BMW MP3 player

[mayor]

Here's my first contribution to the group... Given that I can't possibly offer any driving tips to you, here's something differnt :-)

I built an MP3 player for 2000-2005 models (only tested on '01 and '02 E46, though should be fine for other models, incl. 5-series) that integrates seamlessly with the car's radio and steering wheel controls.

The player basically works as a BMW CD changer emulator, with the obvious advantage of holding a large number of songs, and also prints album names and song titles on the radio display. (I don't have NAV, but it could easily print even more stuff there).

It's fully customizable (if you can program in C), since it uses a pjrc board (www.pjrc.com (http://www.pjrc.com)). If you're interested in building one for yourself, I'll be happy to assist, and if you're curious to see it in action, I'll be at Zanetti's this week-end.

Mind you, it's a bit of a hacker's project (there are a few remaining bugs I haven't bothered to fix!), but it's pretty clean still.

I'd be curious to know if there's any interest in such a device in the club.

[Andrei]

I just use the auxiliary input wire with an iPod. Works just fine and I find the iPod much more convenient for navigating in the playlists.

[mayor]

True; the iPod has the advantage of great navigation, but forces you to take your eyes off the road, and is not as well-integrated with the car's controls.

Another point is that its audio components aren't as good as those of the pjrc, which sounds better.

But I agree that for most, the iPod is a really good choice. The pjrc solution is more of a "project"...

[wyze]

nice well good luck with the project

[shopy95]

Hello Mayor.
I want install on my 330 CI year 2001 without nav the PJRC MP3 system.
Please could you send me more details to do this job?
Thanks in advance.
Regards.

Francesco
sea.wolf@libero.it

[Emre]

I'd be curious to know if there's any interest in such a device in the club.That sounds like VERY cool project! Have you shown it to Antoine (flukester) yet? He was working on something similar for the Mitsubishi Lancer.

I would love to see it.

Emre

[mayor]

That sounds like VERY cool project! Have you shown it to Antoine (flukester) yet? He was working on something similar for the Mitsubishi Lancer.

I would love to see it.

Emre

Hi Emre,

I'll be at just about all Tremblant events this summer, and I'll have the player. I'll be at WGI next week-end, too, in case you're there.

As for doing such a thing in a Mitsubishi, I hope for Antoine that there's a serial bus in his car. I couldn't have done a "fully-integrated" project otherwise.