Music won't play over Bluetooth

Frank Black

Hi - wondering if anyone can suggest any solutions for this.
We recently got a mini copper from the UK. It has a factory installed bluetooth kit. My phone (Galaxy S3) connects up and pairs with the bluetooth no problem and I can make and receive calls, have access to contracts etc from the car stereo unit.
However I can't get music to play from my phone through the car stereo. When I play music from the phone while connected, the sound only comes out of the phone speaker.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to resolve - I've gone through the settings on the phone and the car stereo, but can't seem to get it to work.

Thanks in advance.

R.O.R

It probably isn't able to stream music via bluetooth. That seems to be a fairly recent thing. I'm sure someone will be along with the technical term for it.

My car has factory bluetooth, but won't stream music. It's only for calls.

advertsfox

When connected, go into your Bluetooth settings and tap the paired device for your Mini Cooper and make sure "Media Audio" is selected.



Secondly, when playing music on the phone - there should be an option to change the output from your device to the Bluetooth device (top left of screen).

b318isp

Same for me with Ford.

Viper_JB

If it's a factory installed unit, I'd say it's not A2DP compatible, I'd doubt without extra hardware you'll get music playing over the bluetooth in it, might be easier to try and use an AUX in if you have one, or get an A2DP compatible parrot kit. - Beaten to it

R.O.R

OSI wrote: »

Playing music via Bluetooth requires A2DP, which the Minis Bluetooth does not support.

That's the technical term I couldn't think of.

Frank Black

Ok - thanks for replies - I'll try advertsfox's suggestion.

Just to mention as well - on one occasion I stopped for petrol and when I got back into the car the bluetooth started reconneting my phone to the car stereo - I have an app on my phone (Bluetooth Connect and Play) which basically starts the music player on the phone when it connects via Bluetooth. I had downloaded this app to try to get the audio to play through the car speakers, but no luck.
Anyhow, as the phone was pairing with the car stereo, someone phoned me. When I answered the call, both the phone call and the music player started outputting through the car speakers - obviously had to hang up stop the music player and call the person back - which worked fine. Tried starting the music player again, but it went back to just playing through the phone speaker.

Was this just a particular bug that occurred or was it an indication that it is possible to push the music from the phone through Bluetooth?

keithclancy

Frank Black wrote: »

Ok - thanks for replies - I'll try advertsfox's suggestion.

Just to mention as well - on one occasion I stopped for petrol and when I got back into the car the bluetooth started reconneting my phone to the car stereo - I have an app on my phone (Bluetooth Connect and Play) which basically starts the music player on the phone when it connects via Bluetooth. I had downloaded this app to try to get the audio to play through the car speakers, but no luck.
Anyhow, as the phone was pairing with the car stereo, someone phoned me. When I answered the call, both the phone call and the music player started outputting through the car speakers - obviously had to hang up stop the music player and call the person back - which worked fine. Tried starting the music player again, but it went back to just playing through the phone speaker.

Was this just a particular bug that occurred or was it an indication that it is possible to push the music from the phone through Bluetooth?

It's possible to do this, but the quality is shíte.

ThisRegard

keithclancy wrote: »

It's possible to do this, but the quality is shíte.

Possible to do what leading to ****e quality ? If you're saying play music via bluetooth then it's not true.

Donnelly117

I have an 07 Cooper S with the bluetooth kit fitted, I didnt think it was possible to stream music through it, its just calls AFAIK. All R56 coopers are fitted with an aux port which is on the roof of the compartment in front of the gear stick if that makes sense. You obviously cant see it but if you feel around the top (roof? whatever ) you will find it. Then you can just use a 3.5mm to 3.5mm audio cable to connect your phone/iPod etc.

Also it is worth noting that some coopers have an iPod connection in the panel above the glove compartment, opened by pushing it down. You might (but probably don't as the dealer would have mentioned it) have one of these.

Frank Black

Donnelly117 wrote: »

I have an 07 Cooper S with the bluetooth kit fitted, I didnt think it was possible to stream music through it, its just calls AFAIK. All R56 coopers are fitted with an aux port which is on the roof of the compartment in front of the gear stick if that makes sense. You obviously cant see it but if you feel around the top (roof? whatever ) you will find it. Then you can just use a 3.5mm to 3.5mm audio cable to connect your phone/iPod etc.

Also it is worth noting that some coopers have an iPod connection in the panel above the glove compartment, opened by pushing it down. You might (but probably don't as the dealer would have mentioned it) have one of these.

It's a 2009 Cooper D and it does have the 3.5mm port with a usb one beside it - they're in front of the gear stick in the compartment you mention.
Sounds like I will need to go with the cable option to play music.

R.O.R

Cable is a better option in my opinion. Streaming via Bluetooth really kills the battery.

Does the Mini need a special cable for the I-Pod like the BMW's, or just the standard USB cable for the PC?

BMW cable has an I-Pod connector one end and other end is USB and Aux to go in both holes (oo er)

keithclancy

ThisRegard wrote: »

Possible to do what leading to ****e quality ? If you're saying play music via bluetooth then it's not true.

Yes it is possible, albeit with crap quality:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bedoig.BTmono&hl=en

Most people use it for Voice Navigation with the Sat Nav on their phone so it comes out through the speakers.

Uses the headset profile rather than A2DP.

Viper_JB

keithclancy wrote: »

Yes it is possible, albeit with crap quality:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bedoig.BTmono&hl=en

Most people use it for Voice Navigation with the Sat Nav on their phone so it comes out through the speakers.

Uses the headset profile rather than A2DP.

That's really cool, gotta try that one after work...

ThisRegard

keithclancy wrote: »

Yes it is possible, albeit with crap quality:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bedoig.BTmono&hl=en

Most people use it for Voice Navigation with the Sat Nav on their phone so it comes out through the speakers.

Uses the headset profile rather than A2DP.

Ah, I thought you were saying that in general streaming via bluetooth is crap quality.

keith_d99

Hold up - This is exactly what you need!

Belkin In Car Audio Connect AUX-Bluetooth
Press the Button once, it will hook up with your phone, continue whatever music was played last, and turn volume up on phone to the highest.

Great little gadget for €40!!

Frank Black

Do you need to connect your phone to it - in which case would it not be as easy just to plug phone in via an aux cable?

keith_d99

Frank Black wrote: »

Do you need to connect your phone to it - in which case would it not be as easy just to plug phone in via an aux cable?

Not at all. A press of the button connects to your phone - no wires to your phone.

It's a self-contained bluetooth module so you just pair it once with your phone.

It connects to Aux port, and cigarette lighter (for power)

keithclancy

keith_d99 wrote: »

Hold up - This is exactly what you need!

Belkin In Car Audio Connect AUX-Bluetooth
Press the Button once, it will hook up with your phone, continue whatever music was played last, and turn volume up on phone to the highest.

Great little gadget for €40!!

I've had this one for a year and a half:
http://www.amazon.de/Newpotatotech-Tunelink-AUTO-FOR-Android/dp/B004NQDU5E/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1368717963&sr=8-2&keywords=tunelink

Works great, phone just pairs when I get in and it looks like a standard USB Charger.

Also has an FM Transmitter function if you use it in another car without an AUX in.

Donnelly117

Frank Black wrote: »

It's a 2009 Cooper D and it does have the 3.5mm port with a usb one beside it - they're in front of the gear stick in the compartment you mention.
Sounds like I will need to go with the cable option to play music.

Ah right, I had a lend of a 131 cooper d while my car was having the wastegate changed, and it had the aux and usb in that handier spot. Mine took forever to find! Is the USB just for charging or will it connect for music playback?

Frank Black

Donnelly117 wrote: »

Ah right, I had a lend of a 131 cooper d while my car was having the wastegate changed, and it had the aux and usb in that handier spot. Mine took forever to find! Is the USB just for charging or will it connect for music playback?

Tried plugging my phone into usb - wouldn't play music when connected. Phone said it was charging, but battery percentage didn't seem to increase. Haven't tried the 3.5mm input yet as I don't have the right cable.

D16TURBO

This is what I have set up in my astra j. It just plugs into the usb for power and line out goes into the aux port of the car. Connect your phone via bluetooth to the dongle an press play.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/White-USB-Bluetooth-A2DP-3-5mm-Stereo-Audio-Receiver-Dongle-Adapter-for-PC-Phone-/330819186415?pt=UK_Computing_Networking_SM&hash=item4d065c2eef

I've also handsfree bluetooth as standard in the car and my phone connects to both at the same time without issue.

Hope it helps.

R.O.R

Frank Black wrote: »

Tried plugging my phone into usb - wouldn't play music when connected. Phone said it was charging, but battery percentage didn't seem to increase. Haven't tried the 3.5mm input yet as I don't have the right cable.

You may need a special cable in a Mini. I know you do for the BMW's and I'd presume Mini is the same set up.

The USB connector that came with the I-Pod/I-Phone won't do anything.

Try sticking some songs on a USB stick and see if it will play through that.

NobodyImportant

Genuinely hope you get sorted with this, but i couldnt help laugh at the thread title (read in my head with a Ross O'Carroll Kelly voice) and think "First world problems"!!