X3 DVD in Motion success!

So I didn't know when I bought our X3 that its DVD player plays full movies, not just DVD data disks for music playback. I modded our E39 M5, 540iT and E86 MC with TV/DVD and it's been a blessing on long road trips. So this news about our X3 exited me. I did some Googling and found this company that sells software to allow DVD playback while the car is in motion: http://www.dvdinmotion.com/

Read the site, its works EXACTLY as advertised! And it's about 1/10th the cost of having to buy modules and harnesses like I did for our older BMWs.

Here are two pics showing The Right Stuff in fullscreen and split screen:






p.s. In order for the DVD menu to appear, you MUST have the "radio" turned on. Don't ask me how long it took to figure out that little detail! It's not in the BMW manual.

I am speechless.

Originally Posted by Palantirion

So I didn't know when I bought our X3 that its DVD player plays full movies, not just DVD data disks for music playback. I modded our E39 M5, 540iT and E86 MC with TV/DVD and it's been a blessing on long road trips. So this news about our X3 exited me. I did some Googling and found this company that sells software to allow DVD playback while the car is in motion.

p.s. In order for the DVD menu to appear, you MUST have the "radio" turned on. Don't ask me how long it took to figure out that little detail! It's not in the BMW manual.

Question: Did you try it on X3 2011 or later?

Many posts have appeared already about this solution, this is nothing new. Seller is asking $175 for the solution. I know it is available almost free for older versions of X3 /X5.

Question is do we really want to have it on Nav screen? I'm even against getting text messages, Facebook, twitter on Nav screen while X3 is in motion as it disturbs the driver. One can always buy a handy DVD player with 10 inch screen for $90 and I prefer that solution.

Originally Posted by alokbhargava

Question: Did you try it on X3 2011 or later?

Many posts have appeared already about this solution, this is nothing new. Seller is asking $175 for the solution. I know it is available almost free for older versions of X3 /X5.

Question is do we really want to have it on Nav screen? I'm even against getting text messages, Facebook, twitter on Nav screen while X3 is in motion as it disturbs the driver. One can always buy a handy DVD player with 10 inch screen for $90 and I prefer that solution.

-Why else would I post this in the F25 section if I was not talking about an F25 X3? Obviously the SSs were from an F25. As to distraction: I don't have a problem with it, that's why I got it. If you are different, act differently.

Question is: Can you split the video output without signal degradation?

Get a bunch of LCD's and feed to back.

Hi,

I've just taken delivery of my 2012 X3......hoping not to sound too uninformed, may I ask:

What deck plays the DVD? I notice the DVD In Motion site proclaims that "all vehicles with CIC play DVD's". My car has a CD player associated with the radio stack...that's all I'm aware of thus far. Is that drive actually a DVD?

I'm still trying to unjumble all the personal preferences the vehicle remembers for each driver...as usual, we just jumped in and drove without much though to who has which key fob, etc. It's great fun if you like puzzles!

I'm not with the car now or I'd just go out and try it.

thanks

Luna-01

Yes Drive in X3 is a CD/ DVD drive.

Well, I'll be darned...............

My wife just returned with the car....

I only took time to confirm that this works, which it does. I notice that the HD playback occupies only a sub-boxed area of the overall screen......I wonder if it will go full screen, but I haven't yet tried or looked.

thanks!

DVDINMOTION has a special of $150 for fest members.

With the new iDrive you will get DVDs in motion, and anything else that is motion restricted ( i.e., owner's manuals), they also disable the accept screen which is nice even though it goes away after 10 seconds.

Is this the forum to advertise for a company! Specially a hacking company?

Originally Posted by alokbhargava

Is this the forum to advertise for a company?

They are one of the sponsors.

Originally Posted by chuck92116

They are one of the sponsors.

Thanks for letting us know this, I quit this forum now for ever. Bye, best wishes.

Originally Posted by alokbhargava

Thanks for letting us know this, I quit this forum now for ever. Bye, best wishes.

I shall alert the media.

Originally Posted by Evlengr

Question is: Can you split the video output without signal degradation?

Get a bunch of LCD's and feed to back.

-No idea. That would require a lot of hardware work.

Originally Posted by Luna-01

Well, I'll be darned...............

My wife just returned with the car....

I only took time to confirm that this works, which it does. I notice that the HD playback occupies only a sub-boxed area of the overall screen......I wonder if it will go full screen, but I haven't yet tried or looked.

thanks!

-Options, then disable split screen.

Hi,

Assuming the video signal is analog, you need some form of amplifier to feed multiple LCD screens UNLESS the LCD unit has looping inputs, which most vehicular ones don't. While I don't know of a handy aftermarket 12 volt video distribution amplifier, I'll bet one of the aftermarket companies has something along those lines. Regardless of looping or not, I'd use a distribution amp to isolate one display from the next.

In the 2011 & 2012 X3's and other BMW's, a lot of the video and data is on a fiber-optic network called the MOST bus. As I am very new to the 2012, I don't know what species the connection is.

best

Luna-01
_________

Picking up my car tomorrow and read the DVD only works if the car is moving under 5 mph or at a standstill for safety reasons. Can someone confirm if this is true?

Originally Posted by alokbhargava

Thanks for letting us know this, I quit this forum now for ever. Bye, best wishes.

Well, you can enable it for free, the guys on the F10 5 Series Forum did it with coding and a 15 usd cable

Check it out

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=619819

And before you ask if this applies to the F25 X3: Yes it does! There are X3 owners who posted there that have done it, again, for free.

For those of us who have no interest in getting into this sort of technical stuff, there's a nifty little device called an iPad!

Originally Posted by bavarianx3

Well, maybe it can be done for free BUT that looks too complicated to me. As an owner and more user than a geek I simply want the job done. Spending hours of trying to do anything and maybe even risking some damage is not for everyone and certainly not for me. I bought the software and although it is expensive, it does what it should do and does it quickly and easily.

(Sorry for my English, I'm not using it much because German is my native language)

Are you calling me a geek?? LOL...

Anyway, there are people that want/can afford to hire someone else to get this kind of job done, and there are others, like me, that come to forums like this to give and receive the most updated and useful information to others, specially DIY guides. If you want to pay for something that is free, that's fine by me, but someone could be interested in a cheaper option that opens up a lot of additional tweaks that can be done to your car to make it more enjoyable, for example:

- DVD in motion (HU_CIC/3000 HMI/SPEEDLOCK_X_KMH_MAX/value = FF)
(HU_CIC/3000 HMI/SPEEDLOCK_X_KMH_MIN/value = FF)
(HU_CIC/3000 HMI/VIDEO_NUR_MIT_HANDBREMSE/nicht_aktiv)

- Power/Torque Meters (Yes, you don't have to buy a 2013 X3 to have this option)


- Trunk Close with driver's button
- Auto/Start/Stop Memory (It remembers the last value, so you don't have to turn it off every time you turn the ignition on)
- Folding Mirrors
- Etc, Etc

This thread is called DVD in Motion Success and you can have it done by coding or by paying. I thought that some people would be interested in doing this by themselves with a 15 usd cable and some reading, but maybe I'm wrong..

(Like yourself: english is not my native language, so excuse my crappy writing)

Guys (both of you :-) - if it's any consolation, I think your English is better constructed than most English people I know :-)

J

I could also code my F25 2011 to get DVD in motion. It's so easy to do it.

Originally Posted by alokbhargava

Thanks for letting us know this, I quit this forum now for ever. Bye, best wishes.

Originally Posted by alokbhargava

I could also code my F25 2011 to get DVD in motion. It's so easy to do it.

Hey, I thought you left the forum. Glad to have you back.

Coding your own car is so much fun. With little efforts one can easily achieve DVD in motion and many more features. I had written step by step instructions for easy to understand and follow the coding guidelines.

Could I pay someone to do the coding for me? Now hiring in the Chicago/Milwaukee/Madison area… (also is this a good idea to try on a lease car)