craigyb Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 I've been working on this project for over 5 months on and off, I've had weeks of silence in my car and non functioning radio/media and phone system. But the navigation has always worked along with voice guidance. Today I got two of the final parts, the B&O amplifier and the new style HVAC control panel. After CP was removed and some coding done I now have sound and a phone system with AC controls I can access. My old S8 had AMI, MP3 CD changer, DAB, TV, Nav, SDS, Phone prep high, Adavanced park, fingerprint recognition. The new spec is now AMI, MP3 CD changer, DVD player, 30GB jukebox, DAB, TV, Nav, SDS, 2x SD cards, phone prep high, Advanced park. The SDS now accepts spoken words, rather than just spelling of words. The navigation is now the best of the RNS-E with split screens, turn lists, junctions etc and the power of the MMI and the 3D graphics and high res screen. Also you now have the SD cards back and a 30GB juke box to boot which you can import and rip from the SD/CD. Basically every part of the MMI system has been replaced with new parts except for the speakers and secondary B&O amplifier. Wiring looms have been created between the MMI panel and the new 5F module which replaces the 07/77/SDS/37/AMI components of the previous setup. I'd like to thank Ladan for his help with coding etc and the numerous others that have contributed in one way or another, I have called in lots of favours and mithered the hell out of my local Master Techs. And although I still have a few issues to iron out (TPMS etc) everything seems to be working. The cost is excessive as in the UK, the HVAC control panel alone costs nearly £1K. But if anyone wants to attempt this I can offer advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wizbit Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 (edited) Looks nice. What do you estimate the total cost was in the end? Especially impressed with what looks like the climate control as a graphics overlay onto the media menu screen. I guess this new 3G system uses a more advanced GPU which supports all that. You have the B&O AMP but say you haven't upgraded the speakers - does this work ok? All in all, was it worth the effort now you have finished it all? Edited April 23, 2009 by Wizbit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigyb Posted April 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 I think it's too expensive and complicated to offer as an upgrade at a reasonable price, at Audi UK retails prices you are looking at around £8k in parts, plus labour. At the best prices I could get I managed it for around £4k, but that was my own time. The car had B&O to start with so all I had to do was change the main MMI amplifier to a 3G compliant one and code it. The speakers remain the same. Audi charge £1500 + VAT for that amp, I guess a BOSE one would be cheaper, I paid £200 for my B&O amp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wizbit Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 So someone's going to get a bargain then when you sell your S8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nelson_R32 Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 You never fail to amaze me So I assume that you can't use the 'Gen 1' AMi (DIN version) and have to resort to the 'Gen 2' Input version? i.e. the one that just has a connector on top of the glovebox. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikael Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 Looks like an impressive conversion and the new graphics do look good. I noticed there seems to be a slot for a SIM card between the SD slots. How does this integrate with the phone prep or bluetooth/SAP module? Or is it not used? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigyb Posted April 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 It has Bluetooth prep high built in, so the SIM is not used. I used rSAP to connect to my Nokia 5800 and it works perfectly well. Full transfer of contacts and texts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikael Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 Did your your Nokia 5800 transfer contacts and texts using rSAP before upgrading to MMI 3G? I upgraded my A8 from the Motorola phone module to the BT rSAP module, and use it with a Nokia N95 8GB, but it only transfers contacts (using the add-on software) but not texts. Does the Nokia 5800 just have better support for it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigyb Posted April 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 When using the N95, N96 and 5800 with the old rSAP system then I only got contacts with the download manager and texts that were new. With the MMI 3G, my 5800 transfers new and old texts, dialled, missed, received etc and I don't need the download manager. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikael Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 So MMI 3G improves the rSAP quite a bit then. Shame about the cost of all the bits. I shall just have to wait till I upgrade my car in the future! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melchior Posted April 24, 2009 Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 Nice one Craig. Well done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W12 Posted April 24, 2009 Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 Fantastic stuff is the nav any better than my 04 disc then apart from being more up to date? Also notice the aircon images are see through rather than on mine where they take up the full screen. Craig I have an I phone 3G what can you do so that I could use the MMI to control the phone i.e. to play music from it and call contacts? Also TV reception is crap would a digi box solve this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wizbit Posted April 24, 2009 Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 Craig I have an I phone 3G what can you do so that I could use the MMI to control the phone i.e. to play music from it and call contacts? Also TV reception is crap would a digi box solve this? I would have thought you could use the Denison Gateway 500 to control your iPhone through the MMI, as it will treat it just like an iPod. You should be able to sync the iPhone to the car if it has Bluetooth prep, but not sure about transferring the contacts to the car. I need an application running on my Nokia to sort out the contacts transfers. Craig will be able to advise further on this... I had a digital freeview tuner in my BMW and the reception was hit and miss. When i was in a good signal area the picture was perfect, but it all depends on what the freeview reception is like in your area. I only have the analogue TV in mine at the moment and do miss the digital tuner, not least because of the extra channels available. But it is quite an expensive upgrade. Again Craig can do this if you look on his retrofit website. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wizbit Posted April 24, 2009 Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 Well i've just been at the dealer for more warranty work on my car (don't go there) and while i was waiting i checked out a brand new A8 with the 3G MMI. The Sat Nav is awesome, its so much nicer than on the 2G version. The graphics / symbols / colours are stunning and the screen is a high res glossy finish which makes it even better. The joy stick on the top of the main MMI control button makes scrolling around the map a doddle. The whole system has been revamped with subtle changes to the way things are displayed etc. Very impressed indeed. I also noticed that the DIS display between the dials is much bigger and now stretches the whole way across between the dials, rather than just a strip between the dials. I now also want the 3G MMI, which is a shame as the cost of retrofitting it is prohibitive! I think i will just upgrade my car in a few years to one with 3G MMI... but of course 4G MMI will probably be out by then... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikael Posted April 24, 2009 Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 I believe the DIS was enlarged for all A8s for the 2007 model year I think? Or around that time anyway. Before that the enlarged DIS was fitted to cars with Adaptive Cruise Control. I have the ACC on mine, and it is nicer to have the larger DIS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigyb Posted April 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 Yes all A8's came with wide cluster from MY07, before that it was ACC cars that had the wide clusters. The MMI 3G is pretty amazing, I was playing with the SDS today and boy is that good, it has dual mics for excellent pickup and response. Still awaiting my 2009 DVD for updating the maps, it wasn't aware of a bypass in Stafford today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wizbit Posted April 24, 2009 Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 Still awaiting my 2009 DVD for updating the maps, it wasn't aware of a bypass in Stafford today. Does the 3G system use a different map DVD then? I wasn't aware the map data was any different, but as the graphics symbology / textures are different perhaps this is why there is a new DVD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigyb Posted April 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 Yes it's a completely different disk that is required. Part begining 4G0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Froggy Posted April 24, 2009 Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 Top job there Craigy - Hope you wrote it all down Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigyb Posted April 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2009 Some stadium views in the 3G system Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gninnam Posted April 28, 2009 Report Share Posted April 28, 2009 Nice+++ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woland Posted October 7, 2009 Report Share Posted October 7, 2009 But if anyone wants to attempt this I can offer advice. Awesome work, please advice me to make the same on the non-UK vehicle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woland Posted June 16, 2010 Report Share Posted June 16, 2010 2craigyb: Could you tell more about this upgrade more detailed? Replacement parts and wiring, software updates and coding. I want to upgrade A8(d3) 2005. Have a source of spare parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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