InDashPC.org

[tdm]

I just bought an E46 (2003 M3 coupe with nav) and, not being of the iPod persuasion, I would love to install a GROM-USB. But first I have a few questions.

1. Does my car have DSP? The compatibility grid for the DICE unit indicates no, but the GROM compatibility grid is not so detailed. Further complicating the issue is that my dealer said that my car does have it. I'm guessing I'll have to tear the trunk apart to find out for sure. When I do, the DSP connector is a coax type connector with a purple piece of plastic on it, correct?

2. If my car has DSP, is there an adapter? I see jbors said one was in the works, but that was a couple years ago. If not, is it possible to use the DICE DSP adapter, and can it be ordered separately from the DICE iPod?

3. I have read the thread "USB Adapter issues" and I'm worried. I see complaints about functionality on the E46, and even causing the alarm to go off. I also see customers used as testers and no response to requests for firmware source (I also am a coder). I'd hate to have to sink all the time into installing the unit just to rip it back out to return it. What firmware improvements have been made for the E46 recently? Is it stable? Are the sources available yet?

Thanks!

[jbors]

Yes first check the trunk cable if you see round coax plug your stere is DSP.
If DSP is there we do not have anything for it.
As of complains, we experience issues on some cars rarely. They rather sporadic and very difficult to identify the root cause since it is very rare and specific to a certain car.

[tdm]

I peeked at the cables and no sign of anything coax looking at all -- just a 3 pin and a 6 pin connector neatly wrapped in a cloth. So the car should be compatible.

What about the firmware questions?

I would feel much more comfortable ordering the device if I could build my own firmware (coding firmware is what I do for a living, loosely speaking). I don't care about source for the licensed libraries such as the media decoders, of course. I'm interested in the control code for the i-bus, button mappings, etc.

[tdm]

Here the DSP adapter for the DICE unit, sold separately. I shouldn't need it, but perhaps this will help others...

Go to europeanautosource dot com, enter "dsp" in the "quick find" search box. The DSP kit for the DICE unit should show up.

Sorry for not linking this, anti-spam measures in this forum are disallowing it.

[tdm]

Can someone from grom please answer the question regarding firmware sources?

[tdm]

I had somewhat expected an answer along the lines of "sorry, we can't do that because we have licensing agreements with other companies" or even "sorry, we can't take the customer service hit for folks wanting help when they brick their adapters". If my question does not even merit a reply, I will certainly not be buying any adapters.

Given the choice between companies that all have closed source firmware, who are all trying to reverse engineer a proprietary automobile bus protocol, it is most prudent to go with the one that's been around the longest and has the biggest market share. That's not grom.

What a shame, it looks like a really cool product and I didn't want to buy an ipod just to toss it in the glovebox for months on end.

[jbors]

Honestly you can choose whatever product is up to your specs.
I cannot guarantee compatibility with DICE DSP converter even though I do not see any reason why it won't work.
GROM has 30 days return policy so you lose nothing just trying it out...

[eml]

AFAIK, e46s didn't come with DSP. in any case, if you have a CD changer at the back (or at least the wiring), as suggested, you can check what type of wiring you have. i would expect that your CD changer would have 2 square/block connections -- a 6 pin and a 3-pin one.