Xoutpost.com - Restoring Splitscreen Radio Mode with Nav OS Upgrade

Contributed by: UCrewX5

My 2001 BMW X5 originally came equipped with the 4:3 narrow screen monitor and the MkIII nav drive. Over the years I have since upgraded my components to the 16:9 widescreen, the MkIV DVD-based nave drive, and a newer generation radio module that supports AUX input.

One of the features that I never had working, though, was the splitscreen radio. Yes, I have splitscreen with the nav screens, however whenever I would jump to the radio/CD/tape/AUX it would put me into full screen radio mode, which looked like this:

http://www.xoutpost.com/images/articles/203/IMG_2253.jpg

On 4/27/2005 Brian from the bimmerboard's navigation forum posted a sequence that he discovered which enabled his splitscreen radio mode. Following those steps, I was also able to enable this on my nav screen. The steps involved require that the nav OS be downgraded and then upgraded, so this will change your mode from feet to yards and also eliminate the accept screen. My unit was already in this mode, so that was of no concern to me.

I started at V25. This is the sequence I used for the downgrade to V24:

Turn the car key to the position that turns on the accessories (radio, nav, etc.), but does not start the car.
Turn off the radio.
Remove the nav map DVD.
Insert the nav software CD V24.
Wait for SW upgrade to complete, eject the SW CD, and show the "OK" to continue screen.
Remove the software CD and insert the nav map DVD.
Click OK.
While the nav system was rebooting, I turned the radio on.
When the nav screen came up, I turned the radio off, and then back on again.

Once the downgrade was complete and the radio splitscreen functions verified as working, a normal upgrade back to V25 was performed.

During the software loads you will see the following screens:

http://www.xoutpost.com/images/articles/203/IMG_2256.jpg

http://www.xoutpost.com/images/articles/203/IMG_2257.jpg

http://www.xoutpost.com/images/articles/203/IMG_2258.jpg

Once the software load was complete and the sequence of turning the radio on and off as described in the steps above were followed, I now have the splitscreen radio mode enabled, as shown below:

http://www.xoutpost.com/images/articles/203/IMG_2259.jpg

Very Cool !!!

Finally, here's a picture showing my nav drive now on V25 (4-1/50)

http://www.xoutpost.com/images/articles/203/IMG_2262.jpg

Enjoy

References:
http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/69541