Apple CarPlay/Android Auto Retrofit

[cyman83]

How can you guys tell which version is which on alibaba? Would like a V2 which uses oem mic, but not sure which is which

[zcp312]

Originally Posted by cyman83

How can you guys tell which version is which on alibaba? Would like a V2 which uses oem mic, but not sure which is which

Originally Posted by cyman83

How can you guys tell which version is which on alibaba? Would like a V2 which uses oem mic, but not sure which is which

Still trying to figure that out.

[Cyberdemon]

Originally Posted by cannyjock

Yes, a guy on the UK forum posted a video. It's pretty straighforward - you unplug the looped white cable, and plug in the CAN cable. There's a few other cables presumably for other cars.

I watched that guys video a few times but forgot you wrote this comment and spent at least 30 minutes dicking with the iDrive cable only to realize I didn't need the the white loop or iDrive cable at all.

I need to give it a break since it's getting late but I got the box working.
-Can't test the audio quality yet, but honestly for me right off the bat it sounds fine. I have not tried playing with my little amp, don't want to wake the family up but will try tomorrow.
-Can't get the backup camera working. Wired it as per the spec but I don't seem to be getting 12V out from the unit. But again need to try this with the car running and don't want to gas myself in the garage late at night.

Hopefully can get the camera working early tomorrow then put everything back together.

[icanturn]

Originally Posted by cyman83

How can you guys tell which version is which on alibaba? Would like a V2 which uses oem mic, but not sure which is which

Originally Posted by zcp312

Still trying to figure that out.

Pretty sure its this one:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000..._backgroup_101

V3: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000..._backgroup_101

[derbo]

Originally Posted by Enzoloco

WPPPPHHHEEWW. That was a long thread. Just finished reading after like 3 hours from the beginning lol.

Seems like Kremer got most everything ironed out. Although im still slightly fuzzy on a few things.

1. V2 uses combox BT and factory mic using a wiring adapter. Good audio and call quality.
2. V3 uses AUX, external mic. Good audio and call quality.

My car does not have factory combox but does have BT calling (individual sound). So what is the preference right now?

I value audio much more over call quality. I listen to a lot of bass heavy/mixed music so its important to have good audio. Im using a tune2air dongle right now and its decent. Compared to the combox audio its not as good, you loose bass, and overall clarity.

I haven't seen any solid info on wiring in an OEM style backup camera. What works?

derbo thanks for your hard work. brettcp thanks for the updates on v3.

It's funny because I just wanted ACP and ran into new features I wanted since the first module I got. (ie. Wireless came out, I wanted that, OE mic integration, I wanted that..lol). I'm done for awhile. My interior needs a rest of being ripped apart all the time.


I currently have V2 plugged into the AUX of the center console with the OEM mic splitter. I believe Apple has set it in stone to force Apple Carplay to use the "Carplay" audio and not automatically to a separate BT audio device like COMBOX BT audio. This is the reason the BT combox audio was an issue on the V2.

I believe Apple Carplay is programmed to look at the original BT and WiFi points as the primary device.

After I switch the AUX connection and received the updated OE mic splitter, it's been solid for me and I love it. I found Apple Carplay poses a problem when I want to use my GoPro's WiFi during track days as ACP requires WiFi to be connected to the ACP module. This is an unrelated issue for most but it was funny I had to fight with my ACP module auto reconnecting everytime I connected to my GoPro WiFi.

[rod.bearings]

Had kremer on my e90, hated the factory mic. Going to try Carsara this time as it's factory mic and I only use it when I'm on road trips, otherwise I use my combox. Plus side it's cheaper.

[cannyjock]

Originally Posted by Cyberdemon

I watched that guys video a few times but forgot you wrote this comment and spent at least 30 minutes dicking with the iDrive cable only to realize I didn't need the the white loop or iDrive cable at all.

I need to give it a break since it's getting late but I got the box working.
-Can't test the audio quality yet, but honestly for me right off the bat it sounds fine. I have not tried playing with my little amp, don't want to wake the family up but will try tomorrow.
-Can't get the backup camera working. Wired it as per the spec but I don't seem to be getting 12V out from the unit. But again need to try this with the car running and don't want to gas myself in the garage late at night.

Hopefully can get the camera working early tomorrow then put everything back together.

I've tried 2 headphone amps now, they both work on battery but when plugged in cause annoying buzzing/whistling interference. It's a shame as they definitely improve the sound. I wish I could get it working through the harness as some have reported works, I assume that there's some difference in wiring depending on versions and options in the car.

Which amp do you have?

[cannyjock]

I really wish I could figure out how to get the aux sound via the harness directly rather than use the input in the glove box. I'm sure it has something to do with me having the 6FL option installed as standard, which then takes the aux sound from the armrest input into the harness, then headunit, then optical cable to amp? I wonder if there is a way to change the harness wiring to take it direct from the Carsara unit - as before they suggest this could work in the instructions and at least one person in the UK it worked for straight away, but we can't figure out the differences in our cars. Maybe detailed pictures of the harness might help, but if anyone has any suggestions let me know before I go nuts!

[cannyjock]

Originally Posted by Justin666

you do use aux, but the aux connection is behind the headunit not running through the console. you connect from the media box harness to the quad lock connector that goes to the car, and it uses that.

carplay does not use bluetooth, bluetooth data transfer speeds aren’t sufficient. it uses bluetooth only to pair to the phone, after which it hands off to the wifi network which does all the streaming. audio streams over wifi which then goes to the internal aux... it’s like using AirPlay to play music from your phone to your stereo at home.

I find the quality to be much much better than bluetooth, and better than the previous version i used (CIC) via cable.

Hi Justin - as per my previous post, I'm trying to figure out why I have to use the armrest aux, which isn't great quality. Do you have the 6FL option in your car?

[vilord]

Armrest aux goes back to the MULF/Combox in the trunk if you have an MULF or Combox.
If you have neither one of those, I think armrest aux plugs straight into the CIC. This might be the difference you're seeing?

[cannyjock]

Originally Posted by vilord

Armrest aux goes back to the MULF/Combox in the trunk if you have an MULF or Combox.
If you have neither one of those, I think armrest aux plugs straight into the CIC. This might be the difference you're seeing?

I have combox, so I guess that makes sense. Do you know the route it then takes between combox, headunit, amplifier (I have individual audio)?

[vilord]

The Combox converts it from analog to digital and sends it over the MOST link to the CIC, then the CIC feeds the digital signal through its DSPs (for splitting up the 2 channels into 12 or whatever you have, setting the balance/front rear fade, EQ etc) and sends it back out again over MOST link to your IA amplifier.
The IA amp converts it back from digital to analog, through its multitude of discrete amps and out to the speakers.

[cannyjock]

Originally Posted by vilord

The Combox converts it from analog to digital over the most link and sends it to the CIC, then the CIC feeds the digital signal through its DSPs (for splitting up the 2 channels into 12 or whatever you have, setting the balance/front rear fade, EQ etc) and sends it back out again over MOST link to your IA amplifier.

Got it - thank you, that makes sense. Is it then possible to have the aux picked up from the Carplay box somehow via the harness?

[vilord]

I think you would have to somehow convince your CIC to use the harness aux input instead of the MOST aux input... I'm not sure if the CIC has that as a separate coding option, but you'd basically be partly telling your CIC that you don't have a combox.

I'm curious what sound quality would be like going from the carplay box to an AUX->MOST adapter (there are a few different ones: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001227997684.html )

[derbo]

Originally Posted by krazi3azn

Had kremer on my e90, hated the factory mic. Going to try Carsara this time as it's factory mic and I only use it when I'm on road trips, otherwise I use my combox. Plus side it's cheaper.

What do you mean you hated the factory mic?

The Kremersino mic or the OE mic? I like my Kremersino with the OE mic integration.

[rod.bearings]

Originally Posted by derbo

What do you mean you hated the factory mic?

The Kremersino mic or the OE mic? I like my Kremersino with the OE mic integration.

Sorry yea hated the aftermarket mic*

[Cyberdemon]

So got the Carsara unit all set. I had the backup camera (I wound up going with a 720P cam off Amazon because the Alibaba one didn't arrive in time, but the quality looks good, could've maybe used a fisheye but it's good enough to tell me when the back of the car is hanging out of the garage which is why I needed it over PDC).

Honestly I have to defer judgement of audio quality to the audiophiles. With a few tweaks to the equalizer I have no qualms with the audio quality (again I am hard of hearing in 1 ear, but my left ear tells me "This is fine"). I can't discern any difference between what I was getting from the Tune2Air and my car doesn't have a Combox.

Without hearing others cars, I can't tell if this is me, or there are other problems manifesting for folks.

A few recommendations that I chose for this unit over the Bimmertech instructions:
-I hated the idea of running the Aux cable outside the arm rest. I snaked it through and made a very small notch under the vent in the arm rest so it's more integrated.
-I routed the system USB into the empty 12V outlet in the passenger footwell, not sure I'll ever need this for anything.
-I DONT recommend using Bimmertech's antenna location. Flanking it with the CIC underneath and the Carplay box is just going to create a lot more interference, I sort of wonder if folks might be having audio issues because of extra inteference? I mounted the antenna to the bottom side surface where the display goes. There's a nice recess and there was plenty of extra cable to snake down the right side and back to the box. Now the antenna has lots of air and plastic around it which is what antennas like.

[Cyberdemon]

Some shots of the finished product including the wireless charging tray and how I routed the Aux cable.

[derbo]

Originally Posted by Cyberdemon

Some shots of the finished product including the wireless charging tray and how I routed the Aux cable.

You can route the wire underneath the plastic rubbery tray area and it will look cleaner.

[icanturn]

So as far as we can tell, the Carsara unit is the same as bimmertech?

Im a bit nervous to go with that unit as id admit to being a bit of an audiophile myself.

I guess Carrara vs Kramer v2 are the closest to compare?

[Cyberdemon]

Originally Posted by Enzoloco

So as far as we can tell, the Carsara unit is the same as bimmertech?

Im a bit nervous to go with that unit as id admit to being a bit of an audiophile myself.

I guess Carrara vs Kramer v2 are the closest to compare?

No I think that's purely speculation that Bimmertech is the same as the Carsara unless someone wants to buy one and check it.

The Carsara registers as a GPlink unit, so same as the Kremersino V3?

Now there may be other differences in the schematic, the factory mic integration works great as far as I can tell and honestly I can't find any specific holes in the audio compared to what I'm used to having used MP3 CD's, Spotify via Tune2air etc. Certainly not some kind of weird muffled sound etc.

I haven't even tried to hook up the amp that I got there seems to be no obvious signal issues. I could give it a shot later and see if anything is obvious.

Just required a little bit of tweaking between the factory equalizer and the Carplay equalizer.

[icanturn]

hm interesting. You have an amp that is going to be output from the ACP unit for better audio? How is the bass? I read reviews on Ali that the sound quality wasn't great over aux. User interface/software seems to be bug free?

On Nov 11th AliExpress is holding a sale that will bring the Carsara unit down to $206. At that price its hard to ignore. Although I dont have an issue forking out al little more ($233 on sale) for the Kramer unit if it does have better audio.

This also re-introduced the joyauto as an option. I saw a post about it utilizing aux behind the headunit instead of the armrest location which gives good audio.

gah. too many options.