Touchscreen, iDrive retrofit for E53?

[TerminatorX5]

Hello.

This thread started on X3 board and I thought I should ask the X5 folks and try to brainstorm this idea.

the basic idea is to use the products that are available on the market and enhance the operating experience of the Ultimate Driving Machine without heavily modifying the machine by splicing wires or installing aftermarket headunits.

Here are some products that are available on the market for the I-Bus vehicles. I would think that the CarPuter option will be the ultimate solution but lets brainstorm this to see if any of these options are doable.

Here is the link to CD changer replacement
CP600BMW

this one is a plug-n-play, uses SD cards upto 32G, so instead of a boatload of CDs, now we would have to have a truckload of SDs. It has advantages of being smaller then a CD changer, the SD card is smaller than CD (probably could use mini-SD with an adapter). Only requires an I-bus car with a pre-wiring for a CD changer (or so it seems). this one runs about 230 euros + 15-20 euros for shipping. VAT probably could be removed for shipping to non-VAT countries. I think this thing is made in Germany.

anyone with experience with this product?


Here is a link to a multimedia box that is supposedly plug-n-play

SBC Multimedia Center BMW

and works with MK1, 2, 3 and 4. It has the video player, MP3 player, it substitutes the regular screen menu with its own, has English interface ( the website is in russian). I doubt anyone had experience with this product outside of Eastern Europe but I hope that someone can come up with some info.

It runs about 430 euros for the full package + shipping and is made in Russia.

Here is a carputer link

AC-Services - Shop - CAR-PC - I-/K-BUS BMW's (E39, E46, E53, E83, E85)

there are not too many details about it so I was wondering if anyone on this board had any experience or opinions about it. Specifically I wonder if it has 3G/4G internet ability. this thing will run about 700 euros + about 40 euros for shipping. Again, same deal on the VAT, it might be removable (or not!!)

the carputer will need some input devices ( the output is fed into the factory screen), so

here is a link for touchscreen panel that might enable touchscreen retrofitting of the factory 16:9 screen.

Touch Screen Panel 7" Flexible - Touch Screen Panels - Accessories - CarSolutions Online Shop


and here is a link to the iDrive retrofit: GREN.RU - - i think it is a bit overpriced at 350 euros but it gives the iDrive "option" for non-iDrive cars. And this "iDrive" is a russian product as well. I think a mousepad would be more appropriate for the carputer.


It seems that the CarPuter would replace the need for the multimedia center and the "CD changer" as it should be able to play the video, the audio, bring the GPS functions, monitor the car vitals and lets you play solitaire!!!

To control the carputer, a touchscreen might be an interesting thing as well and the "iDrive" substitute... or, in place of the "iDrive", a mouse pad from an old laptop might be a good idea...

Any ideas? Thoughts? Critique?

Here are some pictures of the mentioned products:

[Nik]

would be great

[Virgil]

Here still good idea. Videomodul DVB-T MPEG4 + USB media player + rear camera + A/V input (stereo) + i-BUS controller
It is similarly possible to connect ATSC and ISDB-T tuners.



YouTube - ‪DVB-T MPEG4 + REAR CAMERA in BMW‬‏

[Nik]

iDrive is excellent, but how about menu for it? how do you think menu will match or be comfortable with MK series nav? and how hard would it be to do retrofit? taking car apart is nessesery I suppose also.

[TerminatorX5]

the "iDrive" for the E53 is operating on the same principle as the iDrive for the iDrive cars: if you remember, the right knob on the monitor (i am not so sure about non-monitor cars, with or without navigation) has three vectors of operation - clockwise turning, counterclockwise turning and pressing in. those movements translate to whatever signals that the knob is sending down the I-Bus. So, if you can replicate those signals, even a door knob will do. The "iDrive for E53" is precisely that, the right turn knob installed remotely in the center console. Of course, it looks better than a door knob would have been... lol... And it also has couple additional buttons... So, the menu on the screen is still the same menu that you have had all along. It is just the right knob that you used to reach out to get, now is under your arm... you just would need to splice into iBus and power to feed the LEDs used to light it up.

I still think that 350 Euros for that thing is too much but i suspect that part of due to the cost of the original BMW parts used to build it.

[J.Belknap]

3Dconnexion : SpaceNavigator for Notebooks

Download SpaceNavigator Official Open Beta,and enjoy

Space Navigator PE Driver Development Thread

[TerminatorX5]

interesting toy!!! Does Captain Nemo come with it? oops... I am dating myself!!! I meant, "does Spock come with it"?... lol...

[J.Belknap]

Russian dude wants a lot of money for his extension harness/Grayhill 61C22-01-04-02 optical encoder/metal knob. SpaceNavigator seems more versatile..... certainly cheaper. All this stuff really interests me, and if I had money to blow, I'd think about the setup that's in my head as posted here.

edit: At the end of the day, I'm just going to build a $5 aux audio in 3.5mm dongle and call it good. Good luck to y'all with your projects.

[Nik]

Keep up the good work guys! Hope we figure it out!

[TerminatorX5]

Interesting - i just found an article at Automotive » Blog Archive » Audi Advocates Touchpad, Voice over Touchscreen Interfacing where Audi advocates touch pad like on a laptop over a touchscreen - they claim that touchscreen distract the driver more, and the car veers off the road when a person is using the screen... touchpad is even better than idrive...

That shifts my paradigm - I am not inclined as much towards the touchscreen anymore... but this is not a final verdict!!!