Stereo upgrade - DAB

[Langers]

So, I have some options with regard to an aerial for DAB (thanks for suggestions).

If I decide to go with a new head unit, I'm slightly concerned about wiring harness compatibility issues, having seen some threads about getting no sound etc despite using an adaptor harness.

I have the BMW Business CD head unit, no CD changer (at least I can't find one?!). Has anyone dealt with replacing one of these with a new head unit? And is a standard harness adapter (e.g. http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/ct20bm02-wiring-harness-adapter-for-bmw-2001) suitable to just plug and play?

 

[z4too4]

My setup was the same (radio and no CD changer).

I bought this kit,
CT24BM06-Car-Stereo-Radio-Fascia-ISO-Aerial-Fitting-Kit-For-BMW-Z4-E85-E86-02-08
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CT24BM06-Car-Stereo-Radio-Fascia-ISO-Aerial-Fitting-Kit-For-BMW-Z4-E85-E86-02-08/351535382659


but the fascia opening was too small (wxh), so I ended up with the Xtrons fascia

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251949079520


The xtrons was a good fit for my radio, but I did have to swap over a couple of wires in the kits loom to match the radio (which should be labelled and color coded).

Try to match the one you take out.


The kits fascia curves inwards, whilst the xtrons curves outwards.

 

[Langers]

z4too4, thanks for the info, you are clearly the expert on this!
If wires are colour coded and and labelled, I should be able to manage any amendments to the loom.

That's a nice flip screen single-din unit, which one is it?

 

[z4too4]

z4too4, thanks for the info, you are clearly the expert on this!
If wires are colour coded and and labelled, I should be able to manage any amendments to the loom.

That's a nice flip screen single-din unit, which one is it?

Well expert might be going abit far but my head unit in the Z4 is this one...
Universal 1 din Android 7.1 Quad Core Car DVD player GPS Wifi BT Radio BT 2GB RAM 16GB ROM16GB 4G SIM Network Steering wheel RDS
http://s.aliexpress.com/baeQrAva

Personally I prefer the one in the E90 because it is fully canbus integrated.
M518 pure Android 7.1 Quad Core Car DVD Player GPS Navi for E90 E91 E92 E93 Audio Radio Stereo Head Unit Free Canbus
http://s.aliexpress.com/FbuymuMB

 

[Langers]

How does the colour of those fascias compare in reality? The Xtrons fascia looks like a closer grey colour to match the pre-facelift heater vents?

 

[z4too4]

The one in the kit was black and doesn't match at all, but the Xtrons is a much better match as can be seen above in the images.
You can probably get the loom separately to the fascia and arial adapter.

 

[Langers]

I have indeed done that.

For the aerial, I have decided to try this: https://www.dabonwheels.co.uk/product/kinetic-dba-5001-dab-car-aerial/
Which will replace the stubby FM aerial. The head unit that I have chosen does not receive FM (I have no need in my region - previous car had DAB and that's all I used), so it seems like a logical thing to do is just replace the FM aerial (including FM filter) with a DAB aerial.

I'll report back with results

 

[z4too4]

Looks quite respectable. Good luck

 

[paullyjay]

Yeah - I fitted a Pure Highway with screen mounted aerial - works a treat! also has BT music streaming and Phone calls too!

This sounds promising. Are you talking about one of these? https://www.pure.com/uk/car-audio/products/highway-600
How reliable is the FM link to the original stereo? I remember some years ago you could get FM broadcasting gadgets to play from your MP3 player, but they were a bit unreliable. Though the technology must have come on a bit now. This does have some appeal as you retain the OEM stereo, rather than a single-din in fascia; which I'm prepared to do, it just doesn't look great.

Yep - one of those, I didn't use the FM transmitter part, I bought the correct genuine BMW Aux cable for my head unit and hid it all inside the dash...

 

[meitme]

Yeah - I fitted a Pure Highway with screen mounted aerial - works a treat! also has BT music streaming and Phone calls too!

I'm a bit puzzled by mine: I bought one last week and the sound quality is terrible through the aux-in; really distorted and tinny, and the Pure has almost no settings you can fiddle with to adjust it. It can broadcast on FM which is more listenable but then that has the reverse problem of being a bit muffled and poor. I'm scratching my head a bit with it.

 

[Langers]

I've just realised I forgot to post what I ended up with.

I fitted a DAB head unit (Pioneer), and a new aerial (https://www.dabonwheels.co.uk/product/kinetic-dba-5001-dab-car-aerial/).

I took the old aerial out, and fitted the new aerial in the same hole in the rear panel. Left the old FM filters in (on the internal side of that same rear panel). Routed the new aerial cable up through the boot lid, along the "parcel shelf", through the centre console (had to take it off), then along the side of the centre tunnel and into the back of the dash (via glovebox side).

Fantastic DAB reception at reasonable cost, with a few hours involved to fit. The biggest issue was the stereo fascia - still not overly happy with it.

It should be noted that unless you connect an FM antenna again, you won't get FM reception. I have considered connecting the FM antenna in a new concealed location, but I haven't missed it. Good DAB reception in my area.

 

[paullyjay]

Yeah - I fitted a Pure Highway with screen mounted aerial - works a treat! also has BT music streaming and Phone calls too!

I'm a bit puzzled by mine: I bought one last week and the sound quality is terrible through the aux-in; really distorted and tinny, and the Pure has almost no settings you can fiddle with to adjust it. It can broadcast on FM which is more listenable but then that has the reverse problem of being a bit muffled and poor. I'm scratching my head a bit with it.

That sounds to me like it could be faulty - mine sounds fine through the aux, but... I do have the genuine BMW aux cable for the carver stereo, the cheaper aux cables from ebay just didn't work.

 

[meitme]

meitme wrote: ↑Wed May 22, 2019 5:52 pm
paullyjay wrote: ↑Fri Oct 05, 2018 9:19 am
Yeah - I fitted a Pure Highway with screen mounted aerial - works a treat! also has BT music streaming and Phone calls too!
I'm a bit puzzled by mine: I bought one last week and the sound quality is terrible through the aux-in; really distorted and tinny, and the Pure has almost no settings you can fiddle with to adjust it. It can broadcast on FM which is more listenable but then that has the reverse problem of being a bit muffled and poor. I'm scratching my head a bit with it.
That sounds to me like it could be faulty - mine sounds fine through the aux, but... I do have the genuine BMW aux cable for the carver stereo, the cheaper aux cables from ebay just didn't work.

Ah okay; well I'm using the aux cable that comes with the Pure Highway so I've no reason to think the cable should be poor- and unfortunately I don't think you can try other cables with the Pure because it has its own unique ports. When I plug my iPhone into the AUX and play from that it sounds great- it's annoying that the DAB unit designed to do only that sounds so bad.

Did you manage to fit the magnetic grounding tail to your car? I have an E86 and you can't get to the metal roof by sticking it under the headlining as the Pure instructions suggest. I don't think that's the issue though as that's just for extra signal as far as I can work out.

 

[meitme]

Yeah - I fitted a Pure Highway with screen mounted aerial - works a treat! also has BT music streaming and Phone calls too!

I'm a bit puzzled by mine: I bought one last week and the sound quality is terrible through the aux-in; really distorted and tinny, and the Pure has almost no settings you can fiddle with to adjust it. It can broadcast on FM which is more listenable but then that has the reverse problem of being a bit muffled and poor. I'm scratching my head a bit with it.

That sounds to me like it could be faulty - mine sounds fine through the aux, but... I do have the genuine BMW aux cable for the carver stereo, the cheaper aux cables from ebay just didn't work.

Well I bought another one and it's got the same issue: awful rasping sound. My iPhone sounds fine through an aux cable so it must be these Pure units: I'm not sure if I'm doing something wrong or the Pure is just a piece of crap!

 

[tuco]

Apart from the A pillar and top of screen trim, did you have to remove the glove to fit the wires (for aux in and usb power ) ?

 

[yyz_bobby]

hrough the driver side rear bumper wiring grommit, into the back of the driver side cubby area, along the center consolle, up into the front console, or along the bottom of the doors into the footwell, up into the front console.
I had to do it for the parking sensors and rear parking camera, but this should easier as there no need to run a wire for a relay from the fusebox to the back.
Good luck!

Know of any decent youtube on doing this wiring. I want to do rear parking camera and been told to take this route but would liek to see a video of it.

 

[yyz_bobby]

rsonally I prefer the one in the E90 because it is fully canbus integrated.
M518 pure Android 7.1 Quad Core Car DVD Player GP

hey mate

I got a joying unit installed, bit of a task and was wondering if you know, whether there is a way to get

1) Steering controls to work?

2) I want to remove my factory sat nav and put a cubby hole or something in its place. Wondering is there a way to get the data that is fed to that instead to my android headunit? I have heard the word CANBUS mentioned often.

Thanks
bobby

 

[z4too4]

Hi,
Not sure if bus integration it is easily doable on the Z4.
Mine is a android radio with after market resistive steering wheel controls that I strapped to the steering wheel.