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2011 C63 P31 2015 BMW X5M Schwarz Einhorn w/Bootmod3
Originally Posted by aibkaresz
So I could not wait till the weekend and did it in the dark garage haha.
Everything went pretty smooth, mainly because of all the posts here, thanks to @S550e , @cadetdrivr and @deeoh !
First I started with pulling everything apart, that was pretty easy and quick, made a picking tool for the vents from a hanger, and otherwise all you need is a T20 and a T10 in my case for the MMI (if you have one).
I almost gave up a couple of times, because I could not see clearly in the dark garage and told myself: "nah, I will wait till the weekend, just put it back together".
And suddenly I got this view:
From here there was no return!
The cabling is pretty straight forward based on the video, I have also used an other one where they are installing an Android screen for a W204.
I have to say that things were easy and flawless until the head unit is out. It is DEFINITELY the worst part of this job, to get the head unit back. I stuck the LVDS box and the harness behind the AC unit and somehow it is back flush, but I'm still not sure if the original cables and the harness getting a strong push downwards as the HU is sitting on it and might break them. I am thinking about checking on it when I have time, or the less touch the better?
So HU is back, glovebox still out, pushed the MMI connector into the glovebox, removed it's housing with the two T10, and there is a pretty big hole on the top of the glovebox, easy to fit in all the cables. I wanted to be smart and reroute the MMI cable (and all the Carplay cables) below the AC pipe, what goes to the glovebox, but soon I understood why it was that way: otherwise the glovebox does not fit back to it's place .
Right now my glovebox is a mess of cables, I have to arrange them, but did not have the nerves after installing it, I was happy to get everything back in place.
Turned on the radio, I have sound, that's a good sign, screen is flipping out, woohoo, time to long push the call ending button! The Carplay screen came on for a second, then it all went black, no worries, we know what to do, change the dip switch! Solved the problem perfectly! Paired the phone and bamm, there is the Carplay in my 10 years old Merc, could not believe it! Tried the sound quickly, there was none, so no worries again, we know what to do, entered engineering menu (did not exactly do as it was shown), turned off UCI in TGW Parameter, that turns off the MMI port and lets me enable AUX in HU Parameter, so the car thinks that a normal 3,5mm jack is installed (I guess the box is wired that way), and bamm, there was sound, everything worked as it should!
Ah almost forgot, clipped the microphone on the vent harness as advised, tried Siri once, it works perfectly! Much easier place to have the microphone, installed in no time, no need to tuck the wires etc!
Well that's where I am now, the installation took a bit more than 2 hours. In the next couple of days I will test it, but so far after a short drive I must say it is perfect, worth every penny! What I will keep an eye on now is the battery life with the navigation and the constant connection.
I really hope that this post is not a mess, tried to go step by step and type my experiences. All in one: BIG BIG thank you for @S550e , @cadetdrivr and @deeoh , you guys ROCK!
EDIT: I knew I will forget something... Regarding the connection time, my experience so far is that it depends when you unlock the car. I guess the box starts to boot up, and connects to your phone while you get it. In the garage it's pretty hard to get it, the other car is close so it takes more time, by the time I start the car Carplay is on the screen immediately. The other time I got in quicker and I saw the activating Carplay screen for about 2 seconds. Either way I would say it's an immediate connection
Good job! When you have a chance, can you please post up the firmware version that shipped with your unit? Thanks
Good job! When you have a chance, can you please post up the firmware version that shipped with your unit? Thanks
Sure, will do that tomorrow. One thing what came up since, is the topic of the reverse camera. I don't have one installed, and when I put the car in R it exits Carplay (like it should when there is one installed). I tried to search for the solution in the settings, but could not find an option which says no reverse camera. Am I missing something?
2011 C63 P31 2015 BMW X5M Schwarz Einhorn w/Bootmod3
Originally Posted by aibkaresz
Sure, will do that tomorrow. One thing what came up since, is the topic of the reverse camera. I don't have one installed, and when I put the car in R it exits Carplay (like it should when there is one installed). I tried to search for the solution in the settings, but could not find an option which says no reverse camera. Am I missing something?
I'd have to check, but with other UI's the camera settings have to be turned off. Otherwise you get a black screen as mentioned.
I'd have to check, but with other UI's the camera settings have to be turned off. Otherwise you get a black screen as mentioned.
Nah it's not blank, it just pops back to the COMAND screen. As I remember the default setting is factory reverse camera, so it pops back to it, and COMAND should display the camera screen.
Do you have any good advice on the harness? Obviously I don't want to damage them, now they are sitting inside there somehow, if I remove them again and try to push the HU back several times, I might worsen the situation.
2011 C63 P31 2015 BMW X5M Schwarz Einhorn w/Bootmod3
Originally Posted by aibkaresz
Nah it's not blank, it just pops back to the COMAND screen. As I remember the default setting is factory reverse camera, so it pops back to it, and COMAND should display the camera screen.
Do you have any good advice on the harness? Obviously I don't want to damage them, now they are sitting inside there somehow, if I remove them again and try to push the HU back several times, I might worsen the situation.
EDIT: under 'them' I mean the factory cables
Ahh gotcha. I put the quad-lock harness under & below where the HU sits installed. The LVDS & Krem boxes sits off to the side next to the glove box (inside the metal bracing), along with the wi-fi antenna. hth
Ahh gotcha. I put the quad-lock harness under & below where the HU sits installed. The LVDS & Krem boxes sits off to the side next to the glove box (inside the metal bracing), along with the wi-fi antenna. hth
Well I pushed them down into the hole also, but can't remember which position was it last time when I managed to push back the HU Maybe it's facing down with the Krem harness on top, therefore pushing the original cables. Don't know if it worth the hassle to open it up again, or if they did not break the cables yet, it won't in the future on bumpy roads etc.
2011 C63 P31 2015 BMW X5M Schwarz Einhorn w/Bootmod3
Looks like you have a newer firmware version. As for the camera, when shifting to reverse, it momentarily flashes to comand screen before switching to rear camera view.
Looks like you have a newer firmware version. As for the camera, when shifting to reverse, it momentarily flashes to comand screen before switching to rear camera view.
Yeah, mine just switching back to COMAND and did not find any setting to turn this off, as there is no camera
Just a guess, have you looked in the engineering menu for camera setting adjustments?
Not a bad idea, but then the car would always change its screen when putting into reverse. As I'm trying to logically follow the steps it should be a Krem setting: it exits Carplay screen to allow the factory camera screen to be displayed in COMAND. When the next time you use your car can you please check if you have any settings there? I really doubt, but worth a try.
OMG! Where did my emails go?? I usually get updated when someones posts to a thread that I have subscribed to. Haven't gotten anything recently, I thought my thread was dead! LOL.
Congrats @aibkaresz on the install, I know you were waiting anxiously to get it and couldn't wait to install.
As, @deeoh pointed out, it does look like you have a newer firmware. I wonder how we can update ours?! Probably going to be another email battle with Michael from Krem on how to update the system.
As for me, I haven't been driving my car as much. I do find myself doing the wired connection more than the wireless though. The wireless works great (once connected) but has been taking a bit longer to connect, stuck on the loading circle screen. It always works when I hit the back button (next to comand scroll wheel) and press the carplay icon again, then it connects wirelessly pretty fast. That's about my only gripe right now.
OMG! Where did my emails go?? I usually get updated when someones posts to a thread that I have subscribed to. Haven't gotten anything recently, I thought my thread was dead! LOL.
Congrats @aibkaresz on the install, I know you were waiting anxiously to get it and couldn't wait to install.
As, @deeoh pointed out, it does look like you have a newer firmware. I wonder how we can update ours?! Probably going to be another email battle with Michael from Krem on how to update the system.
As for me, I haven't been driving my car as much. I do find myself doing the wired connection more than the wireless though. The wireless works great (once connected) but has been taking a bit longer to connect, stuck on the loading circle screen. It always works when I hit the back button (next to comand scroll wheel) and press the carplay icon again, then it connects wirelessly pretty fast. That's about my only gripe right now.
haha yeah you were unusually quiet here . As for the battery life my experience so far is that it's really not that bad as I expected. I'm happy with all of it!
I pulled out the head unit this weekend and found that there is no sign on the factory harness that it is pushed by the head unit, I will check on it again in 9-12 months if there is any stress-mark on them. The HU needs a little push on the right side in order to get the lock in place, but the harness is on the bottom left, maybe the LVDS cable generates the resistance, but as long as it is not a factory cable I don't really mind.
2011 C63 P31 2015 BMW X5M Schwarz Einhorn w/Bootmod3
Originally Posted by aibkaresz
Not a bad idea, but then the car would always change its screen when putting into reverse. As I'm trying to logically follow the steps it should be a Krem setting: it exits Carplay screen to allow the factory camera screen to be displayed in COMAND. When the next time you use your car can you please check if you have any settings there? I really doubt, but worth a try.
Thanks! Mine says camera not installed, so it must be a Krem setting, I have contacted them today, maybe they will come up with a firmware update to have the option to turn it off. It's not a big deal though, I can live with it, just did not know if I'm missing something
So @aibkaresz , how was it mounting the box in the glovebox? Everything go smoothly... enough slack for the wires? I am going in for service soon and I feel like my mechanic is going to flip out/not put the box back correctly when he removes the undertray for the cabin filter. I may need to spend another weekend re-routing everything since the MMI port is now useless. Also, @deeoh where did you mount your box? I scanned through this thread real quick and couldn't find anything unless I skipped over it.
I am contemplating installing the microphone now I feel that now that I have Carplay, I have the sudden urge to use SIRI for voice commands in the car. Might need to spend some time re-routing the box and installing the microphone when I get some time.
@aibkaresz add pictures of your glovebox setup when you get a chance!
2011 C63 P31 2015 BMW X5M Schwarz Einhorn w/Bootmod3
Originally Posted by S550e
So @aibkaresz , how was it mounting the box in the glovebox? Everything go smoothly... enough slack for the wires? I am going in for service soon and I feel like my mechanic is going to flip out/not put the box back correctly when he removes the undertray for the cabin filter. I may need to spend another weekend re-routing everything since the MMI port is now useless. Also, @deeoh where did you mount your box? I scanned through this thread real quick and couldn't find anything unless I skipped over it.
I am contemplating installing the microphone now I feel that now that I have Carplay, I have the sudden urge to use SIRI for voice commands in the car. Might need to spend some time re-routing the box and installing the microphone when I get some time.
@aibkaresz add pictures of your glovebox setup when you get a chance!
Since the harness isn’t very long, I put mine between the HU and the metal dash brace on the passenger side.
So @aibkaresz , how was it mounting the box in the glovebox? Everything go smoothly... enough slack for the wires? I am going in for service soon and I feel like my mechanic is going to flip out/not put the box back correctly when he removes the undertray for the cabin filter. I may need to spend another weekend re-routing everything since the MMI port is now useless. Also, @deeoh where did you mount your box? I scanned through this thread real quick and couldn't find anything unless I skipped over it.
I am contemplating installing the microphone now I feel that now that I have Carplay, I have the sudden urge to use SIRI for voice commands in the car. Might need to spend some time re-routing the box and installing the microphone when I get some time.
@aibkaresz add pictures of your glovebox setup when you get a chance!
Regarding Siri it works almost fine, tried to send voice messages a couple of times in Messages, but for some reason it randomly stops recording (sometimes after 30sec, sometimes after 3), might be an iOS issue, they say 14.0.1 is buggy regarding Carplay, might be a microphone location problem, or it might be solved with echo cancellation. I would say @deeoh maybe has more experience with it. If you relocate the box and it's all apart, just install the microphone on the vent harness, it's easy and gives you the fun part, just don't expect the upgrade that big as when it was when you installed the box.
Well yes, the harness is not that long. What I've found out when pulling the HU out again, is that before you push it in 100%, just pull a bit of cable back to the glovebox, because when the HU is out it's just not long enough. I kept my MMI port connected (still no idea why), maybe it was just easier to push it in than disconnecting it. The cables fit through the hole and they fill it up, so there is not really that much movement. The other day I did some cleaning in the glovebox to get the cables organised, it looks like this now:
It's not a 100% solution, but I was able to fit everything back what was in there before and I barely open the glovebox anyway, so all the cables stuffed on the left side next to the box and the idea that the box is easily accessible at all times kinda makes me happy. Ah and of course it sits in a cooled glovebox makes it harder for it to overheat.
If you choose this way to proceed, just take care to route the wires above the AC tube like on the pic below for the MMI port, otherwise the glovebox just won't fit back.
Nice and clean install! I really want to do this now. Great job and thanks for adding pictures!
Would love to hear some more pros and cons after driving with the box for some time.
Thank you!
Well pros and cons: I did not really experience any cons apart the reverse camera glitch, but if I'm in reverse I don't watch the screen anyway. It would be nice to have a "no reverse camera" setting though, I don't think that this is a big update.
The box functions as it should, connection is fast, sometimes I have to wait a couple of seconds but it's really not an issue imho. Sound quality is great, phone battery life is better than expected and it's nice that it changes dark-light themes with the headlights.
EDIT: just found out main screen is called Dashboard by Apple, so change the words accordingly in the followings.
One con I can think of is I think a Carplay or Waze issue: I noticed that if I use Apple Maps or Google Maps the last used will be on the main screen (in my understanding the main screen is where half of the screen if the map, right top corner is the guidance and right low corner is the music). I use Waze and Google Maps mixed, Waze for longer trips and Google when I'm riding in town. When I set up a destination in Waze I have to manually enter the app via Carplay to have navigation and after that it does not become the default on the main screen. Google Maps on the other hand starts automatically when starting a navigation on the phone and sets itself as default on the main screen. It also might be nice to have the traffic on the main screen with Google Maps, did not find how to do it yet (when I'm not using any navigation just the raw map screen for it to show how long is the traffic jam in front of me etc.)
10-08-2020, 01:28 PM
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Tried the sound quickly, there was none, so no worries again, we know what to do, entered engineering menu (did not exactly do as it was shown), turned off UCI in TGW Parameter, that turns off the MMI port and lets me enable AUX in HU Parameter, so the car thinks that a normal 3,5mm jack is installed (I guess the box is wired that way), and bamm, there was sound, everything worked as it should!
I feel that now that I have Carplay, I have the sudden urge to use SIRI for voice commands in the car. Might need to spend some time re-routing the box and installing the microphone when I get some time.
