Adding DAB and USB

[AnilS]

I'm looking for an answer to adding USB stick capabilities and dab but keeping the sat nav and std stereo.
I have the 10 HiFi Speaker system.

I still have a fantastic Pure DAB (single DIN) stereo from a previous car, and I could swap out the original unit but I'll lose the Sat Nav and computer features in the pop up display. I'm not sure if it would cause issues with the inboard amp either.

Appreciate any responses.

 

[Sidewaze Samm]

I have recently fitted a Pure Highway Drive Digital/300Di. It's hard-wired in, not powered from the socket, and gives a choice of three ways to connect to the head unit; FM transmitter, aux socket or via antenna input. I chose the aux socket method, as the unit provides it's own aux input capability along with USB. So I have the original head unit (standard Business CD) but with DAB radio and both USB and aux input capabilities. The only thing I don't have is bluetooth, which doesn't bother me.

 

[AnilS]

Thank you Sir.
I have BT in the car with the current setup so this looks ideal.
I'll check it out.

Thanks again

 

[AnilS]

Looked at this option but worried about the external mounted aerial, as seen on youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSBNY49Fg5k

However, this kit seems to have an internal stick on (inside the the windscreen) which I prefer. Think I will go with this Sidewazz Samm

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pure-Highway-Drive-Digital-In-Car-DAB-Digital-Radio-Audio-Adaptor-Kit/112455858277?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

Was it difficult to hard wire in and did you have to drill into the dash?

Thanks

 

[Tommo61]

do you have any pictures of the antenna/usb/aux positioning and cabling, and did you use the magnetic grounding tail? I've got one (Highway 400) in a box ready to install as they were going cheap on amazon and I've been impressed using one in another car.

I was planning on putting the remote right there too!

 

[Sidewaze Samm]

do you have any pictures of the antenna/usb/aux positioning and cabling, and did you use the magnetic grounding tail? I've got one (Highway 400) in a box ready to install as they were going cheap on amazon and I've been impressed using one in another car.

I was planning on putting the remote right there too!

The model I installed was the 300di, as in the ebay link in the post above from AnilS. So there may be differences I'm unaware of, but my antenna looks like this...
The mistake I made was mounting it too high up the screen and onto the black strip - it needs to be about 10mm lower and off the black. The 'base' of the antenna (black box bit) stopped the windscreen headrail trim being replaced so I had to cut out a small section of the trim. Impossible to see, but annoying that I made the mistake :headbang:
I was going to place the USB in or near the removable panel below the heater controls, by the aux socket, and even bought the right type of lead/surface mount socket - but in the end I just used the supplied lead and left it hanging in the glove box (easier to fit, and a 16GB memory stick lasts a loonnng time).
I've no pictures of the cabling, and it's all out of sight now The brainbox bit is mounted vertically on its side between the glovebox and stereo headunit; antenna cable runs behind the glovebox, up behind the A-pillar trim, and behind a bit of the headrail trim (which has to come off to get the A-pillar trim off anyway); the cable to the controller runs over the top of the steering column (behind the leather flappy bit) and comes out through the aperture where the light switch/LCM is. I used the aux option for attaching the Pure unit to the stereo - simply removed the existing aux socket from the dash and plugged into it, then used the supplied aux-in cable to fit in the dash.
For mounting the controller I didn't want to drill the dash and neither did I want to use the sticky pad option. So I obtained a spare piece of aluminium dash trim (so to return car to stock in future maybe) and cut a section out of it at the top for the cable to pass through; using tin snips and a section of chromed steel sheet (cos we've all got some of that at the back of the garage - actually mine came off one of those stupid toilet roll stands) I crudely fabricated a bracket and stuck it to the trim with epoxy, as shown here...

There was no magnetic grounding tail with mine - where would it go on a roadster?? - but a sticky strip.

EDIT: just found a photo I took of the brainbox in situ, before being wired up. Taken from where the glovebox would be, the photo was handy to look at when trying to identify which socket is which once all the cables were in the way.

 

[Sidewaze Samm]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pure-Highway ... 1438.l2649

Was it difficult to hard wire in and did you have to drill into the dash?

I think I've covered this in the last post above
The one thing I will say is that the user instructions refer to this as being for professional installation (don't understand why) and don't give installation instructions. For those instructions you need to go here https://support-uk.pure.com/en/downloads/manual-13
You'll also need the correct harness adapter to connect to the stereo, so I'd suggest you give Dynamic Sounds a call and tell them what you've got and they'll sort you out for a few quid.

All in, to fit the same as I have you will need to remove: glovebox; sun visors and headrail trim; A-pillar trim; side vent; central vents and stereo; LCM dash trim; and, dash panel above ash tray. Depends on how you want to mount the controller, but I did not have to do any drilling into anything - or splicing or soldering - other, of course, than the cutting of the dash trim around the lightswitch, as described in previous post.

The only downside of my installation is that I think I may not have full functionality, in respect of how long the tuner stays on. The advert/manual refers to it staying on for a period after the car is turned off, but is a bit vague about this. Mine doesn't, and it also spends 30 seconds retuning every time I get in the car - although it does remember the programmed favourite stations. I think it's possibly because I didn't connect some further power cables, but I couldn't be bothered figuring out where to splice in to, so just went with the plug and play functionality. Also as a weekend-only car, I didn't want anything with the potential to drain the battery. At the end of the day it works and I'm happy!

 

[Tommo61]

Thanks.for these, very useful and nice job! :happyclap: The magnetic grounding strip in the Highway 400 is around 8" and normally tucks in the headlining and sticks to the roof, but as you say, how would this work in a convertible..? I'm hoping it can tuck back down the A pillar and ground to the body there.

 

[AnilS]

Thank you SS.

 

[terryo]

but with DAB radio and both USB and aux input capabilities.

how did you work out your factory unit has this...there is no mention of either in my stereo "owners handbook"

 

[Tommo61]

I've Finally fitted a Pure Highway 400 DAB adaptor, which is similar to the 300di from an antenna perspective, but the controller is wireless and is has no other inputs, but supports Spotify wirelessly and Bluetooth streaming.
Thanks to sidewaze samm for the cable routing tips. It was pretty straightforward once I removed the A pillar trim, which requires the whole horizontal screen trim and sun visors to be removed to free the top of the A pillar trim. - it's only 4 screws, but a bit of a faff and always the worry it may turn into a bigger problem, but it was fine. The only issue I had was one of the visor screws wouldn't sit straight on the way back in and I may have cross cut it a bit.. It tightened ok and I'm not expecting to remove it anytime soon! The aforementioned magnetic antenna grounding tab easily clipped to the metal of the A pillar and it was easy to route the cables down, behind the door rubbers and under the glove compartment behind all the trim to come out by the aux/ashtray, where they're connected, to the aux phono socket and 12v using the provided USB/12v socket adaptor. They're still loose and visible here at the moment until I can figure an easy route under the centre console.
The controller can go anywhere being wireless, and sits nicely in the storage tray at the back of the centre console for now, until I decide if/where to stick on the adhesive pad.
It all works fine with good DAB reception, Spotify etc, although I've got a short on the aux socket somewhere, so line-in is distorted, so it's currently connected over FM on an unused frequency, which sounds perfect.

I've got one of these in another car and the controller has been on the same 2 AAA batteries for over 12 months. All the radio reception/Bluetooth functionality must be in the antenna box stuck to the windscreen, which is 12v powered so the wireless controller just provides a display and instructs it what to do, so isn't using much power.
No photos of the work in progress unfortunately, but here is the end result. - quite unobtrusive. £60 from Amazon.

 

[Sidewaze Samm]

but with DAB radio and both USB and aux input capabilities.

how did you work out your factory unit has this...there is no mention of either in my stereo "owners handbook"

You've confused me... the topic of this thread is about adding USB and DAB functionality. The Pure unit I've used has fulfilled this, whilst also maintaining an available aux-in socket. Nothing to do with the standard BMW head unit at all, which on its own has neither USB nor DAB capability.

 

[terryo]

thanks for the reply. i was interested in doing the same to mine, but i was just confused by the words you wrote, quoted above. Just the way i read it sounded like the unit originally had the functionality, thats all.

 

[AnilS]

Bought the 300di like SS.

Hope to fit it later this week.

 

[tuco]

Tommo61, apart from removing the A pillar trim and roof trim did you have to remove the glove box to route the cables ?

 

[AnilS]

Update. Unit fitted and plugged into the aux connection.
Sound quality is good from both DAB and USB (in glovebox).

 

[KevBrowne]

I have recently fitted a Pure Highway Drive Digital/300Di. It's hard-wired in, not powered from the socket, and gives a choice of three ways to connect to the head unit; FM transmitter, aux socket or via antenna input. I chose the aux socket method, as the unit provides it's own aux input capability along with USB. So I have the original head unit (standard Business CD) but with DAB radio and both USB and aux input capabilities. The only thing I don't have is bluetooth, which doesn't bother me.
IMG_20190626_191730.jpg

Hi, am I reading this correct, the 300i has a socket to play music via usb? Thanks.

 

[Sidewaze Samm]

I have recently fitted a Pure Highway Drive Digital/300Di. It's hard-wired in, not powered from the socket, and gives a choice of three ways to connect to the head unit; FM transmitter, aux socket or via antenna input. I chose the aux socket method, as the unit provides it's own aux input capability along with USB. So I have the original head unit (standard Business CD) but with DAB radio and both USB and aux input capabilities. The only thing I don't have is bluetooth, which doesn't bother me.
IMG_20190626_191730.jpg

Hi, am I reading this correct, the 300i has a socket to play music via usb? Thanks.

You're reading correctly - I've got a 8Gb USB stick in mine which gives me loads of tunes.
But you refer to 300i - not sure if there might be a difference with my 300Di...

 

[KevBrowne]

Cheers Sidewaze, I've just ordered one, well, I've ordered the Alpine version - exactly the same apart from you can change colours & it's somehow cheaper??

https://www.mister-auto.co.uk/car-accessories/alpine-ezi-dab-digital-radio-interface_bg900141_a740LGBVAR0941.html

These can be found for about £45 delivered