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Dynavin Info: Look here first...Part 2..."Version 5"

762K views 2K replies 312 participants last post by  Geo31 
#1 · (Edited)
NEW DYNAVIN...

Dynavin has made a substantial change in their offerings and has released their new "D90-3G platform"....following the past nomenclature I think it will likely end up being referred to as a V5. It is a new set of hardware and a new interface. In light of this it is time to update the Dynavin info thread! Discussion can continue about the V1-V4 units on the old thread:

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=754606

Much of this post will be the same as the other one but I will change the parts that are relevant to the new unit. Scroll down past the install to get to the new info.


Please read EVERYTHING before you ask a question, pretty much everything has been answered at some point and I will do my best to put all the new info this thread.[/B]

Read the Dynavin FAQ: http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=803437


As always the Dynavin forum can be found here:
http://dynavin.freeforums.org
Check it out for tips, tricks, hacks, and info.


Due to this post, my involvement in the Dynavin community, and some scary situations with previous Dynavin dealers I have decided to become a Dynavin dealer. You can now get a Dynavin from me along with all the help and advice you might need.....DYNAVIN SOLUTIONS.... you can email me at jtdist@sbcglobal.net, look for me in the sponsor forum here:

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?p=12273055#post12273055

or click the link in my sig to find out how you can get one for yourself.



INSTALL
I am an installer, not full time, i run a small family business that in part sells auto parts and accessories including mobile electronics. I do the installs, Ive been doing a couple a week for 15 years so Ive done.....a lot..... I am an authorized Pioneer Electronics dealer so most of my experience relevant to the Dynavin is with the AVIC line of Pioneer units. I also have owned two cars with factory nav, a 2006 acura and a 2007 lexus, so understand where I am coming from, Ive used quite a few systems like this.


Here is a look at where things start




And the car:


Regular business HU, no HK, but it doesnt matter, everything here applies to the HK system as well, I had the parrot bluetooth running off the steering wheel buttons and an ipod adapter. Its all coming out.


I also have a 4 channel amp, front two channels running the front speakers and the rear two channels running a sub, the signal was being delivered via the factory amp input wires, cut and spliced onto RCA connectors and fed into an EQ and then into the amp.

The rear speakers are stock and still running off the factory amp although I am not using them and have the fader on the HU faded all the way to the front.



look here to do a system like this, awesome write up on amp install using the factory head unit:

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=245914



So I took everything apart and took a look at what I was in for:




Take note here that the wiring for the HVAC controls just drops down to the new location for the controls, it only has to move a few inches and there is plenty of slack. I have not yet ordered the HVAC control relocation part but the control fits the old part ok, I used a little bit of 3/8" black weatherstrip foam to support it and hold it in place, it wedges in there pretty tight and looks fine, we will see how it works out. Ignore the mess of wires on the right, thats my parrot blutooth kit, its gone now.

This is important, right in the middle of this picture you can see a white plastic arm that moves a black plastic lever in the airbox, some part of the HVAC system, this part ends up directly below the back of the dynavin unit, be careful that you dont get any wires hung up on this or you are asking for big trouble. I will double check it later from the glovebox side


Next I put the GPS receiver right behind the unit on the metal dash frame, right below the vent ducts, it is magnetic and will stick right there, reception here is good.


So then I plugged everything into the factory wiring:



Take note here since everyone seems to mess this part up

The steering wheel control harness connects to the end of this cable............



NOT here...........




Plugged in the dynavin and put it in the dash, other people have been complaining that there isnt much room in there....they are correct. There is a good amount of space on the left side of the unit, thats where my harness and extra wire ended up. All of the AV connections ended up on top of the dynanvin, there is NO space behind or below the unit:


You can see an RCA cable and a "headphone plug" plugged into the aux in jacks for later use if I want to plug in anything to the aux in or you can run a a/v cable and use the video input as well.....more on that later....

I put all the unused plugs in a plastic bag both to protect them and to keep them from accidentally touching the chassis of the dynavin and causing any weird problems.




Shoved the dynavin in...took a couple tries to get all the wires out of the way and everything where I wanted it. Put the vents back in, and put 2 screws back in to hold everything where it belongs, here you might want to make sure everything is exactly where you want it before you tighten up the screws, the dyanvin fits very well but there is a little wiggle room and I wanted to make sure my gaps were even all the way around.

Now back to that plastic arm and lever....I had my glove compartment out to remove my old bluetooth kit so I stuck my head in there to verify that nothing was binding up the lever and arm. There was a wire back there in this pic, a little too close, I moved it.



I ran the mic, ipod cable, and aux in to where they belonged, you can put them wherever you want, in my case i put the plugs in my euro tray and the mic above the rearview mirror in the factory location. Ran the RCA cable to the trunk, I ran the rca so I could do a little experimenting using the "speaker outputs" vs.the rca outputs.





back in one piece:







INITIAL IMPRESSIONS
The V5 has the same fit, cosmetics, buttons, knobs etc... as the V4 and thats a very good thing, it looks OEM and overall has a quality look and feel to it.

Plugged it in and fired it up, just like the older units the V5 turns on very fast, only a couple seconds and its up and running, MUCH MUCH MUCH faster to start up than the pioneer units that I install regularly and also much faster than my oem NAVs in my acura and lexus.

Unlike with my previous dynavin install, this one was noise free as the Dynavins now come with Line Output Converters to eliminate the past unwanted noise issues, and there is now no unwanted noise in the system. The line level RCAs work great, as far as I can tell with just my ears the dynavin will go to max volume on the RCA outputs clean. This gave my system significantly more available volume than I had with the BMW headunit. Subjectively I would say it is 30%+ louder without any audible distortion. If you are running the factory amp and speakers you should expect similar or slightly better than stock sound quality.

The new interface is completely different, it has mostly orange, white and black displays that match the oem display color and style well.








Overall the audio portion works pretty good, the settings are logical and well laid out although basic, bass, trebel, fader, balance. These controls can be accessed via the settings menu but are also accessible by pressing the volume button....old school....NICE!










RADIO

The Radio works as expected, reception seems fine and the interface is a little more intuative than it used to be. Presets are set and used on the touch screen and you can save stations by frequency or by the name. RDS data displays station,song,artist,etc...






DVD/CD/ETC...

Also works as expected, it will play mp3 data discs with the same interface as the USB.

Picture quality is similar to the older units (and that is good!)






BLUETOOTH
Bluetooth paired to my iphone 3GS no problem and the blutooth audio works very good, both audio and phone connect VERY fast, only a couple seconds to connect.

The bluetooth audio streaming feature does not get enough attention on the dynavin, I think it is the units best feature! With the V5 the audio quality is now good enough to use for music as well as talk! The play/pause button worked with the bluetooth audio, so I can be listening to a podcast with my iphone in my pocket, leave the car, come back and press play and pick up right where I left off. Very nice. I also stream sirius to my iphone using the sirius app or "pocket tunes" app. Works as a nice alternative to sat radio.



The phone book still doesnt work well with the iphone, the contacts do not transfer but you can access your recent dialed and received calls. Your results may vary depending on the phone. Ive had mixed results with calls, just like on the older dynavins I had the best results by using the built in mic and disconnecting the external mic.....I would suggest you experiment a bit as your results may vary.


IPOD
The ipod interface is a work in progress, while it looks very good and displays all the right info, it takes a few too many button presses to access the required controls and I find it to be a bit too "fiddly" to use while driving. For instance, in order to go "back" you have to access a menu while it should just be a static button on the screen. I have been in touch with dynavin about this however and they are working on updating the firmware to make the interface more user friendly possibly even incorporating the steering wheel buttons into the interface. These changes will be firmware update-able so no worries for you current buyers. Its still way easier to use than a DICE or similar unit, its just that it could be MUCH better with just a couple small tweaks. (you can turn off the annoying beep)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wtUWpFI1jc

HOWEVER I did find that using the supplied remote control makes using the ipod interface a pleasure, with hard buttons for every function its a near perfect ipod interface.....now if dynavin can just mimic the remotes features with the on screen display or the buttons/knobs it will be fantastic!

UPDATE: Dynavin has successfully integrated the steering wheel controls into the ipod interface and this functionality will be available in a future firmware update once its been fully tested and any bugs worked out. Here it is being used in my car.....fantastic feature!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOe0vBVzDxM










The old models had an ipod video function....but because of a apple imposed incompatibility it didnt work unless you had a jailbroken iphone or ipod touch. Because of this Dynavin has removed the video function from the ipod interface.

BUT you can use the A/V inputs to run video off your ipod. I used an ipod>A/V plug hooked up to the aux in. You have to control it from the ipod obviously but it works.


USB

The USB function works fine although in some ways not as well as on the older units. The new interface does not seem to have the folder limitations that the old one did but it now only support 2 layers of folders.....so it will only see your album folders and your songs but NOT your artist folders....probably not a big issue for many of you but I like to navigate my music by artist>album>song, three layers, so it doesnt work that great for me. Also the load time is a bit slow.....it takes about 45 seconds to load my 16GB USB. Not a deal breaker but the old dynavins loaded faster (although I still need to play around with the file structure to see if that speeds things up)






I got this plug from pac audio and decided to do a nice flush mounted usb in the eurotray.





sweeeeet




DVB-TV
Dynavin has now moved the TV tuner out of the unit and it will be available as a separate add on option, they did this to simplify production and better serve multiple markets (and probably to keep the price down as well)....different countries use different broadcast standards and in the past Dynavin had to make multiple models for different countries, now all the Dynavin E46 models will be the same and the customer will be able to add whatever tuner is appropriate for their country. I was not able to try one of these as the tuners have not been released yet but from what I understand they will be "hide away" and be controlled by the touch screen. The V5 has a large multi pin "Din" style plug in place to accept these upcoming tuners. Ill update this post when I know more.


3G INTERNET FUNCTION
I dont yet have this working on my unit....or should I say that I am still trying to figure out what kind of data sim card to use and I dont want to get roped into a ridiculous 24 month contract just to test it out....If anyone knows a US carrier that offers a "pay as you go" plan on JUST A SIM CARD with no ridiculous fees let me know and Ill get this thing working!



NEW SCREEN!

Dynavin is now using a matte finish screen, when used in conjunction with the supplied anti glare screen protector the glare problem that has plagued the Dynavin from the beginning is greatly improved. I specifically looked to find a reflection to take this pic, this is not the angle that I have when Im driving!



note that in the area of the screen where the rear window reflection is you can still see the display behind the glare. The screen itself is also brighter.

The new screen combined with my glare fix (see the other dynavin info thread for more info) have made glare issues a thing of the past for me.


NAV/WINDOWS

The Nav/Windows portion of the V5 is unchanged so the following is just copied over from the other thread.

The nav portion is good, the large font thing on the street names is kind of odd but is better on some of the zoom/angle settings. I also find it odd that I cant seem to make it display the direction of travel as "up" in 2D mode. I need to play around with this part some more to see if I can find settings to work a couple of the kinks like that out. Overall I would say that the Nav is on par or better than most of the other OEM or aftermarket ones I have used.

Map screens (iGo 8)




Looking for lunch....POI screen






the igo software is easy to modify and there is a large online community dedicated to customizing and tweaking it. Since the igo nav system is on the micro sd card in the front of they dyanavin it is easy to take out, stick it in your computer and HACK it. Im not going to go into the details here but I googled it and found some skins and some different color schemes, played around with it, and found some some stuff that I really liked, much better looking, cleaner, more adjustable, even easier to use. Here is what the skin I am using now looks like:







the skin you see here is from:
http://www.igo8mods.com/dimka.htm

And the color scemes I found here, I liked the stuff by "Xerses"
http://artwork-igo8.blogspot.com/search/label/scheme

Update: Im now running a customized 800x480 high res version of igo8.3, It looks amazing, it works amazing. It wasnt easy as I am not a computer programmer but i was able to figure it out (with a little help), spend some time here if you want to make it happen:

http://dynavin.freeforums.org

There is also a lot of discussion of this on the other Dynavin info thread in recent weeks.


If you want to customize your Navigation experience.....start by looking here: http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=754606&page=42 There are some good links on this page of the thread that will get you going in the right direction:


Check out the size of the fonts (yes I can see them while driving, pic quality here limited due to iphone pic while driving).....800x480.....nice!




And the windows interface, you wont see this stuff unless you go looking for it.




windows media player





Random video of the Dynavin in action

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71P3Jz6Qa_8

In this video Im running iGo Primo for the Nav instead of the stock iGo8...very nice!





a pic of a finished install in a fellow fanatics car, I thought it looked great in his dash!



and a shot in my car





VERDICT:

I gave the old unit a 6/10.....with the improvements to the V5 I give it a 7/10 with potential to be an 8/10 if the ipod and USB interface improves, as it sits now it is a fantastic value, and a very very good, if slightly flawed upgrade.

to be continued...
 
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#2 · (Edited)
OEM NAVIGATION INSTALL:

If you have the OEM NAV system in your car your install will be somewhat different than the standard install requiring running a cable from the trunk to the dash.

Credit to E46fanatic "WanderLustMan" who has done an excellent write up that I am reposting here:




Hey all, I created a HOWTO for people with the OEM navigation. It's at my blog in the link below and I've posted the body of it here (formatting is a bit jacked but you get the gist).

OEM NAV Dynavin HOWTO

There are guides online (and from Jeff himself) about installing a Dynavin if you have a Business CD radio in an E46. What I could not find was specific information on how to do it for an <strong>E46 with OEM Navigation</strong>. The setup is different because most of the electronics are located in the back of the car so it requires a bit more work than a car without Navigation.

***NOTE***: Jeff provides a very comprehensive guide for the standard non-Nav install so I won't go into detail on those steps here. *These are the OEM Navigation specific parts of the install that you can use in addition to what Jeff provides.

GOOD READS BEFORE STARTING

<a title="Bimmerfest DICE Installation Guide" href="http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=151481" target="_blank">DICE Installation Guide</a> - gives you a good sense of how to remove the items in the trunk and how running the cables to the front will work

REQUIRED ITEMS:

- Dynavin E46
- 3 Cables (let's call it the "Fakra Cable Kit"). All three of these can be purchased from JEff:
1. Fakra 5M extension cable (needed for NAV cars in order to connect the Dynavin to the sound system in the trunk)
2. Antenna extension cable
3. Steering wheel control extension
- Tools:
1. Flat head screwdriver
2. Phillips screwdriver
3. Butter knife wrapped in electrical tape or a trim removal tool
4. Nail file (very important, needed to remove head unit)

STEP 1: Organize parts before starting
<span style="text-decoration:underline;"><strong> </strong></span>Below is what comes in the box from Jeff.
<p style="text-align:center;"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://lemalife.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/wpid-wpid-p1020294-2010-10-9-10-311-2010-10-9-10-31.jpg" alt="wpid-wpid-p1020294-2010-10-9-10-311-2010-10-9-10-31.jpg" width="800" height="600" /></p>
<p style="text-align:left;">Below are the parts you will not need (or the parts that are optional) for the OEM Nav installation. From left to right:</p>

<ul style="list-style-type:disc;">
<li><em><strong>(2) Line Output Converters</strong></em> - these are installed at the trunk end of the Fakra cable if you'd like and hear noise from the system after your install. Mine is fine so far so I have not installed these. It would require splicing the Fakra cable and putting these inline matching the colors on each box to the colors on the Fakra cable.</li>
<li><em><strong>External bluetooth microphone</strong></em> - so far so good with the in-unit microphone so I have not installed this yet</li>
<li><em><strong>Steering wheel control cable</strong></em> - you will replace this with the extension that is part of the "Fakra Cable Kit" above.</li>
<li><em><strong>Antenna plug </strong></em>- I have a 2005 car, so I did not use this part, used the other one that comes in the package</li>
<li><em><strong>Remote control </strong></em>- probably never going to use it</li>
<li><strong><em>USB cable</em></strong> - I'm not sure where this goes or what the purpose is. *Maybe to connect a USB device to the front port on the Dynavin?</li>
<li><strong><em>Dynavin Harness</em></strong> - This is confusing in the instructions for the non-NAV units. *You do not need this at all. *It is replaced by the Fakra cable. *So put it away as soon as you unbox the package.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align:center;"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://lemalife.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/wpid-wpid-p1020345-2010-10-9-10-31-2010-10-9-10-31.jpg" alt="wpid-wpid-p1020345-2010-10-9-10-31-2010-10-9-10-31.jpg" width="800" height="600" /></p>
<a href="http://lemalife.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/p1020346.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-42" title="P1020346" src="http://lemalife.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/p1020346.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="600" /></a>
<h2><strong><span style="text-decoration:underline;">STEP 2: Remove trim above glovebox and nav console</span></strong></h2>
It's pretty easy to remove the trim above the glove box and the navigation console. *Just be careful and deliberate and if you follow Jeff's instructions you should be fine.

Here is what my car looks like with the trim removed:

<a href="http://lemalife.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/p1020298.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-48" title="P1020298" src="http://lemalife.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/p1020298.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="600" /></a>

Remove the vents per the instructions in Jeff's guide. *Wasn't as hard as it seemed. *Just be deliberate, pull out and up and the vents should come out.

<a href="http://lemalife.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/p1020300.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-49" title="P1020300" src="http://lemalife.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/p1020300.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="600" /></a>
<h2><span style="text-decoration:underline;"><strong>Step 3: Remove the OEM Navigation console</strong></span></h2>
Once you have removed the two screws on top of the console you need to remove the two silver ones on the bezel of the OEM Nav itself before you can pull the console out. *If you try to pull the radio out after removing the screws you will see that it will not budge much at all. *I tried for a long time until I searched around and realized that the OEM Nav has two tabs located on the bottom bezel (at the right and left edges) that keep the radio in place. *You need to push these tabs down in order to slide the radio out.

First press the eject button with the power on to open the radio so you can access these magical tabs. *Disconnect the battery in the trunk once the radio is open to avoid it closing again.

<a href="http://lemalife.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/p1020303.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-50" title="P1020303" src="http://lemalife.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/p1020303.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="600" /></a>

Here is the approximate location of the tabs. *Insert the nail file into one side until it clicks and then pull that side of the radio out a bit. *Then repeat it for the other side. *Once that's done, the radio should slide out quite easily. *It will be connected by a blue and a white plug only. *To remove the plugs, you have to press the locking mechanism on each plug that holds the grey bracket in place. *Then you push the grey bracket down and it will force each plug out.

<a href="http://lemalife.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/p1020299.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-51" title="P1020299" src="http://lemalife.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/p1020299.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="600" /></a>

<a href="http://lemalife.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/p1020306.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-52" title="P1020306" src="http://lemalife.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/p1020306.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="600" /></a>

Now you should place the OEM console aside. *I plan to sell it on eBay to recoup some of the cost. *Now let's move to the trunk and start running the cables to the front into the hole we just created.
<h2><span style="text-decoration:underline;"><strong>Step 4: Remove old BM53 system and DVD navigation drive</strong></span></h2>
Once you remove the side carpet (see DICE instructions above in the GOOD READS) and disconnect the battery you should be looking at something like this:

<a href="http://lemalife.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/p10203101.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-54" title="P1020310" src="http://lemalife.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/p10203101.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="600" /></a>

Remove the screws with washers holding the DVD drive and the silver BM53 Radio. *The plug that is connected to the silver radio is what you will plug into your Fakra cable as seen below:

<a href="http://lemalife.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/p1020312.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-55" title="P1020312" src="http://lemalife.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/p1020312.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="600" /></a>

Fakra cable connected.

<a href="http://lemalife.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/p1020313.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-56" title="P1020313" src="http://lemalife.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/p1020313.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="600" /></a>
<h2><strong><span style="text-decoration:underline;">Step 5: Run "Fakra Cable Kit" to the front of car</span></strong></h2>
The Fakra cable is connected. *Now we need to connect the other two cables that go to the front, the antenna extension and the steering wheel control extension. *The antenna extension connects to the black and pink colored connector that was plugged into the BM53 radio originally. *The steering wheel control box connects to a wire that comes out of the Fakra cable. *The extension then connects to that box. *You can see that in the picture below:

<a href="http://lemalife.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/p1020317.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-57" title="P1020317" src="http://lemalife.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/p1020317.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="600" /></a>

Since I wasn't installing a rear camera I took the AMP Con, Rear Camera and Parking cables coming out of the Fakra and simply wrapped them in electrical tape to make sure they didn't cause any problems.

After I did this, I simply lowered removed the back bottom cushion of seats and lowered the back seats to get the three cables to the front. *I did tuck the cables under the driver's side cushion near the windows and then ran them along the bottom of the back seats. *I didn't want to do the whole cable install until I knew the system was working.

<a href="http://lemalife.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/p1020319.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-58" title="P1020319" src="http://lemalife.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/p1020319.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="600" /></a><a href="http://lemalife.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/p1020322.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-60" title="P1020322" src="http://lemalife.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/p1020322.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="600" /></a>

Now remove the glove box as per the instructions in the DICE Installation linked at the top of the post. *It involves taking out 5 screws. *Very easy. Once you run the three cables haphazardly through the glove box they should poke out of the console like this:

<a href="http://lemalife.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/p1020324.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-61" title="P1020324" src="http://lemalife.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/p1020324.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="600" /></a>
<h2><strong><span style="text-decoration:underline;">Step 6: Install GPS antenna, other cables and test the Dynavin unit</span></strong></h2>
First place the GPS antenna in the right spot. *I put mine on top of the metal bar behind where the Dynavin is going to go.

Now it's time to plug in a bunch of cables into the Dynavin. *I plugged in the following to the unit:
<ul>
<li>GPS antenna</li>
<li>Fakra cable</li>
<li>Antenna extension</li>
<li>After the unit was in the console I plugged in these as well:
<ul>
<li>Steering wheel control into IR input</li>
<li>USB extension (routed to glovebox for now)</li>
<li>iPhone connection (routed to glovebox for now)</li>
<li>Aux in for random audio connection (routed to glovebox for now)</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
Once those are all in, you need to start to insert the Dynavin unit into the console slot. *It's easier with the Nav unit because there is more room in the console since there are less wires. *Just remember to have the plugs come out through the top where the vents are. *Jeff has good instructions on how to push the unit back into the compartment.

Here's the unit ready to test after I pushed it back into the spot:

<a href="http://lemalife.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/p1020326.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-65" title="P1020326" src="http://lemalife.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/p1020326.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="600" /></a>

Now recheck all connections, make sure nothing is connected where it shouldn't be and then replug in the battery. *If all goes well you will be greeted with something like this. *WOOHOO!

<a href="http://lemalife.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/p1020327.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-66" title="P1020327" src="http://lemalife.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/p1020327.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="600" /></a>

At this point I tested all the functions: *played radio, used navigation, used music from USB, played a DVD, etc.

Once I knew everything was working then I proceeded to close everything up and route the cables properly.
<h2><strong><span style="text-decoration:underline;">Step 7: Put console back together, route cables properly and close up</span></strong></h2>
Tuck the rest of the unused connections into the console and out of the way of the vents. *Plug the vents back into place. *Put the two black screws that hold the vents in place back in (they also hold the Dynavin in place). *Before tightening them, make sure everything looks square and in the correct place.

<a href="http://lemalife.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/screen-shot-2010-10-09-at-1-06-01-pm.png"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-67" title="Screen shot 2010-10-09 at 1.06.01 PM" src="http://lemalife.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/screen-shot-2010-10-09-at-1-06-01-pm.png" alt="" width="507" height="342" /></a>

Replace the center trim and the passenger side trim. *Next move below to the glovebox and start routing the cables properly. *You have to tuck them in under the plastic molding along the passenger door. *I put the antenna extension and the steering wheel extension into the molding first and used the thicker Fakra cable to hold those cables tucked in under the molding.

<strong>***CAUTION***</strong>: *The antenna extension cable is just barely long enough to reach the trunk. *If I were to do it again, I would have it take up less space in the glovebox to give me some more slack in the trunk.

<a href="http://lemalife.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/p1020337.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-68" title="P1020337" src="http://lemalife.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/p1020337.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="600" /></a>

<a href="http://lemalife.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/p1020338.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-69" title="P1020338" src="http://lemalife.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/p1020338.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="600" /></a>

Once that is all done, replace the back seat cushion, put the carpet back in the trunk, clean up all the loose ends and you are done. *This is how mine looks like now :).

<a href="http://lemalife.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/p1020343.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-70" title="P1020343" src="http://lemalife.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/p1020343.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="600" /></a>

That is the install. I'm pretty happy with the new system. There is a lot of playing around you can do with the software and I'm just jumping into that.
 
#5 ·
Yep, thats the nature of progress, but the V4 is still a pretty nice unit.....Either way is still a big uprade over a 10 year old business head unit!
 
#7 ·
Hmm..this v5 is the first one that actually had me pondering the possibilities.

I've concluded that it's still a no-go for me without:

1.) being able to use the talking face button on the steering wheel to activates a phones' voice dialing. That is critical. The Parrot/Connects2 system can do that so it's doable. Phone use/dialing while driving became illegal in my area this year. This is a must have.

2.) showing ID3 text from a USB stick. I love using tunes from a USB stick (have GROM USB currently). Also, I agree it should go deeper in folders (genre/artist/album/song or even artist/album/song). Can you do random from the USB stick? If so random within a folder or jsut the whole stick?

It's getting close though, WAY better than v1,v2.
 
#16 ·
2.) showing ID3 text from a USB stick. I love using tunes from a USB stick (have GROM USB currently). Also, I agree it should go deeper in folders (genre/artist/album/song or even artist/album/song). Can you do random from the USB stick? If so random within a folder or jsut the whole stick?

It's getting close though, WAY better than v1,v2.
Hmmm, Mine shows id3 tags (V4), Name of song, year, artist etc. To be honest have not looked if there is a random function.
 
#8 ·
Thanks for the update Jeff!!! Looks nice, but I still prefer the older interface. Might be because I am used to it though. Great posts as usual with the most current Dynavin news.

This was one of the greatest mods I have done for the interior of my BMW. Dynavin may have some quirks, but the the amount of $$$$ you pay for it, you get bang for the buck. I would also recommend that Fanatics only buy this from sponsors. Anyone else, you might get hosed. Keep the new info coming Jeff, and thanks again for the great work.
 
#9 ·
Can't your phone do voice dialing? I understand you want the steering control function of press, speak the name and it dials. You should still have that function from your phone if it came with it. The iPhone does and you will still be using the car speakers and dynavin mic when it starts dialing and your call is connected. Not a deal breaker for me anyway since I still have that function.

I am getting this at just the right time. October 1st the law takes affect that requires Bluetooth here in MD
 
#10 · (Edited)
^^^this is correct, as long as your phone isnt in your pocket all you have to do is hold down the home button.....and proceed using the blutooth, not perfect but it works. But I find the iphone voice dial doesnt understand me correctly all the time anyway....I dont use it much.
 
#12 ·
Well.....it depends. The functionality is pretty much the same so it kind of depends on where your priorities are, if you use the USB for music the V1-V4 are better (except for the folder limitation), if you use ipod more the new ipod interface is slick, but still could really use a couple improvements to make it more user friendly. Overall the user interface is cleaner louking and the screen is nice on the new unit but is that worth spending another $600-$700......:hmm:
 
#13 ·
I've been enjoying my new V5 for about 2 weeks now. I've upgraded several aspects of my e46 over the years - but I can say this is by far my favorite. The unit may not be perfect as Jeff mentions, but not only are the minor setbacks identified above (so you know what you are getting into) but also the unit seems to be ever evolving for the better. For the price its way more bang for the buck than any other in dash upgrade I've seen.

If you are on the fence - I'd definitely recommend growing a pair and ordering one. I've shown a few of my buddies - who are all sold on the upgrade and will be purchasing one in the near future. There's no need to fret about potential issues - Jeff's customer service is first class and every possible question I have had has been answered in his forums. Undoubtably the best place to get your hands on one of these devices and release your inner nerd!
 
#15 ·
:read:

Due to this post, my involvement in the Dynavin community, and the scary situations in the above links I have decided to become a Dynavin dealer. You can now get a Dynavin from me along with all the help and advice you might need.....DYNAVIN SOLUTIONS.... PM me for details or look for me in the sponsor forum here:http://directory.e46fanatics.com/spo...avinSolutions/ or click the link in my sig.

look in his sig, link to WANT DYNAVIN

everything is there.
 
#17 ·
Curious, is there any way to upgrade the Dynavin software....since it is still Windows CE based? Just to try out the new V5 software interface. Right now, owning a V3 Dynavin, I have no problem with the different knobs, just wonder if the interface can be updated and backed up on a SD memory card....so I can revert or roll back.
 
#18 · (Edited)
Nope, the windows board is completely separate from the A/V hardware, the dynavin is running two systems in parallel and the windows stuff has no connection to the new stereo interface. There is a dedicated firmware that runs the stereo interface. Since the new platform has different hardware, the firmware is incompatible.
 
#24 ·
No rds tricks required, it works correctly....ill check on the random usb function and let you know
 
#23 ·
Darkoz, the v1-v4 has the zoran chip, they are pretty much the same. The v5 looks completely different because it is completely different!
 
#26 ·
yes he did say that, but remember the "Version" numbers are an entirely made up nomenclature.....he was referring to the unit that we are now calling the V5, at the time I do think he called it a V4 but that was before there was a V4! The new chip is a sunplus.
 
#29 ·
hmmm ok, soooo?

Lets clarify a couple things for everyone that already have a dynavin and want to upgrade... :idea:

~Does this version come with the new firmware/software/chip? Because on the old one (v1,2,3,4) we weren't able to mod the software or hack it in any way.
At some point vasilis from the dynavin forums tried to change the theme of the dynavin and flashed his whole unit. I remember him talking about a sunplus or zoran chip or something.. Is it changed?

~Can we update the software with this new version if there are fixes for the bugs?

~Are there more theme options/skins for the main menus? Can you create your own?

~Does the subwoofer and mid controls work? Are they fixed?

~Does the music randomly stop when you get a call through bluetooth or when you put the car in reverse? Is it fixed?

~When you are getting directions from the gps voice, does the unit stop the music completely or does it turn down halfway/talk/turn up?

~Is there a fix for auto Random/shuffle function? Whenever you get on CD/USB mode, it plays where you left off but turns off the randomize option for some reason? Is it fixed?

~TMC hardware included? Is there an add on option?

~IPhone OS4 Compatibility? I remember my iPhone 3g worked good with the iPod hook-up but then i updated the software on my phone and all of a sudden it doesnt work... Is it fixed?

there are many more bugs that need to be fixed but without these bugs not being fixed, I feel like theres no need to upgrade the unit since the only thing changed is the design and better looking buttons..

Dont get me wrong, it is still one of the best mods i've done to my car and if dynavin fixed all of these issues and came out with a new model then people would pay more than 600-700 bucks. I personally would pay around 1000 bucks for a unit that worked the way it should.. just my .02 though. I dont know if these bugs annoy you enough or not...
 
#32 ·
Lets clarify a couple things for everyone that already have a dynavin and want to upgrade... :idea:

~Does this version come with the new firmware/software/chip? Because on the old one (v1,2,3,4) we weren't able to mod the software or hack it in any way.
At some point vasilis from the dynavin forums tried to change the theme of the dynavin and flashed his whole unit. I remember him talking about a sunplus or zoran chip or something.. Is it changed?
New chip, everything is different and the above is an unknown at this point.

~Can we update the software with this new version if there are fixes for the bugs?
The firmware on the new unit is easily updated, it can be emailed and is loaded using the USB.

~Are there more theme options/skins for the main menus? Can you create your own?
not on the stereo side of things, the Nav options are unchanged

~Does the subwoofer and mid controls work? Are they fixed?
They are gone (like I said, it is different)

~Does the music randomly stop when you get a call through bluetooth or when you put the car in reverse? Is it fixed?
I wouldnt call stopping the music for a phone call "random"....there has been lots of discussion of the back up camera mute on the other threads

~When you are getting directions from the gps voice, does the unit stop the music completely or does it turn down halfway/talk/turn up?
It now does directions in the front speakers and reduces the volume out of the rear speakers but does not stop music playback

~Is there a fix for auto Random/shuffle function? Whenever you get on CD/USB mode, it plays where you left off but turns off the randomize option for some reason? Is it fixed?
Dont know anything about this

~TMC hardware included? Is there an add on option?
Not that I know of

~IPhone OS4 Compatibility? I remember my iPhone 3g worked good with the iPod hook-up but then i updated the software on my phone and all of a sudden it doesnt work... Is it fixed?
I have not heard of any compatibility issues with iOS4

there are many more bugs that need to be fixed but without these bugs not being fixed, I feel like theres no need to upgrade the unit since the only thing changed is the design and better looking buttons...
Everything about the unit is different (except the nav) so not a lot of the previous criticisms apply.
 
#30 ·
this USB you guys are talking about, I understand it is another USB connection aside from the ipod connection and I believe there are two, right? one on front and one on back that are linked internally?

so I can just use a USB thumb drive right? I think that is what I saw in one of your pics Jeff. That is mounted under the arm rest in the flush mount.

so, assuming this is the case, when the 3G modem comes out, would we be able to use the thumb drive, ipod and the 3g modem or would the thumb drive have to be removed to use the modem?
 
#31 ·
you have this mostly right....but there is a third USB for the windows board, the modem plugs in there....so no, you would not have to unplug anything.
 
#33 ·
Here are the posted differences by Dynavin, there may be more.

1: RDS can save the radio station name instead of frequency
2: People can watch and operate navigation software while on the phone calling
3: Navigation sound can come out from the front speaker while music comes out from the rear speaker under the navigation makes sound command
4: Can be compatiable with MEPG-4 dual channel DVB-T box or American ATSC digital TV, the speedperhour can be 250km / hour
5: Can adjust the screen brightness and contrast from the Main Menu directly
 
#51 · (Edited)
One audio/video Aux input

Hi to all members!

V5 keeped the function of dim button?? The right 'X' there was in the right corner of V.4 DVN-E46 unit. It was great to dim OFF the display while driving in the nights, hope the V.5 supports this.
The V5 no longer has the button to turn off the screen, it does have easy access to the screen controls however so it is easy to just turn the screen brightness all the way down... effectively turning it off.

Everything about this unit sounds great, however, I read on the Dynavin site that the audio out's are only 1.2v... most high-end head units put out 4v (or greater).

Don't get me wrong, the Dynavin looks like a fantastic deal for the price -- but I'm just curious, are there any audiophiles who've installed one and been completely satisfied with the sound quality?
How exactly does the SQ compare to high end HU's and multi-media units? (assuming that you're running quality cables, nice amps & speakers)
Most high end units do have high volt preouts....but I wouldnt consider the dynavin "high end".... The dynavin has a basic feature set so if you want extensive adjustments, EQs, crossovers, time alignment, etc...look elsewhere (or run an preamp EQ with all those functions, thats what I do)

I have a full aftermarket system in my car and the RCA outputs seem to have plenty of output, my gains are set low and I have no hiss or anything like that so I would say the voltage is sufficient to run most amps or preamps without issue. (remember .5V was considered standard until only a few years ago)



Also, noticed on the Dynavin engrish website that at the bottom of the Dyanvin for e46 page they have a pic / text that say 'Google Map + GPS Tracker'..false advertising or can/does this thing run Google Maps?

you are misunderstanding what you are seeing there, if you have the 3G modem you can enable a GPS tracker using dynavins website....and the website uses google maps....
 
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