Hacking a 3.5mm jack/plug onto a BMW Business E46 Radio/Casette Stereo

I doubt this will be of use to anyone, but in case you want to know how:
You will need:

• Soldering iron
• Solder
• 3.5mm male to male cable
• 3.5mm jack
• Electrical tape
• T9 Screwdriver
• Wire

Take the stereo out. Prise the top off, there are no screws. Unplug the 2 connectors (one on left, one on right) from the tape part to the main PCB. Undo the 4 T9 screws holding the tape part in place. Find the HA12161FP chip. Solder wire from the 3.5mm jack to the following pins on the chip:
http://i.imgur.com/yW6WX.png
This is easier said than done, use tape to help you, and thin single core wire would probably be easier than multicore.
Tape down the wire (so it doesn't move about and undo your soldering) and keep the jack to the right. Put the tape part back on. Plug the cable into the jack, and run it out through the tape slot. Make sure the tape part is in the 'down' position, as if a tape was in there. Pop it back in, and you're done. A better way would be to run a jack down to near where the cigarette lighter is intead of having a cable coming out, but it's more difficult.

Or pick up the AUX Retrofit kit from BMW and follow these instructions:

http://www.m3resource.com/downloads/...r_Retrofit.pdf


but where would the fun be in that? ;)



(there is a possibility you'd loose the CD Changer, I think you do on the e39?)

It's hard to tell, but I don't think that retrofit kit would work with a radio/tape stereo, only a radio/cd stereo. Also, yeah, that'd be no fun.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jonatron

It's hard to tell, but I don't think that retrofit kit would work with a radio/tape stereo, only a radio/cd stereo.

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I know it doesn't work on my E39 -mines a 2001 not a 2002 :(

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jonatron

Also, yeah, that'd be no fun.

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Aye :)

I fitted a Parrot MKi9200 in the end, which involved taking most of the dash apart to install (rather daunting when you've only had the car a week...). It gives me Bluetooth/USB/iPod/3.5mm jack, as well as being a handsfree system, which is a bonus.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dave87

I fitted a Parrot MKi9200 in the end, which involved taking most of the dash apart to install (rather daunting when you've only had the car a week...). It gives me Bluetooth/USB/iPod/3.5mm jack, as well as being a handsfree system, which is a bonus.

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How do those gizmos connect to the car's speakers?

Need to use an SOT lead. Poor diagram:

Car's loom
|
SOT <---> Parrot kit
|
Car stereo


Basically the Parrot kit has its own internal amp, so sits between the headunit and the speakers. The SOT lead also provides the power to the Parrot kit, by tapping into the power feeds to the headunit (12v and switched 12v). When you want to take a call, the Parrot will mute the car stereo (if you are using that) or stop playing Bluetooth/iPod/USB/3.5mm Jack input and let you take the call.

Nifty little unit, put one in my previous car after copious research (2006 Honda Civic - the standard stereo was tied in with the clock/AC etc) and finding it offered the best vfm/complexity compromise. Left it in the car when I sold it. Ended up missing the functionality & ease of use so much I bought another for the 5.

http://www.davidalee.co.uk/530/parrot/P1000152.JPG

Main screen & remote

http://www.davidalee.co.uk/530/parrot/P1000148.JPG

USB/iPod/3.5mm Jack leads


Latest software allows dual bluetooth as well iirc.

Well I don't have a BMW but I use an IO Play which does the exact same thing as the Parrot kit described above. The main difference being that it does not have an AUX in jack it only uses bluetooth but since most phones that play music also have bluetooth and the fact that ipod bluetooth modules are pretty cheap I did not see the point in going for the more expensive parrot.

I can trigger playback, skip tracks and adjust volume without ever removing the phone from my pocket.

I would highly recommend something like this to anyone wanting to stream music from a portable device to their car.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jonatron

I doubt this will be of use to anyone,

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It was very useful, thank you :)