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Multi media screen
- Thread starter flybobbie
- Start date
Pretty common fare..personally the bigger unit shown later in his video IMHO is way to big..it actually blocks part of your forward view over the bonnet..the smaller 10.5 version sits inside the space where the idrive goes..
The plusses are they are cheap by BMW standards and integrate pretty well..
User interface is pretty average compared to car play..if you have idrive already then a MMI box is simpler and if you have am decent sound system supports better audio out of the box..
I've got a 10.5 to fit this winter..but I may de-install if after Ive tried..I'll only run it in carplay mode anyway..so apart from a glossy screen you gain very little..
If you have no idrive then different story
The plusses are they are cheap by BMW standards and integrate pretty well..
User interface is pretty average compared to car play..if you have idrive already then a MMI box is simpler and if you have am decent sound system supports better audio out of the box..
I've got a 10.5 to fit this winter..but I may de-install if after Ive tried..I'll only run it in carplay mode anyway..so apart from a glossy screen you gain very little..
If you have no idrive then different story
I dunno -- if it was lower and didn't take away from the driving view/experience, maybe. I like the classic look that doesn't put a tablet on top of the dash, even if that's what the new Z4 has -- it's just not what I want in the experience. The flip up idrive is perfect for the times you need navigation or choosing a Spotify station.. but after that.. put it away and drive...
flybobbie said:
Er that’s Apple CarPlay…you never ‘see’ mr12 volt..well unless you look at the box…CarPlay is supposed to look simple so you don’t waste precious time DCAN in a complex display…hence why it only presents a map, a music player and listen only messages etc :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang:
To retain the foldability of the screen your only option to "update" it is to fit an mmi box. And the one that most recommend is the one from Mr12volt (as already mentioned). With all of the others they all connect via the analogue AUX socket (same as any Android screen will!!) and you have to press and hold a button to activate them. With the Mr12volt it connects via the MOST fibre optic network to give you digital sound. It also integrates just like any other section on the iDrive system, ie; you just press one of the controller buttons to switch over to it. Once on the screen, which will come up straight away if that's how you left it last time, it'll display your map and music player (or whatever you've chosen) which is directly from your phone.
If you go with the Android screen then it won't fold, it's analogue audio, it's in your face all the time, there are reflection issues with the roof down (never had a reflection issue with the iDrive screen as its designed that way!).
It will display all of your original iDrive stuff though and it will do what you want from it (apart from fold).
Don't get me wrong, it don't have an issue with the screens, it's think they are good, especially for the non-iDrive systems as its a great upgrade, but for an iDrive car it would be a no for me.
If you go with the Android screen then it won't fold, it's analogue audio, it's in your face all the time, there are reflection issues with the roof down (never had a reflection issue with the iDrive screen as its designed that way!).
It will display all of your original iDrive stuff though and it will do what you want from it (apart from fold).
Don't get me wrong, it don't have an issue with the screens, it's think they are good, especially for the non-iDrive systems as its a great upgrade, but for an iDrive car it would be a no for me.
It's called personal choice, the same way some original owners never went for the iDrive system in the first place.ibroker said:
And it's got nothing to do with the quality of the screen, as you're not supposed to be looking at it that long in the first place!
ibroker said:
As was said each to their own..but having tried just about every combo of device I’d say the key benefits of car play are…
Full integration with the car, car controls, car mic, car speakers..…no obvious wires, screen in the optimum location, bigger screen, greater legibility..interface designed for driving ..not for sitting in your armchair..
And yet unlike iDrive / Android knows all about you…
If you’re doing 250 miles in a day in a new location the way it works so effortlessly makes any other interface / device look very primitive and limiting..
But each to their own…
I think the primary selling point to me is the difference in sound quality. The MOST connection and a tunable EQ makes the difference. The other of not needing a phone mount or clutter is also nice.
Well next day or so should have:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006967927417.html?spm=a2g0o.order_detail.order_detail_item.4.288bf19c5lDxrH
Knocked £20 since i ordered mine :x
Cheap, enough to have a play with, see if it works.
Also bought cheap reverse camera. Like the idea to set it as a rear view mirror. As roof down normal mirror is useless.
Talking to neighbour might get it to work to open the communal gates at home through phone instead of fob.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006967927417.html?spm=a2g0o.order_detail.order_detail_item.4.288bf19c5lDxrH
Knocked £20 since i ordered mine :x
Cheap, enough to have a play with, see if it works.
Also bought cheap reverse camera. Like the idea to set it as a rear view mirror. As roof down normal mirror is useless.
Talking to neighbour might get it to work to open the communal gates at home through phone instead of fob.
My 2 cents:
I bought one of these aftermarket Android based units about 3 years ago to upgrade my BMW 3. Played with it for a few days, became very disappointed with the performance and sold it with a loss.
Conclusion: having a decent Android phone is so much faster and better, compared to those dedicated screens.
Even with our brand new Audi (yes, no BMW, wife was in charge) we only use Apply car play / Android car. The build-in systems are just not as convenient as a good working, relatively new, phone.
So for the Z4, I am considering to buy a dedicated Android car screen. Just not sure how to make it look good. The radio needs to stay for the amplifier I guess?
Now using a Bluetooth dongle and that works great. And it does not change the look of the interior.
Greetings Matthijs
I bought one of these aftermarket Android based units about 3 years ago to upgrade my BMW 3. Played with it for a few days, became very disappointed with the performance and sold it with a loss.
Conclusion: having a decent Android phone is so much faster and better, compared to those dedicated screens.
Even with our brand new Audi (yes, no BMW, wife was in charge) we only use Apply car play / Android car. The build-in systems are just not as convenient as a good working, relatively new, phone.
So for the Z4, I am considering to buy a dedicated Android car screen. Just not sure how to make it look good. The radio needs to stay for the amplifier I guess?
Now using a Bluetooth dongle and that works great. And it does not change the look of the interior.
Greetings Matthijs
matthijsfh said:
But what are you looking for? Or expecting out of it? You're driving a car, not mixing a DJ set! Put your music on and leave it playing, you've still got track skip via the steering wheel buttons. If you've got CarPlay/AA then you can still search for tracks with speech if you need to, you can't do that with a phone very easily (open top car/noisy and not touching the phone).
AnubisZed said:
I think the confusion / issues are:
Do you have an iDrive? if so then MMI upgrade best solution IMHO
No iDrive then a) get a pure CarPlay screen or b) get an Android head unit that can run native Android and/or Carplay
Having tried iDrive/'pure android'/car play via Idrive/ car play via Android / car play via pure carplay box I'd say its idrive with MMI box or Android unit using Carplay..
Price perfromance wise the car play only screens seem great value..about to fit a second one this weekend for a Zed-ite..
Great summary to prevent any more confusion.
My Z4 has nothing (radio + cd = close to nothing these days) and no buttons on the steering wheel.
Currently I survive with a phone in a holder with Bluetooth to the radio.
So, my statement was: get an Android car play screen without any intelligence and use the phone for the heavy lifting. Skip the native android displays, as particularly these will have a worse experience when you are used to a high end phone.
(Wife is addicted to Apple stuff, so anything Android-isch is "below standards". Carplay is entry level requirement)
Grtz Matthijs
My Z4 has nothing (radio + cd = close to nothing these days) and no buttons on the steering wheel.
Currently I survive with a phone in a holder with Bluetooth to the radio.
So, my statement was: get an Android car play screen without any intelligence and use the phone for the heavy lifting. Skip the native android displays, as particularly these will have a worse experience when you are used to a high end phone.
(Wife is addicted to Apple stuff, so anything Android-isch is "below standards". Carplay is entry level requirement)
Grtz Matthijs