Comms pack set up 2 -X5 2003 E53 3.0d sport

[Smeeagain]

In addition to my previous post, when i bought the car we were told that it had a six cd changer in the boot and Ipod connection - but the guy said you can only have oen or the other. is this true and if so why ? Obviously you cant play both at same time (!) but why can you only have one or the other and does that mean once I play a CD the ipod wont work and vice versa?

smee

[X5Sport]

Depends how the ipod connectivity was done. BMW didn't support the ipod then as they do now. I had an Aux socket fitted in the glovebox which allowed the ipod to work via the headphone out only and there was no control over the ipod at all. The CD changer was still in and worked fine, and the iPod could be selected via Aux on the control head, but the ipod controls were all manual.

I then had a Dension Ice>Link plus system fitted professionally and you lose the CD changer as a result. As the previous owner has said to you, it's one or the other, but for me to get the CD changer back, I have to completely deinstall the Ice>Link system and rewire the car in the boot to OEM standard. There are other systems which only required the two plugs in the back of the changer be removed. A lot simpler to deinstall, but came after mine was done. The system gives full control of the ipod but is a bit flaky due to Dension never quite getting the firmware to talk nicely to the car.

I believe the issue is down to there not being enough capacity in the vehicle's CAN Bus control system to allow both bits if hardware to be present on the network at once. And yes the X5 does have a low data rate (~10MB springs to mind) computer network over which all the devices talk to each other. There are only so many network 'devices' that the control computer can work with. The newer MOST Bus system is more flexible, but that never appeared on the E53.

No doubt one of the more technical members will be along with a fuller explanation. There are ways of having both, but I have no experience of the additional hardware required.

[Smeeagain]

ok but if I connect my ipod to the cable does that mean Ive lost the ability to play cds forever?

Smee

[Sanj]

Excellent explanation from X5Sport - more than I knew!

The other one is the intravee - that will plug into the two connectors as a direct swap for the changer. They are 3-pin and 6-pin. If it has an intravee then you just unplug the connectors and push them back into the changer. Everything is reversible.

Same with a dension. Just that the dension goes into a different connection in the boot under the spare, so harder to get to but not impossible. You need to know what iPod connectivity is being used.

[Smeeagain]

Ok, I believe I have the Dension ICE link and may post separately about that, but on to a related problem (I swear i will get rid of all the niggles that I inherited from the previous owner in this car if it kills me)
The 6 Cd changer has a small sliding door - as you no dount know- and in there , there is , or should be a 'cassette' that holds the six discs and there is a quick release button to allow you to remove that from the vehichle for security etc.

However, ....... on sliding back the little door ...... there is no 'cassette' !! Can anyone tell me what this unit is actually is called, how much they cost and where I can get one (the 6 cd changer appears to be unbranded as such). Can post a pic if needed

Thanks

Smee

[X5Sport]

It's called a disc magazine.

This may be the part number (check on Realoem against the production month for your 'X'.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do ... g=65&fg=10

[x555]

here you go smee... http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BMW-CD-CHANGER-CA ... 3cb29b0a49 plenty on fleabay or even try the stealer there not to bad on some parts

[lezmtaylor]

I have a spare one, £15 inc p&p.
Lez

[Smeeagain]

Sorry - been away for a few days - have just sent you a PM about it

Smee

[RichardP]

[quote=""X5Sport""]I believe the issue is down to there not being enough capacity in the vehicle's CAN Bus control system to allow both bits if hardware to be present on the network at once. And yes the X5 does have a low data rate (~10MB springs to mind) computer network over which all the devices talk to each other. There are only so many network 'devices' that the control computer can work with. [/quote]
No offense but this made me actually laugh out loud!

The issue s caused by the radio module only recognising one iBus address as being an audio source (you get two in the US with newer radios, Sirius being the 2nd) and that's the CD Changer, there are plenty of free addresses but the radio module does not recognise them. You can only have one piece of hardware using the same iBus address, if you connect two they confuse one another no end and neither will work.

The bit that made me laugh was the ~10MB part, the E53 data bus runs at 9,600 bits per second, that's over 8,000 times slower than 10MB, and 10MB is slow by today's standards.

[lezmtaylor]

[quote=""lezmtaylor""]I have a spare one, £15 inc p&p.
Lez[/quote]
It's in the post (PM for u)
Lez

[Smeeagain]

got it thanks (and pm back to you)

Smee

[Smeeagain]

ok, so goign back to my original post (and thanks to Lez for the cd magazine that I have now popped in pace), when i select Cd on the dash console a message appears on the instructment cluster stating " detached" If I selct cd 4 for example it states "i-pod", when I click cd5 it states " software ver". so I'm guessing this means the ipod is set up rather than the cd player. How do i reverse this to get the cd playign again/

Thanks

Smee

[Smeeagain]

I should add it is the Dension ICE link system

[X5Sport]

I've got a pdf of he original instructions for installing the ICE>Link Plus which I had done in 2005. No idea how to attach them to the forum. I'll try to find them on the file server tomorrow and send you a PM ( off site at present - sent via iPad).

A couple of things you need to establish though. Do you have the ICE>Link, or ICE>Link Plus? Is the ICE>Link connected directly to the CD changer in the boot? If not then you need to remove the spare wheel, Air compressor unit and the covers over the modules in the boot behind (rear of the car) the battery. You may have the Quadlock System (it's the name of the type of plugs BMW use) the same as me. I did not put the system in, and there was some rewiring of a couple of connections needed as the phone audio does not work if this is not done. The wiring will have to be put back to standard, the Quadlock extension kit removed and then the changer will work again. I have not yet removed the system from my E53, although SWMBO may ask soon and still have the ICE>Link Plus in use. It's too damned cold to remove it at present

My system comprises a Quadlock extension in the boot by the amp with a couple of wires moved into this extension kit (it's about a foot long), a long cable running from te boot, up the nearside of the car, behind the glovebox where a BMW specific conversion PCB is loose mounted and then to what they called an Active Cradle to which the ipod fits. The cradle is on a clip-on bracket on the LHS of the transmission tunnel. All the connections into the car are at the back end.

EDIT [sp3ctre]: PDF's attached