European AUX Adapter Assembly Tips

[Pritch]

For clarity, I thought I would start a new thread for this as the topic has already been covered in many threads.

I collected the adapter from the dealer today, who confirmed that it is NOT listed as a Mini Part and that he found it by chance. BMW in Munich confirmed that this part number, for the E46 (BMW 3-series) does work in the Mini - in the Boost series of Radios from 09/2002:

Part No.: 65 12 0 153 502 - Auxillary connector.

Here is the contents of the box - the installation instructions are not contained, and would have to be printed out by the dealer for you - I didn't bother, as I had enough documentation thanks to Mini2:


On to the installation:

My new Mini seems to be totally missing any squeeks and rattles and so I didn't really want to totally dismantle the centre console - although I am grateful to Greatbear for his photos, another persons confirmation that it was possible without the disassembly encouraged me to follow his route.

My Mini is a LHD with the storage pack, meaning that I have the glove box etc.

Thanks to Greatbear's photo, I knew that the socket I wanted was on the left side of the radio (looking from the front) and could place it fairly accurately due to the other cables:


Thanks to a small camera, this is the radio from the side rear, fully installed:


I needed to get the plug into this space - lowest, rightmost hole, with the plugs 'locking tab' upwards:


Here is confirmation with the plug connected:


I then checked that it worked:


This is where the cable therefore hangs down - wrong side of the car for the glovebox (when it is LHD). This also shows the covering over the lower dashboard in this version:


To get the cable to the other side of the car, I found that the easiest path was behind this panel - no need to remove the screw (the cable is out of sight):


Inside the glove box, I chose to locate the socket here - high enough to miss the glove box arm, and (as I subsequently found out) - there is nothing directly behind this position:


The installation of the stereo plug to about 5 minutes, (apart from the photos), the fitting of the socket in the glove box is where my hand got hurt. The easiest way is to make sure that the socket hole is large enough and from the underneath, guide the socket onto a 'small rod' to get it through the hole - you need to take of the air pipe first (only loosely located):


Presumably others have done this quicker or better or differently, but it worked for me (total working time: just under 1 hour).

[Froggie]

Those are great instructions. Now what exactly can you plug into that input? Cassette player? MP3 Player?

[Neeshil]

Quote:

Originally posted by Froggie
... Cassette player? ...

Do these still exist?

Thanks for the info Pritch. Do you mind me asking how much the part was from the dealer?

Thanks,

Neeshil

[Pritch]

Consider the socket exactly the same as the line in on your stereo at home - so yes, MP3's etc.

It cost me €48.50 That'll be EURO's - By my reckoning, about Australian $84 (+ plus getting it there from Germany apparently)

[stryder]

Quote:

Originally posted by Froggie
Those are great instructions. Now what exactly can you plug into that input? Cassette player? MP3 Player?

You can plug anything you like into it, because it has an 1/8" stero input. In reality, most people use it for MP3 players. Check out the many other threads (do a search for aux input) on what people are doing with theirs. This thread was just to consolidate the info for outside the US. In the US its an actual MINI part (with a different #) so its a bit simplier.

[Neeshil]

When I got my mini in may the dealer quoted me A$215 in Brisbane, Australia. (Roughly 130 EUROs)

[dutchmike]

Hello,

Can anyone tell me if it is possible to connect an aux-input to my radio Boost?
I have my MC for about 2 weeks now, but it's a second hand car from january 2002.
I've read that the aux input will only work from september 2002, but maybe the US models had different models of radios than in the Netherlands?
So can anyone with a working aux input tell me the model or type of their radio Boost?

Another question: After connecting the aux input the mode button will give the extra aux mode, but how does the radio "see" that the aux input is connected

Michel

[Pritch]

Quote: Originally Posted by dutchmike

Can anyone tell me if it is possible to connect an aux-input to my radio Boost?
I have my MC for about 2 weeks now, but it's a second hand car from january 2002.
I've read that the aux input will only work from september 2002, but maybe the US models had different models of radios than in the Netherlands?
So can anyone with a working aux input tell me the model or type of their radio Boost?

Although I can't confirm 100% - September 2002 means just that - if the Radio is older then it is the older generation. While there can be market differences for some items, there would be no reason to introduce the same basic item in one market before doing so in another - complexity adds costs, and the Mini is complex enough as it is

Quote: Originally Posted by dutchmike

Another question: After connecting the aux input the mode button will give the extra aux mode, but how does the radio "see" that the aux input is connected

Look at the first picture in the thread - there is a 'lump' in the cable at the Auxillary Input end - this is a resistor of some sorts that the Radio can see, and therefore knows that there is an AUX cable connected, even if there is no device on the end of it

[ToreB]

I have not yet seen a schematic of the original cable. Does anyone know what the "lump" consists of? Only a resistor? Several previous threads has suggested capacitors as well.
Maybe someone can strip off the insulation and take a picture?

Regards, Tore

Quote: Originally Posted by Pritch

Although I can't confirm 100% - September 2002 means just that - if the Radio is older then it is the older generation. While there can be market differences for some items, there would be no reason to introduce the same basic item in one market before doing so in another - complexity adds costs, and the Mini is complex enough as it is


Look at the first picture in the thread - there is a 'lump' in the cable at the Auxillary Input end - this is a resistor of some sorts that the Radio can see, and therefore knows that there is an AUX cable connected, even if there is no device on the end of it

[Pritch]

Quote: Originally Posted by ToreB

I have not yet seen a schematic of the original cable. Does anyone know what the "lump" consists of? Only a resistor? Several previous threads has suggested capacitors as well.
Maybe someone can strip off the insulation and take a picture?

Whatever it is, its expensive

I'm not taking the cable apart now that I have got it tidily installed - I'll wait for the next person, or a clever person who just knows what the lump would need to be...

[dutchmike]

Quote: Originally Posted by Pritch

Although I can't confirm 100% - September 2002 means just that - if the Radio is older then it is the older generation. While there can be market differences for some items, there would be no reason to introduce the same basic item in one market before doing so in another - complexity adds costs, and the Mini is complex enough as it is

Pritch, Thanks for the information but my radio looks exactly like yours, not only the front but also the backside are the same, so there are the 3 connectors with 16+12+12=40 pins.
So is this a NG (New Generation) radio?
It's an Alpine CD53R50 part/no: 6 917 521, do you know yours?

Michel

[dutchmike]

Some pictures of the radio, I think this will give some for information.

Michel

[Pritch]

dutchmike,

I can see that your radio was produced in week 11 2002

As you know, I didn't take my radio out, so didn't see the label / part number. All I can do is go with the informationthat I got from BMW - that it is compatible from September 2002 onwards.

Maybe your BMW dealer can confirm a part number change on his parts list for the radio.

The bottom line is that I do not want to be responsible for you spending €50 on a cable, if it doesn't work

[rpenhale]

Is there the option to use an aux cable with the wave head unit as well?

[Pritch]

Quote: Originally Posted by rpenhale

Is there the option to use an aux cable with the wave head unit as well?

No.

Statement from BMW was Boost series of radios...