New OEM Nav Screen upgrade

[F360C]

Any one seen this yet? Adds Carplay and works with the Z4 yet retains the factory nav screen.

https://www.carphonics.co.uk/ibusappleplay.htm

Couple guys on NAM3Forum have ordered and owner of the company is responding to questions in this thread...

https://nam3forum.com/forums/forum/m...screen-support

[GyroF-16]

Yes, I saw it over there, too.

I’m interested in this option, but still trying to understand the l logistics of installing the touchscreen and other associated wiring. It sounds like bringing the video signal from the hatch area to the screen would involve running a new cable.

The other thing I noticed was that this new product uses the “AUX in” function for audio. In my experience, using the CD wiring as an input (like the BlueBus does) results in a much higher-quality audio than the AUX in.

I’m intrigued by the potential for Apple CarPlay with touchscreen for my e46 M3, and even more for my Z4MC, but will need to learn more about the audio quality implications, or the method for integrating BlueBus AND this Carphonics product.

[spambojambo]

I just did a Navtool installation for reverse/front cams in my Z4M (with nav), and they also offer an optional carplay integration.

I assume the wiring approach is the same -- the OEM Nav system is housed with the DVD player in the rear-center console, and that module actually runs the entire screen. That nav system already runs a video wire up to the nav screen as part of a broader wiring harness.

A special Navtool wiring harness sits between that video connection and the Nav system and splits some wires off to the Navtool unit. It effectively acts as a video passthrough or a video override as needed. In theory it's 'plug and play'; in reality you have to run a 12v power and ground to the navtool unit and remove all the rear-console trim to get the DVD drive out.... and all the trunk trim if you want to mount the unit in the trunk like the bluebus installs do.

For Carplay, you would have to run an audio cable back up to the aux-in under the front dash for audio and use a remote control to control the screen.

I have no idea how carphonics is offering a touchscreen - it would have to be a replacement screen with a touch-screen digitizer, and some hardwire or wireless signal back to their box.

[cbpip]

It uses aux in for audio and is a screen mirroring application, uses your smart phone to mirror to the existing screen for Car play and Android auto. The existing screen has no function of a touch screen, all done via your smart phone. There are other companies (Navtool) already offering this same application.

[pungo]

Since the stock screen has such a low resolution(400x234), I wonder how well carplay/android auto will work with it
I think you'll also need the TV tuner and harness.

[wdb]

I can't see the TV signal being any better. It can't invent more pixels. And adding a touchscreen just sounds clunky. Where does it sit? How does it function with the opening/closing of the factory unit?

I guess I'm daffy but an iPhone mount and a Tunai Firefly get it done for me. Then again I'm nowhere near being an audiophile.

[XMetal]

Originally Posted by wdb

I can't see the TV signal being any better. It can't invent more pixels. And adding a touchscreen just sounds clunky. Where does it sit? How does it function with the opening/closing of the factory unit?

I guess I'm daffy but an iPhone mount and a Tunai Firefly get it done for me. Then again I'm nowhere near being an audiophile.

Agreed. I never saw the usefulness of phone mirroring in cars. My wife's car has carplay/android auto, but neither of us use it. We just mount our phones and BT gets connected, then just use the phone's touch screen as needed.

In the MC, I have the screen down and don't even turn on the radio most of the time...just listening to that S54 sing is enough music to my ears! Besides, the Carver system sucks really bad in the coupe anyway.

[spambojambo]

Carplay and AndroidAuto require an external display -- they don't mirror themselves onto your phone to control, so they require an external control (e.g., idrive dial, remote, or touchscreen signal). Screen mirroring is supported but separate.

In theory, you could mount a 'Touch screen digitizer' onto your existing nav screen and only add <1 mm of thickness. That would run to a control chip/board that outputs a USB cable that you would run to your unit (navtool/whatever) and provide input signals. Example (wrong size though): https://www.ebay.com/itm/274029502254.
I'm guessing this is what carphonics would offer to wire in.

Personally, I'm keeping my Z4 as close to stock as possible, so all my mods are stealth and reversable so no drilling or gluing stuff onto the LCD screen
I've installed Navtool for reverse/front cam and Bluebus for bluetooth audio since they let me stay close to stock.

[XMetal]

Originally Posted by spambojambo

Carplay and AndroidAuto require an external display -- they don't mirror themselves onto your phone to control, so they require an external control (e.g., idrive dial, remote, or touchscreen signal). Screen mirroring is supported but separate.

In theory, you could mount a 'Touch screen digitizer' onto your existing nav screen and only add <1 mm of thickness. That would run to a control chip/board that outputs a USB cable that you would run to your unit (navtool/whatever) and provide input signals. Example (wrong size though): https://www.ebay.com/itm/274029502254.
I'm guessing this is what carphonics would offer to wire in.

Personally, I'm keeping my Z4 as close to stock as possible, so all my mods are stealth and reversable so no drilling or gluing stuff onto the LCD screen
I've installed Navtool for reverse/front cam and Bluebus for bluetooth audio since they let me stay close to stock.

I understand how Carplay and AndroidAuto work. My point was why make things much more complicated than what it needs to be? Why would you want to "throw" your phone's apps onto your car's display and control it through it's clunky iDrive/MMI/touch controller when you can do it all on the phone itself, which is not much further of a reach or distraction than using Carplay and AndroidAuto? Then again, may be I'm an old farts and just don't understand the appeal of Carplay and AndroidAuto

[elerner61]

Originally Posted by XMetal

I understand how Carplay and AndroidAuto work. My point was why make things much more complicated than what it needs to be? Why would you want to "throw" your phone's apps onto your car's display and control it through it's clunky iDrive/MMI/touch controller when you can do it all on the phone itself, which is not much further of a reach or distraction than using Carplay and AndroidAuto? Then again, may be I'm an old farts and just don't understand the appeal of Carplay and AndroidAuto

I'm also an old fart, but big on User Interface. Using the phone as a controller (which I currently do for Spotify and for Waze) is too distracting in my opinion. There are no touch haptics/feedback and you are too drawn to look "down" at your phone and away from the windshield. Even with a clunky touch controller, you've got the graphics high on the dashboard and you can still somewhat keep your eye on the road.

[wdb]

Then mount your phone higher! A guy in the 996 forums came up with a sweet rig that puts the phone next to the steering wheel and just below blocking the view out the windshield. Works wonders. I stuck a mount on the dash of my zed, probably should have put it higher but it wasn’t bad.

[Baris]

Hi guys, I will explain a little about this setup.

The carplay is integrated into the tv tuners.

When you turn your car on, the carplay screen will pop up, instead of the OEM system. You can still go back into the OEM system.
Also, which is very important, the carplay starts booting up, as soon as the ibus is awake. So as soon as you unlock your car, it will boot up and connect to your phone, rather than having to turn the ignition on and then waiting for the system to boot up.
With the many aftermarket systems in e46s, e39s, X5s etc, this was going away from the way the OEM system boots up immediately, rather than on ignition and then having to wait.

The Idrive style controller, goes under the handbrake and it’s very easy position to use it. The handbrake acts like a rest for your palm, like the Mercedes controllers. This seemed to be the best and only position for the controller.

With regards to touchscreen, although it’s achievable in the z4, it’s not ideal. The screen is way too far from driver and the screen is not in a solid fixed position, so there may be movement and errors made.

The purpose for the upgrade, is to give you visual access to your music, via apps like Spotify, podcast, radio, and also navigation, like Waze and google maps.

Also great for voice control, like replying to messages, changing songs, searching for songs which may not be on your playlist, and even giving coordinates for the navigation, without pressing anything.

[Baris]

Video showing the controller location.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C02L9...RlODBiNWFlZA==