[blueraven316]

I have a brand new BMW 7 series coming to me for works in couple of days, was wondering what can be done about the ICE.
Player cannot be chnaged I suppose as the aftermarket dash kits are available only upto 5 Series.

@ Gunbir , B&T : any ideas ? have you guys done this car earlier ?

[RAC]

Hi Blueraven. If you don't mind my asking...what is missing in the existing setup on the top end car BMW has to offer. Or Has the customer asked for as an upgrade or addition?

[blueraven316]

we are trying to achieve something OUT OF THE WORLD,
No car is perfect, no stock Audio is either, there is always scope for upgrades.
But what is important is how to integrate anything new into this super complicated car.

[mohit]

Hope you are planning to factor for BMW's "no warranty if electricals messed up" policy!

[jkdas]

How about a FM transmitter for his ipod/N95

emm, maybe a cassette player?

DVD changer?

no?

emm, make it to play DVD when the car is moving, guess it doesnt when car is in motion.

[Sam Kapasi]

The BMW 7 series would come with the Harman Infotainment system. It is a combination of Entertainment and Navigation and the electronic system analysis.

[jkdas]

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

The BMW 7 series would come with the Harman Infotainment system. It is a combination of Entertainment and Navigation and the electronic system analysis.

Its entertains and navigates and does a system analysis? emm, interesting. You sit on the knob for this?

[Bass&Trouble]

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

The BMW 7 series would come with the Harman Infotainment system. It is a combination of Entertainment and Navigation and the electronic system analysis.

Aah very good. Now tell us how to remove it, lol.

Blue Raven: I havent ever worked on a 7 Series, but in the absence of replacement kits etc, I think your best bet is to use an OEM integration device like the RF 360 or the JL Audio Clean Sweep and move ahead from there. The Harman (Baweja ) source should be pretty good for the 7 series.

[Sam Kapasi]

There is something else also made by harman called the iDrive. This too is linked somehow. I don't know how, but my colleagues at Harman Baweja OEM would know.

[aah78]

@blueraven316:
Check out the DIY sections for the E65/E66 series on Bimmerfest, BimmerBoard and Roadfly Bimmer. These are dedicated BMW forums.

There are a few wild and crazy people there who bare-bone their cars and reassemble them just for kicks.

Originally Posted by Bass&Trouble

Now tell us how to remove it, lol.

Disassembling a BMW isn't as tough as it sounds. If an amateur like me can follow a few directions and get it done, you pros should have no problem.

[blueraven316]

Originally Posted by mohit

Hope you are planning to factor for BMW's "no warranty if electricals messed up" policy!

That's exactly why we import whatever necessary rather than trying some " Jugaad " on the vehicle, we would rather wait for the right stuff than have even 1% doubt about what we do.

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

There is something else also made by harman called the iDrive. This too is linked somehow. I don't know how, but my colleagues at Harman Baweja OEM would know.

Hmm, this I would like to know more about.

Originally Posted by Bass&Trouble

Blue Raven: I havent ever worked on a 7 Series, but in the absence of replacement kits etc, I think your best bet is to use an OEM integration device like the RF 360 or the JL Audio Clean Sweep and move ahead from there.

I am not even planning to add an aftermarket player. just for some good high end OE integration system which need not affect the vehicle's warranty in any way.

[RAC]

Originally Posted by blueraven316

we are trying to achieve something OUT OF THE WORLD,

No car is perfect, no stock Audio is either, there is always scope for upgrades.

But what is important is how to integrate anything new into this super complicated car.

WOW. Will follow this thread.

I guess so. Everyone has their tastes, preferences. it's just that in that car, i guess the audio should already be high end. And if you got the money for it

I like the way you think - 'how to integrate anything new into this super complicated car'.

Rishi

[Bass&Trouble]

Originally Posted by blueraven316

I am not even planning to add an aftermarket player. just for some good high end OE integration system which need not affect the vehicle's warranty in any way.

When did I suggest adding an aftermarket player?

[blueraven316]

Originally Posted by Bass&Trouble

When did I suggest adding an aftermarket player?

arrey nahi, i did not mean that, it was just general info i gave abt what i was trying.
I think it will be a JL Audio clean sweep as far as I can see, looks interesting and easy to incorporate too.
what say ?

[DerAlte]

To begin with, this is a very interesting intellectual exercise, @blueraven. More so, since you don't want any uncertainty.

IMHO, you have to start your thinking on a platform of belief, not doubt. What to most would seem a "super-complicated" car, is actually an integrated "system" of simple components. Those simple components individually have independent unique core functionality, 'influencing' each other but maintaining 'functional independence'. The perceived inter-dependency is only seen/felt by humans (hence the illusion of complexity) - a component itself maybe taken away without affecting the core functionality of the other components.

In a modern car like this one, one uses an 'information bus' (CAN-bus is an example; there may be other proprietary ones) to reduce inter-component wiring. If a component is a participant in that messaging system, it's replacement must do the same.

The iDrive is only an HMI (Human Machine Interface) - a User Interface - to the many components under the 'infotainment' umbrella, and the 'connectivity' to the other components is over a 'bus' (I think it is called FlexRay). Even though it is 'bus-based communications', I don't think adding another 'component' to it (say, time alignment and equalizer settings of the HU) is a straight-forward download-software-and-install job.