[greg2step]

I loaded some MP3's on a USB stick, they play just fine when i plug into the USB port. I also found and used the import option.

What is the capacity of the onboard storage for music? How do you tell how much you are using, and how do you remove music if you fill it up and want to update the collection?

Also - is there a maximum size USB stick? I used a 32 without issue.

[jmg]

Originally Posted by greg2step

Also - is there a maximum size USB stick? I used a 32 without issue.

I use in a 128gb in all my bimmers. Works just fine.

[fxoffroad]

greg2step maybe this will help, maybe not.

[greg2step]

Thanks

I did do some digging. in the music collection you can hit options and then select manage music on the menu - that allows delete of some or all music - also export collection to USB and free space. Capacity is 20480mb (20gb).

I have a lot of live music in my collection - 256gb usb stick would work. Has anyone used one yet? they are new/pricy, but you can find them for a little over $50 on amazon now.

[JSY]

Originally Posted by greg2step

Thanks

I did do some digging. in the music collection you can hit options and then select manage music on the menu - that allows delete of some or all music - also export collection to USB and free space. Capacity is 20480mb (20gb).

I have a lot of live music in my collection - 256gb usb stick would work. Has anyone used one yet? they are new/pricy, but you can find them for a little over $50 on amazon now.

I have not (have a 128GB low profile) but it should work. I think all it has to be is formatted properly. I haven't tried it in this car yet, but in my previous X3, I was able to plug in a 500gb USB hard drive, but it was not too practical, especially with all constant vibration while driving. I almost bought a 500gb solid state hard drive at Costco to user, but I didn't and am still thinking about it as it's not too cheap. I am running out of space on my 128GB so I might be forced to go bigger.

I store my essential music in the internal 20GB storage. I store as much of my collection I can plus some videos in the 128gb drive. The beauty of it being on the USB drive is that I had to bring my car into the shop so all I did was pop out the drive, and plug it into my loaner car and boom I still have all my music.

[greg2step]

Originally Posted by JSY

I have not (have a 128GB low profile) but it should work. I think all it has to be is formatted properly. I haven't tried it in this car yet, but in my previous X3, I was able to plug in a 500gb USB hard drive, but it was not too practical, especially with all constant vibration while driving. I almost bought a 500gb solid state hard drive at Costco to user, but I didn't and am still thinking about it as it's not too cheap. I am running out of space on my 128GB so I might be forced to go bigger.

I store my essential music in the internal 20GB storage. I store as much of my collection I can plus some videos in the 128gb drive. The beauty of it being on the USB drive is that I had to bring my car into the shop so all I did was pop out the drive, and plug it into my loaner car and boom I still have all my music.

I ended up mostly filling the 20gb storage with my essentials. I figured out how to get it randomize the entire collection - and the buttons on the radio itself (above the cd eject button) allows single track skip forward to the next random song.

I am eyeing a 256gb memory stick on amazon - every time i click on it it goes down a few cents - $49 and change USD now.

[Keweenawbee]

I really like editing the collection in the iTunes application on the home computer.

I mentioned a while back that we have been using a dedicated 128GB iPod Touch. It is extremely compact, lays flat in there, and has the advantage of sharing the same iTunes structure we are using on the home AV system and the exercise iPods we have, etc. The slider tambour cover can be closed above it since it remains connected via a low profile 90° USB A male to Apple lightning short cable, it remains charged and comes on in an instant when starting the car. It always remembers it's last place, etc. Only caveat is the iDrive's iTunes interface is not as extensive. Apple has the "smart playlist" feature which once created will automatically update when new music is applied, so all I had to do was make a smart playlist for each artist that has more then one album in the collection. That way we can play by artist where as the iDrive would only let you play by the artist's single album.

So in the iDrive we have to go to "media search" first, then select one of our newly created playlists to play all the artist's titles with the random play on or off. I made one playlist that contains "all songs" so it just selects from the whole collection randomly.

Play by genre is another way, but I still need to extensively edit them since it is not consistent enough as purchased from the iTunes store or from ripping my CD's to the collection.

We happen to get Apple CarPlay in our car but it does not work with the iPod Touch, even though it has every function of an iPhone except the cellular part. I think ultimately it being a dedicated music player and having it's hard wired semi-permanent connection is the better way to go. The CarPlay iTunes interface could be more complete but then you probably would have to either stream or store all your music on that phone, not to mention share calling functions.