# Just Installed the DICE module in my M3: Some questions



## trikerider (Sep 30, 2004)

Just installed the DICE module this weekend.

I have a 2006 e46 M3 coupe with OEM Navigation and Sirius satellite radio. I ordered all the appropriate stuff as indiated on BSW's website. While installation was uneventful, I must say that from start to finish, it was around 4 hours instead of 90-minutes. I used to be a helicopter mechanic in the Air Force and I used to maintain my own vehicles so things like this aren't actually challenging. Rather my M3 is my 2nd dream car (My first being the 993 911 Turbo - which I will have someday) and I didn't want to screw anything up. I guess I was just being very meticulous in a dark, cold garage without adequate lighting or heat, in Iowa, in December where it's friggin' cold and horrible and God only knows why anyone lives here.

Everything seems to work as advertised . . . . mostly, which is why I have a few of questions.

1.) the DIP switches on the DICE unit.
Mine came from the factory configured for "smart mode". If I remember correctly (because I don't have the manual in front of me) "smart mode" is where the pair of switches labeled "car" are set to the off position and the other two switches labeled "ipod" (or something like that) are set to OFF, ON, respectively. The description of "smart mode" is that if you set your *ipod* in HOLD mode, then you can use the actual ipod interface to control what you listen to.

I don't have an ipod. Rather, I have an iphone. It doesn't have a HOLD mode. Consequently I set all 4 DIP switches to the off position - as seemed to be indicated by the DICE user guide.

I guess there really isn't a question here on this first item. I may just be questioning if I should have done this because this may be important in diagnosing the next two items listed below.

2.) (which is perhaps 1 if the first item doesn't count) The MENU button on the OEM navigation system doesn't function when playing music from my iPhone through the DICE unit.
Typically, if I'm listening to music from the AM/FM radio, Sirius, or from CDs on either the single CD unit in the dash or the BMW 6-disc changer, the MENU button allows me to access a variety of other useful functions. However, when listening to music through the DICE unit, the MENU button no longer functions. I mean, like, you can press it and it goes in a little bit and when you let go it comes back out so, to be fair, the button itself seems to work fine. And perhaps it goes in and out even a bit better than before. Who knows? What I meant to say was that you can't actually use the button to access typical MENU-like options. Specifically, I can't use my navigation system while using the DICE module. What you can do is set your Nav screen display to SPLIT mode, set up your destination requirements on the Nav system, and then start the Navigation system routing before starting to use the DICE system. Once the DICE unit is running, you still can't actually use the Navigation system's map, but you do get the text feedback on distance to next turn, current position, next landmark, and ETA. Still, I'd have a hard time believing that in the DICE software planning stage everyone agreed that the DICE unit should over-ride the ability to use the Nav system's MENU button and - by all means - let's make absolutely sure that they can't use the Nav system's map display.

3.) (or 2 if 2 is 1 but if 2 is actually 2 then this is 3 and you can forget you've ever seen this little bit between the parenthesis) The "next" track option works as advertised. A little slow, as indicated in several videos as well as in the user manual but satisfactorily. However, the "previous" track works once and then never again during any given playing session. By that I mean that you have to quit using the DICE unit and then start it up again. At which time you will be rewarded with one additional use of the "previous" track option. Call me high maintenance but this seems rather cumbersome.

Overall I like the unit but giving up the map display capabilities of my navigation system in order to use it seems excessive. And one use of the "previous" track option per use of the DICE unit seems overly limited. I can imagine a situation where I might like to do that twice. While listening to Mike Stern and Jaco Pastorious from the Upside Downside album, specifically.

#750


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## tom @ eas (May 5, 2004)

Do you plan on using the iPhone or steering wheel/radio controls to navigate through your music? 

IMHO - Locked mode is much easier to navigate than SmartMode, and offers much more features.


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## trikerider (Sep 30, 2004)

tom @ eas said:


> Do you plan on using the iPhone or steering wheel/radio controls to navigate through your music?
> 
> IMHO - Locked mode is much easier to navigate than SmartMode, and offers much more features.


Tom,

I'm using it in locked mode. I'm operating it with the steering wheel controls.

I'm certainly no audio electronics expert so maybe the implications of your response address my question and I simply don't understand the answer but . . . the MENU button on the OEM Navigation system does not work when using the DICE module which means the Map display capabilities of the Navigation system are not available.

#750


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## tom @ eas (May 5, 2004)

trikerider said:


> Tom,
> 
> I'm using it in locked mode. I'm operating it with the steering wheel controls.
> 
> ...


Try performing these steps:

1. First verify you are in the correct text mode by pressing CD6/TRACK6, then pressing CD1 to exit that mode. 
2. Press MENU>GPS NAVIGATION>MAPS while playing a song on your iPod.

Use the screen toggle button (looks like 2 squares in the top left hand corner) to toggle between screens.


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## trikerider (Sep 30, 2004)

tom @ eas said:


> Try performing these steps:
> 
> 1. First verify you are in the correct text mode by pressing CD6/TRACK6, then pressing CD1 to exit that mode.
> 2. Press MENU>GPS NAVIGATION>MAPS while playing a song on your iPod.
> ...


Tom,

Yes. Tired this. Nothing happens. When I push the Nav system's MENU button, the menu options show up just long enough to look at them and then the display on the Navigation screen goes right back to the DICE song display text. You can't actually get the menu display to show up long enough to select any of the options.

#750


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## tom @ eas (May 5, 2004)

trikerider said:


> Tom,
> 
> Yes. Tired this. Nothing happens. When I push the Nav system's MENU button, the menu options show up just long enough to look at them and then the display on the Navigation screen goes right back to the DICE song display text. You can't actually get the menu display to show up long enough to select any of the options.
> 
> #750


At this point, I would recommend contacting DICE to speak directly with a technician on your issue.

DICE can be contacted at 888.342.3999 or by email at [email protected].


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## trikerider (Sep 30, 2004)

*Potential Solution Obtained*

I did finally get hold of DICE tech support (hadn't registered the product so they wouldn't return my email - wish they'd sent me an automated reply letting me know that 3 weeks ago - this information is only provided when you call) and the solution to the issue I've described above "appears" to be as follows:

When using the DICE module to listen to music, use the OEM Navigation system CD controls to switch to disc 6, track 9. This will turn off text mode in the DICE module and is supposed to allow me to regain control of the Navigation display controls.

I'm at work at the moment and can not confirm this but I'll get back to you as soon as I see what happens.

#750


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## trikerider (Sep 30, 2004)

trikerider said:


> I did finally get hold of DICE tech support (hadn't registered the product so they wouldn't return my email - wish they'd sent me an automated reply letting me know that 3 weeks ago - this information is only provided when you call) and the solution to the issue I've described above "appears" to be as follows:
> 
> When using the DICE module to listen to music, use the OEM Navigation system CD controls to switch to disc 6, track 9. This will turn off text mode in the DICE module and is supposed to allow me to regain control of the Navigation display controls.
> 
> ...


Confirmed but . . . . there doesn't seem to be a way to use next/previous track commands using the steering wheel or OEM Navigation system controls without switching back to text mode which then causes you to lose access to the car's system menu options.

Allow me to describe the steps to you as perhaps I am not thinking about this correctly.

So . . . I've got my iPhone plugged into the DICE unit and I'm playing music from a selected playlist. In order to view the Navigation system's map while I'm listening to music through the DICE unit I select the button labeled "6" on the left side of the Navigation unit to set the DICE unit to disc 6. (go here to see what the Navigation system controls look like) To get to track 9, I press the right arrow button on the ride side of the Navigation unit 8 times. I am now in disc 6, track 9 mode, the DICE unit is no longer in text display mode, and I have regained control of the Navigation system's menu options. (There was much rejoicing)

Here's where I must not be thinking about this correctly or I'm doing something wrong:

I want to go to the next song on my current playlist but if I simply use the right arrow on the Navigation system to advance the track, I will no longer be in whatever mode disc 6, track 9 represents and will instead be in disc 6, track 10 mode.

My assumption here is that I need to be in disc 1 mode but if I do that, the DICE unit switches back to text display mode and I can no longer view the Navigation system's map or use any of its menu options.

Any thoughts on what I'm doing wrong would be greatly appreciated.

#750


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## tom @ eas (May 5, 2004)

trikerider said:


> Confirmed but . . . . there doesn't seem to be a way to use next/previous track commands using the steering wheel or OEM Navigation system controls without switching back to text mode which then causes you to lose access to the car's system menu options.
> 
> Allow me to describe the steps to you as perhaps I am not thinking about this correctly.
> 
> ...


I'm not aware of a DISC6/TRACK9 mode, you should be using DISC6/TRACK6.


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## trikerider (Sep 30, 2004)

tom @ eas said:


> I'm not aware of a DISC6/TRACK9 mode, you should be using DISC6/TRACK6.


FYI: You were correct and that took care of it. I wonder what DISC6/TRACK9 mode is?

Anyone know what the various DISC6 modes are?

DISC6/TRACK1 = ?
DISC6/TRACk2 = ?
DISC6/TRACK3 = ?
DISC6/TRACk4 = ?
DISC6/TRACK5 = ?
DISC6/TRACk6 = ?
DISC6/TRACK7 = ?
DISC6/TRACk8 = ?
etc . . .

#750


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## tom @ eas (May 5, 2004)

trikerider said:


> FYI: You were correct and that took care of it. I wonder what DISC6/TRACK9 mode is?
> 
> Anyone know what the various DISC6 modes are?
> 
> ...


For NAV, you only need to worry about 3 choices, which depend on font sizes and lines of display - this can be seen on tracks 2, 5 & 6.


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