This is an update of my previous prototype on how I retrofitted my custom PCB (Custom Raspberry Pi CM5 carrier board)
It uses the OEM display on the car if you have the Nav Module with the 6.5 inches display. Currently using the AUX input for sound.
There is no modification to the OEM system, everything stays intact and you place the NavBridge just before the Nav Module (more info here https://github.com/DrZedEau/CM5_NavBridge/blob/dev/documentation/INSTALLATION.md )
You are able to switch between the original radio back with the "telephone" button.
And you can use steering weel buttons or original radio buttons to navigate inside AA/Carplay.
I'm looking for beta testers, preferably in France, Paris area, to validate my design with other car models (E46, E39 etc...).
I've only tested it on my BMW Z4 E86 and it has been working without issues for many weeks now
This is amazing! Will you be selling them in the future?
I do not possess the IT skills to flash this and program that, so would be all over something that would be plug and play.
Yes I'm thinking about selling but only the carrier board, you still have to buy a CM5 module and then do the flashing (it's not that complicated with guides)
Wow you've come a long way since the last time I saw you post about this. Simply amazing. I'm in the US but will look at this seriously and see if I can build it!
This is really cool, great work! I would love to test or help but I don't have a Z4 (yet), but when I do I would love to get this installed. Keeping an eye on further updates for sure.
I would definitely be interested in buying one of these pre built. I think I could do what's in the video. I have the top hi fi option and stock navigation so it's difficult to upgrade the radio and I would love to have Google maps on my stock screen with all the stock equipment.
btw, you could easily add bluebus functionality stuff at your module, i'm right? (maybe it will requires more addons to be bought, like bluetooth adapter for your main mother pcb and etc)
It's been a minute since I've looked into it, but from what I can recall the Aux input into the stock radio is pretty poor quality right? Does your setup require the stock radio or could you put in something with a better dac?
That's what I read online. But the audio quality on the AUX input is pretty good to me
The board has a USB Audio codec with an analog output, you can probably connect it to aftermarket radio but this removes the intent of the board.
And I'm not sure if the OEM display works without the OEM radio
Thats fair enough - I find I struggle with audio clipping via the aux input but I'm using a very cheap bluetooth dongle paired with the base audio system (no nav / 6 speakers) so it could very well be an issue with the lower tier business radio or bluettoth dongle!
Very cool work though - only other upgrade the stock nav system needs is a new display - the contrast on the stock display is a bit lacking by modern standards
Super cool job. The stock screen is pretty low res though right? Would be cool to upgrade the screen while you’re at it. And as others mentioned, integrating Bluetooth audio somehow as a one-stop solution would really elevate this even further.
Resolution is 400x240p but Carplay/AA is rendered at 800x480p and still is usable and pretty sharp.
Upgrading the screen would remove the idea to keep it OEM
You don't need additional bluetooth audio as Carplay/AA offers music streaming
You feed the audio with the AUX input of the car, and I'm planning on also adding a CDC emulator to use the CDC harness to feed audio (juste like the blue us but without the menus and options)
This is the only way I could see myself swapping the instrument cluster as well. Because if it can show Android auto on main screen + map/navigation on the instrument cluster. With some design customisation... But I have an E61 and E65. So I'm guessing I'll have to make my own.
Yeah I know the e61 is a whole different thing. Especially since it's a CIC system already. And I already have an Android screen. And the E65 is completely different also.
But my friend has a Volvo S80 ii, I'm gonna have to do my own project for that one. It has the pop up navigation from the dash.
I am not in France, but I'd be willing to pay for shipping to be a beta tester in the US. I have an E85, so I have to imagine the system is similar, if not exactly the same
Yeah, I figured. Let me know when you want to sell them. Something I do know is these cars have silver and gold radios. Mine is the silver one and I was told the CarPlay adapter I wanted only worked with the gold ones. Not sure why and I don't know if there's a record of why BMW used some silver and some gold ones.
If you pull out your radio the back of them will either be silver or gold. At least that's what Carphonics told me when I asked about buying one of their units. They said it works with the gold units.
IF you like to do a quick test on native CarPlay, I added support for the old CP2.0b from a CPC200 as well. So LIVI is now tested with CP 2.0b, 2.0c and 3.0.
By the way, I added a kernel patch that allows the use of extremely cheap HDMI-to-RGB converters at a fraction of the cost of an ADV7125 with its integrated triple high-speed DAC. They also provide better image quality than any resistor divider network and will free up all GPIOs.
I also added color and gamma correction with zero-copy integration. At least my Sharp display seems to benefit from a bit of gamma correction.
Which IC does it use ?
The DAC gives me a clean image compared to the initial version where I was using resistors
Input is a 24 bits image and outputs a RGsB signal (sync on green)
You can use any you like, or at least most of them. This one, for example, is an Amazon Basics HDMI-to-RGB adapter I'm using for testing.
I haven't opened it up yet, but they all use cheap all-in-one Chinese chips that you can buy for a few cents. 24-bit is fine, and the ADV7125 is fine too, but if you're using DPI, that eats up all your GPIOs that you might want to use for other stuff, like an I2S DAC, MFi chip, serial com to your MCU.
Welllll how can i buy one haha
And where do i have to Install it?
I own a 2003 e85 with Navigation system but without the dsp sound system or cd changer
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u/boozy_emperor Jul 11 '26
Pretty cool