[thefys]

Hi Everyone,

I have been reading up on the X5 forum about these two touch screen upgrades to the OEM screen which bring Android Auto + Car Play to our F25 X3s. (Mine is a 2013)

BMW X3 X4 Series 8.8" F25 F26 2010 - 2018 CIC NBT Multimedia Navigation System


The other unit that is getting some love is the CAR NAVI BMW X3(F25)/X4(F26) 2011-2017 Radio upgrade

As you can see below they are very similar, perhaps identical hardware + software with different branding.

I would like to ask the folks here that have done the install two things:

1) - Bluetooth connectivity apparently is not that great compared to OEM - what is your experience workarounds (some folks have flat out returned the unit base on this single issue

2) - Audio quality is subpar for many folks due to a) audio gain mismatches and b) audio noise and interference due to the analog Aux In additional run from dash to center console.

Please share your thoughts.

Many thanks !

[pchansen]

Hmm. I'm interested too. I posted on another thread about my (and other's) concern about whether 2GB of RAM is sufficient. Also, I thought you retained the OEM tuner and this was basically just an upgraded display. Where are you reading about subpar audio quality and Bluetooth quality?
Other questions I have:
I have the non-nav iDrive and am wondering how this will play with the new screen that has nav. I'm assuming I'll just miss the hot button and have to either touch the screen or rotate and select nav on the display. I would plan on using Waze in any case.

[Ylinen]

I didn't get the AVIN unit, but one like it.

Your BMW I-Drive computer remains in the system. Think of the two running in parallel. You select which one you want to see/use.

The audio for the Andorid side on mine goes through the AUX-IN port on the BMW infotainment side. The sound works fine for me. I don't have the best ears to really tell what if anything I lost.

The bluetooth works fine also. When I am using Android Auto, the sound for the music or other audio APPs works through bluetooth just fine.

I have noticed that sometimes the audio level is different. Low sometimes and normal sometimes. Don't know why it is different though.

I like the units because it gives me android in a BMW. Something you can't get from BMW.

I did not have to cut any wires, so it is easy to return it to stock. The prices was low enough that it does matter to me if it is not PERFECT.

I get Waze in my BMW. Better than any GPS system.

[oVeRdOsE.]

for the sound issue :

- 90% of the time is ground loop issues and interference. Can be fix with a big-3, better ground, filters, ground hack on the board, moving audio signal wires away from the 12v+, etc

- and 5% is causes by the wrong voltage from the Android head unit to the OEM amps. I doubt this is an issue on F25 since its using AUX.
But converters (like SNI-35) fix taht kind of issues : https://pac-audio.com/catalog/audio-interfacing/sni-35

- the remaining 5 %, is shitty design TPA class D chips, or other kind of chip.


For the ram, right now on the task manager ;

- waze is using 165mb, and I have no destination in. Only for cops notification. can double with navi ON and features.
- Power amp. 70mb
- Google play services : 182mb
- google : 67mb
- keyboard : 86mb
- car launcher 82mb
- BT : 22mb
- viper4droid (audio dsp) :12mb
- Android system : 286mb
- System UI : 155mb

and android 8.0 : 1.5 gb.(this one will vary a lot depending of total ram available) .

So about 2.9 gb on my 4gb device. 72%+ used(not all 4gb is available for app !).

And I have only those stuff listed running, in 2019.
Most people will got calls, live wallpapers, chrome, streaming, data ON.
it will crash some app. OP's 1gb is for sure not enough. 2gb is barely enough but will do just fine for 2-3 years. I have a 2gb device with android 5.0 at home.

What would it be in 3-4 years? we dont know. System app will remain the same since we wont see any android updates.
But 3rd party app and google services will take more RAM for sure.

How much RAM does your phone REALLY need in 2019?
https://www.androidauthority.com/how...e-2019-944920/

How can we increase RAM. aka swap partion on SD (not proven working on many devices tho) :

https://www.google.com/search?q=incr...hrome&ie=UTF-8