Replacement head unit

[Themoog2]

OK so I have the original widescreen head unit in my X5 but I'm thinkwof updating it with a Dab unit.
Can someone point me in the direction of a subtable product. I want it to look the same and not one of those stupid big ipad type things.
I've seen some on ebay for £140 but all the extras have to be purchased separately which I don't want either.
It needs to have dab radio, TV, CD, and sat nav and a reverse camera.
Thanks.

[henrym3]

I have one of them big stupid (9") screens in mine. They are more difficult to fit if you have DSP, only in that you have to run a cable from the head unit to the boot area. As I didn’t have a reverse camera with the original head unit I had to run a cable to the rear as well, any camera will do I think mine was about £5 5 years ago. Without a doubt running the cables is the hardest, most time consuming part of the whole operation. Didn’t have DAB either so fitted a dab aerial to the screen on the passenger side bought the DAB dongle and literally plugged it all together loaded the app and as they say Bobs you’re uncle and Fanny’s your aunt it all worked. I also fitted a front and rear camera after some Portuguese delivery driver on a scooter drove into the back of my Alpina at about 1 mph and apparently wrote of her scooter. The units now come with Apple car play already loaded and connects as soon as you turn to ignition position 1. All very impressive. Do make sure you spend that little bit extra and get a set with Android 13. I have every tv channel on the planet but I can’t discuss that on here. I might add for interest that I have the ibus app loaded which I’m sure you are aware allows you to have full control of all the facilities your original head unit has plus dozens more. ie mpg speed temperature dlr comfort blink time etc and load whatever you want to the IKE. You can load up whatever apps you want BBC UTUBE AMAZON MUSIC a real good upgrade you won’t regret.

[Alan Gunn]

I did the same upgrade and also had to run the cable to the rear.
In fact my install sounds just like henrym3 did as i added the DAB+ but i had to remember how i turned it on lol.
To be honest the one i bought was at the lower end of the price range but touch wood it is still working spot on.
One thing i fitted an external magnetic DAB antenna as the first one that stuck on the windscreen didn't work well at all for me but that could be my location not sure.

[henrym3]

Interesting what you say about the DAB my x5 reception isn’t the greatest and yet the one fitted to the b3 is brilliant I suspect I didn’t take the paint of the A pillar where the earth connection sticks to. Must look sometime. Problem is the CarPlay is so good I just listen to that. I only fiddle with it when I’m waiting for the wife to finish shopping because she doesn’t like the dog being left alone in the car. How many times have I thanked god we have a dog. LOL.

[Alan Gunn]

LOL not got our dog now sadly.
I am the same but i end up putting the TV on another box crammed in there not much room left.
Don't think i scratched the paint off maybe that is why i didn't have a good signal but i fed the cable through to the back and you can just see a little bit 2" then the little magnetic mount but you have to be tall for that but it works very well.

[Zchan28]

I have one of them big stupid (9") screens in mine. They are more difficult to fit if you have DSP, only in that you have to run a cable from the head unit to the boot area. As I didn’t have a reverse camera with the original head unit I had to run a cable to the rear as well, any camera will do I think mine was about £5 5 years ago. Without a doubt running the cables is the hardest, most time consuming part of the whole operation. Didn’t have DAB either so fitted a dab aerial to the screen on the passenger side bought the DAB dongle and literally plugged it all together loaded the app and as they say Bobs you’re uncle and Fanny’s your aunt it all worked. I also fitted a front and rear camera after some Portuguese delivery driver on a scooter drove into the back of my Alpina at about 1 mph and apparently wrote of her scooter. The units now come with Apple car play already loaded and connects as soon as you turn to ignition position 1. All very impressive. Do make sure you spend that little bit extra and get a set with Android 13. I have every tv channel on the planet but I can’t discuss that on here. I might add for interest that I have the ibus app loaded which I’m sure you are aware allows you to have full control of all the facilities your original head unit has plus dozens more. ie mpg speed temperature dlr comfort blink time etc and load whatever you want to the IKE. You can load up whatever apps you want BBC UTUBE AMAZON MUSIC a real good upgrade you won’t regret.

Hi, may I ask what head unit you went for? I'm looking at an android unit but not sure of the sound quality.

[henrym3]

As I kept the whole DSP set up already fitted my sound hasn’t changed at all. I think the DSP is fine although my hearing is poor and I’m aware that people in the know say it’s pretty crap sound by today’s standards. As for head units, I have Xtrons in the x5 and Eonon in the Alpina they both look exactly the same but I find the Eonon just way easier to navigate around. I haven’t used the RCA outputs on either set so therefore I’m not using the built in amp on the head units so can’t comment on how good or bad the amp built into the head unit is. If I’m being honest I only use about 10% of the unit facilities, it’s like fitting paddle shift, done it cos I could, can’t remember last time I used it. However the units have been reliable, cheap in comparison to getting the BMW stuff fixed if or should I say when it breaks. In fairness it is now over 20 yo. I finish by saying I have no regrets in doing this upgrade.

[Zchan28]