Now with added Carplay..

[davegt]

Interesting day yesterday!

Took a punt on a Carplay interface from Ali, took less than two weeks to arrive, instructions weren't great but after a bit of fiddling it's up and running and seems to do what it's supposed to. Prefer the google maps to the out of date BMW nav and it makes streaming music much easier on the move, Idrive controller and steering wheel buttons all integrated so it feels very OEM.





https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001063666209.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.5e094c4db3XmC5

 

[Silverstar]

Yep it is a cool piece of kit, I did mine just the other week. Thread about it here:

https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=126024

Although I didn't remove the console trim around the gear-lever or the tray / storage box under the armrest. I assume you did that to run the aux cable from the MMI box to the aux port?

 

[davegt]

Yep it is a cool piece of kit, I did mine just the other week. Thread about it here:

https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=126024

Although I didn't remove the console trim around the gear-lever or the tray / storage box under the armrest. I assume you did that to run the aux cable from the MMI box to the aux port?

Nice install.
Yeah I ran the AUX cable under the central console, hides it away nicely. Will be looking at speakers etc next.

 

[mcbutler]

I was thinking about this for a while, in reality though I rarely use my sat nav and if I do my phone screen is almost as big as the display anyway. I also bought a small box called a J205 for £12 that streams all my music faultlessly, needs no wiring and fits in the arm rest.

 

[Silverstar]

Nice install.
Yeah I ran the AUX cable under the central console, hides it away nicely. Will be looking at speakers etc next.

Thanks!

I was thinking about this for a while, in reality though I rarely use my sat nav and if I do my phone screen is almost as big as the display anyway. I also bought a small box called a J205 for £12 that streams all my music faultlessly, needs no wiring and fits in the arm rest.

I used to use something similar but you can't see what's playing or get album art on the screen nor can you control it with the idrive controller or steering wheel buttons. With this box you can also read and dictate messages all handsfree and use it with many other apps. I have Coyote on mine which is a speed / traffic light camera location service and it runs in the background and alerts me as I drive around and I can use it in split screen mode so I can see it permanently whilst still seeing the music Information on the same screen.

 

[Anonymous]

I think it falls into the camp of ‘cause you can/ cause I want to’

If you have idrive and extended usb support the only extra functions are the ability to manage messages...

I’m not sure that adding these features help spatial awareness/ road safety... :thumbsdown:

I guess on the basis some people will use their phone come what may it reduces the level of distraction but doesn’t remove it..

I just run the speed camera database on the phone and get the warning beeps fed through the existing system..

Still strokes for folks...

If you didn’t have idrive I guess there are the other combo screen upgrades that have been installed..

 

[john-e89]

I’m not sure that adding these features help spatial awareness/ road safety... :thumbsdown:

I guess on the basis some people will use their phone come what may it reduces the level of distraction but doesn’t remove it..

I just run the speed camera database on the phone and get the warning beeps fed through the existing system..

:scratchhead: So if you’re unhappy about this guys road safety why do you yourself need a speed camera database....? If you’re following road safety then you won’t be speeding hence you don’t need it and it doesn’t matter where speed cameras are yes...?

 

[Anonymous]

I’m not sure that adding these features help spatial awareness/ road safety... :thumbsdown:

I guess on the basis some people will use their phone come what may it reduces the level of distraction but doesn’t remove it..

I just run the speed camera database on the phone and get the warning beeps fed through the existing system..

:scratchhead: So if you’re unhappy about this guys road safety why do you yourself need a speed camera database....? If you’re following road safety then you won’t be speeding hence you don’t need it and it doesn’t matter where speed cameras are yes...?

Ah the agent provocateur...as you know speed and safety are not directly related..

Given the effortless progress that can be made a reminder that you are exceeding a specific speed limit is no bad thing to ensure societal and legal compliance

What is known is the level of mental capacity left to manage driving is much reduced when even listening on the phone let alone talking...give some button pressing and you are into a whole new level of degradation of capability..

 

[davegt]

The set up adds a more up to date feel to the interior and the layout is easier to navigate. Not fussed about messaging etc, actually looking at the settings to see if the notifications can be disabled, basically I'll use it to stream play lists and for google maps.

There's probably less button pressing than there would be trying to tune the radio station and the voice command removes that completely seeing as it actually works which the OEM option never did in my previous f31

 

[Anonymous]

The set up adds a more up to date feel to the interior and the layout is easier to navigate. Not fussed about messaging etc, actually looking at the settings to see if the notifications can be disabled, basically I'll use it to stream play lists and for google maps.

There's probably less button pressing than there would be trying to tune the radio station and the voice command removes that completely seeing as it actually works which the OEM option never did in my previous f31

All good points...horses for courses..since I only listen to the stations I have preset and set the buttons for the key nav functions its for me a mute point..if you have / or update to the USB ipod capability and you want to stream music from onboard it all works..

However if you want Spotify type streaming etc then I can see the advantages..

Of course here is Scotland where we often go there is no internet connection so Google type maps and Spotify is not much good...also there is nothing here so asking where the nearest McDonalds is a waste of time..

 

[davegt]

Of course here is Scotland where we often go there is no internet connection so Google type maps and Spotify is not much good...also there is nothing here so asking where the nearest McDonalds is a waste of time..

 

[Silverstar]

Well there is a reason why so many new cars come with Apple Car Play or Android Auto and why so many want it.

It just improves the in car experience significantly over the antiquated CIC iDrive. Since I am in Spain and most of the Spanish radio stations aren't to my liking I use Apple Music and am planning to use a radio app which allows me to receive stations from anywhere in the world. I get very good network signal 5G in many areas and have around 30GB of data on my mobile plan so no problems there.

What does the extended USB support give you? does it allow you to use Waze, Apple / Google maps or any other mapping software?

 

[Anonymous]

Well there is a reason why so many new cars come with Apple Car Play or Android Auto and why so many want it.

It just improves the in car experience significantly over the antiquated CIC iDrive. Since I am in Spain and most of the Spanish radio stations aren't to my liking I use Apple Music and am planning to use a radio app which allows me to receive stations from anywhere in the world. I get very good network signal 5G in many areas and have around 30GB of data on my mobile plan so no problems there.

What does the extended USB support give you? does it allow you to use Waze, Apple / Google maps or any other mapping software?

Hi..no you are stuck with BMW maps..but if they are up to date not sure what any one of a dozen others offer..I run a full blown iPad in my Volvo so have car play+...I still use a simple mapping tool Co-pilot which looks pretty much like a bmw/mini type map..

Obviously screen resolution is great but of course the bolt on car play doesn’t improve that anyway...

Extended usb support allows to stream music from your iPhone so any Spotify type apps work but no artwork...so I can stream like you any internet radio..what’s lacking in my version is I have to prod my iPhone to change channels which is less than clever if you’re driving..

On the other hand any music on board your iPhone is all streamed with artwork , playlists etc etc

Don’t get me wrong if you don’t have idrive I can see why you would want to add a nice interface..with car play fed into the existing screen and existing controller all you’ve got is a minor s/w upgrade..the price is reasonable but as I said right at the beginning I don’t think it’s compelling if you have idrive and usb support for the many..

 

[Silverstar]

As you say Peter horses for courses, but I have used iDrive in its natural state since buying the car last year and now having used this CarPlay add on I can tell you that there is a world of difference. Just being able to control your music without having to flap about with your phone is the biggest plus point and it does make it way safer on the go too.

Now not only do I have the BMW Nav, I can use virtually any mapping software I wish some of which are way better than the BMW Nav and on top of that you got access to many other useful apps. I don't think I would pay £400 or £500 what some people are charging for this box but for what little I paid (not that much more than the tune 2 air unit) this is totally worth it, to me at least.

 

[Anonymous]

We live in different worlds..you have 5G and stream ..I often have 0G so all those apps just don’t work..so I have 6200 songs on my iPhone in better quality than I can stream irrespective of a lack of internet..I can control all my onboard media from my steering wheel..my BMW map works come what may..where we live there’s not many roads and no traffic ..I’m not a connected man...

Different story at home....2 4G connections, 1 ADSL and 1 KA-Sat...perils of living in the middle of nowhere..

 

[lewis1962]

I had Carplay installed as I had it on my company cars, functionality was great. I enjoyed podcasts etc. Did it add much to the Z4, no not really as I had iDrive, bluetooth already
However, one issue I had was the quality of the audio through "AUX" was awful, so I took it out and went down the slippery road of audio enhancement.
For functionality it does the job.

 

[john-e89]

I’m not sure that adding these features help spatial awareness/ road safety... :thumbsdown:

I guess on the basis some people will use their phone come what may it reduces the level of distraction but doesn’t remove it..

I just run the speed camera database on the phone and get the warning beeps fed through the existing system..

:scratchhead: So if you’re unhappy about this guys road safety why do you yourself need a speed camera database....? If you’re following road safety then you won’t be speeding hence you don’t need it and it doesn’t matter where speed cameras are yes...?

Ah the agent provocateur...as you know speed and safety are not directly related..

Given the effortless progress that can be made a reminder that you are exceeding a specific speed limit is no bad thing to ensure societal and legal compliance

What is known is the level of mental capacity left to manage driving is much reduced when even listening on the phone let alone talking...give some button pressing and you are into a whole new level of degradation of capability..

And here’s me thinking it was only young drivers that relied on technology for them to know what the speed limit is and wether they’re obeying it or not......silly me....... :roll: :wink:

Mental capacity much reduced when listening on a phone.....or listening to an enhanced car gramophone....

 

[AnubisZed]

I had Carplay installed as I had it on my company cars, functionality was great. I enjoyed podcasts etc. Did it add much to the Z4, no not really as I had iDrive, bluetooth already
However, one issue I had was the quality of the audio through "AUX" was awful, so I took it out and went down the slippery road of audio enhancement.
For functionality it does the job.

I've read a few posts now and again about people thinking that the AUX sound quality is poor.
Any AUX sound input to the headunit goes either through the MULF or Combox first and then to the headunit via the MOST fibre optic circuit.
In general the sound quality should be perfectly fine (at the end of the day you are I side a car that has sport suspension, what are you expecting?), if it is not good quality then you may have a component issue (MULF, Combox, MOST circuit fault etc). My old system was fine (AUX directly to the headunit, non iDrive) and my new system is still perfectly fine (retrofitted iDrive with a MULF).
These MMI boxes are a great addition to the e89

 

[Anonymous]

I had Carplay installed as I had it on my company cars, functionality was great. I enjoyed podcasts etc. Did it add much to the Z4, no not really as I had iDrive, bluetooth already
However, one issue I had was the quality of the audio through "AUX" was awful, so I took it out and went down the slippery road of audio enhancement.
For functionality it does the job.

I've read a few posts now and again about people thinking that the AUX sound quality is poor.
Any AUX sound input to the headunit goes either through the MULF or Combox first and then to the headunit via the MOST fibre optic circuit.
In general the sound quality should be perfectly fine (at the end of the day you are I side a car that has sport suspension, what are you expecting?), if it is not good quality then you may have a component issue (MULF, Combox, MOST circuit fault etc). My old system was fine (AUX directly to the headunit, non iDrive) and my new system is still perfectly fine (retrofitted iDrive with a MULF).
These MMI boxes are a great addition to the e89

It may be something to do with analog signal levels..BMW specialises in weird signal levels..3 ish volts on signal wiring..

The usb interface followed by the bmw Bluetooth inputs are regarded as the best quality inputs ..

Personally I’ve never tried the analogue input so can’t comment from experience...

Certainly the usb input is just about perfect..using an iPhone into usb showed better than 0.01% distortion and 99.95% flat between 20hz and 20khz in tests..

 

[AnubisZed]

It may be something to do with analog signal levels..BMW specialises in weird signal levels..3 ish volts on signal wiring..

Yeah, I'm all for good sound and I'm sure the AUX is by far the worst possible way, but when you're doing 70mph down the motorway with the roof down you ain't hearing the quality sounds anyway
Even with the roof up, tyre noise, engine noise etc, nobody will notice the difference between the CD quality and the AUX input.
Whereas is it truly is bad audio then a good point to start would be some electrical cleaner in the AUX socket as if it hasn't been used much (if at all) then it could be corroded! Now this would have a very bad effect on sound quality.