- What is it?It is a small Multi Media Interface (MMI) box that will retrofit the following features to your BMW:
- Apple CarPlay (wired and wireless)
- Android Auto (wired and wireless)
- Apple AirPlay
- Screen Mirroring (wired) with Autolink
- Displaying 3rd party aftermarket camera video signals
- Basic USB playback from e.g. a thumb drive
The box uses the OEM mic and supports Siri and Google Assistant either via voice keyword (‘Hey Siri’ / ‘Okay Google’) or by long-pressing the steering wheel voice button.
- How does it work?The MMI box essentially acts as an intermediary between your original headunit and display. While the box is inactive, the original video signal is passed through unchanged and your car works as before.
After activating the MMI box, the box’s video signal is shown on the display instead.
You can easily switch back and forth between the box and your original headunit. Using the MMI box is optional and should be seen as an add-on and not as a replacement.
- Is my car supported?All cars roughly from 2013-2016 with ‘NBT’, ‘NBT EVO’ (ID4), ‘ENTRY’ and ‘ENTRYNAV’ headunits are supported.
Other headunit: ‘NBT EVO’ (ID5/ID6) is supported. ‘CIC’ is supported. Use different Cable harness.1 Series F20/F21 (2011-2017) requires a screen 2 Series F23 Convertible (2013-2016) Original NBT System 2 Series F22/F45 MPV (2013-2016) original NBT system 3 Series F30/F31/F34 (2013-2016) 4 Series F32/F33/F36 (2013-2016) original NBT system 5 Series F10/F11 (2013-2016) original NBT system 5 Series F07 GT (2013-2017) original NBT system 7 Series F01 F02 (2013-2015) original NBT system X1 F48 (2016-2017) original NBT system X3 F25 (2014-2016) X4 F26 (2014-2016) original NBT system X5/X6 F15 (2014-2016) original NBT system MINI F56 2013 -2016 6.5" MINI F56 2013 -2016 8.8"
Installation
Installation is the same for all aftermarket units like this (e.g. the 10.25″ android 9 displays).
The basic idea:
- Disconnect the big ‘Quadlock’-cable from the original headunit
- Connect the box’s Y-harness to that cable. The new quadlock goes into the headunit, the small power cable into the MMI box itself
- Disconnect the LVDS cable from your original display and plug it in the box’s ‘LVDS in’ connector
- Connect the 2nd LVDS cable to ‘LVDS out’ and plug that into the display instead
Important for step 2: If your original quadlock has a green 2-pin optical cable, you need to transfer that over to the new quadlock plug or otherwise you will not have any sound. If your quadlock does not have this cable, don’t worry, in that case you don’t have to do anything.
Quadlock and 2-pin cable:
Video guides
From YT ‘BMW DIY Guy’ for BimmerTech’s MMI v1: link
From YT ‘Grind My Gears’ for BimmerTech’s MMI Prime: link
Official BimmerTech Prime installation video: link
Configuration
The main configuration is done on the box itself using ‘dip switches’:
MMI box
Apple CarPlay
Android Auto
The official firmware looks like this:
Screen Mirroring
For Android phones with an app called Autolink.