convert BMW Nav monitor from Jap to Eng

[caleb 0]

My car comes with this Nav monitor that controls CD stacker, radio.

There's also a DVD Nav system in the car boot with a DVD disc titled 'BMW DVD Navigation System' in English

Unfortunately the interface on Nav monitor is in Japanese. How do I turn on world mode on this system?

Would it be possible to change language to English?

Car:

Japan Import

09/2001 BMW 320

Edited October 26, 2008 by lufu

[martyyn 2]

Try using the search function mate, Jochen has done a write up about this previously and I assume it will help you out.

Here it is right here

[greenday-rulz21 4]

Nobody can help if they don't know simple details like the year of the car, the model, probably even the chassis number, and where it was imported from.

We're not psychic mate, people are happy to help but you've got to make it easy for them.

[caleb 0]

Nobody can help if they don't know simple details like the year of the car, the model, probably even the chassis number, and where it was imported from.

We're not psychic mate, people are happy to help but you've got to make it easy for them.

sorry mate... how silly of me.

2001 E46

Edited October 28, 2008 by lufu

[martyyn 2]

Well dont quote me on it (I dont know much about the e46's), but I wouldve thought that Jochen's instructions would be just the ticket because you should have the world mode stereo.

[greenday-rulz21 4]

Well dont quote me on it (I dont know much about the e46's), but I wouldve thought that Jochen's instructions would be just the ticket because you should have the world mode stereo.

You're right Martyn. That should be the correct process. Didn't see your post as we posted at the same time.

I was just making a point that no one can help if they don't have any details on the car.

[caleb 0]

there's isn't a M button on this system unlike the rest...

I'll try Mode button assuming it serves the same purpose and post the result here for future reference

[jochen 4]

there's isn't a M button on this system unlike the rest...

I'll try Mode button assuming it serves the same purpose and post the result here for future reference

Yes, M means MODE :-)

To change language to English, you change it in the "Settings".

Settings is the bottom-left option on the main menu (whether English or Jap, it's always bottom-left)

Select the bottom-left Japanese text and click it.

The language setting is down the bottom of the first Settings screen. It's the only line that shows "GB" or "UK" or "US" - all meaning "English" of course. I think the Jap cars have US written on the menu.

Scroll down, click, select "US" and click.

Voila! Everything in English.

Regarding setting the radio to NZ mode:

Your car is right on the cutover date. 09/2001 was when they changed from old-generation (unprogrammable) radio to new-generation (world-tuner) radio

Cross your fingers and hope you have the new radio - you'll see straight away in the Service Mode if it shows an area setting.

Europe is the best setting, otherwise select Oceania if Europe doesn't appear.

TV (if you have it) just needs to be changed to PAL-Europe and then it will pick up all NZ VHF and UHF channels.

As for the nav, to make it work in NZ requires changing the nav computer (the drive in the boot) to a Euro-model Mk3 or Mk4 nav.

Mk4 is the best. It's not plug-and-play, as some wiring needs to be changed and connectors need to be changed.

You can buy 2nd hand Mk3s or Mk4s on eBay. The Mk3/Mk4 is the same around the world, so it doesn't matter what country you source it from.

But it is fully possible to have your E46 converted so that radio, TV, nav and telephone all work 100% perfectly in NZ.

And navigation is cool - I highly recommend converting the nav.

Nav conversion can be done as a DIY - I have instructions and software to reprogram the nav, or hotwire on this forum offers a nav upgrade service whereby you just bring the car to him, and he does everything for you.

Edited October 24, 2008 by jochen

[caleb 0]

Thank you !!!

you are such a STAR!!

Managed to set the language to English, turned TV turner to PAL and it worked! TV reception is crystal clear.

Where can I find service mode? Toggled with various options but can't locate service mode. I would have thought it's under main menu-set?

Under the main menu, I've

1. On Board Computer

2. Nav

3. Telephone

4. Set

5. TV

6. Monitor Off

Edited October 25, 2008 by caleb

[jochen 4]

Thank you !!!

you are such a STAR!!

Managed to set the language to English, turned TV turner to PAL and it worked! TV reception is crystal clear.

Excellent, that's great! Makes your car feel MUCH better now doesn't it ?? Nothing like having TV in the car. For your next DIY, you'd be keen to know how to connect your iPod Video to your car so you can watch movies in the car.... just ask if you are keen... all it needs is cables...

And of course, you can have your TV going all the time... not quite in line with the LTSA... but can be done.

Where can I find service mode? Toggled with various options but can't locate service mode. I would have thought it's under main menu-set?

No, the radio Service Mode is hidden.

Access it like this:

PROCEDURES

E46 (3 Series) with Navigation system

BM53 with small screen Board Monitor

1. Turn the radio on.

2. Press and hold the "RDS' button for at least 8 seconds.

3. Scroll through the functions using the "< >" buttons.

4. Turn the radio off to leave the service mode.

On a Euro car, the button you have labelled as TRAFFIC becomes RDS TP (only the labelling on the button changes):

So press the left hand side of TRAFFIC to enter service mode.

Let me know if it works.

Under the main menu, I've

1. On Board Computer

2. Nav

3. Telephone

4. Set

5. TV

6. Monitor Off

You may be interested to know that you can also convert the Telephone to make it work, but however only AFTER you have converted the nav (simply because a GSM telephone won't work with a Jap nav). The BMW integrated bluetooth is a really really cool in-car phone system.

Enjoy!

[caleb 0]

Hi Jochen,

thanks for your help! the procedure didn't work. I pressed Traffic button but it didn't go into service mode. I tried Select button, that didn't work as well. Did this with engine started, position I and position II.

I could only select traffic 1 & 2, it didn't go into service mode.

TV is perfect!! The only problem (or I should say safety feature is as soon as the vehicle is on the move, it switches off automatically)

Yes, please tell me how to enable TV when car is on the move.....

and how do I connect ipod video to it?

Edited October 25, 2008 by caleb

[jochen 4]

thanks for your help! the procedure didn't work. I pressed Traffic button but it didn't go into service mode. I tried Select button, that didn't work as well. Did this with engine started, position I and position II.

I could only select traffic 1 & 2, it didn't go into service mode.

Service Mode works as long as radio is turned on, so Key has to be in Pos 1 only.

Turn radio on

Press and hold (with 10 sec of turning on) RDS until service menu appears

Doesn't work?

Turn ign off, then try again, in sequence, using the following buttons:

RDS

TP

MODE

SELECT

BMW keep on changing the way you get into the service mode. But there is always a way, you just have to find it.

Tip: if you have the Jap C23 JAPAN radio module then service mode only shows traffic volume (I think)

TV is perfect!! The only problem (or I should say safety feature is as soon as the vehicle is on the move, it switches off automatically)

Yes, please tell me how to enable TV when car is on the move.....

and how do I connect ipod video to it?

To enable TV-in-motion either:

1. Use the key-press method

2. Program it with my NavCoder software

3. Fit a TV-in-motion hardware adapter

(listed in order of cost, cheapest to most expensive)

Key-press method, (works only for 1st and 2nd gen TV modules, may not work on 2001 car):

• Set ignition to pos. II
• enter TV mode
• enter "settings"
• enter "contrast"
• when the green contrast bar is visible, push the knob and keep it pressed
• turn ignition off (keep button pressed!)
• wait 8-10 seconds (timing must be accurate!)
• release the knob
• turn on ignition again
• Now you can watch TV during driving (but always keep at least one eye on the road - that said)

To watch videotext use the same procesure as above, but chose"brightness" instead of "contrast"

As for connecting the AV-IN:

1. Buy an RCA cable with white/yellow connectors (if you can) or white/red, as long as is necessary to go from TV tuner (under nav computer) to where ever you want.

2. Remove boot liner to expose TV tuner mounted below nav computer

3. Cut off one end of RCA cable, and trim leads back so you can fit connector pins nicely

4. Fit (solder) connector pins - but these from BMW. The connector is item 9 in this picture. Pins are part number 61130005197, and cost USD 1.28 each. NZ price will be 2x or 3x that :-)

5. Unplug white connector from video module and remove white housing

6. Fit new cable with pins as follows:

Pin6 = Video signal in

Pin15 = Video signal shield

Pin4 = Audio signal in

Pin5 = Audio signal shield

Best iPod video cable for car, what I used for my car, because it powers the iPod and has a proper ground:

Here's the full pinout of the TV tuner connectors:

NOTE:

Some video devices, if battery powered, will have no ground connection to the car and will result in an unstable picture. If this is the case, you need to do one of the following:

1. Either power the device from the car (I did this with my iPod using a docking cable with AV and 12V power - here's the cable I used).

2. Connect the video shield to ground. You can do this in the white connector (pins 10 & 11 should be chassis gnd) or by connecting it to a metal part of the body with a wire.

NOTE2:

Pin9 - Signal Search - on the white TV tuner plug, can be fitted so rear seat passengers can change the TV channel. Connect a pushh-button switch between pin9 and ground. Every time the switch is pressed, the TV changes change from ...28,28,30,AV,1,2,3... etc

NOTE3:

You can also see you can fit rear monitors and drive them from the white plug (AV-OUT)

NOTE4:

You can also see you can fit a reversing camera

Enjoy!

Edited October 25, 2008 by jochen

[caleb 0]

thanks for the comprehensive details.

1. Key in Pos 1

2. Turn on radio

3. Press and hold Traffic button for 10 sec

4. I could hear a short audible pause (almost like radio turning off and on again)

5. At this stage, I suspect the radio is in service mode

6. However when I pressed scroll button, there was no response; in fact all buttons except menu stopped responding.

7. I had to turn off the radio and turn it on again to bring it back to normal.

believe I’m almost there... will keep trying…

Edited October 26, 2008 by lufu

[mbctt 0]

hi all.

sorry for bringing up an old thread, but i would like to find out if convertign the language display on a 2007 E60 would be the same procedure from japanese to english.

Also for then converting the radio from japan to US/Euro

thank you

[jochen 4]

hi all.

sorry for bringing up an old thread, but i would like to find out if convertign the language display on a 2007 E60 would be the same procedure from japanese to english.

Also for then converting the radio from japan to US/Euro

thank you

You can change the language just by changing the language in the Settings option from japanese to English

This may be a challenge for you to find if your Japanese is limited, so visit your local sushi bar :-)

As for converting the radio, it's a hurdle.

Anything is possible but it requires changing software settings, changing hardware, and reflashing the car.

Not for the faint hearted

And cannot be done without specialist knowledge or tools.

[Travisg 0]

Nav conversion can be done as a DIY - I have instructions and software to reprogram the nav, or hotwire on this forum offers a nav upgrade service whereby you just bring the car to him, and he does everything for you.

Can you provide the wiring instructions / pinouts when converting from a JAP DVD Navi Sys II to a MK3. I have the necessary MK3 unit , SW (NavCoder) and ODB II cable.

[hotwire 352]

^^^^^ No Not online. I can help but PM me

[swauto 4]

hi all.

sorry for bringing up an old thread, but i would like to find out if convertign the language display on a 2007 E60 would be the same procedure from japanese to english.

Also for then converting the radio from japan to US/Euro

thank you

contact us if you want convert radio and navigation on your E60

[tikitamde 0]

Hi Jochen,

I remember you mentioned before there's a way to have stereo input to the AV channel for the TV. Is is possible to have two sound channel and video at the same time?

Thanks!

[nordschleife 0]

Hi Jochen,

I remember you mentioned before there's a way to have stereo input to the AV channel for the TV. Is is possible to have two sound channel and video at the same time?

Thanks!

I'm also very interested in this.

[jochen 4]

I'm also very interested in this.

Yes. Google is your friend.

And here is the website:

http://www.aux-in-modul.de/

Use chrome and translate the website into your preferred language (Maori, Cook Island, Strine, Kiwi etc)

Works for BM23 or BM24 radios and MkII video modules

[RhoanW 0]

Service Mode works as long as radio is turned on, so Key has to be in Pos 1 only.

Turn radio on

Press and hold (with 10 sec of turning on) RDS until service menu appears

Doesn't work?

Turn ign off, then try again, in sequence, using the following buttons:

RDS

TP

MODE

SELECT

BMW keep on changing the way you get into the service mode. But there is always a way, you just have to find it.

Tip: if you have the Jap C23 JAPAN radio module then service mode only shows traffic volume (I think)

Jochen sorry to come back to this but I was wondering looking at the pin-out you provided for the TV tuner it seems to me that:

1. you can install your own navigation system and use the pins designated to allow it function from the original head unit?

2. that the installed cable for the ipod will allow both your videos to be played and also any music stored on the device and if the device has bluetooth it should also route whatever a paired device is sending to it straight through to your speakers?

The thing that still puzzles me though is how would you tell the system to switch to this device?

To enable TV-in-motion either:

1. Use the key-press method

2. Program it with my NavCoder software

3. Fit a TV-in-motion hardware adapter

(listed in order of cost, cheapest to most expensive)

Key-press method, (works only for 1st and 2nd gen TV modules, may not work on 2001 car):

• Set ignition to pos. II
• enter TV mode
• enter "settings"
• enter "contrast"
• when the green contrast bar is visible, push the knob and keep it pressed
• turn ignition off (keep button pressed!)
• wait 8-10 seconds (timing must be accurate!)
• release the knob
• turn on ignition again
• Now you can watch TV during driving (but always keep at least one eye on the road - that said)

To watch videotext use the same procesure as above, but chose"brightness" instead of "contrast"

As for connecting the AV-IN:

1. Buy an RCA cable with white/yellow connectors (if you can) or white/red, as long as is necessary to go from TV tuner (under nav computer) to where ever you want.

2. Remove boot liner to expose TV tuner mounted below nav computer

3. Cut off one end of RCA cable, and trim leads back so you can fit connector pins nicely

4. Fit (solder) connector pins - but these from BMW. The connector is item 9 in this picture. Pins are part number 61130005197, and cost USD 1.28 each. NZ price will be 2x or 3x that :-)

5. Unplug white connector from video module and remove white housing

6. Fit new cable with pins as follows:

Pin6 = Video signal in

Pin15 = Video signal shield

Pin4 = Audio signal in

Pin5 = Audio signal shield

Best iPod video cable for car, what I used for my car, because it powers the iPod and has a proper ground:

Here's the full pinout of the TV tuner connectors:

NOTE:

Some video devices, if battery powered, will have no ground connection to the car and will result in an unstable picture. If this is the case, you need to do one of the following:

1. Either power the device from the car (I did this with my iPod using a docking cable with AV and 12V power - here's the cable I used).

2. Connect the video shield to ground. You can do this in the white connector (pins 10 & 11 should be chassis gnd) or by connecting it to a metal part of the body with a wire.

NOTE2:

Pin9 - Signal Search - on the white TV tuner plug, can be fitted so rear seat passengers can change the TV channel. Connect a pushh-button switch between pin9 and ground. Every time the switch is pressed, the TV changes change from ...28,28,30,AV,1,2,3... etc

NOTE3:

You can also see you can fit rear monitors and drive them from the white plug (AV-OUT)

NOTE4:

You can also see you can fit a reversing camera

Enjoy!

[RhoanW 0]

I just realized my reply was never posted. I was asking if considering that the TV tuner already has all these inputs wouldn't it be possible to use these points and connect some A/V device like an Ipod Touch? The other question I have though is how would you tell the radio to switch to this device?

[jochen 4]

I just realized my reply was never posted. I was asking if considering that the TV tuner already has all these inputs wouldn't it be possible to use these points and connect some A/V device like an Ipod Touch?

Yes, see prior post to yours

The other question I have though is how would you tell the radio to switch to this device?

Select Television

Change channel to AV IN

[RhoanW 0]

Yes, see prior post to yours

Select Television

Change channel to AV IN

Thank you sir!