M3 with Nav or no Nav

[repoman89]

I really want to try to develop a fully plug and play (using the rotary controls), no Video Module (TV Tuner) required solution for CarPlay, but mannnnn, I just don't think there are enough Nav cars left to justify the development required .

Baris' solution is nice, but there's so much extra stuff required (either the iDrive controller or swapping the BMBT screen).

-Ted

Lot of E39 M5s left out there too A Mazda-like rotary control carplay solution would be amazing. Not a fan of touch screens (or an out of place idrive controller) and it’s one reason I haven’t sent my stuff to Carphonics yet.

[Obioban]

It's unfortunate that the Automotive-grade unit only comes with 2GB ram vs 4GB on other unit. :/

Interestingly, according to the units system profile screen, it has 4gb of ram. Might just be a listing mistake on their site.

[Obioban]

Lot of E39 M5s left out there too A Mazda-like rotary control carplay solution would be amazing. Not a fan of touch screens (or an out of place idrive controller) and it’s one reason I haven’t sent my stuff to Carphonics yet.

That is actually what the right knob of the xtrons does while in CarPlay mode

[jdamore44]

Interestingly, according to the units system profile screen, it has 4gb of ram. Might just be a listing mistake on their site.

That's promising! Thanks for checking! I sent a message to their customer service asking about it as well.

I was looking at the PN: PE8246BL

[Obioban]

That's promising! Thanks for checking! I sent a message to their customer service asking about it as well.

I was looking at the PN: PE8246BL

That is the one I got.

[Obioban]

AEC-Q100/Q200 components are probably what they're referring to, and it does add quite a bit to cost. Most of the time, these components are strictly used in body modules / ECUs / etc, where stability in harsh environments is king.

The owner of the assembly house where I have the BlueBus made thinks I'm nuts for (in some cases) paying 5x the typical cost for parts that are automotive grade, since standard parts are usually rated for ~85C, and the module installs in the cabin.

My old Avin's first failure mode was not working when it was cold out.

[t3ddftw]

My old Avin's first failure mode was not working when it was cold out.

Thankfully, I have a fix for THAT problem; the new BlueBus units don't do it, either.

Temperatures near either end of the limit are going to cause parts to drift from their stated values / tolerances, so it makes sense.

[maw1124]

^^^ and this is why you need at least automotive grade capacitors and such. These days, for ECU's and such I go for aerospace grades when I can because I don't want to fettle with it every few years. I had a '92 MB ECU rebuilt with capacitors that should literally never go bad for just this reason. Also, Dynavin for the same reason. Just pay a few hundred more now for beefier guts and be done with it. Especially since what you're buying now is the stuff Macintosh and Carver were born from. No need for even cheaper chinesium.

maw

[Obioban]

Wonder if the knobs off the MKIV nav will fit on there

This is always an option too: https://www.digikey.com/en/products/filter/knobs/568 (or similar from other vendors). Just need to dig through the fifty million things on there to find one that fits and looks good.

Dims on the AVIN knob (that I assume is shared with the XTRONs):

[old///MFanatic]

Dims on the AVIN knob (that I assume is shared with the XTRONs):

The knobs imho are only part of the issue with its glaringly (pun intended) awkward non BMW looks. The screen looks like those cheap Avin’s that have huge glare(glossy screen). Then the whole layout of faceplate and screen dimension looks nothing like OEM. Now that’s not saying something can’t be an upgrade over stock looks, Just here they don’t look to have wanted to improve but more or less “try” to make something work with what they had with as little cost as necessary.

[Obioban]

The knobs imho are only part of the issue with its glaringly (pun intended) awkward non BMW looks. The screen looks like those cheap Avin’s that have huge glare(glossy screen). Then the whole layout of faceplate and screen dimension looks nothing like OEM. Now that’s not saying something can’t be an upgrade over stock looks, Just here they don’t look to have wanted to improve but more or less “try” to make something work with what they had with as little cost as necessary.

I don't actually agree-- buttons are the same dimensions and shape as the climate button below, backlight color is the same, has the factory trim line molded into the casing. They basically took the stock heat unit size and filled it, width wise, with screen, and left a strip below tall enough for 2 knobs-- and filled the center with the above described buttons. I think it's about as OE looking as can be expected, while not being OE.

The two short comings IMO are the chrome trim knobs (which is why I'm looking at knob replacements) and the glossy screen-- which I will likely try to address with a matte screen film.

[old///MFanatic]

backlight color is the same…

Please bear with me as I answer/ask questions. Not trying to come in hot, so no offense intended.
As for the backlight color, now are they the same? I’ve read reviews where they say it’s more a red than the M3 red-orange hue.
Also are the two dial knobs backlight like all the other replicas of OEM? Have read (and photos appear) they are not.

They basically took the stock heat unit size and filled it, width wise, with screen, and left a strip below tall enough for 2 knobs-- and filled the center with the above described buttons. I think it's about as OE looking as can be expected, while not being OE.

Reviews on it complain on how it’s the Exact same unit Xtron sells for the ROVER 75 and MG ZT, is this correct? That’s why it looks more styled for the Rover cabin with chrome trimmed knobs and non BMW button positioning than the E46. And after 15 years of aftermarket copies in market one might expect the basics of a navigation unit to have a screen that’s anti-glare like all the current and past quality E46 units. This is strictly a cost issue of quality hardware.

The two short comings IMO are the chrome trim knobs and the glossy screen-- which I will likely try to address with a matte screen film.

Well one can buy the OEM BMW knobs, so you may be able to rectify that. The screen being wider and slightly shorter may just look odd just since no one else has done it in an OEM look. So maybe they’re on to something? It just doesn’t look period correct or OEM to me imho. And that to many is a major selling point, and quality. This isn’t the worst looking unit, but it’s not at the top of the list to me as far as OEM looks. I’d say it’s in the middle somewhere.

[Obioban]

Please bear with me as I answer/ask questions. Not trying to come in hot, so no offense intended.
As for the backlight color, now are they the same? I’ve read reviews where they say it’s more a red than the M3 red-orange hue.
Also are the two dial knobs backlight like all the other replicas of OEM? Have read (and photos appear) they are not.

Reviews on it complain on how it’s the Exact same unit Xtron sells for the ROVER 75 and MG ZT, is this correct? That’s why it looks more styled for the Rover cabin with chrome trimmed knobs and non BMW button positioning than the E46. And after 15 years of aftermarket copies in market one might expect the basics of a navigation unit to have a screen that’s anti-glare like all the current and past quality E46 units. This is strictly a cost issue of quality hardware.

Well one can buy the OEM BMW knobs, so you may be able to rectify that. The screen being wider and slightly shorter may just look odd just since no one else has done it in an OEM look. So maybe they’re on to something? It just doesn’t look period correct or OEM to me imho. And that to many is a major selling point, and quality. This isn’t the worst looking unit, but it’s not at the top of the list to me as far as OEM looks. I’d say it’s in the middle somewhere.

You can set the backlight color in software-- but on this unit I haven't felt compelled to change it.

I can tell you tonight if the knobs are back lit :P

I assume, if it's shared with range rover, that it is shared because range rover actually used the BMW navigation/radio hardware.

As in, pic of the OE range rover head unit-- exactly the same as e39 nav, but grey and with beefier knobs.

E39:


range rover:


The screen is certainly not the stock proportions. I don't actually think it is shorter-- just wider. Ultimately, if you want the functionality gain of the bigger screen, the proportion is going to differ from the stock MIKV/avin. Wider is the functional optimal way to go larger, since carplay support split screen these days, width wise-- so I can have nav on the left side and music on the right.

It's a more useful screen, it enables to save 50 lbs from the car without losing functionality, and the looks don't annoy me like a trimmed double din or the fisher price button units (which also have a smaller screen). Seems like the least bad compromise to me.

Edit:
I'd also point out that BMW didn't find the screen proportion to be holy. They did 4:3 and 16:9 and something else I can't determine and text screens:





... I do kind of love this style of nav, just for the absurdity of it:

[maw1124]

... it enables to save 50 lbs from the car without losing functionality...

In my view (1) you actually gain functionality not just fail to lose it; and (2) this is the dog that wags the tail (of looks) as far as I'm concerned.

This is the reason we have cell phones in our pockets as we walk the streets these days, not a laptop in hand, camera around our necks, walkman in our backpacks, as we walk to Kinkos to print out Mapquest.

Form factor is a distant secondary thought to this huge boost in function.



maw

EDIT... you just don't want to do this...

[Obioban]

Friend just sent me this picture of him mid e39 install. I do like the screen size, but I do like having the knobs…