Mini Sat Nav Screen

[Tweedbean]

Is it possible to retro fit this purely as an addition screen for a dvd head unit.

I have a tomtom so I have no need for the sat nav. I dont like the look of a flip up screen, dvd head unit in a Mini. Has anyone else done this? I currently have a chrono pack and wish I'd brought a mini with the factory fit screen now.

[chris.lamb]

Yes it can be done, but its not easy.

You will need a brand new, never been coded before, centre instrument pack and NAV Screen, very expensive from a stealer!

After fitting you would then need the new pack coding to the car by the dealer.

The you would need a DVD to RGsB converter to feed the video to the screen. Not impossible but again expensive for plug & play unit.

Would be easir to fit a composite 6.5" screen into the centre pack instead of using the MINI Sat Nav screen.

How much of a challenge do you want?

[chris.lamb]

Just remebered.............
without the NAV Computer the screen won't start up correctly as the Nav computer controls the screen on/off.
So best to use a different screen.

[nikos1890]

...is it possible to order only the instrument cluster as i see it here:

RealOEM.COM * BMW R53 Cooper S INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, NAVIGATION

....without the nav screen???

[chris.lamb]

Yes. Pricey though.

If you are thinking to fit another screen it needs to be 6.5" widscreen, 7" is too big, I already tried this..............

[nikos1890]

..you are right, i checked today with my local dealership and the parts without the display cost 432 euros.
Chris,can you please tell me a little more about the 7'' display.I am thinking exaclty this,to put an aftermaket screen.Does it fis the cluster and blocks out a little information or it does'nt fit at all??
What have you done in the end?

[chris.lamb]

nikos1890,

a 7" widscreen LCD won't fit at all, it's just too big all round to fit into the hole in the instrument pack.

If you want to use a 7" screen then it has to be motorised and come out of the Head Unit or installed in place of the Head Unit and you move the heater controls & switches down to make room for it.

In the end I tracked down a 2nd hand Navigation system from a crashed car an retrofitted that into my car.

I play DVDs with a CarPC to the OE screen using an RGsB signal fed to via a VGA switchbox.

Hope this helps you..........

[ff_mark]

Just think out loud here, but, could you not use the current housing to mount the screen in ?

[nikos1890]

..chris i only care about fitting an aftermarket screen in the centre on the dash just like the factory sat-nav.I dont like 1din units with 7'' screen although is the easyest and cheaper way to have navigation in the MINI,besides of course the portable pna's but with smaller screens.So i think the only way is to find a used or order a new instrument cluster and start checking stores with screens. Can you plase tell me what did you have in the center of the dash before retrofitting the sat-nav?.Did you find any problem connecting the old wiring in the new cluster like fuel,airbag,bonnet/tailgate,coolant temp,flat tire and break pad indicators and warrning lamps as well as the hazard warning indicator and the instrument dimmer??
You told me that you purchaced a second hand navi screenYou mean you found the coplete system with the dvd drive and all?Can you tell me what kind of input does the oem display have?You said RGsB??
And final question chris.....i have the trip computer on rev counter,it is possible to have these informations on the OEM screen?Does the OEM sceeen includes also a trip computer?

thanks again...

[chris.lamb]

Before retrofitting OEm Sat Nav I had a normal round speedo in the middle of my dash.
No problems with wriring, just disconnect old round speedo and fit new Sat Nav pack, the pinouts are the same but the new Sat Nav pack will coding to your car to work.

Remember if you do this you will also need the double steering column pack (speedo+tacho) or car will not have a speedo!

I bought my complete OE Sat Nav part by part 2nd hand, btw its CD not DVD. Parts came from breakers, ebay, contacts, etc.

As I said I am using RGsB input to OE screen from a Matrox Millenium VGA card in my CarPC using powerstrip to get the correct timings. Google BMW RGSB powerstrip to fidn other BMW uses of this. The MINI screen is the same as E46 & E39 BMW screen.

The OEM screen does not include trip computer in the Sat Nav functions.

IF you insist on using a 7" display then I think your best bet is the move the Head Unit into the passenger glovebox, move the heater controls & switchpack down a bit and put the screen there. I mocked this up in my car before I got the Sat Nav screen and it fits well as a 7" screen is just the right width to match the car.

Hope this helps!!!!!

[nikos1890]

...chris thanks for your answer.I telephoned over a shop with second hand bmw parts and they told me they have the navicreen and they giving it away for 600 euros.I just have to got there and check its condition.
Please answer me this chris.Does the oem screen has RGsb input socket???
This is crusial cause i am thinking of installing on the screen an aftermarket gps device with rgb ouput like this:
?????????? Navi Box OS100 - Navimania

I also found i nice blog of a guy changing the oem screen of his bmw with an aftermarket.

High Resolution LCD

[chris.lamb]

Nikos,

The OEM screen does not have a usual RGB input socket.
1st it needs RGsB, that is Sync on Green video signal.
2nd you need to connect via the usual car harness connector, pinouts can be found here WDS MINI Wiring Diagram System - MINI R50 R52 R53

Your NaviBox looks doable BUT it MUST output RGsB (sync on green) video, normal RGB won't work with OE display.

I know this blog, clever man!!!!!

[nikos1890]

chris

I checked this website but it seems that all the wiring diagrams are not working.Please if you have something else,please let me know.

i guote from there:

RGB lines
The image signals are transferred via RGB lines to the LC monitor. The user interface, i.e. the menus on the on-board monitor, is set up by the navigation computer.


....but i think you know better that it is actually an RGsB input,right?

Thanks a lot chris

[chris.lamb]

To get the diagrams working you need to install Java & Adobe SVG viewer!

Yes its RGsB NOT RGB, I made a simple sync combiner and RGsB works with the correct timing from Powerstrip.

[nikos1890]

...thanks chris....