Can the Phatbox be converted to run on E60 BMW?

[JayArras]

Hi!  This is my first post.  Glad I discovered you guys.

I am about to sell my 20GB unit, but before I do, I'd like to find out if there is any way to use it in my '07 BMW 530xi.  I originally had it in my 1997 538i, but I'm told the interface is fiber optic in my 530, so it is not compatible.  Does anyone know if there's a hack for that?  I really love this unit and would like to be able to access the 500+ songs on it.  Any help would be appreciated.

[Terry_Kennedy]

I am about to sell my 20GB unit, but before I do, I'd like to find out if there is any way to use it in my '07 BMW 530xi.  I originally had it in my 1997 538i, but I'm told the interface is fiber optic in my 530, so it is not compatible.  Does anyone know if there's a hack for that?  I really love this unit and would like to be able to access the 500+ songs on it.  Any help would be appreciated.

As far as I know, there's no i-bus to MOST adapter. And it would get pretty funky if there was, since the BMW Phatbox uses an adapter box to get to i-bus in the first place.

When I looked into this (I was going to import an out-of-market M5 Touring), there was a USB option available for the BMW. You should be able to put your music on a USB device (either a hard drive or a memory stick, since you only have a 20GB DMS) and play it directly from the head unit. You won't get audio announcements like the PhatBox does, but you do get direct browsing with all track info shown on the screen.

[JayArras]

Thanks for your reply. I wrote to Blitzsafe, because I came across this article:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/omni/319901-ipod-bmw-2.html.  I was hoping that maybe they had done some development on this.

I know all about the BMW iPod interface.  To replicate what I had with the Phatbox would require either purchasing that or the Dension Gateway 500, which works with the MOST interface to show the artists, genres, playlists, etc. from from iPod on the screen display.  Total cost for either option is about $500 after you get through with purchase, installation and programming the head unit at the dealer. <sigh>

[Terry_Kennedy]

I know all about the BMW iPod interface.  To replicate what I had with the Phatbox would require either purchasing that or the Dension Gateway 500, which works with the MOST interface to show the artists, genres, playlists, etc. from from iPod on the screen display.  Total cost for either option is about $500 after you get through with purchase, installation and programming the head unit at the dealer. <sigh>

I wasn't talking about the iPod interface. The literature for the BMW I was looking at said it supported generic USB mass storage devices - it had a USB port built into the center console.

[JayArras]

Unfortunately, that option started to appear in later model years than my '07.  But you're right, that would solve a lot of things.

[mikalai]

Hello.

Just bought '08 bmw X3, which has I-Bus CD-changer.
Also have VW/Audi PhatBox and very like one. There is 250Gb disk with full of FLAC music on it.
I'd like to have similar quality music collection in bmw X3, but quick search show nothing.

Are there any chance to replace original CD-changer/I-Bus with VW/Audi PhatBox?

Some messages above give me little hope.