DAB radio

phil3103 · 05-29-2011, 04:45 AM

Hi

Having tried to spec DAB on my car I've been told that BMW have told all dealers that currently can't be specced on any car due to the tsunami. They must be all at the bottom of the ocean or something. Has anyone else heard this?

And if so, does anyone know if it can be retro fitted once this is all sorted out and some parts are available?

Cheers

Arch Stanton · 05-29-2011, 03:40 PM

dont know about the retro fit but the DAB is a quality addition (spesh with the logic7). going back to a standard am/fm car is really crap.

Gibbo · 05-29-2011, 04:40 PM

That is a pain, it's really nice to have in the car especially if you listen to 5 live as MW is rubbish. The reason is probably correct they will be holding the limited supply of units for cars that have it as std. spec.

If you really want it I would ask your dealer to speak to head office about releasing a unit for your car. If it was in your original spec it will strengthen your case or atleast get a good will gesture towards the car. As to retro fitting I have no idea and probably a question for the parts department.

On Mini at the moment they have upgraded screen option (£400)for the stereo or sat nav (£1,000). They are currently only allowing the sat nav as they have limited screens which are shared across both units so there are other 'pinch' points across the range for the same reason.

G_M_S · 05-29-2011, 11:05 PM

Retrofitting DAB is doeable - although expensive (and not an offical retrofit) and requires coding of the car, plus parts which aren't normally sold for upgrade, given your situation I would be asking BMW to agree a price for retrofitting once parts become available.

Other manufacturers (Renault) are having to withdraw more basic options like Bluetooth becuase of the lack of parts following the tsunami.

groomeister · 05-30-2011, 05:23 PM

Hi Phil,
I have personally installed the BMW Dab module myself, which I am writing some instructions at the moment. Personally I thought it was very straightforward and not technically demanding, and provided you are patient and happy to have an indoor glass mount aerial, it is very very nice.

I have the idrive version, and was coded to my car for £52 from an autologic centre. If you have a newer version, it may work straight from installation. It cost me £220 for the module (off Ebay) and £20 for the aerial. I actually have a spare BMW OEM Dab module for the E90/91/92 and E60 if that is any use.

In terms of my recommendations for your new car. If the DAB module is not available, at the very least ask them to fit the DAB antennae in the Sharkfin (trust me you do not want to be removing the sharkfin again to retrofit at a later date!) and the Diversity DAB amplifier (located I think in the rear window/roof), that way when the radio is available, it should be more or less plug and play. I hope that helps.

phil3103 · 05-31-2011, 03:43 AM

Groomeister, thanks for that. I've e-mailed my dealer this morning to see what they can do. I'll report back when I get an answer so that anyone else in the same boat can try and get a resolution too.

Failing that, I'll be very interested to see your write-up as if BMW can't do anything then I'll end up doing it myself at some point.

LevRiviera · 05-31-2011, 06:44 AM

Or you could buy a £30 DAB portable from Asda and plug it in the AUX socket. I have it plugged in the socket and the cable comes out with the device down the side of the seat. It's a bit heath robinson and of couse needs batteries replacing after about 8 hours of play time, but it works great for me.

Would have loved the inbuilt one but I had blown my allowance on other extras.

scooby-tc · 05-31-2011, 07:18 AM

I really fancy DAB for my e92 so will watch this thread with great interest

phil3103 · 05-31-2011, 07:57 AM

BMW appear not to want to say either way whether they could/would retro fit DAB. They've said that if I really want the DAB in then I should just spec it and worst case scenario it will be a 6 week delay. Which wouldn't actually be too bad as it'll put me towards the date when I can get it registered with a new plate.

They did say though that on the E90 they would expect it to be quick than most other models. I can only imagine this is because they make so many of them.

Given I'm not really that technical, I think I'll stick with the wait.

dar2008 · 05-31-2011, 09:09 AM

For the sake of 6weeks, I'd say the inbuilt DAB is worth waiting for. If you don't wait, then it's the sort of thing you'll regret later on.

phil3103 · 05-31-2011, 12:40 PM

Thanks for the support there. I know I'd kick myself if I didn't wait. Having specced the HK speakers there would seem very little point in rushing it (I have another car in the meantime anyway) and ending up listening to high-quality fuzz from standard radio. It would just remind me everytime I got in the car that I was an impatient so-and-so.

groomeister · 05-31-2011, 04:38 PM

Hi Phil, that's definately the best option, and six weeks will pass very quickly. I have tried pocket DAB radios in the past, but I had a vary variable reception, and got sick of trying to change channels while driving (not particularly safe). Also if you go for the I drive option, it's great seeing the radio info on the screen. I will try and post my procedure for the fitting over the weekend for everyone to see, and as I said, I may have a spare module up for grabs, which I would need to test first of all. In the meantime if you need any further advice about your car, don't hesitate to ask.

ashnaik86 · 09-13-2011, 03:49 PM

Hi groomeister,

Your confidence in fitting the kit makes me intruiged by this! I have a bought a second hand 3 series, and would love to retrofit a DAB radio to it.. Do you still have some of the spare kit that you would be willing to sell? Also did you ever manage to write up any instructions on how to do this?

I have tested the signal in the main areas I drive and it is strong...

Sparks69 · 09-13-2011, 05:13 PM

I've put a Pure Highway DAB in my E91 in the cubby hole under the centre armrest, which can use either the aux in or in built FM transmitter. Reception is patchy which is not helped by me running a cable back to the back of the car. A better antenna would certainly help. I'd to retro the DAB but is a bit too pricey for me at the moment.

DavS1 · 09-13-2011, 05:20 PM

I think it's a good option, especially as analogue radio will be switched off in 2015, ok a few years to go yet but will be a bad selling point if you still jave your car come 2015 and the radio's useless!?

gangzoom · 09-14-2011, 04:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavS1

I think it's a good option, especially as analogue radio will be switched off in 2015, ok a few years to go yet but will be a bad selling point if you still jave your car come 2015 and the radio's useless!?

Having DAB is a good idea, but the 2015 date is far from certain. I love my tech but have yet to buy a digital radio. Apparently digital radio has to make up 50% of listening by 2013 for the government to even consider the 2015 switch off date. Given most car radios are still analogue, analogue it isn't going away any time soon!!

Jon D · 09-14-2011, 04:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gangzoom

Having DAB is a good idea, but the 2015 date is far from certain. I love my tech but have yet to buy a digital radio. Apparently digital radio has to make up 50% of listening by 2013 for the government to even consider the 2015 switch off date. Given most car radios are still analogue, analogue it isn't going away any time soon!!

Quite agree; it's one thing to buy a relatively cheap DAB portable for the house, but quite a different matter to expect the vast majority of car owners to upgrade at significant cost.
Too much of a vote loser for any government much before 2020 I reckon.

Kerr · 09-14-2011, 05:13 AM

I'd really like a DAB radio in the car.

I bought an aftermarket a few years ago. It's was about £400 Blaupunkt but it was very prone to crashing and could not be reset until you turned the ignition off. Common problem.

There does not seem many manufacturers left making DAB radios for cars. The JVC head units are pretty cheap so it can't be too difficult for manufacturers to an install it at a reasonable cost.

Analogue radios still outsell DAB radios 3 to 1, so it does not look as if it's going to take over soon.

It does not seem as well supported as it should be.

Sparks69 · 09-14-2011, 04:40 PM

I've got a new JVC KD-DB52 DAB head unit in my Leon Cupra which is great, Ive had DAB in other cars for a few years using a Blaupunkt DAB head unit. I listen to talksport and five live a lot and the sound quality is far better than AM.

xenon · 09-15-2011, 10:15 AM

When I ordered my F10 new in March I specified various goodies but the DAB never crossed my mind; I wish it had

jimmylad · 09-15-2011, 01:59 PM

does anyone else loose the signal now & again ??

when its picking up a signal its brill especially talksport but cant say there are that many journeys wher it hasnt lost the signal at some point.

BarrySt · 09-17-2011, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimmylad

does anyone else loose the signal now & again ??

when its picking up a signal its brill especially talksport but cant say there are that many journeys wher it hasnt lost the signal at some point.

Yes, I picked DAB as an option in my new car due to the threatened analogue switch off. Tried it out but lost signal just down the road going round town so never used it since.
I was surprised the sound quality was better than FM. AFAIK DAB is not normally about higher quality sound despite what the advertising would suggest - it could be high quality but its like HD TV, depends on how much compression is used etc I think. Anyway, I may be wrong since it did sound good, before it cut out!

05-29-2011, 04:45 AM	#1
phil3103 Private First Class 19 Rep 197 Posts Drives: E90 / E46M3 Join Date: May 2011 Location: Dorset iTrader: (0)	DAB radio Hi Having tried to spec DAB on my car I've been told that BMW have told all dealers that currently can't be specced on any car due to the tsunami. They must be all at the bottom of the ocean or something. Has anyone else heard this? And if so, does anyone know if it can be retro fitted once this is all sorted out and some parts are available? Cheers
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05-29-2011, 03:40 PM	#2
Arch Stanton Second Lieutenant 49 Rep 258 Posts Drives: BMW 335i touring Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: the smelly bit of the north iTrader: (0)	dont know about the retro fit but the DAB is a quality addition (spesh with the logic7). going back to a standard am/fm car is really crap.
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05-29-2011, 04:40 PM	#3
Gibbo Colonel 104 Rep 2,292 Posts Drives: Golf Ed35 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: South East iTrader: (0)	That is a pain, it's really nice to have in the car especially if you listen to 5 live as MW is rubbish. The reason is probably correct they will be holding the limited supply of units for cars that have it as std. spec. If you really want it I would ask your dealer to speak to head office about releasing a unit for your car. If it was in your original spec it will strengthen your case or atleast get a good will gesture towards the car. As to retro fitting I have no idea and probably a question for the parts department. On Mini at the moment they have upgraded screen option (£400)for the stereo or sat nav (£1,000). They are currently only allowing the sat nav as they have limited screens which are shared across both units so there are other 'pinch' points across the range for the same reason. __________________ Golf Ed35 Black with - Black Leather
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05-29-2011, 11:05 PM	#4
G_M_S Private First Class 2 Rep 163 Posts Drives: E91 330D Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Scotland iTrader: (0)	Retrofitting DAB is doeable - although expensive (and not an offical retrofit) and requires coding of the car, plus parts which aren't normally sold for upgrade, given your situation I would be asking BMW to agree a price for retrofitting once parts become available. Other manufacturers (Renault) are having to withdraw more basic options like Bluetooth becuase of the lack of parts following the tsunami.
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05-30-2011, 05:23 PM	#5
groomeister Registered 0 Rep 4 Posts Drives: 320D M sport Touring Join Date: May 2011 Location: Stafford, UK iTrader: (0)	DAB Retrofit Hi Phil, I have personally installed the BMW Dab module myself, which I am writing some instructions at the moment. Personally I thought it was very straightforward and not technically demanding, and provided you are patient and happy to have an indoor glass mount aerial, it is very very nice. I have the idrive version, and was coded to my car for £52 from an autologic centre. If you have a newer version, it may work straight from installation. It cost me £220 for the module (off Ebay) and £20 for the aerial. I actually have a spare BMW OEM Dab module for the E90/91/92 and E60 if that is any use. In terms of my recommendations for your new car. If the DAB module is not available, at the very least ask them to fit the DAB antennae in the Sharkfin (trust me you do not want to be removing the sharkfin again to retrofit at a later date!) and the Diversity DAB amplifier (located I think in the rear window/roof), that way when the radio is available, it should be more or less plug and play. I hope that helps.
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05-31-2011, 03:43 AM	#6
phil3103 Private First Class 19 Rep 197 Posts Drives: E90 / E46M3 Join Date: May 2011 Location: Dorset iTrader: (0)	Groomeister, thanks for that. I've e-mailed my dealer this morning to see what they can do. I'll report back when I get an answer so that anyone else in the same boat can try and get a resolution too. Failing that, I'll be very interested to see your write-up as if BMW can't do anything then I'll end up doing it myself at some point.
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05-31-2011, 06:44 AM	#7
LevRiviera LevRiviera 3 Rep 36 Posts Drives: BMW 320d ED Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Oldham iTrader: (0)	Or you could buy a £30 DAB portable from Asda and plug it in the AUX socket. I have it plugged in the socket and the cable comes out with the device down the side of the seat. It's a bit heath robinson and of couse needs batteries replacing after about 8 hours of play time, but it works great for me. Would have loved the inbuilt one but I had blown my allowance on other extras.
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05-31-2011, 07:18 AM	#8
scooby-tc Private First Class 7 Rep 104 Posts Drives: 2007 e92 335i Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Portsmouth iTrader: (0)	I really fancy DAB for my e92 so will watch this thread with great interest __________________ e92 335i\|Titanium silver\|19" Hyper Black CSLs\|evolve remap\|miltek exhaust with sport cats\|pro nav\|voice control\|bluetooth + telematics\|carbon M3 rear spoiler\|xenons
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05-31-2011, 07:57 AM	#9
phil3103 Private First Class 19 Rep 197 Posts Drives: E90 / E46M3 Join Date: May 2011 Location: Dorset iTrader: (0)	BMW appear not to want to say either way whether they could/would retro fit DAB. They've said that if I really want the DAB in then I should just spec it and worst case scenario it will be a 6 week delay. Which wouldn't actually be too bad as it'll put me towards the date when I can get it registered with a new plate. They did say though that on the E90 they would expect it to be quick than most other models. I can only imagine this is because they make so many of them. Given I'm not really that technical, I think I'll stick with the wait.
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05-31-2011, 09:09 AM	#10
dar2008 Major 303 Rep 1,171 Posts Drives: E93 M3 and E92 M3 Comp Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: UK iTrader: (0)	For the sake of 6weeks, I'd say the inbuilt DAB is worth waiting for. If you don't wait, then it's the sort of thing you'll regret later on. __________________
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05-31-2011, 12:40 PM	#11
phil3103 Private First Class 19 Rep 197 Posts Drives: E90 / E46M3 Join Date: May 2011 Location: Dorset iTrader: (0)	Thanks for the support there. I know I'd kick myself if I didn't wait. Having specced the HK speakers there would seem very little point in rushing it (I have another car in the meantime anyway) and ending up listening to high-quality fuzz from standard radio. It would just remind me everytime I got in the car that I was an impatient so-and-so.
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05-31-2011, 04:38 PM	#12
groomeister Registered 0 Rep 4 Posts Drives: 320D M sport Touring Join Date: May 2011 Location: Stafford, UK iTrader: (0)	Hi Phil, that's definately the best option, and six weeks will pass very quickly. I have tried pocket DAB radios in the past, but I had a vary variable reception, and got sick of trying to change channels while driving (not particularly safe). Also if you go for the I drive option, it's great seeing the radio info on the screen. I will try and post my procedure for the fitting over the weekend for everyone to see, and as I said, I may have a spare module up for grabs, which I would need to test first of all. In the meantime if you need any further advice about your car, don't hesitate to ask.
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09-13-2011, 03:49 PM	#13
ashnaik86 Registered 0 Rep 2 Posts Drives: 320D Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Solihull iTrader: (0)	Hi groomeister, Your confidence in fitting the kit makes me intruiged by this! I have a bought a second hand 3 series, and would love to retrofit a DAB radio to it.. Do you still have some of the spare kit that you would be willing to sell? Also did you ever manage to write up any instructions on how to do this? I have tested the signal in the main areas I drive and it is strong...
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09-13-2011, 05:13 PM	#14
Sparks69 Enlisted Member 6 Rep 39 Posts Drives: 320d M Sport Touring Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Taunton UK iTrader: (0)	I've put a Pure Highway DAB in my E91 in the cubby hole under the centre armrest, which can use either the aux in or in built FM transmitter. Reception is patchy which is not helped by me running a cable back to the back of the car. A better antenna would certainly help. I'd to retro the DAB but is a bit too pricey for me at the moment.
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09-13-2011, 05:20 PM	#15
DavS1 Major 53 Rep 1,272 Posts Drives: Emfree Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Glasgow iTrader: (0) Garage List 2011 BMW M3 [0.00]	I think it's a good option, especially as analogue radio will be switched off in 2015, ok a few years to go yet but will be a bad selling point if you still jave your car come 2015 and the radio's useless!? __________________ Monte Carlo Blue M3 Comp
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09-14-2011, 05:13 AM	#18
Kerr Brigadier General 112 Rep 4,021 Posts Drives: BMW M235I Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Aberdeen iTrader: (0)	I'd really like a DAB radio in the car. I bought an aftermarket a few years ago. It's was about £400 Blaupunkt but it was very prone to crashing and could not be reset until you turned the ignition off. Common problem. There does not seem many manufacturers left making DAB radios for cars. The JVC head units are pretty cheap so it can't be too difficult for manufacturers to an install it at a reasonable cost. Analogue radios still outsell DAB radios 3 to 1, so it does not look as if it's going to take over soon. It does not seem as well supported as it should be.
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09-14-2011, 04:40 PM	#19
Sparks69 Enlisted Member 6 Rep 39 Posts Drives: 320d M Sport Touring Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Taunton UK iTrader: (0)	I've got a new JVC KD-DB52 DAB head unit in my Leon Cupra which is great, Ive had DAB in other cars for a few years using a Blaupunkt DAB head unit. I listen to talksport and five live a lot and the sound quality is far better than AM.
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09-15-2011, 10:15 AM	#20
xenon Major General 1397 Rep 8,083 Posts Drives: 2021 G21 330i M-Sport Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Coventry iTrader: (0)	When I ordered my F10 new in March I specified various goodies but the DAB never crossed my mind; I wish it had __________________ Ian Current: 2021 G21 330i M-Sport Previous: 2018 A6 Avant S-Line MMI+, 2014 F31 320d M-Sport, 2013 F10 520d M-Sport, 2011 F10 530d M-Sport, 2008 320i M-Sport Coupe, 2002 325i, 2001 318i valvetronic, 1998 318i, 1996 525i, 1990 Porsche 944S2
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09-15-2011, 01:59 PM	#21
jimmylad Lieutenant 44 Rep 565 Posts Drives: e92 335d sapphire black Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: DERBY iTrader: (1)	does anyone else loose the signal now & again ?? when its picking up a signal its brill especially talksport but cant say there are that many journeys wher it hasnt lost the signal at some point.
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