iDrive 6 + Keyless entry + BMW Connected Drive

[heinzboehmer]

This is looking awesome, can't wait to see the real thing installed.

Also, potential dumb suggestion, but why not cut another favorite button to make room for the menu button? I bet most people would use this in carplay mode most of the time and the higher-indexed favorite buttons would see little use.

[Obioban]

You and I are tall so its likely less of a reach for us, but a shorter armed driver might be less comfortable making the reach was my thinking that I should have articulated better.

And agreed, so much hate for iDrive, but I love it. I'd never pick a Radio over iDrive, this is a killer project. 😎

Was playing with my knobs (gigity) this morning, thinking about this.
a) right knob is way more comfortable to interact with, at least for me. It's where my hand naturally falls when resting on the shifter.
b) the stock MKIII and MKIV nav systems uses the left knob for volume and right knob for system control! So, clearly BMW's UI designers thought

I think the default should, for sure, be volume left, control right.

[Obioban]

This is looking awesome, can't wait to see the real thing installed.

Also, potential dumb suggestion, but why not cut another favorite button to make room for the menu button? I bet most people would use this in carplay mode most of the time and the higher-indexed favorite buttons would see little use.

100% agreed.

[Obioban]

Also, if I were to nitpick, the font isn't quite right on the current back/# buttons. It looks a bit too new-- should match the font on the "AUTO" or "DSC" button. Less big, less round, more better.



Beat up, but the best detail view I could find of the buttons/font I could find while at work:

[YoitsTmac]

This is looking awesome, can't wait to see the real thing installed.

Also, potential dumb suggestion, but why not cut another favorite button to make room for the menu button? I bet most people would use this in carplay mode most of the time and the higher-indexed favorite buttons would see little use.

At work so being quick but it’s press for back, hold for menu

Also, if I were to nitpick, the font isn't quite right on the current back/# buttons. It looks a bit too new-- should match the font on the "AUTO" or "DSC" button. Less big, less round, more better.

The font isn’t determined, size weight or font. I don’t know how I’ll laser that off yet, let alone with any precision. But those labels I literally just told AI to put over the render, I just told it what the labels were to be

[heinzboehmer]

At work so being quick but it’s press for back, hold for menu

Typo on my side, meant to say camera button.

[0-60motorsports]

This is great news! Id love to do this. If you can also let us know what hardware we need to buy that would be awesome as I would love to prep for this. Without fitting the idrive controller it'll be exactly what i have been wanting.

[YoitsTmac]

Hey everyone. I've been working on this relentlessly since I got my first prototype last weekend.

Of course, I'm hitting a few snags. One thing I feel for my retrofit personally is that I absolutely need to have the TPMS sensors and the all-vision camera. Unfortunately, even with a full M240 on my dining table, I'm having more issues.

Now that I can see within the buses with a little bit more granularity, I'm recognizing that, even though I have a cluster that turns on and lights up when the key position changes, it's not being recognized by the system. Because I own an E46, I am not an F30 coder, and I need to kind of outsource that. Hopefully, everything comes online. To rant a bit, one of the communication buses should be 100 kbps, and it's, for whatever reason, seemingly broadcasting at 500 kbps. I've quadrupled-checked the pinout, and it doesn't seem I'm getting any leakage here. To play devil's advocate, when I unplugged every module that isn't on this bus, I was still getting this issue. I definitely need a coder to hop in my system and try to line everything up for me.

A number of you are messaging me privately with certain questions, and I just figured it's best to put them out here. The first one is kind of touchy in my opinion, because there's a few right answers. Here's my best take at it.

The biggest question is how to broadcast audio out of this box. There are three ways:

1) using the radio as an output. If you care about audio, it's post-crossover. And E46 stock layout is a MESS with resistance and Fxx is all 4ohm (a blessing). And there's no tweeters.

2) Low-frequency outputs. This is how the factory harmon kardon setup works. Here's the pinout of the headunit for those outputs (unverified, per BMWTIS):

PIN	POSITION
1	Low frequency signal, rear right
2	Low frequency signal, front right
3	Low frequency signal, front left
4	Low frequency signal, rear left
5	Low frequency signal, rear right
6	Low frequency signal, front right
7	Low frequency signal, front left
8	Low frequency signal, rear left

Admittedly, this is likely the easiest and most frictionless option. I never cared to look into it because of the third option, but this is a pretty big win.

3) This headunit outputs MOST, a fiber optic protocol for media. It's lossless, and if you're an audiophille, this is what you want. It's also insanely expensive, because why wouldn't it be? You can get a factory amp which is cheap, but once again, the outputs are post-crossover and AFAIK, can't be coded out. Then you'll find options like this: https://mobridge.us/product/mobridge...audi-mercedes/ (which has gone up since I last looked at it due to the world), which can feel like a lot until you look for any alternatives.


As far as getting your own set: It is my intent to offer you everything you may need: screen bezel, headunit pre-coded, wiring, cables etc. and it handles some of the harder stuff like the coding and compatibility.

For those who want to take it on, I'll be outsourcing the PCB and firmware once I confirm everything is working. Otherwise, here's the things I know you'll need:
THIS IS AN UNOFFICIAL LIST AS THINGS GET IRONED OUT

• A mini cooper iDrive screen.
• If you want factory GPS outside of CarPlay, you need one of two things: A) NBT EVO with a blue GPS port on the back. These come with an unignorable premium (~100%). or B) a NBT EVO and an "ATM" FROM THE SAME CAR. There's no amount of coding that unpairs these
• An NBT EVO unit. Make sure you double check this, it says "Evo" on the top of the headunit. At this time, it seems sourcing model or year is not important
• Bluetooth and Wifi antennas for CarPlay (or an unofficial patch for Android Auto)
• If you want a USB connection, you'll need a port and cable from an F-series car
• If you want a reverse camera, you need a TRSVC from an F2x, F3x or F8x. I personally got one from an F15 for all-view camera. You'll then need to run ethernet between the two
• If you want to take calls, you'll need a microphone. This isn't planned out yet, but F series does two mics: one passenger one driver by the head visor. My plan is to likely have an F30 mic in the factory convertible location and call it.
• If you want radio, you gotta go understand that stack because I don't and I have not investigated the wiring. I didn't like it as a kid and I don't understand why there's so many pieces for this.
• If you want a touch controller in your center console, you'll need a controller from an LCI controller from an F-series car. I personally cannot identify these from pre-LCI visually. That's like 2017+, and most 2016's. There is a separate touch controller you'll need if you want to write letters on it. Also LCI specific

Now, some people believe this big daddy headunit is going to fit in the dashboard. We hope they're right, but we're not optimistic. If they're not right, that means the headunit goes in the trunk and you'll also need:

• A very long display cable for the screen
• Extension cables for bluetooth and wifi antennas: the stock locations for these is one under the driver seat and one under the passenger seat. You probably want them in the general vicinity of the cabin.

[Obioban]

As someone who's speakers are powered by the head unit directly, that route certainly gets my vote :P

What year mini's have the head unit in question? Might start watching the local junk yard....

Probably good to get GPS even if you're planning to only use carplay-- I'm fairly certain the phone offloads GPS to the car's when available to save power.

... what is considered the "headunit" if not the display? I feel like I'm overlooking something obviously here, but always assumed the display was the head unit...

[YoitsTmac]

The headunit and display are different items. So here’s a display: https://ebay.io/m/qxuSxg it’d have to be unbolted from its bezel. There are also outlets to buy the displays on their own. Then there’s the headunits. You can buy them from a wide variety of bmw or minis between 2016-2021. As long as it says “NBT EVO”. I think G series donor headunits work but I can’t personally guarantee as I’ve only verified all F series units “are possible”

In your instance, take note that you need to verify your speakers have a resistance of 4ohm for outputs from the headunit.

Edit: and to re emphasize, units with a gps aerial are exceedingly rare.

[Obioban]

Happily, my speakers are 4 ohm.

Have you tested at all if it works fine with only one mic installed?

[YoitsTmac]

Happily, my speakers are 4 ohm.

Have you tested at all if it works fine with only one mic installed?

I have not. I have been working tirelessly on everything else. I know that will be one of the easier pieces. There is likely a one-mic configuration that's possible. There are a number of different microphone setups this supports.