BlueBus: A fully integrated A2DP Bluetooth solution

[t3ddftw]

Couple questions:
1. I have noticed that maybe 5-10% of the time when I start the car, the audio will be very choppy and skip every 1-2 seconds. It is fixed by turning off the car, waiting 15 seconds, and restarting. Is that a known issue?
2. My phone call volume is very low relative to music volume. Is there a way to adjust them independently?

1. Sounds like poor signal. Is the blue LED on the unit facing the cabin? In my own M3 Coupe, this makes a huge difference. On the Touring, not so much. Do you keep the phone in your pocket or place it somewhere?
2. "Call Vol. Offset", or if you have Navigation, Settings > Calling > Vol. Offset -- try +3 or +4.

Thanks!
-Ted

[cobra]

Couple questions:
1. I have noticed that maybe 5-10% of the time when I start the car, the audio will be very choppy and skip every 1-2 seconds. It is fixed by turning off the car, waiting 15 seconds, and restarting. Is that a known issue?
2. My phone call volume is very low relative to music volume. Is there a way to adjust them independently?

[t3ddftw]

Ted, any updates on your carplay bluebus module?

Not much -- I haven't found the time to lay out the prototype board, but the software has matured already. I'm hoping to get a Prototype sometime in October.

Hi everyone, I'm looking into buying a 325ti Compact E46 (no clue whether it was ever sold in North America...).

It's got an original CD53 radio and that's it: no prewiring for the CD changer or the phone. I already went through the trouble of taking my interior apart in my E46 Touring to retrofit the Bluebus. Are you guys aware of an easier wiring solution? Maybe someone sells shorter wiring harnesses to install the Bluebus behind the glovebox?

Any help would be appreciated! I really don't want to rip the interior apart... but I still want to be able to enjoy my Bluebus 😁

Thanks!

I make this with the help of some AliExpress connectors (https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256802762548801.html) -- I actually got into the business of making these to support sales in Europe where pre-wiring is rare...

Thanks!
-Ted

[Der_Spanier]

Hi everyone, I'm looking into buying a 325ti Compact E46 (no clue whether it was ever sold in North America...).

It's got an original CD53 radio and that's it: no prewiring for the CD changer or the phone. I already went through the trouble of taking my interior apart in my E46 Touring to retrofit the Bluebus. Are you guys aware of an easier wiring solution? Maybe someone sells shorter wiring harnesses to install the Bluebus behind the glovebox?

Any help would be appreciated! I really don't want to rip the interior apart... but I still want to be able to enjoy my Bluebus 😁

Thanks!

[Will ZCPM3]

Older firmware versions have trouble going to bootloader mode. Remove the unit from the case, then locate the "RECOVERY" jumper and connect it to both pins. Try it again, then restore the jumper to how it was prior to messing with it.

Thank you Ted, I'm not very electrically inclined, but that was very straight forward. All updated.

For anyone having the same issue, here's what the jumper looks like:

Normal:

Recovery:

[sev]

Ted, any updates on your carplay bluebus module?

[t3ddftw]

Hi t3ddftw, on my 03 M5, every now and then the audio signal switches itself from digital to analog and I have to manually set it to digital again. I am using the digital audio cable you suggested before. Any idea why this is happening and/or how to prevent it?

Yeahhhhh, there's a really stupid fix for this as it's some kind of timing issue. Follow this guide: https://github.com/tedsalmon/BlueBus...g-the-Terminal

Then run this command:
set log ibus on

The added lag of debug logging somehow fixes this issue

Anyone else run into an issue updating the firmware via mac? My issue seems very similar to this: https://github.com/tedsalmon/BlueBus/issues/156

Not a cable or connectivity issue, just times out. Maybe something to do with the terminal shell? ZSH vs bash?

Same issue as 0-60

Older firmware versions have trouble going to bootloader mode. Remove the unit from the case, then locate the "RECOVERY" jumper and connect it to both pins. Try it again, then restore the jumper to how it was prior to messing with it.

t3ddftw - really happy to have Bluebus in my M3 now. Q on the microphone gain. The FAQs says default is -23, but I don't see any choices below 0. Am I missing something? TIA!

Calling

• Handsfree: Enable / Disable Calling. Note that this will also disable the connectivity LEDs. Default: On
• Mic Gain: The gain of the microphone audio. The lower the number, the less sensitive the microphone will be. Default: -23dB
• Vol. Offset: This setting defines how much louder the call audio should be when a call comes in. This is NOT compatible with "Call Mode: TCU". The best way to set this setting is to place a call, then count the number of pushes to the Volume Up button on the Steering wheel to attain the most comfortable volume for the call. That value should be used as the offset.
• Mode: Toggle the use of "TCU" mode, where call audio is piped to the amplifier or radio over the Telephone audio wires, or if it should only use that mode when it cannot use the regular audio path. NOTE: Not available for HW 1.x users because it isn't necessary to toggle it.

-23dB is the default for the V1 BlueBus. For V2, use 8dB.

Thanks!
-Ted

[BlueBimmers]

t3ddftw - really happy to have Bluebus in my M3 now. Q on the microphone gain. The FAQs says default is -23, but I don't see any choices below 0. Am I missing something? TIA!

Calling

• Handsfree: Enable / Disable Calling. Note that this will also disable the connectivity LEDs. Default: On
• Mic Gain: The gain of the microphone audio. The lower the number, the less sensitive the microphone will be. Default: -23dB
• Vol. Offset: This setting defines how much louder the call audio should be when a call comes in. This is NOT compatible with "Call Mode: TCU". The best way to set this setting is to place a call, then count the number of pushes to the Volume Up button on the Steering wheel to attain the most comfortable volume for the call. That value should be used as the offset.
• Mode: Toggle the use of "TCU" mode, where call audio is piped to the amplifier or radio over the Telephone audio wires, or if it should only use that mode when it cannot use the regular audio path. NOTE: Not available for HW 1.x users because it isn't necessary to toggle it.

[Will ZCPM3]

Anyone else run into an issue updating the firmware via mac? My issue seems very similar to this: https://github.com/tedsalmon/BlueBus/issues/156

Not a cable or connectivity issue, just times out. Maybe something to do with the terminal shell? ZSH vs bash?

Same issue as 0-60

Can't connect to the Bluebus for some reason. This has not happened before. Need to update the firmware as mines pretty old. Anyone got any ideas? Thanks.

[lemoose]

Hi t3ddftw, on my 03 M5, every now and then the audio signal switches itself from digital to analog and I have to manually set it to digital again. I am using the digital audio cable you suggested before. Any idea why this is happening and/or how to prevent it?

[Slideways]

Install Issue - bought for my 06 M3. Unbeknownst to me a PO had installed the factory Bluetooth module. It's this one: https://www.ebay.com/itm/285779755630

This is way more complicated than my E39 M5 install. I've removed the factory piece and hook up, but no Bluetooth connection. I'm working with Ted who had been responsive. Checking to see if anyone here has gone from factory to Bluetooth and if I'm missing a step. TIA for any thoughts.

If I remember correctly, you take the connector out of the CD changer and plug it into the BlueBus. It looks like the PO took the changer out, but the cable should still be there.

[BlueBimmers]

Install Issue - bought for my 06 M3. Unbeknownst to me a PO had installed the factory Bluetooth module. It's this one: https://www.ebay.com/itm/285779755630

This is way more complicated than my E39 M5 install. I've removed the factory piece and hook up, but no Bluetooth connection. I'm working with Ted who had been responsive. Checking to see if anyone here has gone from factory to Bluetooth and if I'm missing a step. TIA for any thoughts.

UPDATE - got it to connect the following morning. Phone now shows connected AND not connected, weird but working.

[Orphee]

Hello !

t3ddftw I found a funny bug with the Bluebus !

Since months, I have a volume issue.
While playing bluetooth stream music, the volume randomly raise up a bit for some time, like 30 seconds to 2 minutes, and the lower down to original volume...

And I couldn't catch why... I deactivated volume management, etc... nothing explained the issue...

As a reminder, I have a M5 E39 with 16/9 screen and DSP Digital...

Last night, while my wife was driving I played a bit with the bluebus options...

And a switched back DSP digital to off, back to analog. and the car switched to RADIO instantly !

So I clicked to go back to digital and the audio switched to bluetooth streaming...

I was like WTF is happening, is the bluebus bugged and don't stream bluetooth anymore on analog ? The volume was actually raised up and did not notice it...

The volume lowered down itself and I went back to analog mode, and I still had the bluetooth stream... no mode radio...

and then my brain pinged !!!

OMG I found what this anoying volume bug is !!!

It is actually the TP traffic info enabled !! With DSP Digital enabled, when the TP activates itself to listen to traffic info FM to give some information on the road (car accident etc...), the bluebus keeps bluetooth audio control and does not switch audio to radio... but with TP activated, the volume raise up a bit for you to focus on the information... and once the information is given, TP signal deactivate itself, and it usually comes back to bluebooth (or CD / TAPE no matter what) and volume lowers down original...

Whereas with DSP analog, when TP activates, the audio switch from bluetooth to radio correctly...

So if like me you have DSP Digital enabled, you must switch off TP option, as it won't work, and generate with 'audio bug' raising up and lowering down...

[Der_Spanier]

Howdy!

You DO NOT need to run the cable through the cabin tot he back of the monitor -- that longer cable only exists for non-Nav cars where the radio is obviously in the dashboard.

Unless you have a 1999-2001 E46, that's the wrong cable. I don't believe BMW sells the LCI "flat pin radio" version of that cable...

If your car has the phone module, and if you ordered the 54-pin adapter for the BlueBus, then we can steal power, ground and I/K-Bus from there. I can make this cable for you as well as the audio cable to run from the BlueBus to the radio.

I don't really advertise it but I make custom wiring for customers who are missing pre-wiring for pretty cheap.

-Ted

l4ma, take up Ted's offer

Your life is already way easier than mine thanks to the fact you have factory navigation (I didn't, so I had to run my wires across the cabin). If Ted can make you the custom wires, your job will be a piece of cake. Enjoy your Bluebus

[t3ddftw]

Oh man, i prayed for this answer... Thank you! As im new to the forum, i cant private message you. Is there a better way to get in touch with you directly please, so im not bothering forum with chat?

[email protected]