DIY - Head unit mod for MP3 playback

[justtune]

****Not responsible for your mistake, you should have some what knowledge of electronic before performing this MOD
Okay my English grammar is not that good but here goes***8230;....
Stuff you need:
1. Cheap headphone you want to destroy.
2. Soldiering iron ( flux, solder and etc)
3. Wire stripper
4. Screw driver Philip medium size
5. Blank cassette tape
6. Small rubber band
7. Lighter
8. Torx screw
9. Beer :D

I forgot to take picture during removing instruction so I'm using someone else (So don't bite me)
Need to prep prior:
Need to cut your Headphone wires.
Place you need to cut is near ear buds
Strip wires
***Some wires maybe different***
Once you strip the wires you will need to separate the wires and figure out which is the "+" and "-", also usually red coated wire is "Right"
Once you got it sorted with "+" "-". Those wires are coated with something clear. So you will need to use your lighter to burn other tip of the wires so you can solder later. 1 ~ 2 mm length

Photo 1
Need to remove vol nob and use torx
Once you twist the torx to right you should be able to pull the stereo out.

Photo 2

Photo 3

Remove connector***8230;.... you will need to slide latch to remove the connector. So don't force it off.

Photo 4
Remove Screw

Photo 5
Follow picture instruction.

Photo 6
Once you got the tape head unit out***8230;.... this is where it gets fun!

Photo 7
Need to remove 2 screws from silver plate.

Photo 8
Toward the front of the cassette get insert is where we are going to be doing the solder.
As picture describe Left + - and Right +- is where you will be soldering the headphone wires.

Photo 9
Reassemble the cover and run the wire out like the photo 9. Now your going a step backward like, putting everything back together.

Photo 10
Closed lid and screw, make sure in process you don't pinch the wire

Photo 11
Run the wire through side of cassette

Photo 12
Closed everything up***8230;.....

Photo 13
Cassette modification
Need to remove all screw from Tape and remove all tape roll, then you will need to put a rubber band around the wheel. So when you rotate the wheel other will rotate as well. ** This one you will need to play with figure out if the rubber band is too big or small enough.

So order to play your MP3 you just need to press on cassette button and it should work ( must have mod cassette in the unit )
Also if you want to play regular music cassette, it will work as well

So far I did 5 Mod and it works fine.... good luck :thumbup:

[justtune]

Photo 13
This mod audio quality will sound really good, quality is a lot better than FM transmitter or Cassette Aux

[TUBBMW]

Thanks for sharing. I totally agree...the sounds are great (MP3 quality). Now, my question is...will this mod work on my E36?

[kingdunke]

who is this girl in the picture?

[huttey]

Well done, and great of you to share this with us. You should still be able to use the cassette player as well.

[psa]

is there a write up like this for the Business CD Player...?...my car does not have the option to have a AUX input kit....

[justtune]

PSA,
No I don't know about Business CD write up... Sorry.

Huttey,
Wait till I get the bluetooth to work... Less than $40 solution and very simple write up... pending bluetooth delivery... I should have this write up in couple weeks.

Kingdunke,
Stephanie Ly, Some chica with nice fake....:bigpimp:

TUBBMW,
Well it will work. just need to find out where the Magnetic head is solder and tap in to it.

[lild]

very interested in the bluetooth mod. but wouldn't be easier just to buy the cassest tape that has the wire built in it. like the kind you use for a portable cd player?

[justtune]

well music really don't sound good with cassette solution... I try it all and this was the best solution.

[-Matt-]

Wait till I get the bluetooth to work... Less than $40 solution and very simple write up... pending bluetooth delivery... I should have this write up in couple weeks.


Great idea - that is exactly what I though as soon as I saw these pics.
I will be buying some bluetooth stereo headphones as soon as possible and will wire them up in the same way. Hopefully I can also take power from the tape player.

:thumbup:

[AlpineWhite530i]

This is awesome!

I have one of those 5-disc changer ipod docks they sell at bestbuy (i didn't know about the Dice kit at the time). It's good for what it does (I can change tracks and volume from the stock HU and steering wheel), but my 4th gen nano will not charge when connected to it. Also, I used to be able to scroll through the ipod menus using the ipod interface, but since they changed the power rails (and I assume the GND bias which messes up the capacitive touch feature) I don't have that ability with the 4th gen ipods.

Long story short, I've got an idea for a setup to convert the old +12V rails to what I assume would be the new 5V usb rails. I'd like to include a bluetooth option as well to switch from ipod music to hands free over the car speakers. I had a wired solution working with my HTC phone, but there was always an echo heard by people on the other line. They would hear their voices from my car speakers being caught by my phone's mic. I'm hoping a good bluetooth set with noise cancellation or even using the stock mic from BMW hacked on to the bluetooth headset transceiver might help get rid of the feedback.

I'll have to take pics and post them here of the old wired setup, but send me a PM if you want to exchange ideas on the bluetooth setup. I assume you'd use bluetooth for music and phone calls, right?

Oh yeah and who's the hot chick in the photos?

[bluebee]

Need to remove vol nob and use torx
Once you twist the torx to right you should be able to pull the stereo out.


Wonderful instructions! (I didn't know you could add your own AUX that cheaply!). I'll add them to my set (http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3521778)!

The only minor caveat I would note is that I used a 1.5mm allen wrench, not a torx, to twist 90 degrees the lock bolt under the MID volume knob to remove the MID (http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=235269).

Likewise, I used a 2 mm allen wrench to loosen the two BMW Business CD bolts to remove the radio itself when I added my radio-mount DICE Silverline (http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3705444&postcount=1819).

No big deal, but, can someone confirm (for we purists) whether it's a torx or an allen wrench to remove the BMW E39 MID and radio?

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=170348&stc=1&d=1230399031

[mahsoud]

i got business cd too... interesting if i could somehow add aux in :) ... noticed couple of wires in trunk for "6 cd changer"...may be use those? was wondering if there is any info avaible about that

[craigmack1]

JustTune,

Great write up.

BUT, after I opened up my tape deck, I found it is a bit different inside, so I aborted the surgery!

Now, as I put the deck back in place, I shorted out the lights in the tape deck. Is there a fuse for just those lights?

[craigmack1]

Well I guess I get to bump myself with this one, because somehow, the lights are back on today! Don't know what reset but I am happy.....weird.

:dunno:

[Ågent99]

free bump! :)

[RobV15]

How is the audio quality of it? I have a tape with an audio wire running out, but the quality is cheap! I was wondering if this mod had much better audio qualitiy? Any distortions? Interference?

[ill_kuma]

How is the audio quality of it? I have a tape with an audio wire running out, but the quality is cheap! I was wondering if this mod had much better audio qualitiy? Any distortions? Interference?

Thanks what I want to know too...is the quality that much better than a cassette tape connection? Is it worth the trouble?