RDS Display

thetrev68 · 12-27-2012, 12:59 PM

So I have the basic stereo/sat in my 2013 328i. I can find where to turn RDS on and off in the radio, but I can't find a display in iDrive that gives the station/song/artist name. Can anyone help me? I'm struggling to find a "default" screen for driving. When I'm listening to satellite it's okay because song information is there, but I hate the sound quality on satellite and I'm usually okay with Houston radio stations - especially with HD. I just can't find where the RDS information is displayed. Any help or comments appreciated.

-Trevor

mookieo2 · 01-10-2013, 03:25 AM

I have the basic stereo and the RDS is pretty poor. If it is working it is just displayed in the top right most text on the screen. It is really small. I'm not sure why they didn't just make it show up middle of the screen . Even the most basic stereos on any new car have better RDS read out then our 3's.

thetrev68 · 01-14-2013, 09:19 AM

Well, I found it. I have to click the radio station that's on, then scroll down and click station info to get it on screen. What's awful is that I then have to menu back twice to change stations, then navigate around again to display station info once I land on a station. That has to be one of the worst design philosophies anyone could have imagined. I love my car, but nobody with half a brain would deliberately put the RDS information there. Clearly BMW just forgot about it.

On the plus side, I can leave the station info up if I use the thumb wheel on the steering wheel to change stations. But the thumbwheel displays the station name instead of the number. I have no idea what station KKBQ or whatever is. I need the number, which is what I've used all my life. It's very frustrating. For now, I've given up on RDS completely. What a waste.

12-27-2012, 12:59 PM	#1
thetrev68 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 6	RDS Display So I have the basic stereo/sat in my 2013 328i. I can find where to turn RDS on and off in the radio, but I can't find a display in iDrive that gives the station/song/artist name. Can anyone help me? I'm struggling to find a "default" screen for driving. When I'm listening to satellite it's okay because song information is there, but I hate the sound quality on satellite and I'm usually okay with Houston radio stations - especially with HD. I just can't find where the RDS information is displayed. Any help or comments appreciated. -Trevor

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01-10-2013, 03:25 AM	#2
mookieo2 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 26	I have the basic stereo and the RDS is pretty poor. If it is working it is just displayed in the top right most text on the screen. It is really small. I'm not sure why they didn't just make it show up middle of the screen . Even the most basic stereos on any new car have better RDS read out then our 3's.

01-14-2013, 09:19 AM	#3
thetrev68 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 6	Well, I found it. I have to click the radio station that's on, then scroll down and click station info to get it on screen. What's awful is that I then have to menu back twice to change stations, then navigate around again to display station info once I land on a station. That has to be one of the worst design philosophies anyone could have imagined. I love my car, but nobody with half a brain would deliberately put the RDS information there. Clearly BMW just forgot about it. On the plus side, I can leave the station info up if I use the thumb wheel on the steering wheel to change stations. But the thumbwheel displays the station name instead of the number. I have no idea what station KKBQ or whatever is. I need the number, which is what I've used all my life. It's very frustrating. For now, I've given up on RDS completely. What a waste.