[Josh1a1h]

I never wanted a CIC upgrade... but id consider this!

Good on you MAK THE MAN

[makkan00]

Originally Posted by Josh1a1h

I never wanted a CIC upgrade... but id consider this!

Good on you MAK THE MAN

It is defo WOW factor if you move from CCC to NBT. I will write a short review in next few minutes. Photos of NBT installed in my car is on my FB page.

[cage911]

Saw this NBT in action in Sam's car today. I am really impressed. I thought I had big balls doing my non-iDrive to CIC conversion, but hats off to Sam for taking it to another level.

PS. Thank you for coding my car today, my sounds system is sounding a lot better now.

[makkan00]

Ok, after three days of immense work and modification, NBT is installed in my car and nearly 100% functional. DVD is ejecting every time I start the car and I have been told it is due to the fact that I had CIC retrofitted and my car had radio. Will look into this further to see if there is a solution to it.

Here are my comments:

PROS:
1- It is extremely fast compared to CIC. Scrolling through menus, maps and other functions are extremely quick.
2- More animated menus, screen fades in and fades out.
3- Quicker start up (max 20 seconds)
4- Faster route calculation
5- Smoother page transition
6- Higher storage for music collection (though 8GB in cic is more than enough)
7- Improved 3D landmarks
8- Improved dynamic guidance / lane guidance
9- Clear voice instructions
10- Speech to text dictation for sms and e-mails (will confirm this)
11- Full parallel connection of two mobile phones
12- New web browser supporting HTML5, Adobe Flash (yes thats correct) and Microsoft office documents.
13- Allows you to play most common video formats.
14- You can play video from the usb containing video files.
15- Gives you camera input directly to NBT so external media cards are required.

CONS:
1- It requires modification to NBT which means NBT will be exclusive for E-series if you decide to sell.
2- Cost is nearly the cost of CIC + Combox.
3- I found CIC maps better and clearer than NBT maps. It might be just me but in all honesty CIC maps are more user friendly. I guess there is too much info on NBT maps therefore maps looked full of info IMHO.
4- BMW applications require further work which means more flashing and FSC codes.
5- It does not work with external DAB units similar to CIC.


Summary:
When you move from CCC---> CIC then its 'WOW factor' but moving from CIC ---> NBT is not a 'WOW factor'. It is similar to moving from iphone 5 to iphone 5s with slight changes.


Indication for installation:
1- As mentioned earlier, it is for those who have no bluetooth module in their cars. Adding bluetooth module and harness is expensive, so you may consider NBT.
2- If you are planning to move to CIC from CCC, then its better to move to NBT.
3- If your priority is to have video out of usb, then NBT is the way to go.

If I have missed something, I will add it later.

[Corradokid]

I've no idea of the cic cost bit could you let me know what you can do this for? Is there any value in the ccc system after removal? Cheers mate

[makkan00]

Originally Posted by cage911

Saw this NBT in action in Sam's car today. I am really impressed. I thought I had big balls doing my non-iDrive to CIC conversion, but hats off to Sam for taking it to another level.

PS. Thank you for coding my car today, my sounds system is sounding a lot better now.

Nick
Sorry, I missed your comment somehow. Thanks for the compliment. I am seriously impressed with the drivers which you have installed. Good luck withe the future projects.

[BMWChap]

Great write up, don't think I'll be updating but would love to see it in action.

[achu]

I wish I waited for this...

[gangzoom]

Great work

[Frobius]

Would love to see some pics Sam!

[makkan00]

Originally Posted by M3KingUK

Great write up, don't think I'll be updating but would love to see it in action.

Thanks.

Originally Posted by achu

I wish I waited for this...

Mate, these are very expensive at the moment. Right types are at least £700 plus. The incompatible ones can be sourced for £550.

Originally Posted by gangzoom

Great work

Cheers.

Originally Posted by Frobius

Would love to see some pics Sam!

Will do mate and possibly a video showing it in action.

[makkan00]

Originally Posted by makkan00

Ok, after three days of immense work and modification, NBT is installed in my car and nearly 100% functional. DVD is ejecting every time I start the car and I have been told it is due to the fact that I had CIC retrofitted and my car had radio. Will look into this further to see if there is a solution to it.

Here are my comments:

PROS:
1- It is extremely fast compared to CIC. Scrolling through menus, maps and other functions are extremely quick.
2- More animated menus, screen fades in and fades out.
3- Quicker start up (max 20 seconds)
4- Faster route calculation
5- Smoother page transition
6- Higher storage for music collection (though 8GB in cic is more than enough)
7- Improved 3D landmarks
8- Improved dynamic guidance / lane guidance
9- Clear voice instructions
10- Speech to text dictation for sms and e-mails (will confirm this)
11- Full parallel connection of two mobile phones
12- New web browser supporting HTML5, Adobe Flash (yes thats correct) and Microsoft office documents.
13- Allows you to play most common video formats.
14- You can play video from the usb containing video files.
15- Gives you camera input directly to NBT so external media cards are required.

CONS:
1- It requires modification to NBT which means NBT will be exclusive for E-series if you decide to sell.
2- Cost is nearly the cost of CIC + Combox.
3- I found CIC maps better and clearer than NBT maps. It might be just me but in all honesty CIC maps are more user friendly. I guess there is too much info on NBT maps therefore maps looked full of info IMHO.
4- BMW applications require further work which means more flashing and FSC codes.
5- It does not work with external DAB units similar to CIC.


Summary:
When you move from CCC---> CIC then its 'WOW factor' but moving from CIC ---> NBT is not a 'WOW factor'. It is similar to moving from iphone 5 to iphone 5s with slight changes.


Indication for installation:
1- As mentioned earlier, it is for those who have no bluetooth module in their cars. Adding bluetooth module and harness is expensive, so you may consider NBT.
2- If you are planning to move to CIC from CCC, then its better to move to NBT.
3- If your priority is to have video out of usb, then NBT is the way to go.

If I have missed something, I will add it later.

Just to add few more bits after playing it for 1 week

Plus points:
1- Super quick and you can feel that everything is instant.
2- It gives you alternate routes on your way and option pops up like a text message that 'do you wish to re-route due to ....?
I remember that on CIC, it just re-calculates if there is traffic on your way. With NBT, it pops up and you have the option to compare different routes.
3- It also gives you time calculation that how much time you will save by selecting alternate route.
4- My favorite one. You select the day and night mode to auto and it uses the car sensor to sense it. When the car is on auto and headlights comes on, it goes to night mode automatically. When the lights are off, it goes to day mode.
5- You can choose to have bmw online widget in split screen. So everytime you start the car, it uses your phone connection and update the weather on the screen.
6- It speaks the road names such as 'turn right on to London Road'.

Negatives:
1- I could not change the colours of the maps. With CIC, you can change the colour of the maps.
2- Estimated arrival time was wrong when I used it last time. I will have to look into it further.
3- With CIC, when I used to press telephone button on the steering wheel, it was taking me to phone menu and I was able to scroll through the calls by using the selection button on the other side of steering wheel.
With NBT, telephone button does not work expect if you get the call and you press it to accept. Or you double click it and it dials the last number.
So you use the short cut on the controller.



To sum up, its a mixed feeling. By upgrading to it, I lost bmw applications and internet radio. However other benefits are great and cannot complaint overall.

[stevens]

Hi Sam, did you lose Internet radio/apps due to them not being in the NBT or they just arnt coded yet?

[makkan00]

Originally Posted by stevens

Hi Sam, did you lose Internet radio/apps due to them not being in the NBT or they just arnt coded yet?

Stevens
The donor car was without bmw application.
I can still get it but will have to flash nbt and get fsc codes.

[makkan00]

Its long time since I have updated it...

Its brilliant piece of kit but it still not 100% perfect compared to CIC retrofit.

Here are few more glitches
1- On some cars, DVD ejects itself everytime when you let the car sleep (30 minutes). It even looses its location on the GPS and gyro takes 5 minutes of driving before it finds its position.
2- Speed warning in the setting does not work. It does not allow you to tick this option.
3- In CIC there is option to relock the car if you do not open one of the door after unlocking. When you select this, it get selected. But each time you turn on the NBT, it looses the settings.
4- Steering wheel phone button can be used to answer the call and terminate it but it does not initiate the call. Exception is that when you press it twice and it redials the last number.
5- Steering wheel aircon button switches b/w radio and cd media. However the actual button which should switch these does no do anything.
6- When you sit in the car and wants to listen to the radio, you insert the key. If your headlight is on auto, car will automatically switches the welcome lights on which stays there forever. Worst glitch IMHO.
7- It is playing up with the memory seats. Memory seats buttons 1 and 2 do not complete their position. I have been told that it is to do with the coding.

Although there are these glitches but I still want to retain it and play with it more.
I am hoping that the developers of these emulators will overcome these deficiencies.

[m20b25]

Makkan, did you over come these issues? Sure they're not coding related?

I'm hoping to do it myself but it's tricky to find a seller who can tell me the details of what they're selling In order for me to know its compatible!

[makkan00]

Originally Posted by m20b25

Makkan, did you over come these issues? Sure they're not doing related?

I'm hoping to do it myself but it's tricky to find a seller who can tell me the details of what they're selling In order for me to know its compatible!

NBT is never going to be 100% compatible with E-series.

I am going to change the emulator to see if some of these glitches resolve.

Sellers will not know if NBT is compatible with E-series or not. Those who sell it as a kit will not tell you as well as they want you to buy from them bud.

[m20b25]

Originally Posted by makkan00

NBT is never going to be 100% compatible with E-series.

I am going to change the emulator to see if some of these glitches resolve.

Sellers will not know if NBT is compatible with E-series or not. Those who sell it as a kit will not tell you as well as they want you to buy from them bud.

I appreciate all of those points! Hoping I've done the right research in order to determine a compatible unit. Would ideally like to get one myself out of a breaker but that's not easy to arrange.

[Frobius]

Is the added cost and difficulty, not to mention all the issues at the moment, actually worth it over CIC with combox?

I just can't see it yet. For you Sam, I get it as you love to play and have the ability to tinker. For someone who just wants to fit the latest tech and have it just work properly, surely a hacked NBT is not the right solution?

[makkan00]

Originally Posted by Frobius

Is the added cost and difficulty, not to mention all the issues at the moment, actually worth it over CIC with combox?

I just can't see it yet. For you Sam, I get it as you love to play and have the ability to tinker. For someone who just wants to fit the latest tech and have it just work properly, surely a hacked NBT is not the right solution?

Spot on mate. With CIC, I am confident that it works flawless and there should be no issues in future. Same goes for the combox.

With NBT, I am not 100% confident and hence never put this up as a commercial sale project. It will take few months or posssibly years before it becomes fully compliant with E-series.

Still a good project for somebody who is in to gadgets and new stuff etc.

[makkan00]

Ok, the best bit about NBT.

Sports display activated, tested and fully working on E9X.

I must say that its awesome.

Sorry for the crappy video but had to put on a holder. And could not get proper time to find max BHP and torque on my car.

[Murphyslaw]

that looks awesome!!