[txm550i]

Hopefully this is the right forum. Just curious if anyone has ever tried to adjust the lighting associated with the HUD? Just bought a 2018 M550i with 26k miles and the HUD is a great feature but I've noticed during the day I see a faint white ghosted box around the HUD which is I am sure a reflection of the projector. Is there anyway to tone down the lighting or contrast a bit to eliminate that?

[ericvt]

Originally Posted by txm550i

Hopefully this is the right forum. Just curious if anyone has ever tried to adjust the lighting associated with the HUD? Just bought a 2018 M550i with 26k miles and the HUD is a great feature but I've noticed during the day I see a faint white ghosted box around the HUD which is I am sure a reflection of the projector. Is there anyway to tone down the lighting or contrast a bit to eliminate that?

I've tried adjusting and jt helped.
Check out the Heads up display settings in iDrive.

[txm550i]

Originally Posted by ericvt

I've tried adjusting and jt helped.
Check out the Heads up display settings in iDrive.

Great!! Will do. Thanks!!

[AP]

Yes in some lighting conditions, strong sunlight from some angles you can be aware of the HUD surrounding box but I'd say in general it's very good. Brightness is good and yes you can adjust it to be brighter or dimmer to your requirements. It will adjust according to light levels and so is perfectly visible 99.999% of the time. Only time I've noticed it being less clear is when stopped behind say a white van in strong sunlight where it is less visible but still readable.

Great piece of equipment and not a gadget unlike some other ones (cough gesture control cough)

[Joe-BMW33]

Yeah, what others have said. In certain bright light you may see the projector box reflect on the windshield, but for the most part this is an anomaly rather than the norm. I find it better to turn the brightness down enough so I can see it, but it is not blasting in my face or distracting.

If this is your first car with HUD (guessing the Smokey and the Bandit Trans Am doesn't have it), Polarized Sunglasses won't work with HUD. It will be like it is not even there. Kind of sucks as I have non polarized sunglasses for my G30 and all my other ones are for my other cars without HUD.

[ksoze]

Maybe obvious and redundant, but polarized sunglass lenses can contribute to HUD issues. Assume you are using non-polarized lenses. Another shout out for Serengeti Drivers - best driving glasses ever.

[Joe-BMW33]

Originally Posted by ksoze

Maybe obvious and redundant, but polarized sunglass lenses can contribute to HUD issues. Assume you are using non-polarized lenses. Another shout out for Serengeti Drivers - best driving glasses ever.

They don't contribute, they just plain don't work with HUD. It's like it is not even there.

[ksoze]

Originally Posted by Joe-BMW33

They don't contribute, they just plain don't work with HUD. It's like it is not even there.

I have seen some newer hybrid ones that do better, but still are basically unusable. Also, I think cheap knock-off "polarized" ones may actually be better (for HUD).

[txm550i]

Originally Posted by Joe-BMW33

Yeah, what others have said. In certain bright light you may see the projector box reflect on the windshield, but for the most part this is an anomaly rather than the norm. I find it better to turn the brightness down enough so I can see it, but it is not blasting in my face or distracting.

If this is your first car with HUD (guessing the Smokey and the Bandit Trans Am doesn't have it), Polarized Sunglasses won't work with HUD. It will be like it is not even there. Kind of sucks as I have non polarized sunglasses for my G30 and all my other ones are for my other cars without HUD.

Yes, first car with a HUD. Guess we're a bit behind the times. Thanks for the tip on the sunglasses. My father is always harping on me to where polarized sunglasses. He's been an avid fisherman his entire life since he was a teenager and wishes he had started wearing them a long time ago.

[SteveinArizona]

I also have non polarized sun glasses for the car and the HUD. But I have found that I also prefer them on the golf course.

[LogicalApex]

You can adjust the brightness in iDrive. I did that once to get the overall brightness where I wanted it. I occasionally get the box, but mostly at night when I’m far away from the city so everything in the car is now too bright. I use the instrument cluster lighting adjustment dial to turn the entire car down and that works well to both eliminate the box on the HUD and to soften the rest of the cluster too.

[AP]

The HUD is in my opinion one of the best, if not the best options you can specify on a car. Once you've had one , you wonder why all cars don't have these

Once exclusive to the 5 and 7 way back, it's now I think in most if not all of the models now

[txm550i]

Originally Posted by LogicalApex

You can adjust the brightness in iDrive. I did that once to get the overall brightness where I wanted it. I occasionally get the box, but mostly at night when I’m far away from the city so everything in the car is now too bright. I use the instrument cluster lighting adjustment dial to turn the entire car down and that works well to both eliminate the box on the HUD and to soften the rest of the cluster too.

Thanks for the tip!!

[Joe-BMW33]

Originally Posted by ksoze

I have seen some newer hybrid ones that do better, but still are basically unusable. Also, I think cheap knock-off "polarized" ones may actually be better (for HUD).

Ha! I need to buy cheaper sunglasses! Most of mine are Ray Ban or Warby Parker, the polarized ones completely mask HUD.