Digital Radio for older bmw's review

[martymil]

So I've been playing around with little unit for the past year or so on my
135i's CCC screen and now on my 1M's CIC screen.

http://www.dension.com/products/dab-solutions/dabu

I thought it is time for me to share it with the community.

I live around the Parramatta area and the reception is great, unless you
go in a tunnel or shopping centre carpark, the usual blackspots.

The systems plugs into your usb port under your armrest and a little antenna
goes on your front window

You can't notice it while your driving unless you really look at it.

The minute you turn it on it scans for stations and brings up like a mp3
list on your screen

The minute you select your favourite station you really notice how crap the
analogue stations really are, few people that sat in my car commented how good the stereo sounded and asked what speakers I have.

Stock stereo I tell them, no one believes me.

The stereo in these cars is quite good.

The only time I get drop outs is when you get around 50 km's out from the
stations antenna which is blacktown, bankstown and castlehill roughly.

So if your in the market try this little unit.

Some pics of the antenna

[OzJustin]

Looks like an interesting device. About $200 from a quick search.

Do you need the ugly antenna on your windscreen or is there a more compact antenna option? Did the CCC unit control it well?

[martymil]

The antenna is needed and really cant be seen, no one notices it.

Its just the way I took the pictures to show what it looks like

And yes the ccc controls it well used it for close to a year before I transferred it to my 1m.

Had to buy a new antenna from eBay for around 20 dollars

[BMWRX]

The antenna looks pretty intrusive for anyone sitting in the passenger seat. Why couldn't it go on one of the rear side windows?

[martymil]

The way digital radio works it really has to go on the front window to get the best signal.

That's how all the aftermarket stereos mount their antennas from what I seen.

It never bothered anyone, they don't even notice it.

[Knightelf]

Looks like a good option, thanks for sharing.

Where did you mount the DAB unit and how did you route the antenna wires?

[martymil]

I mounted the unit under the left vent, it just pulls out and the antenna is under that pillar cover running to the digital box under the vent.

I ran the usb cable under the dash to the centre console and have it come out next to the passengers seat

Install takes about an hr taking my sweet time doing it.

[thezone135i]

So you are using the usb input under the arm rest?

[martymil]

Yes you can get one that streams to a radio frequency but I found all the frequencies
in oz have major interference and the sound quality is not as good as usb