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Digital Cluster

Specific discussion about the E89 2009 Z4 (sDrive35is, sDrive35i, sDrive30i, sDrive23i)
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Pondrew
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Digital Cluster

Post by Pondrew » Sun Nov 27, 2022 10:31 am

AnubisZed wrote: Sun Nov 27, 2022 10:29 am Nah, you need some Carlos Fandango wheels on there :rofl: :driving: but then it should really be a Ford Anglia...
https://youtu.be/nqqZ28m8uCo
:lol: :lol:
That brings back memories!!
All good things come to those who wait. I'm really impatient which explains a lot.

F31 320i. Good car.
E89 20i Now fully dried
Z3 'free litre'. Project and a half. Complicated!
Mazda3 sold
Tatty old R56 Mini Cooper. Money pit!

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sars
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Post by sars » Sun Nov 27, 2022 12:02 pm

Pondrew wrote: Sat Nov 26, 2022 11:36 pm
B21 wrote: Sat Nov 26, 2022 2:21 pm good to have pioneers on the Forum
Always been a Panasonic man myself! :D

I just don't get all this!
If you want a 2022 digital 'computer game' instrument cluster, why not just buy a G29? Or any other G series BM?

For me it's like buying an Austin Seven and then turbocharging it. Sort of misses the point. :idunno:
I think the G29 display is possibly the worst thing about the car, why would you chose to upgrade the e85/86/89 analogue dials to the all digital format of the G29. I wish we had the ability to alter the display format like Audi have done previously on the TT. It’s only having the HUD that makes the current variant liveable.
Gorgeous SFR Z4 M40i 8)
Gone 2017 Iridium SL400, 2015 435d xDrive Convertible, 2012 E350 CDi Convertible, 2010 DSB Z4 sdrive30i, 2008 Audi A4 Cabriolet, 2006 Phoenix Yellow Z4 2.5Si, 2003 Saab 9-3 Convertible

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R.E92
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Post by R.E92 » Sun Nov 27, 2022 3:36 pm

sars wrote: Sun Nov 27, 2022 12:02 pm
Pondrew wrote: Sat Nov 26, 2022 11:36 pm
B21 wrote: Sat Nov 26, 2022 2:21 pm good to have pioneers on the Forum
Always been a Panasonic man myself! :D

I just don't get all this!
If you want a 2022 digital 'computer game' instrument cluster, why not just buy a G29? Or any other G series BM?

For me it's like buying an Austin Seven and then turbocharging it. Sort of misses the point. :idunno:
I think the G29 display is possibly the worst thing about the car, why would you chose to upgrade the e85/86/89 analogue dials to the all digital format of the G29. I wish we had the ability to alter the display format like Audi have done previously on the TT. It’s only having the HUD that makes the current variant liveable.
Agreed. I'm by no means a technophobe but I think the digital clusters look crap, even when they come from the factory like that.

The problem with these Chinese eBay mods is that they age like milk. I'm yet to see a singe retrofitted Android head unit in a car that looks good or even works as well as the OE unit it replaced. Same goes for the retrofit LED craze. Having every single bulb on the car replaced with ultra bright Cree LEDs ages a car rather than making it look modern.

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Post by B21 » Sun Nov 27, 2022 4:50 pm

R.E92 wrote: Sun Nov 27, 2022 3:36 pm
sars wrote: Sun Nov 27, 2022 12:02 pm
Pondrew wrote: Sat Nov 26, 2022 11:36 pm Always been a Panasonic man myself! :D

I just don't get all this!
If you want a 2022 digital 'computer game' instrument cluster, why not just buy a G29? Or any other G series BM?

For me it's like buying an Austin Seven and then turbocharging it. Sort of misses the point. :idunno:
I think the G29 display is possibly the worst thing about the car, why would you chose to upgrade the e85/86/89 analogue dials to the all digital format of the G29. I wish we had the ability to alter the display format like Audi have done previously on the TT. It’s only having the HUD that makes the current variant liveable.
Agreed. I'm by no means a technophobe but I think the digital clusters look crap, even when they come from the factory like that.

The problem with these Chinese eBay mods is that they age like milk. I'm yet to see a singe retrofitted Android head unit in a car that looks good or even works as well as the OE unit it replaced. Same goes for the retrofit LED craze. Having every single bulb on the car replaced with ultra bright Cree LEDs ages a car rather than making it look modern.
Brutal…really brutal… :tumbleweed: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
We choose to go to on with this endeavour at this time and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard..

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Post by Christopher72 » Mon Nov 28, 2022 1:25 am

B21 wrote: Sun Nov 27, 2022 4:50 pm Agreed. I'm by no means a technophobe but I think the digital clusters look crap, even when they come from the factory like that.
I feel ya - I'm much more attracted to a hybrid dash that has aspects of both... same with hybrid watches... over the apple square screen watches. https://www.amazon.com/Fossil-Collider- ... 083YD6GYY/ I like dials... and I like screens.. both please.
Christopher
2011 E89 Sdrive35i - Deep Sea Blue, Beige Kansas Leather
'fits in progress - PDC, Cameras, Comfort Access, Respray/Correction - all queued for poor weather.
(9) E46 convertibles; (1) E39 540i; (2) E36 Z3 roadsters; (1) Pre-prod E36 Z3- all gone

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Post by ProfCJJ » Sat Dec 10, 2022 1:50 pm

I wanted to update everyone on this Chinese made digital dash.

I received it last week, I won’t go into huge detail here as I am trying to do some in depth testing and will put up a separate thread with my findings later, but in short:

1. The E9X version works straight out of the box in the E89. In that it really is plug and play - most (if not all) the functions I have tested so far seem to be reflected on the dash - but that’s not an exhaustive test at this stage, I’ll update that later.

2. The plastic shroud you get with the screen fits the E89 dash space PERFECTLY- its like it’s made to measure.

3. However, the screen does not go into the dash w/o needing to alter the inside plastic first. This is no different to the ID4Motion screen from the US - I would argue that this version will need less “alterations” as the US screen is perfectly rectangular whereas this Chinese version has the corners notched out.

4. I’m happy to make the alterations as long as a) they are not visible after the fact and b) I can put the “old” cluster in with no problems. It appears though that this is achievable (going on what ID4Motion say about their screen). I am doing this slowly so that I only remove the bare minimum needed - documenting as I go. (Cold weather is hampering efforts though as I’m working outside and it’s bloody freezing here!!)

5. I’ve managed to exchange quite a few messages with a sales person in China for this device - they are obviously keen to know this will work with E89 and I have already supplied them with (for example) images of E89 vehicles that could be integrated into the library of cars they use. I have also pointed out various spelling mistakes and pointed out the need for a “British English” language option as we don’t like using “tire” and “color” etc :)

6. I’ve paid regular price for this device and am not getting any kickbacks - but the guy in China is keen to point out that a group buy is more likely to result in changes being made as money talks!

7. I’m also following the route of looking at how “hackable” the device is - so that we could make changes w/o need to resort to our Chinese friends! In short it looks promising! It’s an embedded Linux product using the QT platform to produce the UI. There is a usb port that is used to enact an update on the device and that might be a route into the device. There is also a connector on the device that I am 99% sure is a UART (serial connection) which I am actively probing now, if successful this would provide another route into the system to make changes.

That’s all for now - feel free to ask any questions and I’ll answer them if I know the answer and if I need to test something I will if I can.

In the meantime I am continuing to try and get the screen to fit and attempting to gain access to the system.
---
Christopher

Z4 E89 sDrive 30i Msport in Alpine White with Kansas red leather interior and brushed aluminium carbon fibre look.

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Post by ProfCJJ » Sat Dec 10, 2022 1:54 pm

In the meantime here are some random images:
41686AA5-65D1-4A6C-A434-A1425BB56FD2.jpeg
41686AA5-65D1-4A6C-A434-A1425BB56FD2.jpeg (113.57 KiB) Viewed 700 times
72CB24DD-872F-4656-90EB-806498773375.jpeg
72CB24DD-872F-4656-90EB-806498773375.jpeg (107.35 KiB) Viewed 700 times
A5DAA1A6-B7FF-42E8-B7C1-C6E2EFC38FE1.jpeg
A5DAA1A6-B7FF-42E8-B7C1-C6E2EFC38FE1.jpeg (111.16 KiB) Viewed 700 times
120E009C-0F25-42AA-8C71-E007FDFE1CA4.jpeg
120E009C-0F25-42AA-8C71-E007FDFE1CA4.jpeg (171.74 KiB) Viewed 700 times
76A94B3D-98B3-42F4-8B78-3E256D65F267.jpeg
76A94B3D-98B3-42F4-8B78-3E256D65F267.jpeg (123.65 KiB) Viewed 700 times
6056744C-C105-4DCC-9C85-AC19A73AE951.jpeg
6056744C-C105-4DCC-9C85-AC19A73AE951.jpeg (107.91 KiB) Viewed 700 times
99F8F7E3-B109-41F2-A413-F3FA6562481D.jpeg
99F8F7E3-B109-41F2-A413-F3FA6562481D.jpeg (115.53 KiB) Viewed 700 times
9B895292-2A31-4F23-B8C0-0D71F90938EE.jpeg
9B895292-2A31-4F23-B8C0-0D71F90938EE.jpeg (114.39 KiB) Viewed 700 times
2A85603B-E44E-4029-9712-3917D4E04741.jpeg
2A85603B-E44E-4029-9712-3917D4E04741.jpeg (136.43 KiB) Viewed 700 times
BD1D68A8-B933-432F-A45D-64974DF15B5C.jpeg
BD1D68A8-B933-432F-A45D-64974DF15B5C.jpeg (118.35 KiB) Viewed 700 times
---
Christopher

Z4 E89 sDrive 30i Msport in Alpine White with Kansas red leather interior and brushed aluminium carbon fibre look.

Image

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Post by Marcoose » Sat Dec 10, 2022 4:03 pm

Did you have to butcher your cowling in order to make it fit ?

How’s the glare ?

Does it check tyre air age ?
2016 35is, monoballs, camber plates, KWV3, PS4S, xHP, MHD, LFB pedal, flat bottom wheel, red indicators, black headlamps
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Post by Pondrew » Sat Dec 10, 2022 6:53 pm

Marcoose wrote: Sat Dec 10, 2022 4:03 pm Does it check tyre air age?
Probably!!! But only to the nearest nano-second :lol: :lol:
All good things come to those who wait. I'm really impatient which explains a lot.

F31 320i. Good car.
E89 20i Now fully dried
Z3 'free litre'. Project and a half. Complicated!
Mazda3 sold
Tatty old R56 Mini Cooper. Money pit!

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Post by markplant » Sat Dec 10, 2022 7:28 pm

Top work and effort again :thumbsup:
3.0 Manual. Sterling Grey. Cream leather Electric an Heated. Professional Navigation/Sony tablet replacement. Storm Werks . an parts waiting to be fitted

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Post by Jollyjoiner » Sat Dec 10, 2022 8:44 pm

Nice one. Looking forward to seeing it fully fitted and up and running to see what it would be like with real world usage.
:thumbsup:
2009 35i DCT silver
SLT mapped to 365bhp :)

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Post by AnubisZed » Mon Mar 06, 2023 6:59 pm

Been talking to Milo today, it's coming very soon :thumbsup:
And here is the hardware, don't worry about the car image :thumbsup:
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FB_IMG_1678125146166.jpg
FB_IMG_1678125146166.jpg (42.39 KiB) Viewed 500 times
Dave
2011, 23i, Grey with Red leather. 8)

My E89 YouTube channel - BMW Z4 Mods
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCttNBt ... UQnoEvKB2Q

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Post by Marcoose » Mon Mar 06, 2023 10:51 pm

Dave, I really hope there will be a special display for Sport+. Just the essentials in large and bright font. RPM, gear, speed, red zone (alert only), oil temperature (alert only), tyre pressure (alert only).

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
2016 35is, monoballs, camber plates, KWV3, PS4S, xHP, MHD, LFB pedal, flat bottom wheel, red indicators, black headlamps
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Post by mcbutler » Mon Mar 06, 2023 11:08 pm

AnubisZed wrote: Sat Nov 12, 2022 10:39 am OK so I know it's been brought up before about replacing the current cluster with a digital version and the ID4Motion one has been posted here, along with it's hefty £1000 price tag, well we'll soon have access to a cheaper version that'll do, almost, the same thing.
So although it's not for the E89 cluster I've posted a photo of what one will look like (E89 version still in development at the moment). As you can see it has the ultra-modern BMW digital style to it and not a digital analogue look like the ID4Motion one (the modern style is available at more expense from ID4Motion!).
Price should be around $600 to $700, but is it something you'd like?

Oh and just for the techy's, it's NOT Android based but is using the Linux platform.
Love it, the E89 is looking dated now and this is in line with many modern vehicles.
Mark
Plymouth
E89
35i
Carmine Red
Black leather

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Post by AnubisZed » Sat Mar 18, 2023 11:46 am

Right, so I have an update, I've been talking to Milo this week and he's said I'll be getting one of the first E89 specific versions off the production line for testing. I'll then make a video on installation and how I get on with it :thumbsup:
So a couple of things to think about first....
This unit is fully Plug-n-Play, ie; there is no cutting of the binicle or any wires to fit this, it'll plug straight into the original cluster harness loom and screw straight in, fully replacing the original cluster.
You would be buying the full version, ie; no expensive add-ons for different specs. I know that you are mainly paying for different visuals on the iD4Motion cluster and some minor extra features. Also bear in mind that the photo I've posted above is the only theme that is available, so you can't change the look of the clocks (although Basic, Sport and Sport+ may look slightly different, I'm not sure)

So I've also been given a price, and that is $880, which is a bit higher then I was expecting, but we'll have to wait and see what it's like :thumbsup:
Dave
2011, 23i, Grey with Red leather. 8)

My E89 YouTube channel - BMW Z4 Mods
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCttNBt ... UQnoEvKB2Q

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