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DIY How to make a Combox plug & play retrofit harness

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cic combox harness plug and play retrofit
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202K views 217 replies 45 participants last post by  LuXy147  
S
#1 · (Edited)
This is how you build a harness to simply plug in your new combox module without cutting any wires on your car and without re-pinning an connectors on the car (only applicable to cars with CIC or CIC retrofits of course..). This particular guide is only for cars with TCU's ONLY, but I can help with MULF systems as well.

Here's the basics of what you need:

Combox side:
1 x 61136913644, BMW, connector, 26 pin
1 x 61136913626, BMW, socket housing, 26 pin
~15 (order 20) x 928999-6, TE, female pins (BMW has these too, but they are like $1 a piece, easier to just buy them from onlinecomponents.com. Exact same thing
22 AWG wire

TCU side:
1 x 37758, Kufatec, 54 pin connector. socket housing is included
~15 (order 20) 1-928918-1, TE, male pins (BMW has these too, easier to just buy them from onlinecomponents.com. Exact same thing)

Here's what it looks like in the end:



Combox end. The blue'ish green connector has the pins labeled so you can use that to figure it out


TCU end below. Notice I wrote pin #'s on connector--bottom is 37, top is 54. On the next row down (towards the floor in the pic), bottom pin is 19, top is 36. and Bottom row, bottom is 1, top is 18


And here is how it is wired:

TCU (BLACK)-------------------Combox (BLUE GREEN)

Pin---Description--------------Pin---Description

1----Mic(pos)------------------------25----Mic(pos)
4----AUX-GND-----------------------10----AUX-GND
15---Crash Sig.----------------------7----Crash Sig.
17---30 Power+ 5A------------------2----30 Power+ 5A
18---30 Power+ 10A-----------------1----30 Power+ 10A
19---MIC(neg)-----------------------12-----MIC(neg)
21---MIC Shield----------------------11-----MIC Shield
23---Shield---------------------------22-----Shield
31---SOS sig.f Button---------------18-----SOS sig.f Button
33---Wakeup-------------------------15-----Wakeup
36---31 GROUND(neg)--------------14----31 GROUND(neg)
37---emerg. Speak.(pos)------------21----emerg. Speak.(pos)
38---emerg. Speak.(neg)------------20----emerg. Speak.(neg)
50---emerg. butt LED----------------17----emerg. butt LED
54---GROUND-
Click to expand...
That's it. The only elusive part is the black connector from kufatec. It takes a full 4 weeks to get them in.. so I ordered 3 :)

I'll post more detail on how to crimp the wires, etc. when I have more time
 
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#3 · (Edited)
It is the same as the TCU part number--the difference between the two options are mainly in the wiring as some things come from the MULF then instead of TCU from what I've read

You'd just need to order two of the Kufatec connectors :thumbup:
 
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#4 ·
Nice! So plug n play and bam, you have internet, video playback, web apps, Bluetooth audio, and album art? What did it all parts cost you? I think it's ridiculous that Bimmertech wants $1000+ for Combox/6NR when it's essentially, a few software upgrades. I would love to add this mod but not at that price.
 
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#5 · (Edited)
Have to do some coding too.. and some other wiring for the USB cables, ports, bluetooth antenna, etc.

Def. more to it than just this harness, but this is a big part of it. The kufatec connector is the problem most people have when trying to do this as BMW doesn't sell that connector (AFAIK anyways)

I'll take some pics when I install mine and explain the rest once I figure it all out

Parts are fairly cheap. The Combox end is about $14 for the connectors + a few bucks for the wiring pins. TCU end is $12 something for the connector + another few bucks for the pins

Def. less than $50 total
 
D
#6 ·
Guys,

I saw this illustration from the magnum opus 50pp post elsewhere and I thought it would help get us focused on how to wire up the 6FL/6NF in our cars when we want the functionality but do not want the expense and loss of console storage space when using baseplate/cradle.

http://www.bmwcoding.com/showthread...DIA-in-E60-Wiring-amp-Coding-(TCU-Swap)-6FL-6NF-6NR/page10&highlight=6FL+combox

Looks like we buy some selected BMW parts (the switchable USB/AUX for the inside of the console seems a must) and go boldly into our harnesses with a soldering gun and small pins...where others have boldly gone...
 
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#7 ·
I put details in another thread, but I reckon going with as much OEM stuff as we can, the extra cables and jacks add a couple hundred to the tab - beyond a combox - and well worth it. With good parts pricing, getBMWparts could ship you a combox telematics and all this stuff for a bit $600. The coding will be fun but some good threads from 2011 show the evolution of collective knowledge in how to make this retrofit easier than before. So far II have not had to decode base 64 data into a format for FSC's - and I don't want to start! (Yes, some of these mods require a solid foundation in computers and languages. Thanks to the early (and very smart) adopters who got this to the point where I want to try it. Worst case, I contact Vlad again at Bimmer Retrofit and pay $250 for remote coding...
 
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#10 ·
schpenxel said:
This is how you build a harness to simply plug in your new combox module without cutting any wires on your car and without re-pinning an connectors on the car (only applicable to cars with CIC or CIC retrofits of course..). This particular guide is only for cars with TCU's ONLY, but I can help with MULF systems as well.

Here's the basics of what you need:

Combox side:
1 x 61136913644, BMW, connector, 26 pin
1 x 61136913626, BMW, socket housing, 26 pin
~15 (order 20) x 928999-6, TE, female pins (BMW has these too, but they are like $1 a piece, easier to just buy them from onlinecomponents.com. Exact same thing
22 AWG wire

TCU side:
1 x 37758, Kufatec, 54 pin connector. socket housing is included
~15 (order 20) 1-928918-1, TE, male pins (BMW has these too, easier to just buy them from onlinecomponents.com. Exact same thing)

Here's what it looks like in the end:



Combox end. The blue'ish green connector has the pins labeled so you can use that to figure it out


TCU end below. Notice I wrote pin #'s on connector--bottom is 37, top is 54. On the next row down (towards the floor in the pic), bottom pin is 19, top is 36. and Bottom row, bottom is 1, top is 18


And here is how it is wired:

That's it. The only elusive part is the black connector from kufatec. It takes a full 4 weeks to get them in.. so I ordered 3 :)

I'll post more detail on how to crimp the wires, etc. when I have more time
Click to expand...
Thanks!! This is great!! Will this work on my CCC car with the new Nav System?? Also if you have connected your Iphone with IoS 7 to this system will the Calendar also synch with the car?? The reason why I as is I am in Sales and I drive quite a bit and want to be able to uzi my calender to click on the address rather than type it in every time. So I am keen on getting the Combox.. if I can get that to work. Right now I use BMW assist but that contract is coming to be over soon and I dont want to renew it at $199 per month. I rather add something to my car to achieve the same objective. I think I can search the forums and get all the P/N of the h/w I need and then probably put together the cable tooa nd make all the connections.. I will need help with programming etc... One shop I called and they said that I have the latest version of iDrive software so I would need a FSC code to connect the Combox so the total cost would be about $1500. I am in Bay Area San Jose in CA. So if someone out there can help me.. I am willing to attempt this... Do let me know if I can get coding help in Bay area.. I am willing to pay but if someone really knows this stuff.. Thanks
 
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#11 · (Edited)
I certainly wouldn't be going back to that shop.. there is no way to add combox to the CCC system. Are you sure yours IS a CCC version and not CIC? I thought in 2010 they had switched to CIC only. How many CD/DVD slots does your car have?

It can only be done to CIC and you're going to be paying more than $1500 when it's all over (if you have to completely retrofit from CCC to CIC).

Now if you already have a CIC system, $1500 is a ripoff for the combox in my opinion. Even vendors on here only charge I believe $600 for a full kit and the coding. FSC codes aren't a problem so not sure what they are talking about there. Your CIC does need to at least be on V41, but that has nothing to do with a FSC code

I do not think an iphone will sync the calendar, messaging, etc. to a combox. I know on some of the beta versions of either ios 6 or 7 all that supposedly worked, but it doesn't (last I read anyways) actually work on the official release. There is some protocol that Apple doesn't tend to support so you're probably out of luck there, at least for the time being

Sorry--not much you can do without completely upgrading to a CIC system, and it sounds like even then it wouldn't do what you want in terms of calendars
 
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#12 ·
schpenxel said:
I certainly wouldn't be going back to that shop.. there is no way to add combox to the CCC system. Are you sure yours IS a CCC version and not CIC? I thought in 2010 they had switched to CIC only. How many CD/DVD slots does your car have?

It can only be done to CIC and you're going to be paying more than $1500 when it's all over (if you have to completely retrofit from CCC to CIC).

Now if you already have a CIC system, $1500 is a ripoff for the combox in my opinion. Even vendors on here only charge I believe $600 for a full kit and the coding. FSC codes aren't a problem so not sure what they are talking about there. Your CIC does need to at least be on V41, but that has nothing to do with a FSC code

I do not think an iphone will sync the calendar, messaging, etc. to a combox. I know on some of the beta versions of either ios 6 or 7 all that supposedly worked, but it doesn't (last I read anyways) actually work on the official release. There is some protocol that Apple doesn't tend to support so you're probably out of luck there, at least for the time being

Sorry--not much you can do without completely upgrading to a CIC system, and it sounds like even then it wouldn't do what you want in terms of calendars
Click to expand...
My mistake.. mine is the CIC System.. it is a 2010 car.. so all I need is the Combox.
But I am sad ;( as it would not do what I wanted it to do.. I guess the next is to try (with my accent) to convince my car nav to take me there by speaking into it... I think it is a long shot. I dont need the Combox if it cannot do it. But would like to see if I can get it done for $600 then I dont mind it.. it will be good to have. ANYONE IN BAY AREA?? Nor Cal do this??
 
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#13 · (Edited)
"Back Porch" Package

Look what arrived yesterday! This is a Gen1 combox, 9248181, and it is a BN2000, Version: US. Looks like it was built 09/10/2010. Model #BE-B035, HW# 004.030.002, SW: 002.005.025. What version would that be? 30?, 25? Obviously, once connected I will read out the particulars, but curious as to the "no earlier than" s/w level.

The interesting thing is that it was marketed as a "combox media" off of a 2011 E-Car, but it clearly has the jack for connecting the two telematics antennae. That, the black 26-pin socket, and the part # lookup on RealOEM before buying make me believe that I got a solid deal on a combox telematics suitable for use in my E63. Am I right?

If so, this is fine, even if I code the $639 BMW Assist off the VO so I can get BMW Live (it's either/or), yes?

Are these units the same inside, i.e this one has same circuits, etc, as a current #9247163? If so, it probably would need just a firmware update to function fully?

All my small parts are on the way from getBMWparts, so I will get rolling in a few days.
 
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#15 ·
djcwardog said:
Look what arrived yesterday! This is a Gen1 combox, 9248181, and it is a BN2000, Version: US. Looks like it was built 09/10/2010. Model #BE-B035, HW# 004.030.002, SW: 002.005.025. What version would that be? 30?, 25? Obviously, once connected I will read out the particulars, but curious as to the "no earlier than" s/w level.

The interesting thing is that it was marketed as a "combox media" off of a 2011 E-Car, but it clearly has the jack for connecting the two telematics antennae. That, the black 26-pin socket, and the part # lookup on RealOEM before buying make me believe that I got a solid deal on a combox telematics suitable for use in my E63. Am I right?

If so, this is fine, even if I code the $612 BMW Assist off the VO so I can get BMW Live (it's either/or), yes?

Are these units the same inside, i.e this one has same circuits, etc, as a current #9247163? If so, it probably would need just a firmware update to function fully?

All my small parts are on the way from getBMWparts, so I will get rolling in a few days.
Click to expand...
So you are the guy that got it for $290 on ebay :). Good luck. I recently picked up 84109257164 which is the latest Gen3 combox with GPS connector (this was installed in cars that shipped with combox but without CIC, the GPS is used for BMW Assist). I paid $220 and after I realized I could have just bought brand new combox media from the dealer for $290, the telematics one that I got goes for around $400 from the dealer so I guess it was a decent deal but since you cannot use the telematics functionality, who cares?. I'm not ready to install mine yet, still waiting on a few parts, one being those Kufatec connectors. I have a 2010 E61 with 6FL, so I have TCU and MULF-HI, I also believe I have the stupid USB hub somewhere under the seat, I'll need to trace that and see if it will work with it or will I need to get rid of it.
 
S
#14 ·
You def. got a telematics version.. that much I am sure of

01Combox for Telematics
1
10/201084109248181
ENDED
*******> ********>
Click to expand...
 
S
#16 ·
Good luck on those Kufatec connectors... mine took 4 or 5 weeks to finally get here. It looks like they (slow ship) a bulk shipment over from either the UK or Germany every so often, then they have to ship it to you from wherever in the US
 
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#20 · (Edited)
6NF on the cheap - no cradle

Vadmir,

My goal is to do it like this. If you go this way, then the USB hub is irrelevant, so the schematic shows. On the other hand, if you seek to use the 6FL (only) with no desire to go beyond it to 6NF, then you probably do have to find the USB hub. Isn't it under driver's seat? If you run DIS you should be able to have it step you through how to replace that hub...(after you fib and answer all the damn questions in a row that each thing it said to do didn't work, ultimately leading DIS to take you there!)

These two views are from other posts and not my work - but they are my template! Find the 50pp magnum opus CIC/Combox thread for much more. Note the part number for TWO diferent USB sockts. One is a single (run a USB cable with black jack to black jack on combox) and just like the one you got for the CIC to do map updates. The other is the selectable USB/Aux and this will make it possible to have 6NF features without that space-hogging cradle. You run the USB cable from it to the BLUE jack on your combox. Hell, that's just $40 more so why not? I will post the second schematic view just below...

Upon further reflection: if the USB Hub is also what they call the "MULF", then you do need to find it so you can take it out of the MOST loop and unplug it. You have to remove both the TCU and MULF in order to run a combox. My car has just the TCU so apologies if I confused anyone.
 
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#21 · (Edited)
Second view - Schematic

This one shows part numbers. I will lay this out (literally) on my kitchen table next week when I get all the parts. Photos to follow! Note - the 9189175 part number is correct for the selectable USB/Aux that you need. They made a typo by having it listed also for the single USB plug, again, that runs to the black jack on combox
 
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#137 ·
djcwardog said:
This one shows part numbers. I will lay this out (literally) on my kitchen table next week when I get all the parts. Photos to follow! Note - the 9189175 part number is correct for the selectable USB/Aux that you need. They made a typo by having it listed also for the single USB plug, again, that runs to the black jack on combox
Click to expand...
Once you connect the video cable, what do you have to code to be able to switch to this video input?
 
D
#22 · (Edited)
small parts laid out

Here is a partial layout of the combox/6NF (without need for a baseplate or cradle) system as placed upon my kitchen table. The other side (not shown) of the combox accepts the 26-pin PnP cable (inbound...) and the MOST connection.

Details for the two cables:

1) white connectors at each end - go from black jack on combox to back of your Selectable USB/Aux In port. Which end gets the noise filter or whatever that 3" bulge is in the cabling?
2) blue ends - go from blue jack on combox to white plug on the back of the single USB port. For that end, I shaved two locating bosses off of the blue jack. One at ~2 o'clock, the other at ~7 o'clock where 12 o'clock is the snap connector - looking into the connector.

For me - two questions are now answered (see the photo):

1) the back of the video port accepts a 6-pin connector. Get part #6909058.

2) the back of the Aux-In part of the selectable USB/Aux-In Port accepts a different style of 6-pin connector wherein the pins are disposed in two rows of 3 pin each. Get part #6954554.

Other part #'s confirmed:

Video (R/W/Y RCA jacks) is #6930560.
Selectable USB/Aux-In Port is #9237654.
Single USB Port is #9237656.
USB Cable with white connectors is #9137935.
USB Cable with blue connectors is #9202749.

I got a bunch of small metal jacks and pins to make up or replace anything that may come up. For example, the "FBAS Lead" is on national back order but no worries. Now that I see the exact connectors used at both ends where this is supposed to hook in, I can fabricate one myself with shielded cable. When I see "shielded" on the pin outs I still wonder what (if anything) is done with the actual wire mesh shielding. Is it soldered into a pin and turned into the ground lead? Of course, I will figure that out before energizing any of the system!

More to follow once I get my PnP harness and mock that part up as well. Then it will be time to get this gear into the car!
 
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#23 ·
djcwardog said:
Here is what part of the combox system looks like laid out on my kitchen table. The other side (not shown) of the combox accepts the 26-pin PnP cable (inbound...) and the MOST connection.

The two cables: white connectors at each end - go from black jack on combox to back of your Selectable USB/Aux In port; blue ends - go from blue jack on combox to white pllug on the back of the single USB port. For that end, I shaved two locating bosses of the blue jack - one at ~2 o'clock, the other at ~7 o'clock where 12 o'clock is the snap connector - looking into the connector.

For me - two questions are now answered (see the photo):

1) the back of the video port accepts a 6-pin connector #6909058.

2) the back of the Aux-In part of the selectable USB/Aux-In Port accepts a different style of 6-pin conetor wherein the pins are disposed in two rows of 3 pin each, part #6954554.

Other part #'s confirmed:

Video (R/W/Y RCA jacks) is #6930560.
Selectable USB/Aux-In Port is #9237654.
Single USB Port is #9237656.
USB Cable with white connectors is #9137935.
USB Cable with blue connectors is #9202749.

I got a bunch of small metal jacks and pins to make up or replace anything that may come up. For example, the "FBAS Lead" is on national bak order but who cares? Now that I see the exact connectors used at each end of it, I can fabricate one myself with shielded cable.

More to follow once I get my PnP harness and mock that part up as well. Then it will be time to get this gear into the car!
Click to expand...
I dropped the PnP harness off this morning at a FedEx drop box, so you should see it Wednesday if all goes how it should..

Great info! It's so tough to tell when using ECS or whatever supplier exactly what each part looks like--sometimes they use something close but the pins are slightly different, etc. This will make it much easier for me to do mine without guessing what parts will fit where

Could you post the full part numbers with 6112 or whatever at the beginning?

Where are you planning on putting the RCA/video in jack? Rear of the center console?
 
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#24 · (Edited)
Bigger Shot

Here is a photo where it is all laid out. I plan to lay out what I need to fabricate the FBAS Lead to include which exact part number of BMW wiring was used. Looks like 6 wires in all:

1) three wires to the aux-in 6-wire connector - pins 2, 5 and 6. The 3 wires from pins 1, 2 and 4 run back to the combox 26-pin connector, grd at pin 10, L at pin 23, R at pin 24.

2) the other three wires go to the 12-pin connector "B" of the Quad-Lock connector into the CIC. I think it is laid out in the second schematic I copied over recently. For pin outs into "B" I think it depends on how many other video inputs are already there - up to three are allowed. A coding update is required, obviously.

Provided below are the full part numbers. These include the 4-digit prefixes on what I listed above. All except for the 6-pin connector into video port were shown in the schematic already, but a few part #s have changed since that was made. For the 6-pin into the video port, I guessed and ordered both of the 6-pin connectors they offer - only this one fit. I got my part numbers by using RealOEM and getBMWParts.com as I entered each part number from the schematic. This identified which ones had "ended" with a new part #. Check me out and look these up before you place an order. I have not installed anything yet, so I could have received some wrong parts. However, I think I am set.

Video (R/W/Y RCA jacks) is #61316930560. (A 6er has no rear console area - runs flush into the leather surface of the rear seat divider. Therefore I plan to install all three of these ports inside the console. I would probably do that even in a 5er.)
6-pin connector into back of video port is #61136909058.
Selectable USB/Aux-In Port is #884109237654 (new #)
6-pin connector into the Aux-In plug on the back of the selectable USB/Aux-In Port is #61136954554.
Single USB Port is #84109237656. (please confirm, but this looks like the same part as used in the glovebox for uploading maps and music into the HD of the CIC only)
USB Cable with white connectors is #61119137935 (the label says "connection wire for USB/Hub")
USB Cable with blue connectors is #61119202749 (label reads same as above)

Pondering this one now: If I am installing a video-in source that the car will recognize, how much harder to rig (and code) a reversing camera (non-OEM) so its signal overrides whatever is on the main screen - triggered by the CAN bus whenever you shift into reverse? Everyone turns off the reversing gong feature (not required on US cars), but that may be a source of coding inquiry...
 
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#54 · (Edited)
djcwardog said:
Video (R/W/Y RCA jacks) is #61316930560. (A 6er has no rear console area - runs flush into the leather surface of the rear seat divider. Therefore I plan to install all three of these ports inside the console. I would probably do that even in a 5er.)
6-pin connector into back of video port is #61136909058.
Selectable USB/Aux-In Port is #884109237654 (new #)
6-pin connector into the Aux-In plug on the back of the selectable USB/Aux-In Port is #61136954554.
Single USB Port is #84109237656. (please confirm, but this looks like the same part as used in the glovebox for uploading maps and music into the HD of the CIC only)
USB Cable with white connectors is #61119137935 (the label says "connection wire for USB/Hub")
USB Cable with blue connectors is #61119202749 (label reads same as above)
Click to expand...
Started thinking about this project again today since I think I'm done with the engine debacle. I went and got the combox and all the cables/wiring out of storage today, so time to start thinking about ordering the remaining parts..

Here is a link that should add all of these to your cart at ECS: http://www.ecstuning.com/Cart/?add1...0&qty6=1&add7=1894395&qty7=1&utm_source=&utm_medium=email&utm_content=link2cart

I was able to find a lot of these things cheaper just diligently checking around on ebay.. I am going to look elsewhere for a lot of these parts just to see what I can find, but figured I'd post my cart since I already added everything. And for the record, I'm not ordering them today :). I got the usb cables + FBAS cable for like $40, so can't beat that.

I think the only thing left is the FBAS cable. I'll try to find a part number off of mine, but I think they are on national backorder, so it may be something that would need to be built (I have one, but got lucky on ebay)

getbmwparts.com pricing:
*******> ********>
OEM Catalog
CONNECTION 		$46.23$9.25$36.98
$0.00 $36.98
OEM Catalog
SCKT HOUSING 		$1.18$0.24$0.94
$0.00 $0.94
OEM Catalog
USB/AUX-IN PORT, SEL 		$53.02$10.60$42.42
$0.00 $42.42
OEM Catalog
SOCKET HOUSING 		$4.47$0.89$3.58
$0.00 $3.58
OEM Catalog
USB SOCKET 		$33.12$6.62$26.50
$0.00 $26.50
OEM Catalog
CONNECTION WIRE FOR 		$84.98$17.00$67.98
$0.00 $67.98
OEM Catalog
CONNECTION WIRE FOR 		$49.78$9.96$39.82
$0.00 $39.82
You Save$54.56 Sub Total:$218.22
*******> ********>
Click to expand...
 
D
#25 · (Edited)
Video Port Details

OK sports fans, I dismantled my video box to confirm where the 6 pins go. As I suspected there is one for the outer barrel (typically for -), and another for the signal lead inside (+). For this little box, pins 1, 3 and 5 are (+) for R, L and V, respectively. Pins 2, 4 and 6 are the corresponding (-). So, to hook it up: send pins 5 and 6 to CIC "B", pins 2 and 4 spliced together to USB/Aux 6-pin connector, pin 6. R+ to pin 5, L+ to pin 2.

You now have sent 2 of the 6 pins to the CIC "B" and sent the other 4 (into 3 pins) to the USB/Aux. Here's the scoop for the other 3 pins that leave the USB/Aux. They go to your 26-pin harness that plugs into your combox. Pin 1 is Aux Out L+ and it goes to combox pin 23. Similarly, pin 3 is the summed Aux Out L/R (-) and it goes to combox pin 10. Lastly, pin 4 is Aux Out R+ and it goes to combox pin 24. I see also that combox pin 22 is for the shield, so that may require me to expose some of the braided shielding on all the output pins (1, 3 and 4) and solder a pin/wire (cable) to connect the shielding to combox pin 22. Anyone done this and can confirm before I really hook ("sum") the two negatives together coming in and thereby going out of the USB/Aux port?

OK, now for some slightly confusing stuff: CIC plug "B" unsnaps from the back of the quad connector that goes into the CIC. Mine already has 3 wires in it which correspond to pins 2, 12 and 11 for "FBAS 1". I believe I will need to connect up a new "FBAS 2": Video pin 5 (V+) to "B" 3, video pin 6 (V-) to "B" 10, and as I suggest above, create a cable by soldering some of the metal mesh shielding from both of these and connect that to "B" 9. As I wrote on the sketch with parts (see photos) if you have nothing in "B", then FBAS 1 for you is 2, 12 and 11. If you already have 6 pins occupied in "B", then you will do an FBAS 3 with pins 5, 8 and 7. Clear as mud?
 
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#56 · (Edited)
djcwardog said:
OK sports fans, I dismantled my video box to confirm where the 6 pins go. As I suspected there is one for the outer barrel (typically for -), and another for the signal lead inside (+). For this little box, pins 1, 3 and 5 are (+) for R, L and V, respectively. Pins 2, 4 and 6 are the corresponding (-). So, to hook it up: send pins 5 and 6 to CIC "B", pins 2 and 4 spliced together to USB/Aux 6-pin connector, pin 6. R+ to pin 5, L+ to pin 2.

You now have sent 2 of the 6 pins to the CIC "B" and sent the other 4 (into 3 pins) to the USB/Aux. Here's the scoop for the other 3 pins that leave the USB/Aux. They go to your 26-pin harness that plugs into your combox. Pin 1 is Aux Out L+ and it goes to combox pin 23. Similarly, pin 3 is the summed Aux Out L/R (-) and it goes to combox pin 10. Lastly, pin 4 is Aux Out R+ and it goes to combox pin 24. I see also that combox pin 22 is for the shield, so that may require me to expose some of the braided shielding on all the output pins (1, 3 and 4) and solder a pin/wire (cable) to connect the shielding to combox pin 22. Anyone done this and can confirm before I really hook ("sum") the two negatives together coming in and thereby going out of the USB/Aux port?

OK, now for some slightly confusing stuff: CIC plug "B" unsnaps from the back of the quad connector that goes into the CIC. Mine already has 3 wires in it which correspond to pins 2, 12 and 11 for "FBAS 1". I believe I will need to connect up a new "FBAS 2": Video pin 5 (V+) to "B" 3, video pin 6 (V-) to "B" 10, and as I suggest above, create a cable by soldering some of the metal mesh shielding from both of these and connect that to "B" 9. As I wrote on the sketch with parts (see photos) if you have nothing in "B", then FBAS 1 for you is 2, 12 and 11. If you already have 6 pins occupied in "B", then you will do an FBAS 3 with pins 5, 8 and 7. Clear as mud?
Click to expand...
Am I understanding that basically wiring for the audio/video stuff will go:

Combox-->switchable USB outlet-->component audio/video outlet-->CIC

I noticed that a pin on the combox, I believe #10, is needed for the audio signal. I had this wires into the harness, how did you handle this on yours??
 
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#28 · (Edited)
Made up a telematics adapter that should allow me to plug the two telematics antennae in that currently hook into the TCU - even if I end up coding out that function...

I used more of my FAKRA parts from Pasternack. Yes, I used a belt sander and made the interior sides of both connectors thin enough to allow them both to connect to the narrowly-spaced jacks on the combox. BMW makes the actual 2-lead connector, but...yes, it's on national back order...

Now to start making up the FBAS video and the Aux audio cables. I will be ready to start into the car soon.

I don't have the dash apart yet but I suspect that Night Vision would be my existing FBAS 1.

UPDATE as others before me figured out, if you had night vision (NIVI) working with your CCC, then you indeed must do yet another pin swap when you retrofit a CIC. Here is what I did, pasted in from my post on a related thread:

I moved my clear (it wasn't white) wire out of pin 2 into vacant pin 12 in the car's harness. I then moved the wire (which was not yellow) out of pin 4 and into now-vacant pin 2. I did nothing about the missing shield wire and vacant pin 11. So, pin 2 to pin 12 followed by pin 4 into just-vacated pin 4. Now to code it... After editing, I loaded the 23rd revision of my CIC.man file using NCS in Manipulate mode. Even though we have no TV, I saw that TV was set for Wert_21, TVC set to Wert_255 and that TVM was set for Kein TVM. I edited my NVC line to Wert_21. So, with TV and NiVi set to the same value, I tried it out. Success! I have a video feed on my CID when I press the dash button for Night Vision and the adjustment settings show changes in brightness, etc.
 
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#29 · (Edited)
The Vortex Method

...works! As a reminder, go to the (now) 53 page thread over on the ...coding forum and read it all. For a very easy search, here is the title of that thread:

HOW TO: Retrofit COMBOX MEDIA in E60 Wiring & Coding (TCU Swap) 6FL/6NF/6NR

Focus on pages 8 and 9 for the method spelled out. It assumes that you know your way around NCSExpert so get there first before trying any of this.

For me, I had to edit the production date in his E90.SSD file. As written it shows #0914 but that stopped NCS from doing its F5 "read file" at the outset. Taking a year off each time, I found joy by dropping off 4 years and using #0910 as my "virtual" production date. There were three strings of zeros at the very end - I deleted all three of those before even trying it out - with both of these edits to that SSD performed, this seems to have worked fine for me.

When I got a look at my "B" (the white 12-pin) plug on the back of my CIC, I found that only pins 2 and 4 were occupied. I have $611 Night Vision, so that probably uses FBAS 1, but pin 4 is not listed in our "home cooking" method of selecting FBAS's. Because pin 2 is associated with FBAS 1, I put my three female pins into #3 for V+, #10 for V- and #9 for shield.

UPDATE, see my post just above. I was out to lunch when I left pins 2 and 4 alone. They needed to be moved per above...

This should correlate to FBAS 2 when I get to that level of refining the coding. By the way, the black 12-pin plug adjacent seems to be the "A" plug and it carries audio signals. This is where the OEM wiring from my Aux jack ended up. I unplugged the jack and left the wires in the console out of the way (much as we all did with the superfluous iDrive "large" harness when we installed our new multi-button controllers) as now the combox will be the source of and govern Aux sources...

Here is how my console storage area seems to be "roughing in." I will tidy up alignment, etc. in there, but this was how I settled on locating those ports. Check carefully as the plugs on the back protrude down below the level of console floor and you want things to clear...

No need to cringe as I will probably not use all those ports very often in favor of the simplicity of bluetooth audio, except for when I want to use the sole USB port (to the blue plug on combox, remember?) for a high-fidelity signal path using the CIC's internal DAC instead of the iPod/iPad DAC. All my music files are "Apple Lossless" so the sound is very good and much better than the basic MP3 settings. Of course, my music files are much larger per song this way, but who cares with 64gb on the iPhone and 128gb on the iPad? The vendors probably get you up and running much faster without all this experimenting. Frankly, if I need to update CIC modules I have an ICOM now but I have not yet learned anything about using it. If my CIC software levels are sufficient (I saw Office, BMW Apps and Internet as menu choices right off) but I run out of time due to business commitments, I may well schedule another coding session with Vlad at B-R to finalize things...but not yet!

Oh, I also did the "pin 21" method on the 26-pin harness into the IHKA and that got my LCI climate control in and working on the first try as I buttoned up the car - dealt with all the dash wires in the same soldering session - blanket under the area to protect fine leather etc...
 
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#31 · (Edited)
Ssd

Here is what Vortex posted up on page 8 of his great thread...[edit - I notice a few spaces between items, maybe that was a result of the copy and paste here? Get the file directly from that thread and work it from there...but here is the info inside there)

M E90_CODIERSCHL ALL
A 001 WBAPP31030A7502352 E90_*PR96#0914%0475&LUSW$1CA$1CB$205$216$226$235$249$255$320$386$402$413$423$428$431$441$473$481$488$493$494$4AD$502$508$521$522$534$548$563$609$610$612$614$615$616$633$677$6VC$6FL$6nf$6nr$6aa$6ab$6va$761$775$7SP$840$851$863$879$8SC$9BE|0000000|0000000|0000000

I made two modifications, for the build date and deleting all those zeros at the end, saving my work as "E90.SSD" in my work folder so NCS could find it when I clicked on F5...

M E90_CODIERSCHL ALL
A 001 WBAPP31030A7502352 E90_*PR96#0910%0475&LUSW$1CA$1CB$205$216$226$235$249$255$320$386$402$413$423$428$431$441$473$481$488$493$494$4AD$502$508$521$522$534$548$563$609$610$612$614$615$616$633$677$6VC$6FL$6nf$6nr$6aa$6ab$6va$761$775$7SP$840$851$863$879$8SC$9BE

After doing the F5 read, I simply default coded (ONLY - no others!) the CIC and then the MEDIA (your combox) modules. Now my car has an E90 alter ego as the CIC and combox work well together but I lost some stuff such as HD radio, sat radio, night vision and default language is German... But no worries, this is all expected as I perform the "merging" process and edit the CIC code. When I use NCSExpert in Manipulate profile to write that back to to the CIC module in the normal manner (make edits to the CIC trace file save work as .man and "all files" in the work folder, etc...), I will close in on full function plus combox stuff..

I actually created a new folder within my NCS work folder so I could catalog, rename, and store all my various archived files as Vortex taught us in his method.

I go from here today...
 
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#32 · (Edited)
I bet if you went through and added all the right option codes to that SSD to match your car as close as possible, you could default code CIC/combox and everything would work

The best way I have found to compare two FSW_PSW files is notepad++ with a plugin called "Compare". It will go line by line and arrange both files side by side, so the same sets of info are right beside each other--it makes it very easy to tell what changed
 
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#33 · (Edited)
I think so - to a point. If you go too far in adding options on the VO string you will get a "fail" like I did on first try with #0914 in there. As I read it, the option string has to make sense for an E90. If they never came with night vision, no $611 can be in the string or it will not be read w F5. However, I think during the "merging" process I will see where and how to add that line(s) and write the tailored file back to my CIC.

I see that there is a $612 in that string but not a $639... We will see what stays as I thought $612 was related to telematics and in conflict with combox? Apparently not...

I will try that notepad deal. These files are just long enough to require some computer sorting assistance. Vortex gets into using text editors for this as well, but his screen shots appear to be a fancy windows interface. I think that Notepad may well be enough... What is Notepad++?
 
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#34 ·
Notepad++ is kind of like regular notepad, just a bit more powerful. Looks like this when you are comparing two files. It does a pretty good job of lining everything up and the "nav bar" over on the right has different colors showing where things are the same or different throughout the two files.

Image
 

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