Change incoming ringtone on Bluetooth handsfree?

Pseudo Nim · 09-07-2009, 06:43 PM

Hi all,

To date, several times I have jumped in the car, hit my head and almost crashed the car because of the horrible incoming ringtone that sounds like a nuclear attack alarm. I don't imagine BMW would be nice enough to allow you to... but is there ANY way to change the incoming shrill buzz that they call a ringtone? Even if you need a 3rd party tool?

Any help appreciated. Save my life! :P

-pN

Perfectus · 09-07-2009, 09:44 PM

I'd like to know too! But I think we're gonna get a "no can't be done"

enforcerman · 09-07-2009, 11:34 PM

The up side: its loud as hell.

GregL · 09-08-2009, 12:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by enforcerman

The up side: its loud as hell.

I never tried, but does turning the volume knob while it's ringing have any effect?

Pseudo Nim · 09-08-2009, 06:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GregL

I never tried, but does turning the volume knob while it's ringing have any effect?

It does. But at that point, it's too late - if you've been listening to music at a fairly loud volume (okay, mea culpa, shouldn't do that but still), then the shrill noise WILL make you AND the passengers jump. If you synchronise the jumping, and you're going fast enough, you can probably make the whole car briefly lift off the road.

Unbelievable - for all the intelligent design the car has, this is simply madness. Can't I flash it with the BT tool or something?

pruettfan · 09-11-2009, 01:21 PM

It scares the hell out of me every time but overall I love the feature.

jpsum · 09-11-2009, 03:42 PM

the warning chimes scare me even more.

rodness · 10-05-2009, 02:40 PM

As I came back from lunch my phone rang and I almost swerved off the road. I really have to agree, for a car that is otherwise so well thought out, this "feature" is just plain retarded.

I've gone through the idrive menus a thousand times, but can't find anything useful. I was searching here for a solution, and no dice, but figured I'd share some of my own conclusions:

1) Turning the knob (or volume buttons on the wheel) while the phone is ringing WILL lower the volume.

2) The call volume (both the incoming ring and the in-call volume) seem to share the same setting, but this setting is unrelated to the entertainment volume setting. I've had the radio very low but still had the "nuclear alarm" when the phone rang.

3) The ringtone is proportionately MUCH louder than the other end of the phone call. If you turn up the volume to hear the person you're talking to, you're raising the ringtone volume into the nuclear alarm range.

3) There is no way to change the call volume setting without being in a call. So by the time you get the nuclear alarm, it's too late.

Every time I hang up the phone, I think "crap, I should have lowered the volume before hanging up." but seeing as how I'm more preoccupied with important things like actually keeping the car on the road (which isn't helped by the nuclear alarm) I just don't remember.

So I'm thinking I need to try to work around the engineers who thought this was a good idea. Here's my new strategy, which I will be trying out on my way home tonight.

1) Set one of the programmable buttons to call something that won't get picked up by a human... either my own voicemail, or the phone switchboard at my office or something.

2) When I hang up with someone, if I realize I've forgotten to lower the volume, then I can press that button, lower the volume to where I can't hear the speaking, and hang up.

3) Then when someone calls, the ringtone should be much more manageable. It just requires the extra step to call myself and make sure the volume is low before the phone rings again.

Hope this benefits others too.

-r

Pseudo Nim · 10-05-2009, 03:31 PM

Thanks for the writeup rodness. I had a sad laugh reading it, as it mirrors my experience quite well. I'll try it on my car as well, but it really baffles me that, like you said, for such a thoughtfully engineered car this feature is so incredibly stupid. I wish there was a software update to fix this or something.... for all the turbo lag-related issues that are being discussed, I'm surprised that so few people have freaked out about this one here.

Alan l. · 10-06-2009, 12:48 PM

rodness's post had me cracking up because its exactly the same for me.

Imagine backing up parking into a tight spot and the rear PDC is beeping away....then all of a sudden the nuclear bomb alarm goes off because of an incoming call.....i almost released my clutched abruptly and would have nailed the car behind me.

kgb1637 · 10-06-2009, 12:55 PM

You people hear this and swerve? I just know when the music cuts out the call is coming in. I find it effective.

Cptn Mo 703 · 10-06-2009, 01:27 PM

i had an 08 e93...when i got a call it wasnt that bad, cuz the whole idrive was kinda slow and there would be a pause between the music cutting and phonecall...but in the 09's oh man theres no warning for it i feel like it beeps even before the music cuts out...and eveytime i have a passenger they get freaked out too...but i just try pushing the down volume button on the steering wheel, seems to work for like 1-2 calls and then its back to your nuc.

rodness · 10-06-2009, 02:14 PM

Well, today I went to lunch with a coworker and tried my solution.

I called myself and turned the volume way down. Then had him call me, and got a nuclear alarm again.

So much for that idea... apparently you can lower the volume of the ringtone while it's actually ringing, but the next time it goes right back up to ear-shattering.

*grumble*

Pseudo Nim · 10-06-2009, 02:19 PM

Very strange. Why can't this be dealer adjustable? Hell, I'll even PAY for this. I'll pay $XX (or even $XXX) to have a slightly more "normal" ringtone so that it's not a danger to my well-being. Heh.

badass1g · 10-06-2009, 02:23 PM

it sounds like a damn annoying alarm clock in the morning that you dread hearing. i wish it would just turn the music off and that was it.

rodness · 10-06-2009, 02:27 PM

This makes me wonder if it's maybe related to the ringtone volume setting on the actual phone. I have my iphone ring volume on max (it's not that loud to begin with, so it's useless lower than that.) If the car is taking that setting, maybe that's why we get a nuclear alarm...

I'll have to see if it does the nuclear alarm if i mute the phone ringer. Although, that's not much of a solution, assuming it even works at all.

AGAIN: This is just me thinking out loud, I haven't tried this at all.

Alan l. · 10-06-2009, 03:11 PM

Please let us know....i was wondering the same thing too.

freshwhite335 · 10-06-2009, 11:32 PM

the mom just got an 09 750 and i love the bluetooth ringer in it. ill take a video clip of it tomorrow and post it up. i hate the ringer in my 07 e90 that i just dont even use bluetooth anymore. im about ready to order a '10 M3 and i was hoping that it would have the same ringer. guess not...

ct335i · 10-07-2009, 07:12 AM

This has never bothered me at all but i agree they could have set a nice ringtone for BT.

rodness · 10-07-2009, 10:15 AM

It's really hard to tell what's going on here.

I waited until the wife left for work (so she couldn't sit there laughing at me) and took the house phone out to the garage and called myself a bunch of times.

It doesn't seem to be related to the phone ringer volume. Adjusting that on the phone made no difference. Turning the volume knob while the nuclear alarm was going off did lower it to a manageable volume. Then turning the volume up during the call seemed to still keep the ringer from being a nuclear alarm while still allowing me to hear myself.

But it's hard to know if I have the volume up to a normal conversational level without the road and wind noise. I also don't know if these settings are going to stick past a power cycle of the car. It might be back to nuclear alarm tomorrow morning, I'll check it again if I remember.

Meanwhile, it certainly seems like lowering the volume while it's ringing helps for repeat calls, if only temporarily.

Naturally, the owner's manual is no help whatsoever.

BK · 10-07-2009, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rodness

Well, today I went to lunch with a coworker and tried my solution.

I called myself and turned the volume way down. Then had him call me, and got a nuclear alarm again.

So much for that idea... apparently you can lower the volume of the ringtone while it's actually ringing, but the next time it goes right back up to ear-shattering.

*grumble*

I could swear that on my 06, turning the volume knob down during the ringing sets the volume for all future ringing as well. Mine doesn't ring very loud because I turned it down long ago. This setting is stored to the key fob. Or so I thought.

rodness · 10-07-2009, 10:28 AM

I have no idea. As you've noticed, my experience this morning differs from my experience yesterday.

The manual DID say that the volume settings are stored in the key fob, yes. But yesterday with my coworker calling repeatedly it was always a nuclear alarm. (Although now that I think about it, I may have been lowering the volume during the call, and not during the ringer. Dunno. I was trying to drive at the time.)

09-07-2009, 06:43 PM	#1
Pseudo Nim twinborific 118 Rep 4,836 Posts Drives: fast, sometimes slow Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: i am a citizen of the world iTrader: (9)	Change incoming ringtone on Bluetooth handsfree? Hi all, To date, several times I have jumped in the car, hit my head and almost crashed the car because of the horrible incoming ringtone that sounds like a nuclear attack alarm. I don't imagine BMW would be nice enough to allow you to... but is there ANY way to change the incoming shrill buzz that they call a ringtone? Even if you need a 3rd party tool? Any help appreciated. Save my life! :P -pN __________________ Doko ni itemo, hito wa tsunagatte iru...
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09-07-2009, 09:44 PM	#2
Perfectus Major 35 Rep 1,252 Posts Drives: e92 335i/F10 528XI Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: NOVA/MD iTrader: (10)	I'd like to know too! But I think we're gonna get a "no can't be done" __________________ 2012 528XI Saphire Black Stock for now 2007 e92 335i - Monaco Blue Injen DCI w/ Cyba Scoop - M-Tech Rear - ///M3 Rear Lip Spoiler - ///M5 SMG Shift Knob & iDrive Knob - BMW Performance Hand Brake - BMWCCA Member
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09-07-2009, 11:34 PM	#3
enforcerman The Man 17 Rep 348 Posts Drives: 2007 328i / 2014 328i MSport Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: San Antonio, TX iTrader: (0) Garage List 2007 328i [0.00]	The up side: its loud as hell. __________________ 2007 328i (01/07 Production) Monaco Blue / 2014 MSport 328i - Glacier Silver Modifications: Blacked out Kidney Grill \|\| Bluetooth Retrofit \|\| Ipod Retrofit \|\| Rear Power Outlets \|\| Euro Switch \|\| Blacklines
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09-11-2009, 01:21 PM	#6
pruettfan Brigadier General 1622 Rep 3,402 Posts Drives: 2017 M2, LBB, DCT, Exec Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Chandler, AZ iTrader: (0)	It scares the hell out of me every time but overall I love the feature.
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09-11-2009, 03:42 PM	#7
jpsum Major 274 Rep 1,088 Posts Drives: 2010 TSX Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: New Haven area iTrader: (4)	the warning chimes scare me even more.
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10-05-2009, 02:40 PM	#8
rodness Criticizes inanimate objects 38 Rep 42 Posts Drives: BMW Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: SoCal iTrader: (0)	As I came back from lunch my phone rang and I almost swerved off the road. I really have to agree, for a car that is otherwise so well thought out, this "feature" is just plain retarded. I've gone through the idrive menus a thousand times, but can't find anything useful. I was searching here for a solution, and no dice, but figured I'd share some of my own conclusions: 1) Turning the knob (or volume buttons on the wheel) while the phone is ringing WILL lower the volume. 2) The call volume (both the incoming ring and the in-call volume) seem to share the same setting, but this setting is unrelated to the entertainment volume setting. I've had the radio very low but still had the "nuclear alarm" when the phone rang. 3) The ringtone is proportionately MUCH louder than the other end of the phone call. If you turn up the volume to hear the person you're talking to, you're raising the ringtone volume into the nuclear alarm range. 3) There is no way to change the call volume setting without being in a call. So by the time you get the nuclear alarm, it's too late. Every time I hang up the phone, I think "crap, I should have lowered the volume before hanging up." but seeing as how I'm more preoccupied with important things like actually keeping the car on the road (which isn't helped by the nuclear alarm) I just don't remember. So I'm thinking I need to try to work around the engineers who thought this was a good idea. Here's my new strategy, which I will be trying out on my way home tonight. 1) Set one of the programmable buttons to call something that won't get picked up by a human... either my own voicemail, or the phone switchboard at my office or something. 2) When I hang up with someone, if I realize I've forgotten to lower the volume, then I can press that button, lower the volume to where I can't hear the speaking, and hang up. 3) Then when someone calls, the ringtone should be much more manageable. It just requires the extra step to call myself and make sure the volume is low before the phone rings again. Hope this benefits others too. -r
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10-05-2009, 03:31 PM	#9
Pseudo Nim twinborific 118 Rep 4,836 Posts Drives: fast, sometimes slow Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: i am a citizen of the world iTrader: (9)	Thanks for the writeup rodness. I had a sad laugh reading it, as it mirrors my experience quite well. I'll try it on my car as well, but it really baffles me that, like you said, for such a thoughtfully engineered car this feature is so incredibly stupid. I wish there was a software update to fix this or something.... for all the turbo lag-related issues that are being discussed, I'm surprised that so few people have freaked out about this one here. __________________ Doko ni itemo, hito wa tsunagatte iru...
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10-06-2009, 12:48 PM	#10
Alan l. Major General 5450 Rep 8,815 Posts Drives: 2020 F95 X5M Competition Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: United States iTrader: (9)	rodness's post had me cracking up because its exactly the same for me. Imagine backing up parking into a tight spot and the rear PDC is beeping away....then all of a sudden the nuclear bomb alarm goes off because of an incoming call.....i almost released my clutched abruptly and would have nailed the car behind me. __________________
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10-06-2009, 12:55 PM	#11
kgb1637 Lieutenant Colonel 21 Rep 1,519 Posts Drives: RS5 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Baltimore, MD iTrader: (0)	You people hear this and swerve? I just know when the music cuts out the call is coming in. I find it effective. __________________ Retired - '08 E90 335i Sparkling Graphite/Gray Dakota Leather, ZSP, ZCW, ZPP, Navi, ipod, Sat
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10-06-2009, 01:27 PM	#12
Cptn Mo 703 Lieutenant Colonel 116 Rep 1,603 Posts Drives: my feet Join Date: May 2009 Location: NoVa iTrader: (15) Garage List 2010 BMW e92 M3 ret ... [10.00] 2009 BMW e93 335i r ... [9.50]	i had an 08 e93...when i got a call it wasnt that bad, cuz the whole idrive was kinda slow and there would be a pause between the music cutting and phonecall...but in the 09's oh man theres no warning for it i feel like it beeps even before the music cuts out...and eveytime i have a passenger they get freaked out too...but i just try pushing the down volume button on the steering wheel, seems to work for like 1-2 calls and then its back to your nuc. __________________ 2008 Alpine White e93 335i- Sold 2009 Black Sap. Met. e93 335i- Sold 2010 Melbourne Red e92 M3- Sold
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10-06-2009, 02:14 PM	#13
rodness Criticizes inanimate objects 38 Rep 42 Posts Drives: BMW Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: SoCal iTrader: (0)	Well, today I went to lunch with a coworker and tried my solution. I called myself and turned the volume way down. Then had him call me, and got a nuclear alarm again. So much for that idea... apparently you can lower the volume of the ringtone while it's actually ringing, but the next time it goes right back up to ear-shattering. grumble
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10-06-2009, 02:19 PM	#14
Pseudo Nim twinborific 118 Rep 4,836 Posts Drives: fast, sometimes slow Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: i am a citizen of the world iTrader: (9)	Very strange. Why can't this be dealer adjustable? Hell, I'll even PAY for this. I'll pay $XX (or even $XXX) to have a slightly more "normal" ringtone so that it's not a danger to my well-being. Heh. __________________ Doko ni itemo, hito wa tsunagatte iru...
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10-06-2009, 02:23 PM	#15
badass1g Captain 51 Rep 646 Posts Drives: 07 335i Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: utah iTrader: (7)	it sounds like a damn annoying alarm clock in the morning that you dread hearing. i wish it would just turn the music off and that was it.
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10-06-2009, 02:27 PM	#16
rodness Criticizes inanimate objects 38 Rep 42 Posts Drives: BMW Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: SoCal iTrader: (0)	This makes me wonder if it's maybe related to the ringtone volume setting on the actual phone. I have my iphone ring volume on max (it's not that loud to begin with, so it's useless lower than that.) If the car is taking that setting, maybe that's why we get a nuclear alarm... I'll have to see if it does the nuclear alarm if i mute the phone ringer. Although, that's not much of a solution, assuming it even works at all. AGAIN: This is just me thinking out loud, I haven't tried this at all.
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10-06-2009, 03:11 PM	#17
Alan l. Major General 5450 Rep 8,815 Posts Drives: 2020 F95 X5M Competition Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: United States iTrader: (9)	Please let us know....i was wondering the same thing too. __________________
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10-06-2009, 11:32 PM	#18
freshwhite335 Colonel 148 Rep 2,882 Posts Drives: 991/RR Sport AB Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: 904 FL iTrader: (6) Garage List 2011 BMW 135i [0.00]	the mom just got an 09 750 and i love the bluetooth ringer in it. ill take a video clip of it tomorrow and post it up. i hate the ringer in my 07 e90 that i just dont even use bluetooth anymore. im about ready to order a '10 M3 and i was hoping that it would have the same ringer. guess not... __________________ 2014 Range Rover Sport Autobiography 2012.5 991 C2S 1978 Corvette
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10-07-2009, 07:12 AM	#19
ct335i BMW 4 LIFE 120 Rep 467 Posts Drives: MY22 M3xDrive Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Toronto iTrader: (0) Garage List 2022 BMW M3 [0.00]	This has never bothered me at all but i agree they could have set a nice ringtone for BT. __________________ 2022 BMW M3 xDrive \| Isle Man of Green \| 19inch/20inch M Forged Wheels, Double-Spoke 825M, Orbit Grey \| Ultimate Package
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10-07-2009, 10:15 AM	#20
rodness Criticizes inanimate objects 38 Rep 42 Posts Drives: BMW Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: SoCal iTrader: (0)	It's really hard to tell what's going on here. I waited until the wife left for work (so she couldn't sit there laughing at me) and took the house phone out to the garage and called myself a bunch of times. It doesn't seem to be related to the phone ringer volume. Adjusting that on the phone made no difference. Turning the volume knob while the nuclear alarm was going off did lower it to a manageable volume. Then turning the volume up during the call seemed to still keep the ringer from being a nuclear alarm while still allowing me to hear myself. But it's hard to know if I have the volume up to a normal conversational level without the road and wind noise. I also don't know if these settings are going to stick past a power cycle of the car. It might be back to nuclear alarm tomorrow morning, I'll check it again if I remember. Meanwhile, it certainly seems like lowering the volume while it's ringing helps for repeat calls, if only temporarily. Naturally, the owner's manual is no help whatsoever.
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10-07-2009, 10:28 AM	#22
rodness Criticizes inanimate objects 38 Rep 42 Posts Drives: BMW Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: SoCal iTrader: (0)	I have no idea. As you've noticed, my experience this morning differs from my experience yesterday. The manual DID say that the volume settings are stored in the key fob, yes. But yesterday with my coworker calling repeatedly it was always a nuclear alarm. (Although now that I think about it, I may have been lowering the volume during the call, and not during the ringer. Dunno. I was trying to drive at the time.)
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