversation with a friend of mine regarding listening to music on a GS, he mentioned something about syncing the flash drive through a GPS unit. Is that possible?



-Bill
Click to expand...

I have a Nav V on my RT, but I don't have a Bluetooth headset connected, thus I think the audio connection is possible. I do get spoken directions from the Nav V through the speaker system however. Thank you for the advice though.
 
c4golf said:
IIRC, you need to put each artist in a file of its own on the flash to be able to select individual artists. Make a file of playlists if you want to vary the songs.
If you look on K1600forum, there are few posts regarding this that may be of more detail.
Click to expand...

I will take a look at the K1600 forum. I imagine the two audio systems are very similar if not identical (K1600/R1200RT). There has to be an answer somewhere and the manual is less than helpful. Thank you for the advice.
 
ExGMan said:
I looked around some, tried searching but came up with no prior Forum posts on this issue.

I have a 2015 RT with audio. I know it can handle an input from a USB FlashDrive because I have done it. My issue is that I don't know how to create a file order in the FlashDrive which will help me organize and then find the songs (all MP3s) and finally play them through the audio system. I did RTFM and p38 of the "Audio System and Pairing" manual says: "Playlists can be created as a means of sorting tracks."

If I look at the list of files on the FlashDrive it shows a list of names and numbers. On playback, I can get things to play via the LH grip thumbwheel, but don't seem to be able select a particular album or artist. Perhaps creating a playlist is the way around this? I don't know. It's all confusing.

Thank you for whatever help you might give me.

John
Click to expand...


I digitized my entire CD collection, years ago, probably using iTunes and saved all songs into one file I named All Music. Currently, about 14GB.

The All Music folder created this way has a folder for each artist (Aaron Nevell is the first one) and there is a folder in it for each album by the artist, and in each album folder, there is a bunch of .mp3 files.

Forgetting playlists for now, this organization allows the multiwheel to select by artist, album, genre, ... forget if there is more.

I hate creating playlists. I keep forgetting how to export them too. But when I do, they are on the usb stick and can have any name I want, such as Ride Celtic. They show up and are selectable by multiwheel.

I recall the BMW1, etc naming convention was for older Garmins where it took too long to load a full list of titles. No problem for the faster Nav V.

Let me know if this helps, is clear enough, etc.
 
BMW Triumphant said:
I digitized my entire CD collection, years ago, probably using iTunes and saved all songs into one file I named All Music. Currently, about 14GB.

The All Music folder created this way has a folder for each artist (Aaron Nevell is the first one) and there is a folder in it for each album by the artist, and in each album folder, there is a bunch of .mp3 files.

Forgetting playlists for now, this organization allows the multiwheel to select by artist, album, genre, ... forget if there is more.

I hate creating playlists. I keep forgetting how to export them too. But when I do, they are on the usb stick and can have any name I want, such as Ride Celtic. They show up and are selectable by multiwheel.

I recall the BMW1, etc naming convention was for older Garmins where it took too long to load a full list of titles. No problem for the faster Nav V.

Let me know if this helps, is clear enough, etc.
Click to expand...


Well, thank you for this, Ed. It's pretty clear to me. I'll give it a try tonight. I have a 32GB flashdrive, a bunch of stuff in MP3 format on my MacBook Pro. I may actually get this done before a big road trip starting April 8. We'll see.

Thanks again.
 
BMW Triumphant said:
Let me know if this helps, is clear enough, etc.
Click to expand...

Ed - I kept running into little problems with creating the flash drive organization which the bike's audio system liked. I found a program (M3Unify) which organizes everything into folders which the audio system recognizes. Music becomes selectable by artist, album, genre, and a couple of other factors.

The program costs $5, and it's available for Mac (which I have). I don't know and can't tell if it's available for MS-DOS too. Here is the URL for the program: http://dougscripts.com/apps/m3unifyapp.php

It works with iTunes to write to the flash drive, and will also use iTunes to convert AAC and other file types to MP3 which is what the bike wants to see. I did learn that the BMW system only recognizes the flash drive in MS-DOS (FAT) format.
 
ExGMan said:
Ed - I kept running into little problems with creating the flash drive organization which the bike's audio system liked. I found a program (M3Unify) which organizes everything into folders which the audio system recognizes. Music becomes selectable by artist, album, genre, and a couple of other factors.

The program costs $5, and it's available for Mac (which I have). I don't know and can't tell if it's available for MS-DOS too. Here is the URL for the program: http://dougscripts.com/apps/m3unifyapp.php

It works with iTunes to write to the flash drive, and will also use iTunes to convert AAC and other file types to MP3 which is what the bike wants to see. I did learn that the BMW system only recognizes the flash drive in MS-DOS (FAT) format.
Click to expand...

Sounds like you are on the way!

Good catch on the MS-DOS format. I don't have a Mac, so never was a problem for me.

I would have thought iTunes would have been the natural way for you to create and maintain the folder order for you music, but $5 is not a heartbreaker. I'm pretty sure using iTunes to create playlists would work for you. I just keep forgetting the steps needed to create and export the file. Seems I always have to do some web searching.
 
BMW Triumphant said:
Sounds like you are on the way!

Good catch on the MS-DOS format. I don't have a Mac, so never was a problem for me.
Click to expand...

Thanks Ed - Apple seems to like things done in a certain way, and for $5, I now have 3.2GB of music arranged in an easily accessible system on a flash drive.

Looking at your location in Ontario I imagine you'll be in Hamburg for the rally?
 
ExGMan said:
Thanks Ed - Apple seems to like things done in a certain way, and for $5, I now have 3.2GB of music arranged in an easily accessible system on a flash drive.

Looking at your location in Ontario I imagine you'll be in Hamburg for the rally?
Click to expand...

I believe I know what you mean about Apple doing things in a certain way. I often use Media Monkey instead of iTunes for that reason. Even they have their quirks... .


I am going to try to make it. It will be the first time I have attended an MOA rally. It may sound funny, given the heat, but I regret not making Bloomburg.Other rallies were a bit wrong for my schedule at the time.
 
Windows Playlist creator

I googled m3u playlist creator and found one for windows, because ex-gman's suggestion is indeed just for macs, as he suggested and I need one for windows.

There is one from CNET, free, made by Origo, that is a batch file, .bat, that you add to the folder containing your .mp3 files. (There is a mac version too.)

It is a bit tricky to use, just play with it and you will learn it in no time, but this is a trend in software that I detest.

Seems to work well. Easier than other ways I was using so I might do more.

Lists that have lengths that approximate a ride length is my goal. Long lists with too many favorites tend to get only partially played.
 
Formatting iTunes for 2016 RT

ExGMan said:
Ed - I kept running into little problems with creating the flash drive organization which the bike's audio system liked. I found a program (M3Unify) which organizes everything into folders which the audio system recognizes. Music becomes selectable by artist, album, genre, and a couple of other factors.

The program costs $5, and it's available for Mac (which I have). I don't know and can't tell if it's available for MS-DOS too. Here is the URL for the program: http://dougscripts.com/apps/m3unifyapp.php

It works with iTunes to write to the flash drive, and will also use iTunes to convert AAC and other file types to MP3 which is what the bike wants to see. I did learn that the BMW system only recognizes the flash drive in MS-DOS (FAT) format.
Click to expand...

This tip was invaluable! I downloaded M3Unify to my Mac and was in business in no time! I did have to re-read the BMW manual to learn that the MODE button brings up the playlist/etc menus - but it all works smoothly now.

Thanks!
 
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