[bytejunkie]

i bought one fo the android 10 head units, but i think i've missed the point of them.

after installation it looks very much like a stand alone head unit, needs its own SIM cars and apps installed. i was expecting it to be a bit more of a box to mirror my phone when i plugged it in. i thought id plug my phone in, android auto would fire up and i'd just use whatever apps my phone allowed, like waze and spotify.

have i missed the point? or have i just not set it up right?

edit: i bought this one

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-F30-F...72.m2749.l2649

[Watsey]

Which unit did you buy ? When you say "head unit" do you mean just the screen, or is it an MMI piggyback unit to the OEM head unit and screen ?

My understanding of the systems which comprise a new screen is that, fundamentally, they have two operating modes :

- iDrive - the screen just displays the radio, nav, phone, etc just as it would with the OEM screen
- CarPlay / Android Auto - the screen mirrors the permitted Apps from the phone

In terms of controlling the CarPlay / Android Auto functions, different screens/systems seem to do different things. Some integrate with the iDrive controller, some screens are touch sensitive as well, and some can only be controlled via the handset.

[bytejunkie]

added link above

my understanding was much like yours, but i guess i'm missing the android auto functionality.

what i do have is the android interface. it appears on the nav button on the idrive controller. it appears to be just like my phone, as in its stock android. i get that its probably simple to put a sim in and run in that way and a tenner a month i wont even notice if im honest. but thats not the point, i wanted android auto and wireless iphone carplay as my wife has the iphone (and im considering going back to one). so i was testing this approach in my car with a view to putting one in her X1, which is likely to stay with us longer than my 35d.

[drdino]

The screen is effectively an Android unit on its own, like a tablet; this means you have to install the apps separately on it. In theory it should support mirrorlink (mirroring the display of your phone to the screen 1:1).

AVINusa units support Android Auto using a separate adaptor, perhaps you need something similar for yours?

https://avinusa.com/10-25-multimedia...2-f83-f84.html

[Stainy]

One of you has missed the point (in the nicest possible way), the other is nearly there (/Edit - I posted this at the same time drdino was answering)

The headunit will display either BMW OEM or it's a full Android phone in it's own right. Therefore you put whatever Apps etc you want onto it and either a) use a sim card (with data) or b) some form of hotspot where it can get it's data (usually your phone).

It does much more than Carplay/Andriod Auto (which limits which apps you can use). However if that's what you want out of it, you can buy a usb dongle to do that for a few squids or, if you have an Android phone, buy the Headunit Reloaded apk

Mirroring can also be achieved with a bit of jiggery pokery, but it's not a 'dumb box' like Mirroring/Carplay/AA usually uses and doesn't get recognised as one without a bit of tinkering

[bytejunkie]

Originally Posted by drdino

The screen is effectively an Android unit on its own, like a tablet; this means you have to install the apps separately on it. In theory it should support mirrorlink (mirroring the display of your phone to the screen 1:1).

AVINusa units support Android Auto using a separate adaptor, perhaps you need something similar for yours?

https://avinusa.com/10-25-multimedia...2-f83-f84.html

i think you've just confirmed one of the things i thought was the case, which is that in the title of the ebay item i bought it mentions carplay adaptor, but not android auto. so i was eyeing up a swap to iphone when shopping this device and then i saw the new iphone 4 style of the new iphone and ... whatevs. i'll try and get our lasses iphone to do carplay with the head unit tonight. i think its got the specific wireless carplay adaptor on it.

one thing i have got working with it is an app on it called easyconnection, but it doesnt seem clever, as in it doesnt remember the connection. it does the screen mirror though.

[flashollie]

Originally Posted by Stainy

One of you has missed the point (in the nicest possible way), the other is nearly there.

The headunit will display either BMW OEM or it's a full Android phone in it's own right. Therefore you put whatever Apps etc you want onto it and either a) use a sim card (with data) or b) some form of hotspot where it can get it's data (usually your phone).

It does much more than Carplay/Andriod Auto (which limits which apps you can use). However if that's what you want out of it, you can buy a usb dongle to do that for a few squids or, if you have an Android phone, buy the Headunit Reloaded apk

Mirroring can also be achieved with a bit of jiggery pokery, but it's not a 'dumb box' like Mirroring/Carplay/AA usually uses and doesn't get recognised as one without a bit of tinkering

Note I finished working from home at 4 to have a few beers before the champions League starts.
Apologies if I have totally mis understood this!

so I have the big I drive screen. 2017 335d. are you saying with a usb lead and 4 and half quid I can see my android phone's screen on the existing OEM BMW I drive screen and have the functionality of my phone?
if I un plugged I get the regular I drive back?

[doncarlyon]

It is a shame the BMW infotainment is so limited

[Watsey]

Originally Posted by Stainy

It does much more than Carplay/Andriod Auto (which limits which apps you can use). However if that's what you want out of it, you can buy a usb dongle to do that for a few squids or, if you have an Android phone, buy the Headunit Reloaded apk

That doesn't read very clearly to me.

For pre-CarPlay compatible (OEM) cars like mine (2012 model year) AFAIK some form of CarPlay device/interface is necessary, i.e. a CarPlay-integrated replacement iDrive screen like a DroidUK unit, or a piggyback MMI unit.

Those devices will work with a wired connection or can utilise a WiFi USB dongle.

In terms of CarPlay itself, my understanding is that the new iDrive screen/MMI displays supported Apps which are running on the phone (iPhone in my case) rather than running the same Apps on a stand-alone basis in an Android OS on the screen/MMI itself.

Data transfer, i.e. for Spotify / Waze, would be via a tethered or cabled connection to the phone.

Is any of that incorrect ?

I assume you aren't suggesting that simply plugging a suitable USB dongle into a BMW head unit, i.e. via any of the USB sockets in the car, rpovides full CarPlay functionality.

[Stainy]

Originally Posted by flashollie

so I have the big I drive screen. 2017 335d. are you saying with a usb lead and 4 and half quid I can see my android phone's screen on the existing OEM BMW I drive screen and have the functionality of my phone?
if I un plugged I get the regular I drive back?

No. I'm saying if you have an Android Headunit (the screen) a 4 and a half quid app will let you run Android Auto - Unfortunately the headunits are about £300

Originally Posted by Watsey

That doesn't read very clearly to me.

For pre-CarPlay compatible (OEM) cars like mine (2012 model year) AFAIK some form of CarPlay device/interface is necessary, i.e. a CarPlay-integrated replacement iDrive screen like a DroidUK unit, or a piggyback MMI unit.

Again, this thread starts with "Android Head Unit.....", so I was answering in terms of what they (read DroidUK unit) can do.

[gippy]

Originally Posted by bytejunkie

i bought one fo the android 10 head units, but i think i've missed the point of them.

after installation it looks very much like a stand alone head unit, needs its own SIM cars and apps installed. i was expecting it to be a bit more of a box to mirror my phone when i plugged it in. i thought id plug my phone in, android auto would fire up and i'd just use whatever apps my phone allowed, like waze and spotify.

have i missed the point? or have i just not set it up right?

edit: i bought this one

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-F30-F...72.m2749.l2649

yup, i went through all this myself last week whilst researching it all.
You basically cannot have android auto - well, not in the way we'd like, or i'd like at least - using the Nav controls to operate it, like Apple users can with carplay.

If we want android auto, there's 2 options - either as you've done purchase an android head unit and basically use it like a second phone in the car, selecting android auto on it in the same way we'd just select android auto on our phone as an app.

Or - if you have NBT EVO like i do, ID4-ID6 (EDIT, ID5/ID6.....ID4 users can use MMI), then BMW does have a screen mirroring function. For that, you need a WIFI antenna (£21 from BMW), which for my car was part number 61119308571, check on realoem.
'cable for head unit WLAN'. It's an easy job to then plug it into the back of the original head unit.
Then you have to find someone to code in the screen mirroring/apple car play option (like as if it was from factory) then you can enable android screen mirror. in idrive. Also 'video in motion' needs to be coded in, so that you can use screen mirroring whilst the car is moving.

That still won't allow you to use the car controls like with apple car play, but at least you have the phone screen being mirrored on the car screen.
Which, looks like it's still a bit rubbish, because of the scaling and resolution mismatch, meaning the BMW head unit will not stretch the image so you're left with a fair amount of the screen remaining black, on either side. (imagine 4:3 vs 16:9 on a tv). Might as well just have my phone next to me clipped to the drivers side vent! i'm giving it a go anyway, to see if screen mirroring makes android auto big enough on the bmw head unit or not. i'll report back.

I am trying the screen mirroring route myself as its cheap to do, the Android head unit route like what you've done is better still due to the functionality, touch screen, and all the options and customization and ability to flick back to idrive.

But ...it's still all crap really. Because all you're really getting with an android head unit, is a second phone, on a 10.25" shaped screen so it fits with the interior.
You could just continue to have your phone on a mount, select the android auto app......and it'd be doing exactly the same thing.
I guess you're also then getting the convenience of having android auto on a larger touch screen...

its soooo annoying that apple users get good functionality through idrive with Carplay, but they didn't do it with android auto.

Unfortunately i can't go the MMI route because i have NBT EVO (ID5/ID6)! NBT folk can actually get something like proper android auto (i.e. using the cars buttons so its like its factory) via the MMI addon device.

[gippy]

Originally Posted by bytejunkie

i bought one fo the android 10 head units, but i think i've missed the point of them.

after installation it looks very much like a stand alone head unit, needs its own SIM cars and apps installed. i was expecting it to be a bit more of a box to mirror my phone when i plugged it in. i thought id plug my phone in, android auto would fire up and i'd just use whatever apps my phone allowed, like waze and spotify.

have i missed the point? or have i just not set it up right?

edit: i bought this one

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-F30-F...72.m2749.l2649

I just spoke to bimmertech, they said they have an ID5 compatible MMI unit currently in development and should be out this year.
Which is great news for people with 2016 and newer cars, on ID5/ID6 like me. For me this is much more preferable than having an android head unit, the MMI means it'll basically function like an OEM android auto.
Great news

EDIT: this looks promising too,
https://integratedautomotive.co.uk/p...-retrofit-kit/

also this
http://www.xcarlink.co.uk/product.ph...&cat=16&page=1

but £500 is...a lot. I'll see if bimmertech can undercut. Probably not as they seem pricey to begin with. I'd still prefer this to a £450 android head unit (once you factor in GPS splitter + wired options on droidUK)

[bytejunkie]

lots of useful info there gippy, thanks for posting.

[SkyJawa]

Originally Posted by gippy

EDIT: this looks promising too,
https://integratedautomotive.co.uk/p...-retrofit-kit/

Yup, I've got the IA Wireless MMI use it for CarPlay not tried Android but has both.