BlueBus: A fully integrated A2DP Bluetooth solution

[WestBankM4]

Got mine yesterday, plug and play with the harness specified.

Just launched my E46 into 2020s technology.

Thank you Ted, great build quality and just overall super impressed. The case is beautiful, feel like I need to show it off, alas it's tucked away.

Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk

[Str8Six]

i just installed mine and the bt streaming is excellent! thank you ted for making the bluebus

[gheorghe]

Just placed my order, can't wait to receive and install the unit.

[t3ddftw]

Just to update you guys on the state of things, I'm officially having issues sourcing the core Bluetooth module that I use on the BlueBus -- the BC127 by Sierra Wireless. A month ago there were 7,000 in stock and now there are none. I managed to snag 320 for the October run, but if I want anymore BC127s I am going to have to order 1000 minimum at a whopping cost of $24,000.

Instead of making that big of an investment and continuing to be "married" to a module built by a company that has little interest in continuing its development, I'm going to switch to the ESP32 by Espressif. This will allow me to have granular control over the Bluetooth stack as all of that is left to the developer, which is awesome! The best part is the module cost less than $4 a pop, and it would allow me to remove other hardware from the BlueBus that would be duplicating effort. With that said, I'm announcing that I'm officially developing the BlueBus "2.0" -- before you grab your pitchforks, I want you all to know that software development will continue and the feature-set between the two units will be exactly the same. In fact, I am very likely going to roll everything under the same code base to make my life easier.

The other value of using the ESP32 is that it's used in many applications and has a lot support behind it. This means that I should not have issues with stock.

The one feature I'll probably add to the "2.0" that I can't add to all prior units is playback from microSD cards as the ESP32 natively supports FAT32 filesystems and .mp3, .flac, etc.

The other goal of the redesign is to lower my cost so I can make it more affordable for customers. My current target price is $189 or lower.

Comments, concerns, etc are always welcome
-Ted

[Mattn1192]

If we already paid the current price, we will still be getting the newer version but without your updated price I’m assuming?

[t3ddftw]

If we already paid the current price, we will still be getting the newer version but without your updated price I’m assuming?

Correct. Pricing is set based on my cost, and the updated version won't be available for purchase for 8+ months at least.

-Ted

[Mattn1192]

Ah ok. Makes sense. Thanks for the update.

[maartenv]

I received mine! It doesn't fully work however. I own a E46 M3 that had the CD changer and phone unit.
I removed the CD changer and phone unit and connected the Bluebus. I didn't find a digital cable so I use the analogue.
I can play music through bluetooth, and when I make a call the car sees that. And if I get a call I can answer it in the car.
But the other side doesn't hear me and I don't hear them.
Could it be something in the wiring?

[jet_dogg]

Could it be your microphone?

[t3ddftw]

I received mine! It doesn't fully work however. I own a E46 M3 that had the CD changer and phone unit.
I removed the CD changer and phone unit and connected the Bluebus. I didn't find a digital cable so I use the analogue.
I can play music through bluetooth, and when I make a call the car sees that. And if I get a call I can answer it in the car.
But the other side doesn't hear me and I don't hear them.
Could it be something in the wiring?

You're missing the Clear Voice Capture license. One of my provisioning laptops did not apply it correctly, unfortunately.

Fortunately, I have a tool for this: https://github.com/tedsalmon/BlueBus...-Voice-Capture

Follow that guide, and if it says "Working" for more than 30 seconds, just unplug it and take it back to the car (some users have reported that it sticks at "working").

-Ted

[maartenv]

Ok cool, I will try that, thanks!
And just to be sure, those 2 cables are not the digital audio cable right?

[t3ddftw]

Ok cool, I will try that, thanks!
And just to be sure, those 2 cables are not the digital audio cable right?

Nope. The E46 never got the DSP Amplifier, so there will never be a digital audio input on an E46.

Thanks!
-Ted

[sev]

for sale, bluebus 1.0

Just kidding

[killa_e46]

Just wanted to say that I got mine last Friday and installed it. Been loving driving the car again all week now that I have the convenience of bluetooth again. Really makes the car feel modern!

[SeaSquire]

Hi, I have an 05 e85; completed the install and music is great, but no telephony. When a call comes in or I try to dial out -- no sound. Not sure if I have my correct business cd settings.
Does anyone know the sequence of button use for this cd player to allow telephony?
Thanks
Chris