Touchscreen, iDrive retrofit for E53?
 

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:

would be great

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

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.

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.

http://www.mp3car.com/imagehosting/t...99ccd34435.jpg

3Dconnexion : SpaceNavigator for Notebooks

Download SpaceNavigator Official Open Beta,and enjoy

Space Navigator PE Driver Development Thread

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

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.

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

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!!! :)

I don't know why.... maybe it was all of the tech-gadget stuff that's been on the brain lately. I was just reminded of this commercial.



Sometimes the K.I.S.S. method prevails. :)

I don't have my ruler handy to go and measure the cupholder area to see if this thing
(Easy Cat® Touchpad - Cirque) will fit or not, but maybe something to this effect might be in order for the mouse input for the carputer.

And how about this RF keyboard: Mini RF Wireless Multimedia Computer Keyboard and Mouse ?

for me that is too much. my opinion.
Good one J.

You are right, I myself might want to keep it stupid and simple, and probably will go just with CP600BMW - just a simple swap and voila!!! At least it seems to be the path of least resistance... :)

ყველაფერი რიგზეა

(Sometimes I have work in Georgia) :)

sorry dude - i don't speak Georgian nor Armenian... :(

:D good one J.
You do work in Georgia? Are you planning to visit in future? Maybe we can hang out, when you come here.

ia toje ne govoru po armianski, no po ruski ia mogu)

I hope you do the iDrive realy bad. I would like to do it after you.

Where are you seeing prices?

The prices are on their websites:

CP600BMW - 220 euros + shipping
iDrive for E53 - 350 euros + shipping
mediaPlayer - 430 euros + shipping
touchscreen - $60 + shipping
carputer - 700 euros + shipping

Not about price. If you like car and not selling it, then you will pay. too much for me is mousepad. to me something like that is cheap, but I don't feel that way about iDrive, I just love it.

i did not hear from anybody using the CP600BMW - is that thing too new on the market, or it is not that good after all?

Last time I checked, the maintronic product had a ridiculous price. Most of the people probably go for grom or the dension products.

As I continue digging around, it seems that there are several possible routes that can be taken here...

1. the simplest route - get the CP600BMW, and basically substitute the SDs for the CDs. This route does not require a monitor or anything else, and only needs CD changer connection. All I-BUS cars in the US sold with pre-wired for a CD Changer, even if not installed. About $350, and if you have original changer, you might be able to offset the cost by selling the old unit.

2. Completely going out of way and getting EVERYTHING there is to get. This route will call for a computer. Obviously, a computer can do the MP3, the video in whatever formats, you can get a DVB-T USB dongles, you can get navigation, skype, wi-fi, even 3g/4g... the list is endless...

This route is most difficult and expensive - I checked current prices for an ITX-form computer on eBay, a machine running UBUNTU (Linux), with 1TB HDD, 2GB RAM, automotive power supply, wi-fi with BT card running about $400-$450 delivered.
Then you need to get an IBUS controller that will feed the video to the monitor upfront and whole bunch of other things - you might end up paying in vicinity of a $1000 for the hardware, plus the labor... However, this will resolve 95% of your multimedia requirements... maybe even 99%... lol...

the debate is still open...

Another good variant :

YouTube - ‪DVB-T MPEG4 BMW i-BUS MK4 1/4‬‏
YouTube - ‪DVB-T MPEG4 BMW i-BUS MK4 2/4‬‏
YouTube - ‪DVB-T MPEG4 BMW i-BUS MK4 3/4‬‏
YouTube - ‪DVB-T MPEG4 BMW i-BUS MK4 4/4‬‏

for the U.S. market I can replace the DVB-T tuner for ATSC. For Brazil - ISDB-T

Bump
Anyone got any new info on the probability of running iDrive on an older car?
I'd love my E53 to run it.

Dubs

I was told not possible for the 06 and below X. is possible for the 07 and up x.
Theres a canadian company that does the retrofit.
They looked over every aspect of idrive for 06.. just not possible.

That russian site that i mentioned at the beginnig should allow you to do the idrive in an i-Bus car, even as old as 1997 e36. The price is ridiculous - that is why nobody is going for it.

I just heard, that the russian's guy email is bouncing, even though his site is up... just be careful with that guy, i don't know him, his info just came up in the search...

Okay let me clarify because maybe we are misunderstanding each other. I read your post and you say Idrive retrofit by russian guy. This is not a true Idrive retrofit. All its doing is expanding on the ibus and existing software using a encoder module and probably the resler interface to emulate the buttons on the face of the bordmonitor. Think of it as 2 usb mice connected to a computer. they both are used to control the pc. When I say Idrive retrofit. I dont mean just the gimic hardware mouse. I meant complete retrofit. hard drive, cic, computer software that the 08 and up runs menus sensor, navigation.
Carputers are cool but very very tedious work. Also I heard all those tv antennas are pretty much crappy in the US market when you start driving. Alot of reviews at MP3car.com. For USA the best way to get television is satelite but that module will run you 1,000 used to 3,000 new KVH tracvision A5 and A7. But you need to have directv then its 5 bucks added on your monthly bill otherwise like 50 bucks. Also all these upgrades where they do the computer to the e53 never show gps. Mainly because 1 of 3 things you either lose your oem gps, 2 you have to rely on computer gps software which at the time was the IGO, Inavigation, google maps, microsoft streets and trips... All were buggy 3. Most of the carputer setups they physically remove the oem monitor and add an another lcd a vga monitor to the housing they have to trim the lcd to make it fit the housing but the new lcd does the holy grail resolution of 800x480 which in the carputer world is perfect for touchscreen apps or for carputers skins and icons.. With carputers dead reckoning gps was not developed to well. meaning the software holds your postion when you lose sat signal. Thats what oem units have that carputers dont. Lets not forget the ocasional frozen screen or the bsod or devices not coming out of standby. I had a car pc in my last car it was freaking awesome when it worked. Maintenance and program updates and patching was always a headache. Heck theres a guys that make front ends (skins) specifically for bmws called ride runner free (formerly road runner) and DFX free to. What I used for tv in my last car was a tethered internet connection to my slingbox at home. that was as best i could do for a clear pcture on the move but there was a buffering issue (4g wasnt out yet) sorry for the long post just trying to get on the same page with you.

You are correct, that guy in Russia is only moving the knob off the monitor into the console area and has nothing to do with the real CIC and other retrofits.

But I was under impression, that the new cars have the MOST bus and that is not really retrofittable to the older cars (I guess one can rip all the original signal wiring and overhaul with the fiber optic for MOST?), so the CIC and the newer navs and other toys stay in new cars.

The older cars, which are the i-bus cars have been extensively hacked into and there are possible solutions for the "i-Drive" look-alikes as well whole slew of other things.

I have a factory TV module that was working good stationary and just ok while in motion in the US, and a bit better while in central America. I did not have much luck in Russia, as the local intelligence service screwed my car to the point that I am still recovering from some of their butchery - as they planted and then removed their "bugs" they screwed up my rear wiring: the camera is dead, the rear compartment lights are dead, the subwoofer and the rear speakers make noises. So, I did not have a chance to test the TV in Russia, as it was screwed as well.

I looked at the A5 for satellite but I was not going to spend $3K for that (it i had an RV I might have considered).

I am entertaining the carputer idea because i do not know any better, and I was hoping to stir up some motion to hear opinions - and your opinion comes very handy - I will look out for those pitfalls you are talking about. I was not going to lose the OEM screen, but it seems that resolution might not be the best. I was thinking about the CIS-IBUS device that would have taken care of the monitor and the i-bus control.

The jury is still out...

PS. You are in Herndon? I guess we are in general vicinity of each other...

Hi,
i did note that the video module shown in the http://www.xoutpost.com/829776-post3.html were modified, and would like to ask where can i get the tips or schemes in order to modify the one i have, to include the reaview camera, the usb module, a isdb-t tuner (could anyone recommend one with i-bus wire). Can someone help me?
TIA,
PAulo

BUMP! no info? Post too old?