Guest Pablo_Emms Posted September 14, 2008 Report Share Posted September 14, 2008 Is it possible to go digital, I have the factory analogue TV. Thanks Paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mit Posted September 14, 2008 Report Share Posted September 14, 2008 Unlikely, though there are some sort of HDTV kits you can get in the USA (I think DICE make one). HDTV is digital but not the same standard as we have in the UK so it won't really work here, but I suppose you could try contacting hte manufacturers to see if they have a UK version. Good luck finding something Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCrow Posted September 15, 2008 Report Share Posted September 15, 2008 When i was looking about for my car I saw some that said Freeview tv. So i guess that BMW have a new modual for it, though i would expect it to cost as much as the whole tv package anyway. I never looked into it further. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJD Posted September 15, 2008 Report Share Posted September 15, 2008 You can upgrade afaik but most that have done it have bought digital modules from German Ebay iirc. I asked my dealership sometime ago and said at the moment there is a kit but it costs loads!!!!! They did reckon that once the switch over takes place then there might be some type of 'offer' or 'trade-in' scheme but no firm details. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pablo_Emms Posted September 15, 2008 Report Share Posted September 15, 2008 I think the cheapest/easiest option will be to go the way of a 12v freeview reciever, the only issue is I believe that the av inputs on the e46 are not the phono/rca composite video, and that also the system uses the NTSC rather than the UK PAL, though I have seen a reciever on ebay thats a dual output. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJD Posted September 16, 2008 Report Share Posted September 16, 2008 Any idea of cost? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pablo_Emms Posted September 26, 2008 Report Share Posted September 26, 2008 UPDATE - I have found a 12v freeview reciever on ebay, the seller auctions two a day at 20.00 and 22.00 hrs, they go for around £18-£26 normally plus P+P . http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...A:IT&ih=013 I have now purchased a 'plug and play' lead, which also has an input for a reversing camera (very cheap on ebay) for £50 inc postage. http://www.pegasussl.co.uk/bmwinputoutputw...e4-p-12261.html Then I'll need to sort out the diversity antenna connection to the freeview reciever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dicky Posted September 26, 2008 Report Share Posted September 26, 2008 Mate I have a freeview box in mine and as of yet I haven't seen a picture on it I will keep looking into it but it was one of the cheap ones from Ebay and I am not that bothered, back in the day when I use to install them the first Freeview boxes were £500 and I have to say they use to work a treat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pablo_Emms Posted September 27, 2008 Report Share Posted September 27, 2008 OK...so what do you think to the AV lead as in my second link ? Do you think I could be onto a cheap-ish and effective way for watching digital TV ? I'll probably go to all this bother and never use it ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJD Posted September 27, 2008 Report Share Posted September 27, 2008 OK, confession time. I know very little about this type of thing so help me out here. I have analogue TV that I don't use much but when the digital switchover happens completely I would like to still be able to use it. Is one of these options the cheapest? How would I link it up, etc? Apologies but I really need it in layman terms. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pablo_Emms Posted September 28, 2008 Report Share Posted September 28, 2008 This is what I am trying to find out, the easiest and most cost effective way of upgrading to digital. So far on paper it looks simple.. When the AV lead arrives and I start ripping the boot to pieces... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pablo_Emms Posted October 10, 2008 Report Share Posted October 10, 2008 Mate I have a freeview box in mine and as of yet I haven't seen a picture on it I will keep looking into it but it was one of the cheap ones from Ebay and I am not that bothered, back in the day when I use to install them the first Freeview boxes were £500 and I have to say they use to work a treat I have it working in my car, works well off the suppiled omni- mag mount (though the local TX is line of sight), the diversity antenna has two connections to the tuner, I suspect the aerial is a dipole, anyway that should be easy to convert to a simple rf connection. At the moment the reciever is sitting in the battery cover tray, hard wired to the battery, with the remote extender pulled through into the car, I now need to sit and think through the install as at the moment it's not neat at all. When I first switched on the pic was rolling, knowing that the BMW tuner likes an NTSC input, found a button on the remote which toggles between PAL,NTSC and auto, easy peasy, nice steady picture. Had a slight problem when I first connected the AV lead i had a blank screen, thinking I had no video loop-through which would be a bit silly, I gave it a wiggle and got a nice green pic, wiggle some more and the red/blue returned, so disconnected and re-connected and all was well and stayed well, maybe I didnt push the connection together properly ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCrow Posted October 14, 2008 Report Share Posted October 14, 2008 Sounds good! Keep us all upto date with progress and lots of pics so we can follow in your footsteps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayla Posted October 15, 2008 Report Share Posted October 15, 2008 its is possible to have freeview in your car. as mentioned before you need a freeview module But the tv needs to have a AV input for this to work and i dont know if the bmw tv has that. its just like connecting a bluetooth module as long as you have the right inputs. ebay is the right place to get it. as a electronic engineer i think i know a way to make the bmw tv work with a freeview. but as i have not seen a bmw tv i dont know for sure. what you need to do is find a freeview module that outputs on a aerial signal or you could get a av to aerial convertor. then you can connect this to your aerial port on you bmw tv BUT only do this if you dont have a AV input and is the last option. then scan the channel on the bmw tv. hope that helps. i would get freeview if i had a screen in my car Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
