EASY iPhone/Android Mirroring & Netflix/YT on iDrive + solution for 3 screens [RSE]

Joe-BMW33 · 08-03-2022, 05:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luigilauro

Yes, after you configure the box, you can use your iPhone via CarPlay as you usually do (Spotify or anything).

Again: watch the YouTube video and you will see that you get also the traditional CarPlay interface with all the usual functionalities for your iPhone.

Of course that is with the new box compatible with latest iDrive updates, since the current sold / out of stock old box, or the newer MMB 11 Plus, are not compatible with BMWs.

We need a "BMW MMB 11 Plus", which as the reseller was telling me should be coming in ~2 months.

I am running iDrive 6 and it has not been updated since April of 2021. Would the boxes out now work?

I do not see where in the video he goes back to native Apple Carplay. It all an Android interface in the video. I would like to be able to skip this box easily and pump the normal Apple Carplay to the screen.

r1cero · 08-03-2022, 05:16 AM

The only one compatible with bmw is this one and it seems it is out of stock. It doesn't have hdmi output(which is only usable if you want to output to RSE), and isn't compatible with 'Late 2021/2022 BMW models'

https://www.carplaymmb.com/products/mmb-bmw-android-box

Anyone got idea how they managed to put android to work here? Did they hack apple carplay and basically present this box as jailbroken IOS device to the car and then they somehow loaded android OS on top of it? That would mean that it would be theoretically possible to have android auto in this way.

luigilauro · 08-03-2022, 05:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe-BMW33

I am running iDrive 6 and it has not been updated since April of 2021. Would the boxes out now work?

I do not see where in the video he goes back to native Apple Carplay. It all an Android interface in the video. I would like to be able to skip this box easily and pump the normal Apple Carplay to the screen.

The "BMW version" video is focused on the additional functionalities and doesn't show the original CarPlay interface, but if you google for additional more in-depth videos (just search on YouTube for "MMB 11 Plus" and you will find many!)

A quick example where you can see the original CarPlay interface and easy switch between the Android and CarPlay modes:

With BMW-compatible version will be exactly the same but for our cars.

I ignore if the current box is compatible with ID6, I would anyways suggest to wait for the newer box with Android 11 and HDMI port as well

luigilauro · 08-03-2022, 05:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by r1cero

The only one compatible with bmw is this one and it seems it is out of stock. It doesn't have hdmi output(which is only usable if you want to output to RSE), and isn't compatible with 'Late 2021/2022 BMW models'

https://www.carplaymmb.com/products/mmb-bmw-android-box

This is correct because it USED to work, but then stopped working with latest BMW updates and so they refunded the customers and stopped selling it.

This is why they are working on an 'updated' version, a sort of BMW-edition of the newest "MMB 11 Plus" box, which will support Android 11 and have HDMI port for mirroring, but also be compatible with latest BMWs.

I'm in contact with reseller and they told me it should be available in around 2 months, you can also see my chat with him earlier in the thread or you can contact him directly if you want :-)

luigilauro · 08-03-2022, 05:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by r1cero

Anyone got idea how they managed to put android to work here? Did they hack apple carplay and basically present this box as jailbroken IOS device to the car and then they somehow loaded android OS on top of it? That would mean that it would be theoretically possible to have android auto in this way.

There is no need to "hack" anything.

They just need to "emulate" a CarPlay interface, so to provide to the iDrive interface the same inputs/outputs that an iPhone would through CarPlay connection.

Also, since CarPlay allows also to launch "CarPlay apps" that can show full-screen videos/UI to the car, they just use this feature to add a fake "CarPlay app" that if launched just display the UI of the android box. This way you basically have Android OS as an "app" in CarPlay. And inside this "app" you can install anything you want (Netflix, YouTube) and use it even in motion, since for the car it's just a CarPlay app showing full-screen, so it's safe! :-)

So basically the box does two things:

Provides a "pass through" wired to wireless CarPlay interface from iDrive to iPhone
Add an additional "fake" CarPlay app icon that if clicked shows full-screen android interface, so basically using CarPlay only as a sort of video/audio output to iDrive screen, similarly to HDMI connection (but with added benefits of receiving inputs from iDrive for UI, so you can move the cursor around and navigate with native BMW controls)

And yes, it would be technically possible to provide also Android auto, through the android box, although I don't know how complex would be to actually make it work.

Joe-BMW33 · 08-03-2022, 05:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luigilauro

The "BMW version" video is focused on the additional functionalities and doesn't show the original CarPlay interface, but if you google for additional more in-depth videos (just search on YouTube for "MMB 11 Plus" and you will find many!)

A quick example where you can see the original CarPlay interface and easy switch between the Android and CarPlay modes:

With BMW-compatible version will be exactly the same but for our cars.

I ignore if the current box is compatible with ID6, I would anyways suggest to wait for the newer box with Android 11 and HDMI port as well

Thanks, I see it, but you have to pull out your phone and change the connection. Personally, I would want my car to always start with tradditonal factory Carplay and switch the MMI once in a while. I am assuming it will remember my last source for Apple Carplay?

I think what I need to do is find one on Amazon Prime and play around and then return it if it is clunky.

I had a CarplaytoAir in my Maserati, it worked well, but definitely a Chinese hack with constant firmware updates and bugs.

r1cero · 08-03-2022, 05:42 AM

If this mmb box isn't your own creation and this isn't some elaborate plan for selling it, they SHOULD be paying you for this

Thanks for these explanations, I'm sure this will be useful for a lot of people.

Also, I just saw that it shows android auto in the 'Function showcase' so it should already be available.

Joe-BMW33 · 08-03-2022, 05:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by r1cero

The only one compatible with bmw is this one and it seems it is out of stock. It doesn't have hdmi output(which is only usable if you want to output to RSE), and isn't compatible with 'Late 2021/2022 BMW models'

https://www.carplaymmb.com/products/mmb-bmw-android-box

Anyone got idea how they managed to put android to work here? Did they hack apple carplay and basically present this box as jailbroken IOS device to the car and then they somehow loaded android OS on top of it? That would mean that it would be theoretically possible to have android auto in this way.

They have it in stock here. I am not willing to pay $400 shipped though to be a guinea pig. Pretty sure this will work with pre-lci ID6. Maybe Nancy Pelosi will bring me one back.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3256...xx__1659523405

luigilauro · 08-03-2022, 05:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe-BMW33

Thanks, I see it, but you have to pull out your phone and change the connection. Personally, I would want my car to always start with tradditonal factory Carplay and switch the MMI once in a while. I am assuming it will remember my last source for Apple Carplay?

I think what I need to do is find one on Amazon Prime and play around and then return it if it is clunky.

I had a CarplaytoAir in my Maserati, it worked well, but definitely a Chinese hack with constant firmware updates and bugs.

All these are "Chinese boxes" so that is always the risk, with firmware updates, clunky interface sometimes, etc... but a risk worth taking for me, if in the end this allows me to watch Netflix or Youtube in motion during long trips with my family, on all my 3 screens at the same time (iDrive + 2 back screens from RSE).

This is what I'm trying to achieve: watch a movie or a series, while travelling, on all 3 screens so front passengers + back passengers can enjoy it while I drive :-)

Also I need to be able to do this without any hardware mod, since the car is a company leasing.

Unfortunately, this seems the only option to achieve this goal for me :-)

luigilauro · 08-03-2022, 05:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe-BMW33

They have it in stock here. I am not willing to pay $400 shipped though to be a guinea pig. Pretty sure this will work with pre-lci ID6

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3256...xx__1659523405

It would probably work, but I agree I wouldn't risk it.

If you want you can try to contact some UK/USA reseller (there are many, you can check also the one I referred to earlier) and see if they can confirm the box would work with your car.

luigilauro · 08-03-2022, 05:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by r1cero

If this mmb box isn't your own creation and this isn't some elaborate plan for selling it, they SHOULD be paying you for this

Thanks for these explanations, I'm sure this will be useful for a lot of people.

Also, I just saw that it shows android auto in the 'Function showcase' so it should already be available.

It's not my own creation (this is me if you wonder: https://linkedin.com/in/luigilauro so I do a very different job, although I work in IT), I'm just trying to find a solution to my problem: watching a series/movie while travelling with my family :-)

About Android Auto, you may be right, in the end with an android box should be easy to have it, but I have no experience with it since it's not relevant for me (deep in Apple ecosystem).

Joe-BMW33 · 08-03-2022, 06:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luigilauro

It would probably work, but I agree I wouldn't risk it.

If you want you can try to contact some UK/USA reseller (there are many, you can check also the one I referred to earlier) and see if they can confirm the box would work with your car.

Thanks for all your help and patience with my questions, I really appreciate it. I am coming over to Italy in a few weeks for a few weeks!

luigilauro · 08-03-2022, 06:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe-BMW33

Thanks for all your help and patience with my questions, I really appreciate it. I am coming over to Italy in a few weeks for a few weeks!

Thank you! I'm just trying to find a solution to my problem, and also be helpful to people that have similar issues (iPhone mirroring, Android Auto, Netflix, Streaming to back screens, etc...).

Enjoy your stay in our country then! :-)

If you happen to pass by Milan before Aug. 15th or after Sept. 4th, ping me and we can take a beer together

Sam_M550i · 08-03-2022, 06:23 AM

Look like you MUST have OEM BME apple carplay in order to use this product. I guess that must be true since it is wirelessly transmitting the Android OS onto the screen and without carplay it would be be possible. Thoughts? I do not have Apple Carplay in my car as I am an Android guy but was interested in this product.

luigilauro · 08-03-2022, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sam_M550i

Look like you MUST have OEM BME apple carplay in order to use this product. I guess that must be true since it is wirelessly transmitting the Android OS onto the screen and without carplay it would be be possible. Thoughts? I do not have Apple Carplay in my car as I am an Android guy but was interested in this product.

Absolutely correct. This product uses original BMW CarPlay as an "entry point" for his functionalities (passthrough for CarPlay wireless, and Android media player), so without wired CarPlay support it's completely useless indeed.

Gautam · 08-03-2022, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luigilauro

All these are "Chinese boxes" so that is always the risk, with firmware updates, clunky interface sometimes, etc... but a risk worth taking for me, if in the end this allows me to watch Netflix or Youtube in motion during long trips with my family, on all my 3 screens at the same time (iDrive + 2 back screens from RSE).

This is what I'm trying to achieve: watch a movie or a series, while travelling, on all 3 screens so front passengers + back passengers can enjoy it while I drive :-)

Also I need to be able to do this without any hardware mod, since the car is a company leasing.

Unfortunately, this seems the only option to achieve this goal for me :-)

How do you plan to get Netflix from your phone to the rse screens?

luigilauro · 08-03-2022, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gautam

How do you plan to get Netflix from your phone to the rse screens?

I don't even need my phone actually.

With this box, you have 2 different ways to do it.

Use "Android MODE" on the box, install Netflix application on the box from Google playstore, and then just use it with your account. With CarPlay wired connection via USB you will visualise Netflix to main iDrive screen, while you connect also the HDMI port for mirroring from the box to the HDMI port on the back seats from RSE. This way you will have the Netflix application running on the box shown in sync both to main screen, and back screens
Use "Screen Mirroring" on the box, which supports both android screen mirroring, but also iOS airplay screen mirroring. This is also possible, but probably wouldn't be as smooth in terms of playback as the first option, so whenever there is a native android application, it's much better to install it directly on the box and use it from there.

You can see both options in action in the YouTube videos I linked, or from many more (just search on YouTube for "MMB 11 Plus")

Of course to do this we need the BMW-compatible version of MMB 11 Plus box, which is not out yet (should be in 2 months). So this is possible today for any other car, and will be possible soon for BMWs as well.

Gautam · 08-03-2022, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gautam

How do you plan to get Netflix from your phone to the rse screens?

Quote:

Originally Posted by luigilauro

Yes, after you configure the box, you can use your iPhone via CarPlay as you usually do (Spotify or anything).

Again: watch the YouTube video and you will see that you get also the traditional CarPlay interface with all the usual functionalities for your iPhone.

Actually, you will also have the ADDITIONAL opportunity to install the same applications (e.g. Spotify w/ your account) on the Android BOX and use it from the dongle directly without even needing your Phone, if that is more convenient for you for any reasons (e.g. iPhone low battery, or forgot at home, or anything).

Of course that is with the new box compatible with latest iDrive updates, since the current sold / out of stock old box, or the newer MMB 11 Plus, are not compatible with BMWs.

We need a "BMW MMB 11 Plus", which as the reseller was telling me, it's under development right now, and should be coming in ~2 months.

Quote:

Originally Posted by luigilauro

I don't even need my phone actually.

With this box, you have 2 different ways to do it.

Use "Android MODE" on the box, install Netflix application on the box from Google playstore, and then just use it with your account. With CarPlay wired connection via USB you will visualise Netflix to main iDrive screen, while you connect also the HDMI port for mirroring from the box to the HDMI port on the back seats from RSE. This way you will have the Netflix application running on the box shown in sync both to main screen, and back screens
Use "Screen Mirroring" on the box, which supports both android screen mirroring, but also iOS airplay screen mirroring. This is also possible, but probably wouldn't be as smooth in terms of playback as the first option, so whenever there is a native android application, it's much better to install it directly on the box and use it from there.

You can see both options in action in the YouTube videos I linked, or from many more (just search on YouTube for "MMB 11 Plus")

Of course to do this we need the BMW-compatible version of MMB 11 Plus box, which is not out yet (should be in 2 months). So this is possible today for any other car, and will be possible soon for BMWs as well.

Ok, yeah I don’t see any reason this wouldn’t work if the box can successfully output hdmi at the same time.

My single remaining nitpick is that I’d like it to also have Netflix’s download feature. If it uses the standard google play version though then that should also be there…

luigilauro · 08-03-2022, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gautam

Ok, yeah I don’t see any reason this wouldn’t work if the box can successfully output hdmi at the same time.

My single remaining nitpick is that I’d like it to also have Netflix’s download feature. If it uses the standard google play version though then that should also be there…

Yes, android version of Netflix fully support download feature, so you should be OK.

For HDMI mirroring, I confirm it's outputting on HDMI at the same time as through CarPlay interface on main screen. See it in action here (HDMI mirroring is from 6:20):

luigilauro · 08-03-2022, 11:26 AM

This video also shows on a Range Rover both Android Auto and also the netflix/whatever playback on main screen + back screen at the same time in sync, via the HDMI mirroring port.

Gautam · 08-03-2022, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luigilauro

This video also shows on a Range Rover both Android Auto and also the netflix/whatever playback on main screen + back screen at the same time in sync, via the HDMI mirroring port.

That is indeed exactly what we want…the wait begins…

luigilauro · 08-03-2022, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gautam

That is indeed exactly what we want…the wait begins…

Indeed the wait begins :-) The reseller should let me know when they are available, so I will get back here and let you know!

08-03-2022, 05:16 AM	#24
r1cero Private First Class 81 Rep 179 Posts Drives: bmw 520d g30 Join Date: Aug 2021 Location: south east europe iTrader: (0)	The only one compatible with bmw is this one and it seems it is out of stock. It doesn't have hdmi output(which is only usable if you want to output to RSE), and isn't compatible with 'Late 2021/2022 BMW models' https://www.carplaymmb.com/products/mmb-bmw-android-box Anyone got idea how they managed to put android to work here? Did they hack apple carplay and basically present this box as jailbroken IOS device to the car and then they somehow loaded android OS on top of it? That would mean that it would be theoretically possible to have android auto in this way.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

08-03-2022, 05:42 AM	#29
r1cero Private First Class 81 Rep 179 Posts Drives: bmw 520d g30 Join Date: Aug 2021 Location: south east europe iTrader: (0)	If this mmb box isn't your own creation and this isn't some elaborate plan for selling it, they SHOULD be paying you for this Thanks for these explanations, I'm sure this will be useful for a lot of people. Also, I just saw that it shows android auto in the 'Function showcase' so it should already be available.
	Appreciate 1 luigilauro42.50 Quote

08-03-2022, 06:23 AM	#36
Sam_M550i Lieutenant 257 Rep 472 Posts Drives: BMW M550i Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Framingham iTrader: (0)	Look like you MUST have OEM BME apple carplay in order to use this product. I guess that must be true since it is wirelessly transmitting the Android OS onto the screen and without carplay it would be be possible. Thoughts? I do not have Apple Carplay in my car as I am an Android guy but was interested in this product.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

08-03-2022, 11:26 AM	#42
luigilauro Private First Class 43 Rep 121 Posts Drives: BMW 530e xDrive Touring Join Date: Aug 2022 Location: Milan, Italy iTrader: (0)	This video also shows on a Range Rover both Android Auto and also the netflix/whatever playback on main screen + back screen at the same time in sync, via the HDMI mirroring port.
	Appreciate 0 Quote