[ergoyo]

Originally Posted by Bahnstorm

Ok, I'm going to fool with this. Is the only thing I need to code $653 to the CAS and FRM?

In principle, yes.

[Bahnstorm]

Do I need to go into any of the ECU code and switch anything to activ?

[ergoyo]

Originally Posted by Bahnstorm

Do I need to go into any of the ECU code and switch anything to activ?

Yes, IBOC in principle, but I've never done coding, so would not know what else. Ask TOM @ EAS, he's the guru in these things.

[Bahnstorm]

$50 for an IBOC out of a junked car, think it was a 2008 E60, and some time and coding later and I have crystal clear HD Radio with song and artist info in my 2006.
Suitably, one of the first songs that came up was Don't Stop Believin', see the pic below, so if you want HD Radio, don't stop.



As others have said the HD Radio setup in these early attempts by BMW have a few usability problems. My biggest complaint is you have to have your radio in manual mode if you wish to listen to subchannels on an HD station that broadcasts more than one digital stream. So if your station is 90.1-HD1, but it also has a -HD2 and -HD3 you can't get to them unless you are in the manual mode. Can't get to them from the preset menu. You use the track up or down or steering wheel controls to get to them.
Second complaint is that you can not set the subchannels to a preset. You can only set a standard non-HD station to a preset and then it will change to the HD subchannel 1 once it locks it in, subchannels above 1 can't be used in the preset menu.

Things I had to code: I used NCSEXPERT and it was pretty straight forward. I coded the CAS and FRM with a new vehicle order, adding option code $653. I then went into the following ECUs and activated the IBOC lines. These are in the CAPPL, CTUNE, and CHOST, ECUs. This will change your menus a bit. On mine I get a new details toggle, an autotune HD option and an HD Radio on off toggle.

Also for the heck of it since I was coding the CAPPL and it was going to be reset anyway I also coded weatherband to aktiv. This adds another band menu, WB, under entertainment and a few of the standard weather band channels for your area. Guys, like myself, that also ride a sport bike can appreciate getting weather as many ways as possible.

As far as the hardware goes I used BMW part number 65129119363 IBOC. My car had the sat prep so I used those connections under the trunk to get power and fiber, I still need to get a bracket from the salvage yard to hold it down in the mean time I just fabricated a bracket out of some scrap tin and used the existing bolt mounting points. As have been shown by NoQuarter you have to clip off a piece of plastic off the edge of the power connector for the satellite radio or the CD changer if you decide to use that one, for it to fit the IBOC.

For the antenna connection I used FAKRA Z SMB connectors, which are universal, rather than FAKRA A. I didn't split it so I don't have RTTI. You actually can just use standard SMB jack to jack connection without the FAKRA connector, I did that at first for testing. The FAKRA connector just makes it a bit tighter. Put one end on your diversity antenna, behind the third brake light, in place of the run that goes to your head unit and then run it under the trim down into your trunk.

The MOST bus fiber connection distribution block, behind the seat bolster driver's side, was easy to understand, but takes some time get the plugs in the right place to maintain the integrity of the loop. You can use the DIY for Sirius or the CD changer to get the idea behind the blocks, but neither of those instructions were exactly accurate on my setup. I had slots 1, 2, 3 filled on the lower block, and 2, 3 filled on the upper block.

Basically just use a flashlight inside the fiber to figure out which set of wires on the upper block goes to your SAT or your CD Changer, if you are using one of them. On mine it was slot 3. Then to make the loop work in my case on the lower block top side I moved 1, 2, 3, over one to 2, 3, 4, and put wire 3 from the upper block top side into slot 1. On the lower block bottom side I left 1 where it was and moved 2, 3 over one to 3, 4, and then put 3 from the upper block bottom slide into lower block bottom side slot 2.
You'll know the most is right when you can see all the plugs in the lower block lit up coming in from bottom side slot 1 and exiting top side slot 1. If you turn on the car and get an SOS error your MOST is not wired right.

It's about an hour job if I had to do it again, but a couple hours the first time messing with the MOST and reading through all the ECUs looking for IBOC entries.

Thanks to NoQuarter and ergoyo for taking the initiative to try this the first time and post their findings here. This thread convinced me it could be done, even on my car which is an early build, 10-2005, E90.

[ergoyo]

Enjoy it!!

It was hard work for us and many hours spent researching. Glad it paid off.

[KarnDog]

Bahnstorm, is your e90 with or without iDrive? I would really like to do this retrofit but so far all seem to have iDrive (with RTTI) and I do not.

[Bahnstorm]

Originally Posted by KarnDog

Bahnstorm, is your e90 with or without iDrive? I would really like to do this retrofit but so far all seem to have iDrive (with RTTI) and I do not.

I had iDrive to start with. I'm not sure how complicated it would be to retrofit this without iDrive. You have to have fiber either way to use the stock HD tuner. It may be simpler to go with an aftermarket HD unit.

[KarnDog]

Just wanted to give an update to this thread, in case anyone without iDrive is interested. I was able to complete the retrofit of my 08 E90 without iDrive and it was actually fairly easy compared to the procedures described above.

With iDrive, an added coax cable is needed to connect the diversity antenna to the IBOC module (for RTTI info, it sounds like). Wasn't needed in this case. All that was needed was:

-Replace radio head unit with model # that supports HD radio option S653 (most expensive part, but can recoup your costs by selling the old unit online)

-Install IBOC module in center of trunk, where SAT module would go using the SAT MOST connector (obviously requires SAT prep option and no SAT installed)

-Update programming and presto, HD signal now comes in as well as AM/FM

It was fairly straight-forward, once we realized that my existing head unit wouldn't work with the IBOC.

Thanks to TOM at EAS, he knows his stuff and works quickly.

[AGM5]

Thank you to all who have contributed to this. I am new to this forum but a friend of mine has been needling me about retrofitting HD radio in her '08 E93. This will hopefully help her to make a more informed decision.

[starbai]

Originally Posted by KarnDog

Just wanted to give an update to this thread, in case anyone without iDrive is interested. I was able to complete the retrofit of my 08 E90 without iDrive and it was actually fairly easy compared to the procedures described above.

With iDrive, an added coax cable is needed to connect the diversity antenna to the IBOC module (for RTTI info, it sounds like). Wasn't needed in this case. All that was needed was:

-Replace radio head unit with model # that supports HD radio option S653 (most expensive part, but can recoup your costs by selling the old unit online)

-Install IBOC module in center of trunk, where SAT module would go using the SAT MOST connector (obviously requires SAT prep option and no SAT installed)

-Update programming and presto, HD signal now comes in as well as AM/FM

It was fairly straight-forward, once we realized that my existing head unit wouldn't work with the IBOC.

Thanks to TOM at EAS, he knows his stuff and works quickly.

So if I'm getting this correctly... I just want to make 100% clear, with your plan of attack here, you cannot have SAT radio AND HD.

Man its such a pain that its not as simple as getting a radio from a 2011 HD/SAT equipped e90/e92 and calling it a day. lol

I've been hearing that that MAY INDEED be a possibility going forward, as supposedly 2011+ models have the HD stuff built in. Not sure what it will require though in terms of antenna splitters and god knows what else....

[Johndong888]

Originally Posted by starbai

So if I'm getting this correctly... I just want to make 100% clear, with your plan of attack here, you cannot have SAT radio AND HD.

Man its such a pain that its not as simple as getting a radio from a 2011 HD/SAT equipped e90/e92 and calling it a day. lol

I've been hearing that that MAY INDEED be a possibility going forward, as supposedly 2011+ models have the HD stuff built in. Not sure what it will require though in terms of antenna splitters and god knows what else....

If you have idrive now (pre-lci), and you wish to retrofit the new CIC with Sirius and HD radio, you actually can and its probably much easier than what is required of this thread. This is due to everything being built straight into the turner since 2010 I think. One thing though, for HD radio, you would have to get the USversion. Hit up patryk if you're interested

[Bahnstorm]

Originally Posted by starbai

So if I'm getting this correctly... I just want to make 100% clear, with your plan of attack here, you cannot have SAT radio AND HD.

You don't have to use the SAT prep spot. If you have space on the MOST circuit and an extra power source anywhere in that system it won't care where the signal comes in from, it can be SAT or CD Changer if you don't have the trunk changer and probably even the bluetooth ULF unit, though that would seem counterproductive. Using the CD changer cables just means different mounting location of the IBOC and different MOST distribution block alignment.

Originally Posted by Johndong888

If you have idrive now (pre-lci), and you wish to retrofit the new CIC with Sirius and HD radio, you actually can and its probably much easier than what is required of this thread. This is due to everything being built straight into the turner since 2010 I think. One thing though, for HD radio, you would have to get the USversion. Hit up patryk if you're interested

I'm thinking abuot doing this, but the cost of the CIC unit is pretty prohibitive until they start showing up more in junkyards.