Ive only gone and done it!

[Nick73]

Ok, so apologies if this has been posted before but Im a bit pleased with miself I've managed to get podcasts and music to stream through my factory fitted bluetooth with no additional kit... But..... Its only in mono, so its a bit naff for music but fine for podcasts which is 99% of what I listen to!

So, as you know the e53 doesn't have A2DP bluetooth which is the stereo channel it has the older HFBT (hands free Blue tooth) which is mono and which the Iphone (and others) recognises as NOT a streaming channel.

So all you need to do is to tell your phones bluetooth to stream in mono and it will stream to the X5's HFBT unit.  Turns out this isn't as simple as you may think.

There used to be a legit app in the app store which would do this but its been discontinued so for Iphone users you will have to jailbreak your iPhone.  For the process is
Jailbreak>>Install activator (needed for SBSettings to work) >>install SBSettings>>instal BTMono SBSetting toggle

Once thats done flick the BTMono switch and your phone will stream audio via the cars bluetooth.

If you are on android there is a legit app called BTMono in the android store that should do the same thing (but not having a phone to test, I can't be sure). 

This will also let you stream audio to a mono bluetooth headset.

Might be a bit of a faf but its free and means I don't have to spend £200 to listen to already low fi podcasts

...and there was much rejoicing 

[Sanj]

Nice post Nick!

Will test this out tomorrow as I have a JB iPhone.

Jig - can you test this out tonight for a change!?! ;D

[Nick73]

Just and update.  Not sure if anyone else has tried this yet.  I've run if for the last few days to and from work.  The process and streaming have worked flawlessly every time, so it seems to work without any bluetooth dropouts etc.

The main caveat is that it is very low fi, any audiophiles will NOT like the resultant sounds!  as (unsurprisingly) it sounds like your listening to audio over a phone line with very little bass tones and harsh high tones on occasion.

As I said above I listen to podcasts mostly and once you get used to the sound then its completely fine for those...music would be a different matter, if thats your goal then £200 on a dice or intravee would probably be well spent.

Any questions just ask
Cheers

[X5-D-Sport]

May be a silly question, but how do you access the vehicles BluTooth connection & will this possibly work with Galaxy Android fones ?

Thanks in advance
Grant B

[Nick73]

HI
For android there is a couple of legit apps that 'should' make it work, one is called BTMono another is called Mono Bluetooth Router.  Both are designed to allow the phone to send mono audio to mono only headsets (and in this case the car, which as far as you phone is concerned is a mono headset).  I don't have an android phone to test with though.

As for connecting to the cars bluetooth assuming you've previously paired for phone for regular calls then the car thinks the podcast is a phone call and it just works!

So, for me I make sure I have BTMono active before I get in the car, I turn the ignition on and then just go to the podcast app on the phone and press play, the radio (if its playing) automatically stops and the podcast starts playing through the speakers... thats all there is to it!

Like I say it works brilliantly, its just the audio quality thats the problem

Let me know if theres anything Ive missed

cheers
Nick

[X5Sport]

Have you got Bluetooth fitted?  It is an option.  Somewhere on here is Sanj's 'How to' guide with images of the OEM Manual.

There are 14 variants of the TCU in the E53 so depending upon when yours was built then it may or may not work.  Later ones tend to support more functions but it's still limited to phone book and calls, and sometimes not even the phone book.

You may well need to clear all pairings first as the car can only hold 4 so if the other owners have not cleared them, you may have no spare 'slot' until you remove them.. It's in the guide and pretty simple too 

Richard

[Nick73]

Sorry yes... what X5Sport said!

I assumed you already had BT, clearly you need to know if you've got BT and then pair the phone before anything else works!

Apols if I got the wrong end of the stick...its Saturday..Mr Jack and Mr Daniels are visiting.....