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      01-10-2017, 03:27 PM   #1
mjsaville
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M2 Audio System - Will it accept an SDHC Card?

Evening Everyone,

While I'm waiting for a build slot, I'm wondering if either the basic audio or the H/K System will accept SDHC or Micro SD Cards and allow mp3 playback?

I've looked through the brochure, its useless.....

All feedback appreciated,

thanks

MJ
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      01-10-2017, 04:00 PM   #2
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      01-10-2017, 04:33 PM   #3
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Hi Omasou,

thanks for this - not the best news being honest, disappointed at USB only - hopefully it will take a USB Stick.

I'll need to test when I get the car though.

cheers

MJ
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      01-10-2017, 06:06 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mjsaville View Post
Evening Everyone,

While I'm waiting for a build slot, I'm wondering if either the basic audio or the H/K System will accept SDHC or Micro SD Cards and allow mp3 playback?

I've looked through the brochure, its useless.....

All feedback appreciated,

thanks

MJ
you can use a cheap SDHC or MicroSD to USB adapter.
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      01-10-2017, 09:21 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mjsaville View Post
Evening Everyone,

While I'm waiting for a build slot, I'm wondering if either the basic audio or the H/K System will accept SDHC or Micro SD Cards and allow mp3 playback?

I've looked through the brochure, its useless.....

All feedback appreciated,

thanks

MJ
Unlike Audi's, vehicle does not have card reader. But, you can either use adapter or both usb jump sticks and external hard drives; I have used up to 2TB devices. System plays most video and audio formats, including *.flac and *.avi.
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      01-11-2017, 02:10 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Almaretto View Post
Unlike Audi's, vehicle does not have card reader. But, you can either use adapter or both usb jump sticks and external hard drives; I have used up to 2TB devices. System plays most video and audio formats, including *.flac and *.avi.
Thanks Almaretto,

As you've guessed I'm coming from a Audi, an S5 which has a built in SD Card reader, stick your music files on the card and happy days....

If I can put my files on a USB stick device then that will be fine for me.

Cheers

MJ
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      01-11-2017, 02:34 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mjsaville View Post
Thanks Almaretto,

As you've guessed I'm coming from a Audi, an S5 which has a built in SD Card reader, stick your music files on the card and happy days....

If I can put my files on a USB stick device then that will be fine for me.

Cheers

MJ
I am not sure many many manufacturers offer SD card readers, but I happen to know Audi does.

Yes; you will be just fine with USB sticks. I tend to tag my own music and ensure no larger than 500x500 for images and never had issues. Plus, BMW's are relatively easy to code.
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      01-13-2017, 12:00 AM   #8
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I had an SD card reader in both my 2005 and then 2006 Audi A3. I'm honestly surprised people would desire that format over a self-contained, small and universal thumb drive.

Do people enjoy fiddling with SD card readers and SD / microSD adapters?
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      01-13-2017, 12:34 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ried View Post
I had an SD card reader in both my 2005 and then 2006 Audi A3. I'm honestly surprised people would desire that format over a self-contained, small and universal thumb drive.

Do people enjoy fiddling with SD card readers and SD / microSD adapters?
I like the ability to easily read (camera/ phone/ dashcam) cards in my computer. I prefer to use flash drives and portable HDD in vehicle.
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      01-13-2017, 02:17 AM   #10
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Originally Posted by Almaretto View Post
I like the ability to easily read (camera/ phone/ dashcam) cards in my computer. I prefer to use flash drives and portable HDD in vehicle.
Same here. I don't understand why someone would prefer an SD card over a USB flash drive in the car. Seems cumbersome.
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      01-13-2017, 02:34 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ried View Post
Same here. I don't understand why someone would prefer an SD card over a USB flash drive in the car. Seems cumbersome.
I am sure I would misplace an SD card. I unfortunately recently lost one of these (< 2 inches):

.
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      01-13-2017, 11:07 AM   #12
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As inexpensive as USB thumb drives are these days -- $15-$25 for a high-performing 64GB one (even cheaper if you opt for a USB 2.0 one, which is all you need speed-wise for audio playback) that will work seamlessly and not overheat -- I wouldn't even be thinking about an adapter.

Just get a thumb drive, dupe your albums to it, plug it into your USB jack, and fuhgetaboutit.
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      01-13-2017, 12:44 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ried View Post
Same here. I don't understand why someone would prefer an SD card over a USB flash drive in the car. Seems cumbersome.
From my perspective, I like the way an SD Card can be plugged in flush,with nothing showing. A very small USB stick is easier to fill with media and maintain granted, depends on where is plugged in on the vehicle.
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      01-13-2017, 12:46 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Viffermike View Post
As inexpensive as USB thumb drives are these days -- $15-$25 for a high-performing 64GB one (even cheaper if you opt for a USB 2.0 one, which is all you need speed-wise for audio playback) that will work seamlessly and not overheat -- I wouldn't even be thinking about an adapter.

Just get a thumb drive, dupe your albums to it, plug it into your USB jack, and fuhgetaboutit.

Wise words...
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      01-13-2017, 01:15 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mjsaville View Post
From my perspective, I like the way an SD Card can be plugged in flush,with nothing showing. A very small USB stick is easier to fill with media and maintain granted, depends on where is plugged in on the vehicle.
Well, on our cars there's always one hidden inside the armrest. Also, some MY 2016 cars have another USB port in the glovebox, and if you have a 2017 with the Exec. Package there's one next to the cupholders. Plenty of options, including out of sight.
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      01-13-2017, 01:39 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ried View Post
Well, on our cars there's always one hidden inside the armrest. Also, some MY 2016 cars have another USB port in the glovebox, and if you have a 2017 with the Exec. Package there's one next to the cupholders. Plenty of options, including out of sight.
Agree. Especially when there's this puppy, why go for SD? I always thought it was odd that my Audi has an SD card for MUSIC.

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      01-13-2017, 02:59 PM   #17
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Agree. Especially when there's this puppy, why go for SD? I always thought it was odd that my Audi has an SD card for MUSIC.
That particular SanDisk, the Ultra Fit, is known for running very hot. So is the SanDisk Cruzer.

My suggestion would be either this Lexar or this Samsung ... or, if you don't mind a little stick-out, either this Samsung or this Sandisk Extreme (which is overkill, but it's solid).
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      02-09-2017, 12:15 AM   #18
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Does iDrive have a "preference" (does it work better with one or the other, or support some features better in one or the other e.g. album art or "sort order" tags) between .mp3 or .m4a? Does it allow you to simply browse the file/folder tree as you've laid it out, or are you forced into the Apple-style Artist/Album/Song hierarchy choices?

I keep my entire library in lossless format (originally was FLAC, later transcoded to Apple Lossless so I can play it with iOS/Macs more easily), so I can spit out whatever compressed format I want as long as I devote the time to let something chug through the library. I currently have it all as pretty high-quality AAC (.m4a) simply because variable bitrate in that format tends to work better with 3rd party devices in my experience. (My older VW and Audi would refuse to show remaining track time with VBR mp3s.) I think I need to just take my stick-o-music (I use one of the tiny Lexars linked earlier - they still run pretty warm too, FWIW, but I picked the Lexar over the Samsung because it has a blinkenlight on it) and jam it into a car and play around...

I skimmed the USB PDF linked above - incredibly impressed that exFAT is supported. It is technically superior to FAT32, but it generally requires a license to implement so most companies are too cheap to pay that per-device fee... Pretty cool on BMW's part here.

I assume that for voice command, it has to index the device somehow... Is it smart enough to save that index on the internal storage of the car so it doesn't have to re-index the whole stick every time the car starts again? My wife's 2017 Subaru sucks like this, making the "USB stick full of music" concept almost entirely worthless in that car (it takes 3-5 minutes to chew through ~20GB of music, every time you start the car).

Last edited by ZPrime; 02-09-2017 at 12:24 AM..
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      02-09-2017, 12:23 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ZPrime View Post
Does iDrive have a "preference" between .mp3 or .m4a? I keep my entire library in lossless format (originally was FLAC, later transcoded to Apple Lossless so I can play it with iOS/Macs more easily), so I can spit out whatever compressed format I want as long as I devote the time to let something chug through the library.

I assume that for voice command, it has to index the device somehow... Is it smart enough to save that index on the internal storage of the car so it doesn't have to re-index the whole stick every time the car starts again? My wife's 2017 Subaru sucks like this, making the "USB stick full of music" concept almost entirely worthless in that car (it takes 3-5 minutes to chew through ~20GB of music, every time you start the car).
I do not believe the system has a preference. I mostly use *.flac. It will have no issue playing *.mp3. I do not have any *.m4a.

I use up to 2TB drives and it does not have to index each time. I can even plug in drive a week later and system resumes playing specific tracks.
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      02-09-2017, 12:44 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Almaretto View Post
I do not believe the system has a preference. I mostly use *.flac. It will have no issue playing *.mp3. I do not have any *.m4a.

I use up to 2TB drives and it does not have to index each time. I can even plug in drive a week later and system resumes playing specific tracks.


Very nice that FLAC is supported too, but TBH there is too much going on inside a car for me to appreciate the details it brings. On a good stereo at home or a nice pair of headphones, I can probably ABX FLAC at least 50% of the time, but in a car I just don't see the point when you can get such a great compression ratio with a high VBR AAC or MP3.

Does it handle album art from FLAC? (IIRC that isn't actually standardized anywhere.)

And jeez, spinning rust in a car, you're a braver person than I. (Or at least, I assume you're using spinning rust in 2TB capacity, because 2TB SSDs added to portable enclosures just for music in the car is Bentley/Rolls levels of "baller.") Especially with the sort of g-loads an M2 can generate... I would be really pissed off if I managed to physically crash a hard drive during a track day and not have music for the rest of the time. Flash memory FTW.
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      02-09-2017, 01:06 AM   #21
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Quote:
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Very nice that FLAC is supported too, but TBH there is too much going on inside a car for me to appreciate the details it brings. On a good stereo at home or a nice pair of headphones, I can probably ABX FLAC at least 50% of the time, but in a car I just don't see the point when you can get such a great compression ratio with a high VBR AAC or MP3.

Does it handle album art from FLAC? (IIRC that isn't actually standardized anywhere.)

And jeez, spinning rust in a car, you're a braver person than I. (Or at least, I assume you're using spinning rust in 2TB capacity, because 2TB SSDs added to portable enclosures just for music in the car is Bentley/Rolls levels of "baller.") Especially with the sort of g-loads an M2 can generate... I would be really pissed off if I managed to physically crash a hard drive during a track day and not have music for the rest of the time. Flash memory FTW.
I have used both B&O as well as HK system. I notice difference in vehicle with *flac over 320 mp3. I am also not going to keep my collections in too many formats.

I verify and modify tags with Mp3tag. I get all pertinent data, including album (all resized to 500 x 500 pixel).

I use both flash drives as well as regular 7200 rpm HDD. My 2TB drives are either hybrid or straight disc. I save larger capacity SSD for my actual computers.
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      02-09-2017, 07:30 PM   #22
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Quote:
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I notice difference in vehicle with *flac over 320 mp3
I don't believe you.
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