Adding USB to E90

Hey guys, I have a 2006 325i e90, I was wondering if there was an option to add USB to the Professional radio, I only have the aux input.

I see many iPod interfaces on the market, but I just really want a USB input, If there is a choice, I will like to have it on the trunk, like plugged to the CD changer harness. I will just drop a 16gb stick there and forget about it.

Sorry if this is an old topic, I coudn't find a lot on USB, most of it was for iPod

Originally Posted by Mando3

Hey guys, I have a 2006 325i e90, I was wondering if there was an option to add USB to the Professional radio, I only have the aux input.

I see many iPod interfaces on the market, but I just really want a USB input, If there is a choice, I will like to have it on the trunk, like plugged to the CD changer harness. I will just drop a 16gb stick there and forget about it.

Sorry if this is an old topic, I coudn't find a lot on USB, most of it was for iPod

BMW released a new OEM Profesional Radio with built-in USB, Bluetooth and Sirius satellite tuner. It is sold at eBay brand new for less than $400 shipped. It will require coding to your car, but it will be the cheapest and easiest way to add USB to your car -plus the other features if interested.

Otherwise you will spend almost double in parts, labor and coding.

thanks!, I will start checking some of them in ebay, maybe I can find a good auction.

Hey Mando, I know exactly where your signature picture is taken, I live up in that area!

Google search for "USB/Audio Interface SA 6FL Retrofit" i'm pretty sure that's what you're looking for.

PDF

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=687463

Getting this to work with all model year cars may not be that easy.
Its also unclear if this radio has most bus connections

6fl in and 06 requires a lot of hardware.

Technic have you done one of these radios yet in and older car?

Originally Posted by ctuna

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=687463

Getting this to work with all model year cars may not be that easy.
Its also unclear if this radio has most bus connections

6fl in and 06 requires a lot of hardware.

Technic have you done one of these radios yet in and older car?

Not done one yet... I will be buying one unit for evaluation.

The eBay seller will sell you all that is needed depending on the options in the car, including a MOST-OEM HU if so required. The most important aspect of this swap is the coding -no dealer will be able to do it.

I wonder if the seller could preconfigure it, or is there in internal programming to the radio?
Also I understand the VO must be changed but and exact procedure
would be comforting.

Originally Posted by dannygSATX

Hey Mando, I know exactly where your signature picture is taken, I live up in that area!

Google search for "USB/Audio Interface SA 6FL Retrofit" i'm pretty sure that's what you're looking for.

PDF

Cool, do you live @ the view? I've seen a few bimmers around here

Thanks guys for your answers! It was really informative. I was looking into something simpler, since I'm thinking on upgrading my car early next year, I think I will have to keep burning CDs then hehehe

I was looking into the same thing for my 06. In the end I just went with blutooth and stream my iphone. I got something similar to this. http://www.amazon.com/GOgroove-BlueG.../dp/B00727FE5U

It works great. Even mutes and pauses when I get a call.

Originally Posted by Technic

Not done one yet... I will be buying one unit for evaluation.

The eBay seller will sell you all that is needed depending on the options in the car, including a MOST-OEM HU if so required. The most important aspect of this swap is the coding -no dealer will be able to do it.

Just out of curiosity, why can't a dealer code it? And, if a dealer can't do it, where might the OP turn?

They have a policy of not doing things that aren't in the standard procedure list.
Its something that only a small number of people want so the profit would be low.
The people on the coding board are doing hacks that are only done by a few of the development Engineers at there design centers.
You need to find a coder in your area or learn to code yourself.

http://www.e90post.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=368

Originally Posted by Kilgore Trout

Just out of curiosity, why can't a dealer code it? And, if a dealer can't do it, where might the OP turn?

No dealer is enabled to add/retrofit equipment of a particular build date to vehicles with another build date, for one thing. In other words, this is a MY2010+ radio and to be functional in a pre-2010 car it requires the car to "think" momentarily that it is a 2010+.

Then in the USA pretty much OEM retrofits are not offered anymore for years. No BMW Apps, no OEM alarm, no Bluetooth, no Combox, no USB, no Navigation retrofits. All those retrofits are available in Europe and in other parts of the world. Just not in the USA.

So USA dealers do not have BMWAG support for any retrofit. But at the same time, aftermarket coders like forum vendor BimmerTech have access to all Euro retrofits so it is relatively straight forward to do all this in an USA car -because the Euro parts and software are compatible with USA cars. It is all OEM.

Originally Posted by smassey321

I was looking into the same thing for my 06. In the end I just went with blutooth and stream my iphone. I got something similar to this. http://www.amazon.com/GOgroove-BlueG.../dp/B00727FE5U

It works great. Even mutes and pauses when I get a call.

This sounds like a good solution, do you get good sound of of it? I had a Bluetooth transmitter that did the opposite, which was pretty much transmit sound to Bluetooth headphones and the sound quality was from average to poor.

If this had good quality, I will think on mounting my nexus 7 somewhere in the dashboard and Bluetooth to the receiver.

Originally Posted by Technic

Then in the USA pretty much OEM retrofits are not offered anymore for years.

Yes, which really svcks. I'd love to move up to a combox for bluetooth streaming but would lose BMW Assist (still deciding how much I like it or not)

Just as a datapoint from my E93 335i shopping experience a couple months ago: USB (6FL) is apparently possible on a 2009 I looked at (dealer researched and agreed to do it as part of the deal), and SiriusXM is definitely possible as I had it added to my 2010 E93 as part of the deal. These are pretty minor relative to the other stuff one might want, and the key is both options were available for that model year so they wouldn't have involved fancy coding like retrofitting CIC nav into a CCC vehicle.

Originally Posted by Technic

No dealer is enabled to add/retrofit equipment of a particular build date to vehicles with another build date, for one thing. In other words, this is a MY2010+ radio and to be functional in a pre-2010 car it requires the car to "think" momentarily that it is a 2010+.

Then in the USA pretty much OEM retrofits are not offered anymore for years. No BMW Apps, no OEM alarm, no Bluetooth, no Combox, no USB, no Navigation retrofits. All those retrofits are available in Europe and in other parts of the world. Just not in the USA.

So USA dealers do not have BMWAG support for any retrofit. But at the same time, aftermarket coders like forum vendor BimmerTech have access to all Euro retrofits so it is relatively straight forward to do all this in an USA car -because the Euro parts and software are compatible with USA cars. It is all OEM.

Very interesting.

Thanks so much for taking the time to post this!