Wireless CarPlay and AA on stock MKIV nav screen, including touch screen support!

[Baris - Carphonics]

Some more close up photos. Ignore the ripples, as that’s just the camera making that effect.

[George Hill]

This is really awesome. Looking forward to seeing some real world feedback. I'm building a new car and was planning on a MKIV retrofit with a bluebus, but this is now something certainly worth considering as well.

[Obioban]

This is really awesome. Looking forward to seeing some real world feedback. I'm building a new car and was planning on a MKIV retrofit with a bluebus, but this is now something certainly worth considering as well.

Could also do both! I think that’s where my M5 will end up.

[George Hill]

Could also do both! I think that’s where my M5 will end up.

I thought the Car Phonics product with CarPlay would be connected via Bluetooth and allow music streaming? Wouldn't that take the place of the BB then?

[Sharocks]

Thank you everyone for the kind words. This new product has excited me for my car system as well.
I have tried a few different android headunits in my car in the past and they were either too slow, and too slow to boot up once the ignition is turned on. I was never a fan of the branded systems, as they never looked right in the car.
With this product, I’ve designed it so it comes on as soon as you unlock the car or open the door. So by the time you get in and turn the ignition on, it would have paired with your phone and you’re ready to go.

I believe in the USA, most cars didn’t come with a TV tuner. The carplay / android auto is installed into the tv tuner. You have an option of either replacing the navigation unit with the tv tuner, or buying a tv tuner retrofit loom from bmw or eBay.
If you replace the navigation unit, then your original system will use the tv tuner graphics. But once clicked onto carplay/android auto, it doesn’t matter so much. This is how I have my car setup now. (Lightweight track car!)

A see a few questions about the touchscreen. I would need to modify the monitor for this to work, and then a cable is fed from the monitor to the tv tuner in the boot.
If you have a cd player or are using tape, those functions still work.

To change the television wording to Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, it’s done via the mk4 navigation unit, using a modified firmware disc. Cannot do it with just the TV tuner option.

Any other questions anyone has, I’m happy to answer.

Ay big dawg, just wanted to say the track vid of your car vs. the B7 RS4 was always a favorite hahaha.

That being said, let me know if an M5 kit would make sense, I could setup a group that would be interested in this.

[BMWahba]

I thought the Car Phonics product with CarPlay would be connected via Bluetooth and allow music streaming? Wouldn't that take the place of the BB then?

In theory yeah, carplay would do everything music wise the BlueBus does.
Where the BlueBus comes in is all the other UI features, coolant temp, oil temp, etc.

[D-O]

My M3 was originally equipped with the "Business" audio unit. Besides moving the HVAC controls down, what would be required to swap in a MKIV?

Jesse

[Baris - Carphonics]

As mentioned you can still use intravee or bluebus, since the cd changer connectors do not get used.
The carplay works off the auxiliary mode, to be able to get stereo sound. For older cars without auxiliary it will work off the tv tuner audio output. It won’t have left and right signal, but the sound quality will still be good and the carplay has options to adjust bass and treble.

Ay big dawg, just wanted to say the track vid of your car vs. the B7 RS4 was always a favorite hahaha.

That being said, let me know if an M5 kit would make sense, I could setup a group that would be interested in this.

Classic video

Group buy is possible. However, the USA cars would need to decide how they will fit it, whether replacing mk4 nav or adding tv tuner retrofit loom. One is free, but lose the mk4 interface and the other costs are around $150(need to check with dealers in the US). Both the e46 coupe and e39 already should have the brackets for the tv tuner.

l could ask someone in UK if they want to make multiple TV retrofit looms, as he has done a few.

For cars without factory navigation system, I am working on making a loom for it, as I have had quite a few enquiries for it. Or you can buy the retrofit loom from the dealers, but it costs over £250 in UK.

[Baris - Carphonics]

Part number for the TV tuner retrofit loom is 61120144096

[TropicalM3]

My M3 was originally equipped with the "Business" audio unit. Besides moving the HVAC controls down, what would be required to swap in a MKIV?

Jesse

Think you would have to change out the radio harness to accomplish this.

[Bry5on]

However, the USA cars would need to decide how they will fit it, whether replacing mk4 nav or adding tv tuner retrofit loom. One is free, but lose the mk4 interface and the other costs are around $150(need to check with dealers in the US).

When you say lose mk4, do you mean just the navigation function, or the whole native BMW interface (radio tuner, CD changer, etc)?

I’m sure most people here in the US would be happy to give up the native nav interface alone for CarPlay, particularly since most cars came with business CD. I’d love to be able to retrofit to this touchscreen with CarPlay while keeping my rear view camera.

Two more questions: 1) What’s the resolution of the touchscreen and 2) Do CarPlay phone calls use the OEM microphone?

Thanks!

[sev]

so in the US we either need the TV tuner unit OR the retrofit cable or both? im not sure I'm clear

[Baris - Carphonics]

My M3 was originally equipped with the "Business" audio unit. Besides moving the HVAC controls down, what would be required to swap in a MKIV?

Jesse

For cars which did not come with navigation from factory, would require the navigation retrofit loom. This is not the same as the tv tuner retrofit loom, which is an add on to the main navigation loom. The dealers sell this also.

I am looking into making my own cable for cars without factory navigation, as quite a few people want to swap to this new setup.

It’s a lot of cables, so would require some work to get it from the front to the back. May also require the BM53 radio bracket in the boot if it’s an e39.

[Baris - Carphonics]

When you say lose mk4, do you mean just the navigation function, or the whole native BMW interface (radio tuner, CD changer, etc)?

I’m sure most people here in the US would be happy to give up the native nav interface alone for CarPlay, particularly since most cars came with business CD. I’d love to be able to retrofit to this touchscreen with CarPlay while keeping my rear view camera.

Two more questions: 1) What’s the resolution of the touchscreen and 2) Do CarPlay phone calls use the OEM microphone?

Thanks!

Just the mk3/mk4 navigation unit in the boot. It has a blue and a burgundy coloured connectors. The blue connector has the power, ibus signal and the video out to the monitor up front. This setup identical to the TV tuner blue connector. So it’s a straight swap. In coupes, the navigation unit and tv tuner is very closely located. For convertibles, it’s further away. In fact, a bit tricky for convertibles, because the tv tuner is located on the left side of the ski hatch area, attacked to the back of the seat. So the carpet is also different to compensate for it. Alternatively, could place it where the cd changer goes.

If you have reverse camera or planning to add it, I would need to modify the tv tuner, by adding relays inside. A video input RCA will be provided and a wire to connect to the reverse light 12v. Makes it easy to install also.

Hang on, how do you have reverse camera without tv tuner, or did you add a tv tuner?

1) standard resolution of the monitor, which is 400 x 234, same as when you add a splash screen. They don’t really a specific resolution for the touchscreen I use. It goes by size.

2) I thought the OEM microphone worked, but there is background noise. So I am recommending not to use that. I will however be modifying oem microphones internals, so you can just swap it over.

Reason being, the OEM microphone requires different voltage than the carplay. Compared side by side, the microphone that comes with carplay, is much better quality than the OEM Bluetooth system. Most likely because the tech nowadays is better to handle Bluetooth calls.

[Baris - Carphonics]

so in the US we either need the TV tuner unit OR the retrofit cable or both? im not sure I'm clear

If you don’t have the television option on the screen, then you would either:

1) add a tv tuner to your setup, by purchasing a retrofit loom, which connects to the navigation unit in the boot.

or

2) disconnecting the navigation unit in the boot, and connecting the tv tuner to it instead.

The mk3/mk4 navigation unit runs the monitor up front. It controls what comes on the display. So you would lose the main menu to the tv tuner main menu, which looks like the photo I attached.

But once your in carplay, it doesn’t matter so much.