Avin Avant 4 Installation Guide (Video Link)

[Kam850]

Well pretty much a month after installing the unit, everything was fine until I noticed something today.

I wanted to update and download some apps since I havent done anything with the radio other then install it and just used Apple Car Play.

So this new issue that I noticed today is that my WiFi isn't working on the unit. Ill turn WiFi on and once I leave the screen (does not matter if in settings, the pull down on the home page etc..) WiFi disconnects it self. It wont scan, it wont show anything.

Not sure what happened as everything works flawlessly. I did update the AppleCar Play app (AutoPlay) on the unit since it did give me a message when I started my car one day. Maybe that did it? I dont know. Would have to delete app and try.

I just hope the WiFi antenna didn't eat itself. BTW, wont connect to my iphone hot spot either.

My other theory is that I clicked something in the settings by accident or maybe "Dont Allow" on a prompt that I didn't read.

[crystalworks]

It won't connect to the WiFi or you don't have internet? It took me more time to realize than I'd like to admit that if the system time on the unit isn't correct many connected services won't work... Google Maps, Browsers, Play, etc.

If that's not the case... I did have a problem with an Avin 2 that had the WiFi chip die in it. Tommy replaced it pretty quickly after reporting the issue. Hope this is not your case though to avoid the hassle.

Originally Posted by Kam850

Well pretty much a month after installing the unit, everything was fine until I noticed something today.

I wanted to update and download some apps since I havent done anything with the radio other then install it and just used Apple Car Play.

So this new issue that I noticed today is that my WiFi isn't working on the unit. Ill turn WiFi on and once I leave the screen (does not matter if in settings, the pull down on the home page etc..) WiFi disconnects it self. It wont scan, it wont show anything.

Not sure what happened as everything works flawlessly. I did update the AppleCar Play app (AutoPlay) on the unit since it did give me a message when I started my car one day. Maybe that did it? I dont know. Would have to delete app and try.

I just hope the WiFi antenna didn't eat itself. BTW, wont connect to my iphone hot spot either.

My other theory is that I clicked something in the settings by accident or maybe "Dont Allow" on a prompt that I didn't read.

[Kam850]

Originally Posted by Kam850

Well pretty much a month after installing the unit, everything was fine until I noticed something today.

I wanted to update and download some apps since I havent done anything with the radio other then install it and just used Apple Car Play.

So this new issue that I noticed today is that my WiFi isn't working on the unit. Ill turn WiFi on and once I leave the screen (does not matter if in settings, the pull down on the home page etc..) WiFi disconnects it self. It wont scan, it wont show anything.

Not sure what happened as everything works flawlessly. I did update the AppleCar Play app (AutoPlay) on the unit since it did give me a message when I started my car one day. Maybe that did it? I dont know. Would have to delete app and try.

I just hope the WiFi antenna didn't eat itself. BTW, wont connect to my iphone hot spot either.

My other theory is that I clicked something in the settings by accident or maybe "Dont Allow" on a prompt that I didn't read.

Alright so not sure what happened, but i think the Apple Car Play Box/App had to do something with this issue.

I disconnected the box, turned the car off for a few minutes, came back and started the car again, hit wifi on and it connected. So I got all my updates and what not.

As for the Car Play Experience over the last month....

I know a few members voiced their opinion through out this long thread about Apple Car Play with this unit and I would say the split is about 50/50 for it. Personally... I probably would have been better off just saving myself the extra $70-$100 or whatever for the Car Play stuff. I didnt want to download and sign in into all my apps individually on the Headunit, so CarPlay just seemed a lot more convenient. Along with the fact that anyone in the car with an iPhone would be able to use it.

With this unit (probably because its wireless), Iv had the app hang up randomly...or forcing me to click the back arrow on the headunit to go back to the home page because the screen was just black, then going back in the app. Cuts in the music on occasion. Not super frequent but it does happen. Did have connection issues here and there and sometimes my music would just stop playing completely and I would have to reset the app.

Im not sure if its the app or the actual hardware. In the recent week, I believe the last update on the app is causing some of the issues.

One thing thats annoying about the AutoPlay App is that the settings are hidden/not easy to find...especially if your phone is already paired with everything. Once I got to the settings, I managed to tweak some settings where the app wouldnt launch automatically or auto connect my phone right away etc.

Aside from the issues with CarPlay, over all experience is good. One thing that I wish was a better (which is super minor) is since the screen is slightly angled in the E53... some of the graphics look too dark from where you are sitting no matter the brightness setting. In my eyes it makes the unit look a bit cheap. But whatever. Small thing. Probably looks fine in the other BMWs where the screen isnt on an angle like that.

Still a good unit at the end of the day and im getting my "moneys" worth out out of it. Would recommend.

[Fifty150hs]

Originally Posted by Kam850

Alright so not sure what happened, but i think the Apple Car Play Box/App had to do something with this issue.

I disconnected the box, turned the car off for a few minutes, came back and started the car again, hit wifi on and it connected. So I got all my updates and what not.

As for the Car Play Experience over the last month....

I know a few members voiced their opinion through out this long thread about Apple Car Play with this unit and I would say the split is about 50/50 for it. Personally... I probably would have been better off just saving myself the extra $70-$100 or whatever for the Car Play stuff. I didnt want to download and sign in into all my apps individually on the Headunit, so CarPlay just seemed a lot more convenient. Along with the fact that anyone in the car with an iPhone would be able to use it.

With this unit (probably because its wireless), Iv had the app hang up randomly...or forcing me to click the back arrow on the headunit to go back to the home page because the screen was just black, then going back in the app. Cuts in the music on occasion. Not super frequent but it does happen. Did have connection issues here and there and sometimes my music would just stop playing completely and I would have to reset the app.

Im not sure if its the app or the actual hardware. In the recent week, I believe the last update on the app is causing some of the issues.

One thing thats annoying about the AutoPlay App is that the settings are hidden/not easy to find...especially if your phone is already paired with everything. Once I got to the settings, I managed to tweak some settings where the app wouldnt launch automatically or auto connect my phone right away etc.

Aside from the issues with CarPlay, over all experience is good. One thing that I wish was a better (which is super minor) is since the screen is slightly angled in the E53... some of the graphics look too dark from where you are sitting no matter the brightness setting. In my eyes it makes the unit look a bit cheap. But whatever. Small thing. Probably looks fine in the other BMWs where the screen isnt on an angle like that.

Still a good unit at the end of the day and im getting my "moneys" worth out out of it. Would recommend.

I was one that dumped the Carplay pretty quickly.

I've noticed the same thing with the screen. If I lean forward it clears up, but it is annoying. I've been thinking about what Overboost (I think) did, which was to place 1/8" spacers behind the upper frame to change the angle a little. I think he put them under the adjacent trim so it blended in and didn't look like anything was different. I've had so much other stuff going on that I haven't got to it yet.

[Kam850]

Well I almost had the headunit for a full year!

I would up my rating to 8/10. Only because honestly for the most part the headunit at this point "paid for itself".

I do have a couple questions and maybe someone can chime in and suggest something.

1.) Apple Car Play - The black box + AutoPlay App, this being a android unit, is there an alternative app or box on amazon that's better? I keep noticing that sometimes my apple car play apps get choppy or don't run smooth. My assumption is that the black box receiver or whatever... is just old tech. I'm wondering if there is something on Amazon that works better and is newer?

1.1) Maybe I should give up on Apple Car Play? Its nice having everything in one place vs. skipping through apps/screens.

2.) People complain they hear themselves during calls. I have tried lowering the volume on the headunit during calls, and it sort of works, but then I have the issue of not being able to hear much out of the speakers. I did recently have a few people complain they cant hear me well so I had to adjust myself and speak louder. My car originally came with NAV and blutooth. I did disconnect the blutooth module from the car harness. I figured since the radio has a mic and blutooth, I wont need that module to be plugged in and it would save me the common issue of the module draining the battery. Anyway, should I just get an external mic from Amazon for the $10-$15 or are there settings I need to adjust?