my530i

I think we're all confused with "8-way and 4-way". BMW might intepret 8-way differently from navtv engineers. Heiss5 is going to be a guinea pig here, so let's all hold our breathe for this unit to work and make a decision then. We should not worry that unit will be out of stock and we have to wait. People want to make money so they always want to sell their products.

Correct me if I'm wrong that I think there is no "idiot-proof" when come to touching BMW electrical/electronic, especially touching i-Drive controller.
I'm afraid that I might make i-Drive puck spinning like it's possessed if I accidentally short the wires during installation, but I'll take a risk anyway and try to be more careful.

I had the same wish as you that why didn't they put the navtv unit in the trunk? If we think deeper a little bit, we'll know why.
i-Drive screen display whatever MASK/CCC give it and the distance between i-Drive screen and MASK/CCC is only 1/2 meter. Therefore the LVDS is only 1/2m or 1.5ft roughly. If navtv unit is in the trunk, LVDS cable needs to be at least 3-5 meter or 9-15ft long, and we'll need two LVDS cable at that length. This will add cost. Just imagine that a 1/2m LVDS cable is sold for $100 at BMW dealer. 3-5 meter will cost about $200 x 2 = $400 which is not feasible to us. In addition, long LVDS cable tends to accumulate noise when running from front to back of the car (drive shaft, power line/alternator noise, etc).
I'm not sure if we're going to touch i-Drive button unit. If we do, it's not an easy DYI since removing center console is a pain in the tail Been there, done that so many time.

Here is what I did to install navtv unit, backup-cam, DVD entertainment system. I did it for some other folks and it's was a true pain in the neck and tail, but it was fun to do it.
http://forums.e60.net/index.php?showtopic=...l=entertainment

Heiss5

I'm actually not the guinea pig anymore, Dom is sending the idrive control unit to a member of the E90 forum since he has everything already installed in his car. Hopefully he'll be able to hook it up in no time, it will work properly, and then everyone can get the unit sooner.

Iceman

All this makes me dizzy.
I'd be interested if I just know if it works and how it works and how I can install it...

Too many open questions to play around with something in a 100K ? car.

my530i

To install back up cam and entertainment system, we need to remove glove box and its cover like the one below.

The pink wire is connected to navtv and back-up cam control module from back-up light via relay.
A little side note about using relay:
When I installed this navtv module and backup cam for freed0m, his navtv unit instruction did not come with instruction using relay, so I grabbed back-up signal directly from bk-up light. The navtv unit toggle b/w back-up cam and i-Drive screen like crazy, and then i-Drive screen went blank. We had to restart the car to have i-drive screen back. I contacted Dom and he suggested using relay. BMW output voltage does toggle and it makes this symptom. That's why those who install xenon like gets strobing like police car.
OK, back to the business.
Navtv unit is place above glove box cover and secure with velcrow. The shortest and safest power source is power outlet under the foot well, but make sure that you use the fuse to protect your car from fire hazard.
To run back-up cam wires, you need to remove center console.

To remove center console, you have to loosen two nuts on passenger and driver footwell side, and two nuts in the back after removing airvent.
i-Drive controller needs to be disconnected too, to make more room for you to run and feed wire through the carpet in the middle.
Rear back set can be removed easily by ripping it up.

For car with fold-down rear seat, installation is easier because you need to just fold-down the seat and run wire to the back.
For car without fold-down rear seat, unlatch those two latches in the trunk, that hold the rear back seat, to tint it down to run wire to the back.

This is how I've done to my previous car 530i (That's why you see I have screen name my530i but drive a 550i ). If our member here has any tip and trick to share, it'll be greatly appreciated so other member can do the installation easier.



Installing rear flip down screen is not recommended because light from the back blinds the screen.

DomofNavwithtv

Hi
Yes it is PAL/NTSC.
Thanks Dominic www.TVandNav2Go.com

DomofNavwithtv

Hi Everyone
The controller was sent to and E90 member today. He will have have it on Tuesday. We will have the results soon and I will post the link.
Thanks Dominic www.TVandNav2Go.com

snkpkp

the pictures made me faint, I rather hire another guy to look whats behind me and yell rather doing this to my poor baby....ohh man that hurts...but hey its a fun thing to have, both of my Lexus have back up camera from factory as Standard.

Iceman

Yep.
I had to move a rental car in the parking lot, a 15K Nissan... And to my big surprise, when I selected the reverse gear I got a picture on the screen. :'( But my 100K E60 isn't able to do that... :thumbsdown:

bruce_miranda

Yes but what if I want to go to CD from the main menu, will Nav TV kick in and override my wish?

DomofNavwithtv

Hi
No everything will work like it does now. You move to 6 o'clock 1x takes you to entertaintment sub menu. If there is a sub menu after that at the 6 o'clock position it will go to that sub menu first. When there isn't anymore sub menus in the 6'oclock position then the I-Drive controller works. You then have to move to 6 o'clock 3x's consectutively within the same motion from this point to get the video to change. If you just move to 6 o'clock 1x or 2 x NOTHING will happen to the video source. If you move to 6 o'clock 1X wait, then 6 o'clock 1X and wait, then 6 o'clock 1x and wait NOTHING will happen to the video source. understand????
This is why this project was put on hold for so long.
Thanks Dominic www.TVandNav2Go.com