BP4836 BMW Reverse RDS

[TripsD]

Hello!
I am in the process of upgrading my BMW Reverse RDS (bp4836)
But i need a lot of help...

Here's what i'm planning to do, and what i want out of this project.
[1]: https://i.stack.imgur.com/cRwvs.jpg


In my country, we don't have AM or FM anymore... so i came up with the idea to use my original radio and make it somewhat modern, i want Bluetooth, AUX and DAB+ installed, and i got a tips that a could just change the circuit board, so here i am...
i also want the buttons AM and FM to switch between Bluetooth, AUX, and DAB+. and i want the display to show witch channels i'm on, (Bluetooth, AUX or DAB+) not the radio station or what song i being played. (all the other buttons should work as they do today) but this might need some coding?

And while am on it, maybe put a better amplifier in it as well, to improve the quality a bit.

so, in short term, copy the PCB, switch out the AM and FM circuit, put in a BT DAB and AUX circuit, make it work on the display and put in a better amp. Is it possible?? i know it is, but who can help me?




[2]: https://i.stack.imgur.com/acTGu.jpg
[3]: https://i.stack.imgur.com/wY6l6.jpg

 

[betwixt]

I'm afraid this is rather like asking which parts to change in a moped to turn it into a jet aircraft.

Seriously, it would be FAR cheaper to buy a new radio with the features you need that to attempt a conversion. I've been in the electronics business for half a century doing everything from aircraft landing systems to complex ASIC design and there is no way I would attempt something like this. You need skills in PCB design, manufacture, software and a good knowledge of how digital radio system work. It isn't a simple task. If I had to do it, I would estimate three months of work would be needed.

Brian.

 

[Kripton2035]

completely agree with betwixt...

 

[TripsD]

Tanks for the reply! the reason i want to do this is because i want the look of the radio, not a modern radio. I want to keep the car as esthetic 90's look as possible.

Maybe i just need to dig into this myself, i cant find many other people who have done this, so maybe you have a point...

 

[betwixt]

You will have to accept there is no 'conversion' of the original insides, you will have to start from scratch. The technologies that drive AM/FM are completely different to the digital systems that make Bluetooth and DAB work. Essentially, the only thing you can retain is the outline of the circuit board and the placement of any mounting holes on it, the rest will need replacing. When you have the outline and hole positions, which are needed so it will fit the existing chassis, you have to design and fabricate all the new circuits on to it. I can't stress enough that this is a seriously difficult task that is normally done by a team of designers with suitable development and debugging tools, trying it at home is not recommended.

Brian

 

[TripsD]

Mabye i am over-simplifying it... can't i in theory, just copy the board, remove all components that has to do with FM/AM, and add BT, DAB and AUX?
I think i will buy BT, DAB and aux as three separate components witch has their own board.

 

[betwixt]

Not as simple as that I'm afraid.
Although in theory you can buy a DAB module, a Bluetooth module and an analog pre-amp module for the AUX input, you still need something to power them all and the 'glue' microcontroller to link them all together and provide the control and display functions. You would be starting from scratch with the task of mounting all those modules and a power amplifier in the available space, plus adding the microcontroller and its support components then writing the software it needs to do something useful.

There is no AM component or FM component on the existing board, each of it's functions are distributed across many components and removing one could stop the remainder working at all.

It's your project but I think you seriously underestimate the work needed.

Brian

 

[TripsD]

What if i use a car radio that already have all the things i need, how easy/difficult will it be to take the front panel of the old radio to the new radio and integrate it to that radio?

All i care about is the looks of the radio from the drivers position, not what it looks on the inside...

 

[ads-ee]

What if i use a car radio that already have all the things i need, how easy/difficult will it be to take the front panel of the old radio to the new radio and integrate it to that radio?

All i care about is the looks of the radio from the drivers position, not what it looks on the inside...

You would still need an entirely new interface board just to get the new radio to communicate with the front panel of the old radio I'm sure the new radio would have a ribbon cable that has entirely different protocols than the one you have pictures of let alone it might not even be the same number of wires or the same form factor. Once again you would be stuck with programming a microcontroller to interface the two.

This project sounds like I'll take a fuji apple and peal it and put the skin of a gala apple on it. Now I have a fuji apple that looks like a gala apple...nope it's just a mess.