iPod control + Lossless encoding + more

[bradford]

I have a few audio questions regarding the iPod integration in a 2009 135i...

1. What kind of control is available if I get the iPod and USB adapter option but do not select the navigation option? Is the screen large enough to navigate the iPod easily? Can I browse playlists, albums, and all the other options I have on the iPod?

2. Does the iPod/USB option send the signal to the head unit, where it is decoded by the head unit's DAC? Or does it send it in analog format via the USB cable? Or analog via the phono jack?

3. If it sends it digitally to the head unit, does the head unit know how to decode Apple Lossless format? If not, what about AAC320?

I'm trying to figure out how to get the best quality audio in the 135i. I'm thinking that a permanently installed iPod Classic with my entire library on it would be the best bet, but I've encoded my favorite stuff in Apple Lossless format.

Thanks!

[warmtoes]

1. You can see the playlists, albums, artists ,etc. but it is not the easiest to navigate when you have a large list like looking at albums or artists alphabetically because you cannot jump to a letter.

2. The iPod adapter takes the analog out of the connector and feeds it to the head unit to amplify so it is not a digital transmission.

3. See 2.

Since the iPod itself is used to decode the music you don't have to worry about compatibility issues with the head unit.

[Bones13]

With the iPod option, and the "Y" cable, the USB in the armrest will charge, and control the iPod via the radio, while a stereo mini-plug sends the music straight from the iPod through the sound system. I find the iDrive to be quite slow at navigating through a larger iPod collection.

The sound system itself will only decode MP3 music. So any music you want to upload to the hard disk in an iDrive system needs to be straight MP3, not AAC, FLAC, or ALAC. This holds true if you plug in a thumb drive with music to play (not upload).

Seems that the only decoder in the sound system is MP3, but the iPod kit with its special cable allows the iPod to decode for you.