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      02-15-2020, 04:17 AM   #1
Ninefourteener
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Video: G05 dealer-installed CD player function

I posted it in my progress/build thread in my signature, but I know only a few people will likely see it.

As you most likely already know, as of 2019, the new models do not come with a CD player anymore. Some people could care less, and that's cool. I do care. I love my CDs. The only way you can get it is to order it as a dealer-installed option. The factory will not install one, but many of the new models come with "CD player preparation" from the factory... whatever that means.

There was VERY little information out there about what the "dealer installation only" CD player looked like, and functioned like. There are no pictures of it online anywhere.... so I made a video.

I know... it's "old" technology. Whatever. The sound quality is better than most streaming services, and most people have a ton of CDs. To spend this much on a car, and not have access to play a still-perfectly-relevant form of high quality digital music?? Just seemed silly to me.

So.... this is for anyone that may be interested in having one installed.

BMW part # 65122451536 and 65122451539

Cost: $420, parts and labor

It does NOT play DVDs

It DOES allow you to download CDs onto your hard drive permantly, so you only need to play the "physical" CD once, and then it is your forever, digitally.

Not super convenient, admittedly... but it's not like you have to use it daily. Slide in the CD one time, save it to your car's hard drive, and then put the CD back in that box in your basement. You never need to play it again. For me, that feature was absolutely worth it. (See demonstration in video)

Correction to video: the CD player must be pushed "up" to close the glovebox door... just FYI.

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Last edited by Ninefourteener; 02-15-2020 at 04:47 AM..
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      02-15-2020, 09:51 AM   #2
siegester
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I don't get it, this just seems silly to me. Why have this installed, especially if you are just going to store all the songs on the cars HDD anyways? Just rip them to a USB drive at your computer, and transfer them via USB in one shot.

You mention that most people have plenty of CDs, but I doubt this is really true in 2020. I ripped all my old CDs in the very early 2000s and have been buying digitally since then. I have a backup HDD where I replicate them, and the CDs went into the trash almost 20 years ago. CDs are so outdated that most PCs don't come with them anymore as everyone converted to truly full digital so long ago. If for whatever reason you haven't done this, then you likely have a PC with a cd/dvd drive still (or you can get them for $20). It's not like CDs are analog like vinyl or cassettes, it's literally just a different medium for the same digital formats (like USB).

Note: I am not trying to be rude, I am honestly curious to really understand why you went this route.
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      02-15-2020, 10:59 AM   #3
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Thanks for sharing! And I do understand the tech nostalgia - good onya if that's your music thing. I would point out though that it does take up space in your glovebox (looks like about 50%)- even though it drops down, it has to have room to do it, even if you empty out your glovebox each time. Plus the space you would need to store CDs in the car if you do use it to play CDs rather than just to transfer, but lots of nooks in the G05. It's maybe more convenient to transfer to the HDD for those not comfortable with ripping to a USB on a PC, but takes longer and there's a limit to HDD storage - likely to top out (about 45 or so CDs) if you have a large number of CDs, which ironically, someone who uses a CD player is likely to have. In the end, it's just another media selection to play tunes - a good thing - but comes at a cost of space and convenience. Come to think of it, so do my vinyl turntables.

Last edited by Paladin1; 02-15-2020 at 11:14 AM..
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      02-15-2020, 11:16 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by siegester View Post
Note: I am not trying to be rude, I am honestly curious to really understand why you went this route.
1) I don't have the time or patience to buy a cd drive, and sit in my office burning CDs one by one. I know it's "possible"... but I'd rather just grab a new CD every time I take a drive, pop it in, listen to it while it's downloading, and then do it again next time.

2) I've been a musician since 1988, and I still enjoy reading inlay cards in CDs, looking at artwork, etc.

3) i often buy used CDs at pawn shops and used music stores for pennies on the dollar... I enjoy it.

4) I like to discover new music by listening to an entire album.... not just downloading one song.

5) They still make/sell CDs. I just pre-ordered one from one of my favorite bands 2 weeks ago. I'm looking forward to receiving it in the mail when their new album drops. As long as they keep making them, I'll keep buying them.

Maybe I'm old.... or nostalgic. It's just what I prefer. While the whole concept of preferring "tangible" music over digital purchases may be outdated... I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one that still feels this way. We just aren't generally as "vocal" about our preferences.... because..... well...... look at the responses to this thread already.

Post & video were made to help others like me.... not to draw scrutiny from those who feel differently, although I kinda knew it was going to happen anyway
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      02-15-2020, 11:37 AM   #5
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I'd love to have a CD player in the car as just another way to play quality music - the more the merrier, if 1) it didn't take up any space and was super easy to use - a slot in the center panel, maybe, and 2) could directly transfer files to any other media selection - USB or HDD, and 3) was more reliable than any CD players I've used to date, particularly mobile CD players. But props to anyone who wants to step out and do it as-is.
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      02-16-2020, 04:34 PM   #6
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Sick! Cool to see someone do this. It's your ride, make it yours. Ignore the haters and enjoy that CD player... If I had one in my G05, maybe I'd take the time to appreciate the 800+ CDs I accumulated over the years along with the album art and liner notes. Yeah, I ripped them all to a hard drive long ago but I miss the tangible interaction - the artwork (beyond the cover), reading the notes the artist included, etc.

Thanks for sharing that.
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      02-26-2020, 02:05 PM   #7
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Curious, has anyone tried just hooking up a self-powered USB CD player? Or even DVD player? In the infotainment technical training document the "rear view" of the CD player states "USB Port". It seems like perhaps it's just connecting to a dedicated USB port behind the headunit. Take a look at page 40 of the tech document.

Further curious about the DVD player. I personally haven't put a CD in my car in years, BUT I do have some dvd-audio discs and it's super disappointing that while my Acura TL supported it and sounded amazing, BMW never has nor never will to my knowledge.
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      10-16-2020, 10:35 AM   #8
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Will this work on 2021?

I will be picking up my new 2021 x5 xDrive40i next week and would love to get this CD player installed!

A while back I noticed the CD Prep was no longer listed on the standard features...so was thinking maybe this is now not even an option anymore? But I'm hoping despite that option not being listed it is still possible.....does anyone know if this can still be done on a new 2021?

Alternatively has anyone found a USB CD player that works?
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      10-19-2020, 02:17 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Paladin1 View Post
It's maybe more convenient to transfer to the HDD for those not comfortable with ripping to a USB on a PC, but takes longer and there's a limit to HDD storage - likely to top out (about 45 or so CDs) if you have a large number of CDs, which ironically, someone who uses a CD player is likely to have.
I believe I have about 120 CDs loaded on my car's hard drive at this point. Not sure how much space I have left, but it's definitely not full yet
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      10-19-2020, 07:48 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ninefourteener View Post
I believe I have about 120 CDs loaded on my car's hard drive at this point. Not sure how much space I have left, but it's definitely not full yet
The answer is yes, maybe and you could be pretty close. Or not. Should have qualified - if you burn your own CDs and use the maximum capacity (the size of the average song on a commercial music CD is about 3-4MB @1,411 kbps. MP3 @320 kbps. 12-24 songs per CD for an average commercial album, 80-150MB) with lossy compression you could store between 100-150 songs per CD burning your own. Your internal HD media space is about 20GB, so will hold a little over 30 of those, or roughly 3,000 to 4,000 songs compressed. At the maximum commercial album size straight off the CD, the math is that the internal HD will hold about 65 albums. But you're going to compress them (if you copy your own), and most of the albums won't all be the maximum size (probably closer to an average 100MB), so just as a WAG, double that, or even say 200 albums. That's a lot of music, and probably enough for most CD audiophiles. My own HD has a little over 100 albums, maxxed out. My collection is in excess of 600 CDs. A 125GB micro flash drive will hold over 6 times the capacity of the internal HD, or say 1,500 albums compressed.

And sorry about all the math - again, I wish a CD player was standard in the new BMWs - just more convenient and more historically reliable. It's just another way to play tunes, and a good one. I also wish the HD was larger (capacity), because 20GB is woefully inadequate in the new digital age, and storage is probably the cheapest thing you could add to these cars.

Last edited by Paladin1; 10-19-2020 at 07:58 AM..
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      11-10-2020, 11:48 AM   #11
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USB CD Player that works

I realize this info will only be of interest to a small percentage of you but for those of you who have either purchased a 2021 (CD Prep is no longer included thus the CD player in glovebox install isn't an option anymore beyond the 2020 model year) or just want to know if any of those external USB CD players being sold out there work, I can confirm that I have found one that does!

I looked at 2 other versions that I was told did not work so took a chance on a 3rd option out there which is the Accele CDUSB. I was actually expecting it not to work, but it did and I'm pretty excited. I plugged it into the USB by the cupholder to test. The head unit recognized it and I was able to control the tracks through the head unit. This unit is a little bulkier than others and doesn't fit really well in the armrest (where I was hoping to install it) especially considering where the cord come out of the unit so I don't think I will be able to permanently attach it inside the armrest. That said I can fit it in there, just not in a way that I could easily load cd's into it.

I paid about $300 which is a lot, but there appears to be a lot of scam sellers out there for this thing so beware. I ended up getting it from this place: https://lockdownsecuritycanada.ca/pr...r-usb-add-a-cd

All of that said I've really warmed up to Apple Car Play so am not sure how much I will use it, but for those long trips or rides home from the record store, I'm excited to have it. Long live CDs!
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