USB Flash Drive Audio/Video

[quattrospeed]

Just ordered my F15 today, and I would like to thank everyone on the forums for all their help... So I'm Getting ready for it! I am going to code it obviously, and want to code USB video in motion.

So, my question is, what kind of organization method do I need to use for the audio and video files on the flash drive? Any specific tips in relation to the subject?

[egalley]

I did try watching various video formats on my USB stick and it was sorted alphabetically. I don't know if that helps at all. I can't speak for audio. I BT stream off my iPhone.
And in case you didn't know AVI, MP4, and MKV videos play just fine.

[MattBianco]

create M3U playlist to allow you to have playlist media order in a manner you prefer and you still get the benefit of iDrive sorts (artist, composer, genre, etc.).

Here is one way, with a Mac demo, using a software that is also available for Windows: http://f15.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...light=playlist

[ddavtian]

I have organized shows by folders (season) and files (episodes). A separate folder for movies.

[quattrospeed]

Wow, Thanks for that link, very complete for audio. ddavtian : do you mix audio and video on same thumbdrive?

[ddavtian]

Originally Posted by quattrospeed

Wow, Thanks for that link, very complete for audio. ddavtian : do you mix audio and video on same thumbdrive?

Yes. I have 128Gb stick, more than enough space. I also imported music from this USB to the car hard drive (it has 20Gb), so I may delete music from USB.

[MattBianco]

Originally Posted by quattrospeed

Wow, Thanks for that link, very complete for audio. ddavtian : do you mix audio and video on same thumbdrive?

Most welcome. The solution in that link also works for non-audio content. Make a playlist of your movies/shows and it will be among the playlists displayed.

If I were to do it, and there was a lot of media, I would name the playlists as follows:

T - Garfunkle & Oates
T - Survivor Man
T - Kids Shows
M - Action
M - Comedy

T for TV and M for Movie. That way on the playlists, those contents will be clustered together on the screen.

Right now I have dumped all the videos in a playlist called Videos.

If you transfer as ddavtian has , you can transfer the M3U files and you still get playlists -which by itself iDrive does not produce or able to maintain in non-alpha sort.

[quattrospeed]

Wow super informative guys... Thanks a bunch... I'm going to start organizing audio video folders so it's ready for when the F15 comes in!

[Mabi]

I've bought a 256Gb Verbatim USB at Amazon (around 80€)
The USB is formatted as FAT32
I've loaded several folders (some of them with more than 1.000 songs)
All the songs are perfectly tagged
So every folder is like a playlist

The iDrive recognizes the USB through the "external devices" menu
I can navigate the folders through "browse directory" or do a search by artist, album, track, etc, reading the songs tags

It works perfect!
With this I can retire my iPod Classic and forget about iTunes playlists and synchronizations

I've not tried yet with video, just audio
I hope this helps

[quattrospeed]

Originally Posted by Mabi

I've bought a 256Gb Verbatim USB at Amazon (around 80)
The USB is formatted as FAT32
I've loaded several folders (some of them with more than 1.000 songs)
All the songs are perfectly tagged
So every folder is like a playlist

The iDrive recognizes the USB through the "external devices" menu
I can navigate the folders through "browse directory" or do a search by artist, album, track, etc, reading the songs tags

It works perfect!
With this I can retire my iPod Classic and forget about iTunes playlists and synchronizations

I've not tried yet with video, just audio
I hope this helps

Thanks for the feedback! Can you kindly please try the video as well and report back?

[Mabi]

sure! I keep you updated

[Nkbm82]

I'll have to try creating the playlist as well since it capped me out at 500 music videos when the usb in fact has 503. I'm hoping the playlist lets me add more videos as the usb drive is only half full

[quattrospeed]

Originally Posted by scnick82

I'll have to try creating the playlist as well since it capped me out at 500 music videos when the usb in fact has 503. I'm hoping the playlist lets me add more videos as the usb drive is only half full

Do you have all your music videos in a single folder?

[Nkbm82]

Yeah they are just on the stick without folders.

[Mabi]

Hi quattrospeed

tested on a FAT32 USB
I've loaded videos with different formats .mov .avi and .wmv in a set of folders
I select on the idrive Multimedia-External devices-more media-video
The idrive reads de USB and detects all the video files
The shows me the folder structure only where there are video files, which I can navigate.
Important iDrive hides all the folders that contain audio but no video files, so you see only relevant video folders
I see all the files without details on the format type. I can play all the indicated formats
I haven't tried with playlits

So, you can, as ddavtian says, organize by folders series-seasons and then file chapters, for instance

[buckeyewalt]

Are we able to code now? I thought witht he new firmware, coding was not possible.

[Mabi]

Hi Buckeyewalt

No coding from my side
software version is 49.003
European spec

And you are right, as long as I see on the coding and SW update threads with the last SW version you cannot code, but I haven't tried

[quattrospeed]

Originally Posted by Mabi

Hi quattrospeed

tested on a FAT32 USB
I've loaded videos with different formats .mov .avi and .wmv in a set of folders
I select on the idrive Multimedia-External devices-more media-video
The idrive reads de USB and detects all the video files
The shows me the folder structure only where there are video files, which I can navigate.
Important iDrive hides all the folders that contain audio but no video files, so you see only relevant video folders
I see all the files without details on the format type. I can play all the indicated formats
I haven't tried with playlits

So, you can, as ddavtian says, organize by folders series-seasons and then file chapters, for instance

hmm... so here's my file structure... m=music, t=tv shows, v=music videos
and the car only pics up the 'm-jazz' folder... what gives!

[Mabi]

I've tried again today,
Last time I created a folder called “video”, and then I placed different subfolders with all the content.
Due your description is like the iDrive only was reading the first video folder on the root, and then forgetting the rest
Today I’ve created different folders with video content. I’ve named the folders starting with different letters B, T, X and Z, in order to see whether the iDrive was able to read the different folders or not, having other folders with audio content in between
And it did it!,
but, but, but… I don’t know why, but iDrive it was duplicating each folder , so I could see each folder twice when navigating the USB trough “more media-video”
When I was navigating down the folders these were correct and could see all the subfolders structure

So I’m not reproducing the same behavior as the one you describe quattrospeed
Perhaps I suggest to place a first folder on the root called for instance Video, an then place all video content as subfolders of this first on
But I’m not BMW iDrive engineer… so, who knows if it works

[MattBianco]

See post#3. An M3U playlist file is the best way to deal with this IMO. It works for all supported media.

[fooit]

How is this working?
Do I just create a M3U files in the root folder and the car will show me the list of playlists on the screen and let me choose what playlist to play and what song in the playlist?

[MattBianco]

Originally Posted by fooit

How is this working?
Do I just create a M3U files in the root folder and the car will show me the list of playlists on the screen and let me choose what playlist to play and what song in the playlist?

Yes, M3U goes in the root. All M3Us, regardless of media type (audio/video) will appear under playlists in iDrive, maintaining song order (not alpha sort). You can play, shuffle, etc in the list. You need to then have the m3u file point to the right media file.

That is why I recommend the software mentioned and the link to the thread in my prior post.