Ala 0 Report post Posted March 27, 2008 I have just managed to change my E46 radio setting from Area Japan to OCEANIA to get all FM frequencies, however, the radio is still not receving any signal, and it plays a a meesage when I start it (Reg Off)....???!!! Can anyone please tell me what dose it mean and how can I make this radio work??? Thanks Ala Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jochen 4 Report post Posted March 27, 2008 I have just managed to change my E46 radio setting from Area Japan to OCEANIA to get all FM frequencies, however, the radio is still not receving any signal, and it plays a a meesage when I start it (Reg Off)....???!!! Can anyone please tell me what dose it mean and how can I make this radio work??? Thanks Ala If you cannot receive anything then check a) TP is turned off, as maybe noone in your area is using RDS-TP (TP=Traffic Program) make sure you have removed any band expander, if fitted c) check the antenna and antenna amp are OK. Tip: remove radio, stick a short piece of wire in the antenna socket. See if you receive anything. Easy way to tell if antenna amp is defect d) make sure you don't have a >2001 radio in a <2001 car, where they didn't fit the antenna adapter (I've seen this!) Remove radio to check antenna connectors. early cars have 2 x coax - thicker coax is antenna lead, thinner is diversity control. Newer cars have 1 x coax = antenna & diversity control in one. REG = RDS Regional mode, noone uses Regional mode in NZ, so you want it off. Google RDS if you want to understand what it is. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hoags 10 Report post Posted July 16, 2008 So I ordered a new radio from Ebay, looked good as per all info I could find. It finally turns up and I put it in. Guess what my car (jap import) had two coax connectors (one large and one small) and the new radio has only the small one, (problem d above) it is different to the picture of the radio I bought. Short of sending it back I have read that I can replace the amp.... any other options? Any advice is appreciated. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dogballs 115 Report post Posted July 16, 2008 So I ordered a new radio from Ebay, looked good as per all info I could find. It finally turns up and I put it in. Guess what my car (jap import) had two coax connectors (one large and one small) and the new radio has only the small one, (problem d above) it is different to the picture of the radio I bought. Short of sending it back I have read that I can replace the amp.... any other options? Any advice is appreciated. it will work, but not ideal... if you live/drive your car near a radio transmission tower, Ie Auckland city, it wont be too bad... more of an issue when you get further away it wont work as well... and you will need to make an adapter from the SMB (small) plug on the radio to the large antenna cable... leave the small cable disconnected. you could then replace the antenna booster to the later type to fix it... OR send it back and get the to suit your car... i'd recommend making an adapter and trying it... then go from there Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hoags 10 Report post Posted July 18, 2008 Great thanks. I have seen the adapter (BMW spec) somewhere. Anyone know if there is a cheap knock off Jaycar or Dick Smith option? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jochen 4 Report post Posted July 18, 2008 (edited) So I ordered a new radio from Ebay, looked good as per all info I could find. It finally turns up and I put it in. Guess what my car (jap import) had two coax connectors (one large and one small) and the new radio has only the small one, (problem d above) it is different to the picture of the radio I bought. Short of sending it back I have read that I can replace the amp.... any other options? You bought a new-generation radio. Your car had an old-generation radio. BMW changed the antenna amplifier design and the antenna connection from old gen to new gen. The old radio has a large DIN antenna connector, and a smaller SMB antenna diversity control connector The new radio has an SMB antenna connector inside a FAKRA plastic housing. Often just called a FAKRA connector. The diversity control now occurs over the antenna connector. To connect the old DIN antenna cable to the new SMB-FAKRA connector on the radio, you need a DIN to SMB adapter cable. No, you cannot get these from Dick Smith! You can buy it from BMW: Part number 61.12.6.913.955 Price in USA $12.30, probably double that in NZ. Looks like this: One you have the adapter, you can connect the antenna to the radio. However, you won't have diversity control over the antenna amplifier, as the control method has changed. You antenna amplifier will default to one antenna only, instead of switching between all 3 x antennas. You loose the diversity benefit. Depending on where you live and drive, you may or may not notice this. Waikato drivers definitely need diversity, but Auckland CBD driver's don't. To make the diversity antenna amp work properly in your car, you need to swap out the antenna amplifier with one made after Sept 2001. Antenna amp is in the left-hand side C-pillar. Part numbers vary according to whether you have navigation or not, and whether you have RF-keyless entry, and whether the keyless entry is 315MHz or 433MHz. Price is around $200 USD, new, in the USA. Edited July 18, 2008 by jochen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hoags 10 Report post Posted July 19, 2008 Great thanks for your help. I am going to email the guy in the USA. I am a little bit unhappy. Here is the one I bought off ebay. http://cgi.ebay.com/BMW-99-01-E46-M3-328-3...1QQcmdZViewItem Note that in the picture there are two antenna outputs. I checked this before I bought it. And then it turns up and I have this problem. Do you know where can I get either the adapter or amp in NZ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hoags 10 Report post Posted July 19, 2008 I guess the other option is to get another (correct radio) from EBay and sell that one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elmarco 56 Report post Posted July 19, 2008 (edited) So, if I understand correctly the one in the pictures is different to the one you received? The picture looks like the old gen radio which it sounds like you need (you don't say what year/model it is for). I'd have a word to the seller if that's the case. It can always be remedied locally, but might mean a bit of stuffing around (or taking it to an auto sparky) - just depends what you are up for and how likely it is that you will get your money back from the seller (+ freight etc). Edit: Does the part number in the photo match the item sent? Edited July 19, 2008 by elmarco Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jochen 4 Report post Posted July 19, 2008 Great thanks for your help. I am going to email the guy in the USA. I am a little bit unhappy. Here is the one I bought off ebay. http://cgi.ebay.com/BMW-99-01-E46-M3-328-3...1QQcmdZViewItem Note that in the picture there are two antenna outputs. I checked this before I bought it. And then it turns up and I have this problem. Do you know where can I get either the adapter or amp in NZ? The picture on that ebay post does not match what you received. the adapter cable is a BMW part. You get it from BMW. Go and ask at the spare parts counter, quote them the part number I gave you As for the antenna amp, it's the same. But try a wreckers for a cheaper version. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hotwire 352 Report post Posted July 19, 2008 Fixable yes - but bottom line is - you didn't get what was advertised. I would be demanding the correct unit be sent to you... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hoags 10 Report post Posted July 20, 2008 Well I have emailed the guy and will see what he says. Freight is the killer on these things its was like 50 bucks US to ship to NZ. When you only pay 180 USD for the radio it makes it a pretty expensive problem to rectify but still cheaper than a new amp. The guy is like an EBay store so I will see how I get on, if he will send me the correct one free of freight charge than I might just try and sell this one on TradeMe. Chances are I will not get my money back tho. Thanks for the help fellas. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
allan 295 Report post Posted July 20, 2008 hi, be sure to check which shipping company is being used as this can help a lot with the cost. What sort of weight are you talking about surely a radio isn't that heavy or large to cost 50 US to ship. Cheers Allan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kiwi535 538 Report post Posted July 20, 2008 Well I have emailed the guy and will see what he says. Freight is the killer on these things its was like 50 bucks US to ship to NZ. When you only pay 180 USD for the radio it makes it a pretty expensive problem to rectify but still cheaper than a new amp. The guy is like an EBay store so I will see how I get on, if he will send me the correct one free of freight charge than I might just try and sell this one on TradeMe. Chances are I will not get my money back tho. Thanks for the help fellas. the US postal service have quite good rates.and almost as fast. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elmarco 56 Report post Posted July 20, 2008 the US postal service have quite good rates.and almost as fast. My new one came via US Postal Service and was around $45 USD from memory. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
