Pondering; A1 MMI for single din dash.

nuttinnew

A2OC Donor
With more A1s being broken these are becoming more available and cheaper, along with the mfsw from the same cars which suit the A2 well. It's one of the couple of areas where the A1 moves things on (I'd like a tsi and dsg as well please :p) and I'm wondering about it's retrofittability compared to an RNS-E.

CIMG3131.JPG

CIMG3132.JPG


I'm not sure if the fascia would trim down to single din, maybe din and a half, if so I'm thinking could the heater controls be shuffled down so the top of the unit is fixed to the bottom mounting holes (I need to find a pic of an empty dash to see if I'm thinking of the right thing) or could the heater be moved up to the radio space, the MMI fascia below that going down into the space where the cubby would be with a simple blank made up to fill the small gap left.

For the screen, I'll ignore whether or not the centre vent duct could be modified to allow it to sit flush for now because I haven't had a chance to have a look at one yet. Instead I'm thinking the screen holder could be boxed off and fitted on top of the dash.

CIMG2301.JPG

CIMG2302.JPG



It could be put to the right of the clocks as well; I don't know about anyone else but that's where I tend to have a portable fitted, suckered on to the front quarter window, so I don't think it would cause any more of an obstruction while being at easy eye height.

Could the screen be connected to an RNS-E? I've not used one (not that I wouldn't like to :D) but wonder if the screen is a bit low. I know it connects up to DIS, a full colour display from a newer car is probably a bit too far to contemplate though :eek:

I guess I started by thinking of it as RNS-E in a different box, so it's probably completely different and undoable on a basic level...
 
I pondered a similar thing with my A2 when I first bought it. But it was the standard MMI 3G that I considered.

The first issues that immediately spring to mind are....

1. Getting a speed pulse into it for the nav to move
2. Getting it to switch on with the ignition
3. Getting it to illuminate with the lights
4. Making it talk to the DIS (if you have one fitted)

Crack them and it's certainly a goer and then it down to how you can mount it in the car. I never considered the A1, but looking at it the unit lends itself better to the A2 interior.

You might need a can gateway module I suspect or the unit will just die as soon as you power it on. It will be looking for signals from the can gateway over fiber optic, don't confuse the can gateway with the famous cangate modules used to drive the MK2 RNS-E in my A2.

As for using it with the RNS-E then I don't think the screens will be interchangable. The RNS-E has a ribbon cable with lots of signal wires and the A1 MMI system uses a 4 pin LVDS connector.
 
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This project has the scope to be amazing! There are certainly complexities to overcome as craigyb points out, but in many ways it looks quite feasible. If you want a dash to play with I have one from my breaker that you could have, the double DIN cage has been removed already. Therefore I'm only looking for a very nominal amount and you could pick up with the rest of your kit :)

Cheers
Rob.
 
The A1 MMI system comes in two formats RMC and MMI 3G+ HDD navigation.

The unit you have shown in the picture is the 666 unit MMI 3G+ and it requires a seperate radio module to drive the speakers.

The RMC unit comes in two formats, just radio (can bus) or radio with navigation on SD card ( most bus). This is a self contained unit with radio and amplifier built in as well.

The can bus unit does not have navigation, so probably no good for you. The MOST bus unit does have or can have (dealer upgrade) navigation. But I guess you would want one with navigation built in already.

They both have 8 speaker connections, so front and rears, you could test on just the fronts and then mod the wires from the rear amp to the back of the unit if your successful. Looking at the diagrams it seems to get info from the ABS controller, probably some signalling for the car as the MMI can display all sorts of info about the car.

8X0 035 193 is the RMC with (or prepared for) navigation system
8X0 035 192 is the above with DAB radio as well.

As I said, it doesn't guarantee navigation, you would have to check if it has an SD card with the nav data installed in a slot.
 
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electronic stuff aside, how deep is the folding screen mechanism? Can it be fitted to the 'square' area on top of the central dash vents, do you dare to dremel your dash? ;)
 
Having a spare dash doesn't show you how much room there is underneath before you hit the heater vents, unless you can mount the vents into the dash for testing.
 
There is a reasonable amount of room under that rectangle on top of the dash. I always had it in mind to have a storage area below and to fit a "push-down-to-release/engage" catch to a covering lid. (The lid being the carefully cut-out actual dash rectangle). The rectangle could also be given an edging, to finish it off. Now, if there wasn't enough depth, then, no problem, simply use a packing piece to give the required depth! (Put a chamfer on it to improve appearance) I can see that you would get much better visibility with the screen top-mounted! This could be a fascinating project!

David
 
Ah, the HDD will be why that one has the chrome trim on it.
I was more thinking of the SD card nav because it'll more readily available and I'm guessing that before long (if not by now) it'll be activatable without going to a dealer..
Iirc the problem with a standard dash re the screen is that the duct for the centre vents sits very close to the top and that it only comes with the dashboard itself, so finding the bits to play with is awkward. Assuming that's a no-go - hang on, just thought of the dip the 9N dash, will have to log that thought for when I'm next in a breakers - I don't think it would be too obstructive if it sat totally on the top. Thinking laterally, rear view mirrors with screens built in are available, though quality and connections I've no idea.

Gratuitous pic because I like the colours;
a1-interior.jpg


I've also used a portable nav mounted to the top of the steering column which sits well in the cluster. It's probably 4.5-5.0 diagonal so that may be another place it could go.

Dare I mention.........?
BMW%207%20series%20heads%20up%20display.jpg


Anyhow, for now I have one of these to play with;
rome-nav55e-test-bilder-polo-1.jpeg


dan, I wouldn't say the RNS-E is out of date, especially not as it's very doable :D



Scrub that; having a look about it looks like £300+ to activate the satnav; not so bad if the unit came with the car, but if you're having to buy the bits in the first place it may well be more cost effective to get the hdd.

When I had the A1 I wanted to give it back minus the engine, box, steering wheel, cluster, column stalks and audio so they could go in the A2 :(
 
David, some 9N Polos had a lidded version of the dash recess ;)

Mentioning DIS, my thoughts were partly that with this you'd have less need for DIS (as if need is the driving force behind these things) but then I thought the main reason I'd like it is for the low washer fluid warning.
Damnit, I could just do it with a light in the blank next to the ASR switch, I should have thought of that a couple of years ago...
 
I pondered a similar thing with my A2 when I first bought it. But it was the standard MMI 3G that I considered.

The first issues that immediately spring to mind are....

1. Getting a speed pulse into it for the nav to move
2. Getting it to switch on with the ignition
3. Getting it to illuminate with the lights
4. Making it talk to the DIS (if you have one fitted)

Crack them and it's certainly a goer and then it down to how you can mount it in the car. I never considered the A1, but looking at it the unit lends itself better to the A2 interior.

You might need a can gateway module I suspect or the unit will just die as soon as you power it on. It will be looking for signals from the can gateway over fiber optic, don't confuse the can gateway with the famous cangate modules used to drive the MK2 RNS-E in my A2.

As for using it with the RNS-E then I don't think the screens will be interchangable. The RNS-E has a ribbon cable with lots of signal wires and the A1 MMI system uses a 4 pin LVDS connector.


Would the gateway module deal with the speed pulse and ignition? I don't think I'd worry about DIS with one of those screens in eyeline.
 
It's like Audi were thinking of putting a screen above the vents all along.

I'd kill to have the pop up screen and MMI there in the A2!
 
I don't want to spend the money to test one, between 800-1500 depending on what you buy. But if anyone has a unit available I'm happy to try and integrate one into the A2.
 
I'd kill to have the pop up screen and MMI there in the A2!

Well, the screen part is do-able, too! (have you seen my thread?) There was recently a quite low-price MMI unit on Ebay .... Craig's definitely got the expertise for that side of it! I'm likely to be taking my dash out to get it covered in leather .... I'll be able to make an even better job of the compartment in the top of the dash! It will be leather-covered, with virtually no gap at all between the lid and dash!

David
 
Well, the screen part is do-able, too! (have you seen my thread?) There was recently a quite low-price MMI unit on Ebay .... Craig's definitely got the expertise for that side of it! I'm likely to be taking my dash out to get it covered in leather .... I'll be able to make an even better job of the compartment in the top of the dash! It will be leather-covered, with virtually no gap at all between the lid and dash!

David

Hi Dj 190

Could you post the link to your thread as I am looking to take a hands on dive in with this set up also ordering a seperate dash to trial a cut out a few places from what I have seen the MMi in ebay is cheap, screen and unit. Also noticed that this I think is what is needed to complete the set up

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AUDI-Q8-4...6?pt=UK_In_Car_Technology&hash=item2581dd7e4e


Is this right craigyb?
or is this more what you was talking about

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AUDI-Mult...ics_GPSSystems_GPSSystems&hash=item2ec9bdb598

Please correct me if I am wrong as I would love to have that screen pop up on my dash
Also has anyone actually managed to fit and get working it working as yet?
also craigyb were can the units 8X0 035 193 RMC with (or prepared for) navigation system
8X0 035 192 is the above with DAB radio as well be found had a google and nothing comes up?

also stumbled across this on an A1 forum

http://www.a1-forum.co.uk/a1forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1859&start=30

hope this doesnt confuse things more??
 
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There is a reasonable amount of room under that rectangle on top of the dash. I always had it in mind to have a storage area below and to fit a "push-down-to-release/engage" catch to a covering lid. (The lid being the carefully cut-out actual dash rectangle). The rectangle could also be given an edging, to finish it off. Now, if there wasn't enough depth, then, no problem, simply use a packing piece to give the required depth! (Put a chamfer on it to improve appearance) I can see that you would get much better visibility with the screen top-mounted! This could be a fascinating project!

David

I found this picture somewhere and now have doubts about that reasonable amount of room... not sure anymor. But I haven't measured it, of course.

REPARACION SALPICADERO AUDI A2.JPG
 
Those are just vents extensions sticking out from under the pad, I would trim plastic vents down to suite screen and bracket and plastic weld air tight again in the shape I need them in. So pop up screen fit is do able....
 
the depth currently available is around 25mm if memory serves. But there's also nothing to attach to easily, the space underneath is empty and to the sides there's just the thin plastic. There is a frame at the side where the "grab handle" sits, but that's about it. The vents also have two screw holes at the bottom, but fixing something here securely is not trivial. You may well also end up wanting to take the dash out to "do it properly", which is another 3-4 hour job.
This is part of the reason I have an SPH-10BT in the A2. https://www.powerset.fi/tuote/pioneer-sph-10bt/ it does block the cupholders, but the phone is in clear view and who needs a monitor when you have a 6" one in your pocket?
 
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