[JustinHEMI]

Yeah it's frustrating that they changed enough to make current solutions incompatible but didn't put ID7 in.

[Matt Devo]

Originally Posted by thestimp

There is currently no tech for idrive 6 due to different protocols. Its best to just buy the android headunit ( although I dont know if youre able to), I'm surprised they didnt put id7 in the 2020 M2

I literally posted a unit above that is compatible with ID6/EVO units

[thestimp]

Originally Posted by Matt Devo

I literally posted a unit above that is compatible with ID6/EVO units

I missed that, Technically my 2016 is an NBT Evo as well but ID4. Being an NBT EVO is one thing being ID6 is a whole different can of worms. Does it actually work?

[Matt Devo]

Originally Posted by thestimp

I missed that, Technically my 2016 is an NBT Evo as well but ID4. Being an NBT EVO is one thing being ID6 is a whole different can of worms. Does it actually work?

see my posts above. Pass thru works, but no video in MMI mode. Seller sent me a software update to fix, but I haven't hard time to reinstall the box and apply it.

[Matt Devo]

so despite a software update and trying numerous configurations suggested by the seller, I've been unable to get the Carlinkit MMI box to work, and will be sending it back =(

I've reached out to a few other sellers with slightly different boxes and will report back if I find something that actually works. One already got back to me and said their box works for EVO HUs, but not the high-line (large) HU.

[TemjinX2]

theres already a android based navigation replacment with a bigger screen...there a bunch of reviews on them in the f30 forums

[Matt Devo]

Originally Posted by TemjinX2

theres already a android based navigation replacment with a bigger screen...there a bunch of reviews on them in the f30 forums

yes, but those have significant drawbacks, and finding units compatible with NBT/EVO head units isn't easy

[TemjinX2]

Originally Posted by Matt Devo

yes, but those have significant drawbacks, and finding units compatible with NBT/EVO head units isn't easy

i saw the review by diybmwguy seems ok..and you have the option for going back to the oem software or using android auto

[Matt Devo]

Originally Posted by TemjinX2

i saw the review by diybmwguy seems ok..and you have the option for going back to the oem software or using android auto

yes, but you can't "go back" to using the superior factory screen.

I've done a ton of research on these Android head units, in addition to modifying/reselling the older PX6 versions for my previous vehicle. As I understand it, the following issues exist with the current SD625 units available for the F22/F87:

• no good anti-glare coating on the screens. Some of the 10.25" units are now available with a blue or black anti glare filter, but it's far inferior to to the factory screen. I asked several vendors for pics of the units in the car, and in every one you could see the reflection of the person taking the picture
  
• no real screen brightness control - only single positions for day / night.
  
• external mic required: these units don't have a built-in mic, and don't leverage the factory microphone
  
• Carplay/Android Auto support via a USB dongle and Android App. Quality of dongles/apps varies a lot. Day/night support doesn't work. No wireless Android Auto (yes I know about / have used Headunit Reloaded)
  
• Poor output sound quality (though one can mitigate this with a USB sound card and some XML hacking)
  
• Non-existent after sales support in most cases. Android/MCU software updates require manual application, sourced from the community. Bad units have to be shipped back to China at cost to buyer.

So, if all one wants is to add Android Auto support, then there are a metric fuckton of compromises to replacing your factory screen with a $500 Chinese Android HU, and it's still going to fall far short of OEM+ integration.

I can see why users with older systems would upgrade / find a better value proposition, but I think it's pretty poor for the F87 M2.

[KillerExcessive]

Originally Posted by Matt Devo

yes, but you can't "go back" to using the superior factory screen.

I've done a ton of research on these Android head units, in addition to modifying/reselling the older PX6 versions for my previous vehicle. As I understand it, the following issues exist with the current SD625 units available for the F22/F87:

• no good anti-glare coating on the screens. Some of the 10.25" units are now available with a blue or black anti glare filter, but it's far inferior to to the factory screen. I asked several vendors for pics of the units in the car, and in every one you could see the reflection of the person taking the picture
  
• no real screen brightness control - only single positions for day / night.
  
• external mic required: these units don't have a built-in mic, and don't leverage the factory microphone
  
• Carplay/Android Auto support via a USB dongle and Android App. Quality of dongles/apps varies a lot. Day/night support doesn't work. No wireless Android Auto (yes I know about / have used Headunit Reloaded)
  
• Poor output sound quality (though one can mitigate this with a USB sound card and some XML hacking)
  
• Non-existent after sales support in most cases. Android/MCU software updates require manual application, sourced from the community. Bad units have to be shipped back to China at cost to buyer.

So, if all one wants is to add Android Auto support, then there are a metric fuckton of compromises to replacing your factory screen with a $500 Chinese Android HU, and it's still going to fall far short of OEM+ integration.

I can see why users with older systems would upgrade / find a better value proposition, but I think it's pretty poor for the F87 M2.

Looks like I'll just have to plop my old iphone x into the wireless charger and leave it there permanently and have it tethered to my phone. Sucky solution, and honestly Android Auto has better UX than Carplay these days. Oh well, not the end of the world.

[Matt Devo]

Originally Posted by KillerExcessive

Looks like I'll just have to plop my old iphone x into the wireless charger and leave it there permanently and have it tethered to my phone. Sucky solution, and honestly Android Auto has better UX than Carplay these days. Oh well, not the end of the world.

I'm about to test another MMI/AA solution from Cartizan, which looks promising (outside of cost) - will update this thread once I have it / have it installed

[LuNguyen]

Thought I'd post my experience here rather than in the massive thread in the F30 forums in case anyone was looking to do this to their M2.

My car is a RHD M2 Competition with idrive 6 (2018 build) and HK Audio, Australia. I purchased the carlinkit direct from Aliexpress and it arrived within a week via DHL. It was about 500 (Australian) dollars cheaper than the Bimmertech equivalent model.

My advice from my experience installing this:
- I pre-coded with bimmercode the Aux input as it uses this as the audio.
- Remember to switch the optical cable over to the new wiring harness otherwise you'll get no sound. There is a USB to aux adaptor in the kit which I did not use.
- I just could NOT make the wiring and carlinkit module fit behind the headunit no matter how hard I tried to position everything. I must have spent 3 hours on this on day 1 of my attempt! Some youtube videos say to push the module to one side and the wiring to the other - tried both ways and it just would not fit so I rage quit and put everything back to stock.
- Day 2 I thought I'd give it another crack. This time however I removed the glovebox to give space next to the glovebox to place the module and it all fits really nicely. I padded around it to prevent rattling. I would say the second day it took me about 3 hours from start to finish having gained experience from the day before with no result.
- AA wired works. Haven't tried wireless yet, but will explore this and custom firmware later this week.
- The idrive wheel works to navigate but the touch screen makes a noise but nothing happens. This doesn't bother me too much as I prefer not to touch the screen.
- Clips I had trouble with: the airvent needs a pick tool. The climate control module - for the life of me I could not unclip. So I just rested this on the steering wheel wrapped carefully in a towel as I did my work.
- I noticed on my glovebox there was an extra harness not plugged into anything... it must be an option on some cars. I spent about 20 mins double checking I hadn't missed a connection here.

[TheStiglet]

Anyone have any luck getting Android Auto on the new M2 CS (2020). The docs and BMW support seem to think that it should be possible because we have July 2020 software Ver 7.
But I can't see it, and there are no software updates. Seems like the CS should have a new enough implementation to support AA.

Anyone know what's going on?

[DriftKr6l]

Also interested.
From all the announcements it seems all 2020 and up BMW will get AA support.

[Mullins]

Originally Posted by DriftKr6l

Also interested.
From all the announcements it seems all 2020 and up BMW will get AA support.

2020 with idrive version 7. F87 cars will only ever get idrive 6.