lexusfan7

Hi - I have an IS with navigation and I'm connecting my iPod via the USB connection. I have thousands of songs on my iPod and as far as I can tell, the only way to play a particular song is by scrolling through the on-screen list until you find it (which can take a very long time). Is there any way to search for a particular song on the touch-screen? And if not, is there any chance that the vehicle's software could be upgraded in the future to include a song search feature?

phamxp426

I also have this similar problem. I ended up giving up and streaming audio via bluetooth. This gives full control of your iPod but you lose the steering wheel mounted controls for selecting tracks. I really want a better USB interface too.

lexusfan7

I sent a quick email to the Lexus Customer Satisfaction Center via the Contact Us portion of lexusdrivers.com just to make them aware of my disappointment with the USB/iPod interface. Is it even possible that something like this would be addressed in a firmware update?

MBTC

I love the bluetooth integration, and just using the iPod to navigate. It fits nicely in the change holder and is in easy reach.

I sure as hell hope they don't get to the point where they are spending money to integrate the nav with a specific MP3 player brand. Lots of new smartphones are coming out and I don't want to be shacked to Apple's overpriced crap, nor do I want to pay more for a Lexus because someone decided to make the nav system more iPod friendly. I am going to submit this feedback to Lexus so they have another view on this.

lexusfan7

I am not suggesting that the interface be better integrated with the iPod specifically... It'd just be nice if there was a better way to search and play specific songs (i.e. on-screen keyboard) rather than scrolling through a few at a time, which can take a long time if you have lots of songs. Currently, unless you just want your mp3 player to play right through a playlist or play a random selection, the interface isn't very user-friendly.

Phresh2010

iTrader: (3)

bluetooth connect is awesome and much better imo than using the usb, id say if you have too much songs to scroll through make playlist ahead of time lol other than that i dont think theere is any other way of faster scrolling

MBTC

Understood, and I agree it would be nice if it just did it, but the only way that could be achieved is by building in iPod-specific code into the Nav system software, and there are a number of problems with this. First, Apple tends to make sweeping changes in their product lines, so their next generation music players probably wouldn't work with the nav software mods. Second, I do not want to be shackled to Apple as a music player vendor, they are just the wrong company to be dependent on. My iPod Touch is a decent music player, but it was over priced, doesn't have a user replaceable battery and has other issues. I wish I had a big choice of music players that support Bluetooth audio, but at least at the time the choices were quite slim.

Now, what I think you and I would likely agree would be awesome is if the Bluetooth technology spec would include some standard protocols for things like move to next and previous song in the list. As it stands right now, I cannot do even simple song manipulation with the steering controls (and I don't have, or want, a built in nav system). On the surface, one might say why not just take that a step further and include a full API definition for searching for songs and so forth. Well maybe it would be good if someone would come up with that, but I have a feeling the MP3 player vendors would simply choose to not implement it, on the grounds that it limits or stifles innovation (i.e. Apple likes to come up with its own schnazzy way of doing things).

For me, Bluetooth audio is the answer to this dilemma. I just keep the iPod touch in the cup holder, it's easy enough to pick it up and do whatever I need to (probably even easier than if I had to reach forward more to touch a built in nav screen).

MBTC

I assume that some folks here may not have bluetooth audio as an option, I think Lexus only made that standard equipment in 2008 or 2009.

Good news is that I think all Lexus will have this going forward, and probably other car makers for that matter in the long term.

Kurtz

iTrader: (1)

BT music streaming was added in 2010 models that got the 6th gen system I think, which would mean it's not an option for the vast majority of 2IS owners.

(previous models had BT for phone calls- and even then ONLY if they also had nav, but not streaming music...A2DP is a different BT profile)

08250AWD

This is a functionality of BlueTooth. what you're using to listen to your iPod/iPhone is called A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile). If you've noticed, you can pause and play using the car controls. This is called AVRCP (Audio/Video Remote Control Profile). It allows you to play, pause, skip forward, and skip backward. The iPhone didn't adopt this technology until the iPhone 3Gs even though many other phones had been doing it for years (remember the Samsung Upstage?).

The Lexus has SOME flavor of this, but I think that the limitation is the car, and not the phone. The iPhone on other BT players (Alpine's aftermarket systems) allow for full control over your player. These features have been available since BT 2.0 came out and music quality has improved CONSIDERABLY over time. It just sucks that Lexus (and Apple) decided to adopt these technologies so late in the game

MBTC

I wondered about that since I did notice it paused/played if I turn the car off and on, but I thought that might just be the BT device responding to loss of signal (i.e. like default behavior). I dont know why they would not implement skip forward and back at least if it's part of the profile spec.

RVH

I'm not sure about the ipod Touch, but, my ipod doesn't have a search feature. So, why would you expect to have it through the car audio system if it doesn't exist in the ipod itself?

lexusfan7

Newer generation iPods (e.g. iPod Touch) and the iPhone allow you to search by song. Even with older iPods, finding a song in a long list of songs is easy because of the scroll wheel. However on the Lexus audio system you can only scroll a few songs at a time... so finding songs at the bottom of a playlist can take a while. User interface could be better.

MBTC

Well I'll be dammed.

Friday night I realized that the steering controls do now work for next / previous song! This was not working the last time I tried a couple of months ago.

I'm guessing this is the result of an iPod software update? I've updated a few times since trying last.

Now I just need to figure out why sometimes it seems to go into "play fast" mode (plays fast in short bursts, like chipmunk voices).

phamxp426

Please keep us updated! That's great news! I would
update my iPhone but I haven't made the jump to ios 4 yet for various reasons.