[Sam_M550i]

So with the MMB and X-link or headunit reloaded the idrive knob doesn't function when running AA?

[HamMan]

Here are a couple crappy videos I took. (They're pretty bad...)

This first video is just showing how long it takes to boot up and connect, and that I can start up Head Unit Reloaded.
When you have it already plugged in, it doesn't feel like it takes that long to start up. Maybe a few seconds after you start driving.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9m8SW_xxqM


The next video I'm just trying to show the double click issue I had with the IDrive knob. One press acts as 2, which makes the knob basically useless

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prr1CHgJo0E

There are a few ways to connect to HUR. I chose the option for the unit to create the hotspot, and my phone to connect to the hotspot.

The main issue I found with this is that I had to always go to my wifi options on my phone, at which point it would decide to connect. Not sure why it didn't auto connect.
Sometime I would have to go into the Wifi-Launcher and select the manual connect button.

The Wifi-Launcher is the helper app that you run on your phone to get it to connect to HUR on the device.

It took me a while to figure it out. The app asks you to setup some permissions. The only permission I could not get it to accept was the battery optimization. Android 14 (on my phone) does not have the same setting that the app is asking for, so it always brings a pop up when I open it, asking me to change the setting. I could just click outside the popup and I could still use the app, but it was annoying.

I didn't try the method of the phone creating the hotspot for Android Auto. This method may work better, I'm not sure.
(I connected it for initial internet connection but did not use this option for HUR)

It was kind of cool to see AA with touchscreen "sort of" work. It's not really practical but was a little interesting for a few days.

2 other issues I had with HUR.

1) Long press on voice control on steering wheel would bring up the google assistant on the MMB OS, not through the HUR Android Auto.
2) Calls sounded really muted. I had to turn volume all the way up and it was still quiet. I had my bluetooth volume on phone turned up to max too.
There may be some HUR setting to fix this, but I didn't mess with it very long

At this point I figured I was making too many excuses for the device.

Still cool to play around with. It proves that this route is possible if someone could build it right. But these devices are meant for essentially turning your head unit into an Android tablet. If that is all you want, it's a decent unit from what I saw, but I didn't really play around on the other apps.

I will probably just go MMI route. With OEM bluetooth as an option nowadays, it seems like the cleanest solution. Touchscreen would be kind of nice, but after using the MMB I realize how dirty the screen can get after just a couple days. Knob controls are just more practical while driving.

I also contacted HiFiMax about the new Android MMI box they have. It will only do sound through aux/usb. This means the quality will likely not be very good.
According to the megathread on MMI, bluetooth audio is typically better, although there were some people saying aux sounded fine...

[lnxguy]

Should give you a much better experience considering the cost. If this was basically free, I'd have a different opinion of it. MMI definitely seems like the way to go based upon price.

[Rach']

hanman .

Thanks for the detailed info, same opinion like you about your review.

Could you give info about which mmi with Bluetooth you will try? Was thinking about hifimax but if sound goes through AUX, I find the price/quality not worth it then.

[lnxguy]

Originally Posted by Rach'

hanman .

Thanks for the detailed info, same opinion like you about your review.

Could you give info about which mmi with Bluetooth you will try? Was thinking about hifimax but if sound goes through AUX, I find the price/quality not worth it then.

Andream or Roadtop.

[HamMan]

Originally Posted by Rach'

hanman .

Thanks for the detailed info, same opinion like you about your review.

Could you give info about which mmi with Bluetooth you will try? Was thinking about hifimax but if sound goes through AUX, I find the price/quality not worth it then.

Like lnkguy said, probably Andream or RoadTop.

HiFiMax sells the same one as Andream and RoadTop
https://hifimaxnavi.com/products/app...x1-x3-x4-x5-x6

I was referring to the new Android Box from HiFiMax that can use the touchscreen.
This one only has aux audio.
Also twice as expensive.
I would consider if it has OEM Bluetooth audio but it does not.
https://hifimaxnavi.com/products/bmw...d-auto-netflix

[lnxguy]

What we really need is Mr12Volt to make an MMI for the NBT EVO because those units use the MOST bus for audio.

[HamMan]

Originally Posted by lnxguy

What we really need is Mr12Volt to make an MMI for the NBT EVO because those units use the MOST bus for audio.

That would be great.
I asked them if they have any plans for that but no response.

I originally thought they did work with Evo systems. Only recently got my 440 and thought I just needed the mr12volt but later realized it doesn't work with Evo.

[lnxguy]

Originally Posted by HamMan

That would be great.
I asked them if they have any plans for that but no response.

I originally thought they did work with Evo systems. Only recently got my 440 and thought I just needed the mr12volt but later realized it doesn't work with Evo.

The offer MMIs for NBT, but not the EVO. Kinda sucks

[Rach']

hanman, i've spoken also to Mr12volt and if everything goes well they will release in 6 months from now an mmi box. Think they got alot the same question of g30 owners and they finally get it started

Fingers crossed!

[HamMan]

Originally Posted by Rach'

hanman, i've spoken also to Mr12volt and if everything goes well they will release in 6 months from now an mmi box. Think they got alot the same question of g30 owners and they finally get it started

Fingers crossed!

Interesting. When I emailed them about an Evo option, they said they did not have a timeline yet for that.
I'll just have to use another MMI for now.

[antsgame]

Originally Posted by HamMan

Like lnkguy said, probably Andream or RoadTop.

HiFiMax sells the same one as Andream and RoadTop
https://hifimaxnavi.com/products/app...x1-x3-x4-x5-x6

I was referring to the new Android Box from HiFiMax that can use the touchscreen.
This one only has aux audio.
Also twice as expensive.
I would consider if it has OEM Bluetooth audio but it does not.
https://hifimaxnavi.com/products/bmw...d-auto-netflix

I purchased the MMI from hifimaxnavi and it works fine. I installed it with the help of my friend about 4 months ago or so.

I would recommend it for anyone looking to get Android Auto

[Sam_M550i]

All,

I also bought recently the BMW Carplay MMB 2.0 worh dual wifi cards. I have installed the big update via microSD. I'll separate the post into the 3 categories, HUR, X-link and native Android OS.

HUR: This method works well and looks sharp. Double click is resolved by disabling knob setting in HUR. Knob will works but no longer have the double click from what I noticed. Issue here is when in an app, you cannot use the knob to get to another app or side menu as mentioned.

X-link: This method is wonky, sound is choppy and it does not fill up the screen. Basically AA is centered in the screen with black spaces on the sides. Prior to the big update it filled the screen, full screen but looked stretched. Waiting for seller response to this issue.

Android OS: This works via hotspot. Not impressed. Basically a tablet and no ability to change the homepage layout or widgets. I was under the impression you can out any widget. Stock it comes with maps, TikTok and Netflix widget.

Really not sure why these devices are setup with apps like Zlink or Xlink emulators and not oem AA.

[Raslin777]

Originally Posted by Sam_M550i

So I am unable to get the data to work via Ethernet to USB-C connection. Device looking for a sim. There is an engineering menu I want to access but don't know the password. Maybe in there there may be a setting for how the device receives data? I don't know the password so sort of stuck.

The engineering menu password is 1868 on my device.