Ordered a OEM SIRIUS tuner..

[lannypoffo]

So I'll be finding out myself how the install will go. I already checked and I do have the harness pre-installed. All I will do it bolt down the box with the install kit and plug everything in. Thats the easy part. Then I will have to figure out the MOST bus stuff if I can do it myself, and maybe a dealer reprogram. Theres a lot of conflicting info on this around here..

I'll have pics and writeup in this thread later..

[bimmertech]

you can configure the most loop yourself, however you will have to take it to the dealer for the reprogramming to add the satellite radio.

if you need help pm me.

[lannypoffo]

Originally Posted by bimmertech

you can configure the most loop yourself, however you will have to take it to the dealer for the reprogramming to add the satellite radio.

if you need help pm me.

thanks for the tips! PMing..

[lannypoffo]

is the MOST configuration document confidential or something? Is that why there is no info on it? If I dont find out any info by the time my kit arrives I'll just go to the dealer for that stuff.

[lannypoffo]

I just found the exact writeup I been looking for. Tells you how to configure the MOST. I install fiber almost every day at work, I think its something I can handle.

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10536

So my car has like no options except a USB/ipod addon, so the MOST config should be fairly clear for me.

Reference the thread if you dont know what I'm talking about below. I also found two PDF install guides which I downloaded.

You will first work on your upper junction box:

I will remove fiber cable "4" on the upper junct. box on both ends. The upper box must be a "holding area" for unused cables, and a dead box. I will want those 2 cables into the lower junction box eventually to bring them live. Label those two satellite cables and set them aside for use later.

Next you will work on your lower junction box:

First I move the fiber cable in "slot 1 upper" over to slot 2. This is to make "slot 1 upper" available for your upper satellite cable you pulled earlier.

Then I connect the two sat cables i disconnected earlier to the lower live junction box. They should go in "slot 1 upper" and "slot 2 lower".

If my cables are a bit different there will be slight changes to the fiber cabling. Even if you have more cables in your setup, you still want to make "slot 1 upper" and "slot 2 lower" available on your "live" MOST box which is the lower box. You will solve this by moving all cables one slot to the right on the upper section, and anything in "slot 2" to the right on the bottom section.

*These instructions are for my own clarity, and no responsibility is taken for anyone that tries to follow what is written here.*

[bimmertech]

Originally Posted by lannypoffo

I just found the exact writeup I been looking for. Tells you how to configure the MOST. I install fiber almost every day at work, I think its something I can handle.

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10536

So my car has like no options except a USB/ipod addon, so the MOST config should be fairly clear for me.

Reference the thread if you dont know what I'm talking about below. I also found two PDF install guides which I downloaded.

You will first work on your upper junction box:

I will remove fiber cable "4" on the upper junct. box on both ends. The upper box must be a "holding area" for unused cables, and a dead box. I will want those 2 cables into the lower junction box eventually to bring them live. Label those two satellite cables and set them aside for use later.

Next you will work on your lower junction box:

First I move the fiber cable in "slot 1 upper" over to slot 2. This is to make "slot 1 upper" available for your upper satellite cable you pulled earlier.

Then I connect the two sat cables i disconnected earlier to the lower live junction box. They should go in "slot 1 upper" and "slot 2 lower".

If my cables are a bit different there will be slight changes to the fiber cabling. Even if you have more cables in your setup, you still want to make "slot 1 upper" and "slot 2 lower" available on your "live" MOST box which is the lower box. You will solve this by moving all cables one slot to the right on the upper section, and anything in "slot 2" to the right on the bottom section.

*These instructions are for my own clarity, and no responsibility is taken for anyone that tries to follow what is written here.*

just to let you know, the 'slots' they are referring may be different in your car. for the top junction a good check is to pull one line out and shine light into it, you should see light come out of the Sirius MOST connector. if you see light you know this is the Sirius optic line.

for the bottom junction, if slot 2 is already taken up, you just have to go into the next available slot.

good luck

[lannypoffo]

I got the PDF install doc sent to me for the SIRIUS tuner install for the 135i specifically. It is different numbers than the other 2 install guides I have. But install is mostly the same anyway. Should I even bother making a video or taking pics of the install? Its just assembling a mounting bracket, attaching an included fan, then plugging everything in. Then the fiber cord stuff which hopefully is only a couple mins.

I figure i cant do the fiber part until the box is installed and plugged in. Otherwise my MOST bus loop will have a break in it and nothing will work.

[lannypoffo]

my sirius oem kit arrives today. i still need to figure out how to remove that rear seat side cover to access the MOST bus.

[lannypoffo]

The contents:

1 mounting bracket
1 fan
1 SIRIUS tuner
1 bag of bolts

The tuner itself:





The tuner bolts to the bracket with 3 bolts that use an 8mm socket:



The fan bolts to the bracket using two long phillips screws:



I need to determine which way that fan is supposed to flow. The install directions mention nothing about which way the air should flow. I will stage it in my bracket and try and determine the air direction for myself.

I still need to figure out how to get the rear seat side off safely so I can do the MOST bus actions.

[lannypoffo]

Updates:

Here is what my trunk looks like when I lift my trunk mat. I do not have Bluetooth or I-drive, the only option the car has is USB + AUX inputs. (I just realized I appear to have a Bluetooth box in my trunk!) The velcro bundle you see is my pre-wired SIRIUS harness ready to go:



I put the fan blowing "UP" for now. I hope someone with SIRIUS can check their setup for me and see which way their fan blows:



Or if their fan harness is at the TOP like mine:



This is after I slid the satellite bracket under the two tabs on the left, and then tightened the two 11mm socket nuts on the right:



I then luckily found out how to remove the side cover next to the rear seat. It was actually too easy. I removed a few panels before realizing you just pretty much pull from the top. It pops right out. This is the first view of my MOST bus:



The top harness is the "DEAD" unused storage bus. It is just where unused wires are stored. The bottom harness is the "live" harness which is active:



Notice in step 4 of the next pic. It tells me to remove the #4 wire from the TOP harness. Since I have no #4 wire in my top harness I decided to stop there and let the dealer finish this install. I only have wires 1,2 and 3. I would just be guessing and its not worth it.



If I get bored later I suppose I could shine a flashlight down each line in the harness and look for light at my sirius plugin clip..

[lannypoffo]

Originally Posted by bimmertech

for the top junction a good check is to pull one line out and shine light into it, you should see light come out of the Sirius MOST connector. if you see light you know this is the Sirius optic line.

good call, forgot you said that earlier.

[lannypoffo]

It makes more sense to have the fan blowing DOWN.. If it is blowing up it is just blowing against the carpet above it. If it blows down it will fill that whole empty well with airflow. I think I'll switch the fan.

[hansenc]

Thanks for all the pics, I will have to keep an eye on this thread. I wouldn't mind adding sat to my vehicle.

[lannypoffo]

Originally Posted by lannypoffo

So continuing with that theme, if i shine a light and find the satellite connector on top block.. every instruction Ive ever seen shows the satellite goes into bottom block under wire #1 output and wire #2 input. (see the last diagram on that instruction page)

That will mean on the top half of lower block I will move all wires one spot to the right to free up slot #1.

On the bottom half of lower block, I will move the wire in slot #2 to the right one slot, thus freeing up slot #2 for the other satellite wire.

I'll probably try that tomorrow after work. I guess people have said as long as the radio starts up properly then I should have the fiber correct.

[lannypoffo]

Adding info as more and more things become clear about this MOST bus design. On the lower "active" bus:

The bottom is the input side. The top is the output side. That being said:

#1 wire on bottom is master input from head unit. It travels out of #1 wire on top. It then loops around and comes back in #2 wire on bottom, and comes out #2 on top. etc, etc.

That is why the satellite wires are told to go in #1 on top, then it loops around into #2 on bottom.

The last wire in line on the TOP is the final output back to headunit.

If I am completely wrong sorry for spreading bad info. But it seems clear to me.

[lannypoffo]

I DON'T HAVE TO GO TO THE DEALER FOR ANYTHING!! IT WORKS!!

Final update soon.

[lannypoffo]

So I jumped in to tackle the fiber cables.

I took my top block and had to find the cable set which was SIRIUS satellite radio. I started with #1 and then #2. It turned out to be wire #3.

To find out, I had removed wire #3 on top side:



I then shone a flashlight into the glass inside the cable:



At the same time, I unplugged the SIRIUS tuner harness and looked for a light on that end. this is what I saw:



I then knew that wire #3 had to be moved to the "live" lower junction block. As per the multiple directions above, I put my satellite wires in spot #1 upper, and spot #2 lower.

To do this I had to move the 2 upper cables one slot to the right to free up slot #1.

I also had to move the lower cable which was in slot #2 one slot to the right, to free up slot #2 for my new cable.

You can see my satellite cables plugged back in with duct tape to mark them:



I then turned on my radio just to make sure I didnt get some crash error from bad cable hookup. And look what I found...





MYTH BUSTED!!

Now I am going to activate it, and if everything works, I will cancel my $200 dealer appt for next week.

Activation worked, I dont need to go to the dealer for anything.

[monaco1]

nice work how much did the tuner cost you, i will definetly be doing this to my car when it arrives

[lannypoffo]

$493 shipped. Circle BMW.

[lannypoffo]

And some info on my subscriptions:

I usually have 2-3 satellite subs at a time. So I had them swap my old Pioneer tuner subscription to my new oem bmw radio. Then they also signed me up for the free year.

So this oem tuner starts with a free year from BMW, then i get a couple months after that which i had left on my current contract, then i have a $28 credit from a previous transaction also.

PS. This tuner has the best antenna I ever used. On every other car I've had I would not get reception in my garage. With this car I get full reception in my garage.

[thurst0509]

Wow - nice work!

Are you going to look into that Bluetooth box and see if it might be possible to activate it? I'd be very interested in a similar writeup on that since I'm starting to regret my decision not to have ordered BMW Assist...

Update: I just checked my trunk and I too have a box with a Bluetooth emblem on it...

[lannypoffo]

naw im not gonna pursue the Bluetooth right now. I could probably find the fiber input for it and connect it but who knows how many other things are missing.