DIY: Apple CarPlay in F8x (2013-2016)

[TTGator]

Originally Posted by BillShiphr

Oh, Bro, you made nice clip!

Thanks man!

[radarlarry]

Originally Posted by TTGator

Finally found a reasonable way to get wireless Apple CarPlay (or Android Auto) in my M4 with the NBT Headunit!

Can you provide a link to where I can actually purchase this MMI kit? Same seller, Sean. Sounds like great customer service. I see them on Chinese websites but hesitate to pull the trigger on one of those. Thanks for your help! One more thing. My iDrive main menu has a selection called "connected drive". Does this mean I have an NBT evo id4?

[thestimp]

Originally Posted by radarlarry

Can you provide a link to where I can actually purchase this MMI kit? Same seller, Sean. Sounds like great customer service. I see them on Chinese websites but hesitate to pull the trigger on one of those. Thanks for your help! One more thing. My iDrive main menu has a selection called "connected drive". Does this mean I have an NBT evo id4?

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001...51814a50m5QH0u


i have this one, great customer service,

[TTGator]

Originally Posted by radarlarry

Can you provide a link to where I can actually purchase this MMI kit? Same seller, Sean. Sounds like great customer service. I see them on Chinese websites but hesitate to pull the trigger on one of those. Thanks for your help! One more thing. My iDrive main menu has a selection called "connected drive". Does this mean I have an NBT evo id4?

The link I used is in the description of the video

[JYC]

Have you guys encountered this before? I followed the manual and the video tutorials. While I'm going through the pairing process, I encountering this message. Does it have to do with my software version by chance?

Installing on a 2015 F82.
This is the unit I bought which I believe is similar to OP installation unit

https://www.ebay.com/itm/233627670673

[F80_BK]

Originally Posted by JYC

Have you guys encountered this before? I followed the manual and the video tutorials. While I'm going through the pairing process, I encountering this message. Does it have to do with my software version by chance?

Installing on a 2015 F82.
This is the unit I bought which I believe is similar to OP installation unit

https://www.ebay.com/itm/233627670673

Sounds like its a common problem based on the software version of the device. Might need to update it. Here is a post mentioning the same error...

https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...postcount=3677

See post 3 for all software versions. Even custom software created by the BMW community:
https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...16&postcount=3

Full thread:
https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1675929

[gottspd]

How's everyone's experience with this device so far? Does the backup camera come up automatically when you put the car in reverse? How is the audio quality for both phone and music? Any issues at all?

[gosutony]

Originally Posted by gottspd

How's everyone's experience with this device so far? Does the backup camera come up automatically when you put the car in reverse? How is the audio quality for both phone and music? Any issues at all?

I've had this in my car since mid June I want to say now. Backup camera and 360 camera work fine, when your car is in reverse, it automatically shifts back into BMW's interface. When you're in drive, it switches back to CarPlay just like how it normally would if in Bluetooth/FM/whatever previous screen.

Music quality and phone quality is pretty much about the same as it was before. Some issues I've encountered are: at times, it doesn't want to switch into CarPlay cause it thinks my phone isn't connected to it. I've noticed if I put the car in accessory mode for maybe 5-10 seconds prior to turning the engine on, this fixes the problem. I'm guessing the 5-10 secs prior allows the module to boot up and establish the connection. Worse case scenario, you'll have to go into the setup screen to connect the phone to CarPlay. Connectivity definitely was better from the native BMW ID interface versus this module interface.

There seems to be an issue when you remove the phone from the car to a point where it loses connection and return to the car afterwards. The module freaks out and audio is extremely distorted and sluggish as it seems to have issues re-establishing a good connection. An example of this would be if you were to warm your car up and step back inside the house with your phone and then return minutes later.

Audio briefly became static but this only occurred maybe twice, not sure what caused this but it might be because of the location of where I mounted the WiFi adaptor for the module. What I would do differently would probably relocate this off of the metal brace I attached it to and place it by a plastic panel. Not sure if because its attached to the metal brace its causing some sort of distortion.

All in all, it works, drains my phone like crazy when using GPS, its not super smooth like BMW's interface but I think that's because its not beefed up with high end memory/chips. This is definitely way cheaper solution than swapping out the actually headunit which I believe is around the 4 digit category. If I could do it again...part of me wants to just get an updated OEM headunit but easily spending over $1000 more on the difference is hard to justify. I use Waze alot so having it on a larger screen is hard to pass up, I just wish the module was beefed up a little more with performance. If you dont mind spending more money, I would say go with OEM and upgrade your headunit but if you can't justify it like me, then this module will work. A good comparison would be to imagine using an iPhone 6 nowadays, it works, but its not the fastest.

[gottspd]

If you plug it in, can it charge it sufficiently that it'll outpace the drain?

[gottspd]

For those that have the box, do the front (and rear) parking sensors work? I read on that page that it doesn't (or didn't)...

[gottspd]

Originally Posted by gottspd

For those that have the box, do the front (and rear) parking sensors work? I read on that page that it doesn't (or didn't)...

Anyone?

[gosutony]

Originally Posted by gottspd

For those that have the box, do the front (and rear) parking sensors work? I read on that page that it doesn't (or didn't)...

Sensors work fine with no issues at all. I forgot to mention, if you have HUD it will not display the song anymore since the bypass goes through the AUX now. And yes, I plug my phone in through a 1.5A charger that does outpace the battery drain. Battery drain seems to be more of an issue when you use Waze but its not as bad when going through just spotify

[///MB ///M3]

Originally Posted by Kilabyte

Same seller. I haven't contacted them yet, I literally just got done putting things back together. I didn't go through the glovebox, everything fit under the head unit.

Just curious if anyone has pictures or a video of how they positioned the MMI unit under the silverbox during installation. Does the CarPlay MMI unit fit underneath or on the side of the silver box? Ideally, I'd like to avoid doing the glovebox route. Just ordered the CarPlay unit from Aliexpress! Should get it in a couple weeks! I will also be installing an aftermarket backup camera. Can't wait to modernize my "base" F80!

[jd__m4]

Originally Posted by ///MB ///M3

Just curious if anyone has pictures or a video of how they positioned the MMI unit under the silverbox during installation. Does the CarPlay MMI unit fit underneath or on the side of the silver box? Ideally, I'd like to avoid doing the glovebox route. Just ordered the CarPlay unit from Aliexpress! Should get it in a couple weeks! I will also be installing an aftermarket backup camera. Can't wait to modernize my "base" F80!

I had one in my ‘16 F80, it’s a tight fit but I got it to fit right under the NBT unit.

[DocJoon]

I installed two weeks ago but I am having a problem with the audio/sound quality. I bought the Roadtop brand. I understand it uses front aux for both audio and phone. The audio qualify is pretty subpar compare it the stock audio. Also, when I'm talking on the phone using the carplay, the sounds get cut off and people are complaining that my phone echoes a lot. Anyone having this issues? Maybe is the Roadtop brand?

[jd__m4]

Originally Posted by DocJoon

I installed two weeks ago but I am having a problem with the audio/sound quality. I bought the Roadtop brand. I understand it uses front aux for both audio and phone. The audio qualify is pretty subpar compare it the stock audio. Also, when I'm talking on the phone using the carplay, the sounds get cut off and people are complaining that my phone echoes a lot. Anyone having this issues? Maybe is the Roadtop brand?

You'll probably have better luck here:

https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...itter&page=271

I have an Andream unit and no complaints with the audio quality on mine. IIRC, all the hardware from the various sellers is the same, however firmware/software may be different on the various units. That thread has plenty of info and is much more active.

[DocJoon]

Originally Posted by jd__m4

You'll probably have better luck here:

https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...itter&page=271

I have an Andream unit and no complaints with the audio quality on mine. IIRC, all the hardware from the various sellers is the same, however firmware/software may be different on the various units. That thread has plenty of info and is much more active.

Thank you

[Kilabyte]

Bumping an old thread, does anyone know the Wifi password or if I even need it, can't connect my Note 20 to it and reading some posts linked from the other forum my phone might not be supported?

[kubax86]

Originally Posted by Kilabyte

Bumping an old thread, does anyone know the Wifi password or if I even need it, can't connect my Note 20 to it and reading some posts linked from the other forum my phone might not be supported?

There is no known WiFi password.
You need a Screen Mirroring/Smart View app.

[Kilabyte]

Originally Posted by kubax86

There is no known WiFi password.
You need a Screen Mirroring/Smart View app.

Thanks. I found the password to be 88888888, either way using Wifi or BT the car waits for the phone to connect even though it's paired and connected in the options menu and the phone says Adroid auto is available. Worked on my old Galaxy S8 but that had a standalone Android Auto app, with the new OS it's built in.