Interest in a Bluetooth CD changer Emulator for the CM5908?

[platelets]

Hi all,

I recently had bradnic from OEM HI-Fi restore my factory amp and a CM5908. We were chatting, because I want to retain my tape deck on the head unit for nostalgic purposes, but also wanted to have a way to listen to my phone.

He proposed an idea of creating a CD changer emulator using Bluetooth in order to stream from your phone. The device would work the same way as the Grom or Denison for the E36/46. You could do basic radio controls as track forward/backward and play/pause.

Brad said he would be willing to work on this if 20 people would buy. Comment below if you’re interested.

[McGyver]

Cost?

And how would this work exactly? I love having the tape deck in my car, but connecting to my phone would also be pretty cool.

[platelets]

Cost?

And how would this work exactly? I love having the tape deck in my car, but connecting to my phone would also be pretty cool.

The unit would use the CD changer plug on the back of the radio. As per cost, bradnic would need to determine cost. I am trying see what kind of interest is out there so he can determine if it is work spending the time and effort to develop it.

[ZeKahr]

In my opinion this would be a pointless venture from a business perspective (I don’t think there will be enough interest for something like this) and not worth it from a buyer perspective just for “nostalgia”. The tape decks in those old radios are prone to breaking, which is one of the big motivations behind the bluetooth boards. I’ve brought 5 E30/E36 radios and all of them had broken tape decks; all of them have different problems with the load/eject mechanism. A quick Google search doesn’t provide much useful info on how to repair them.

The CD changer terminology confuses me here, as these radios originally use cassettes.

[platelets]

In my opinion this would be a pointless venture from a business perspective (I don’t think there will be enough interest for something like this) and not worth it from a buyer perspective just for “nostalgia”. The tape decks in those old radios are prone to breaking, which is one of the big motivations behind the bluetooth boards. I’ve brought 5 E30/E36 radios and all of them had broken tape decks; all of them have different problems with the load/eject mechanism. A quick Google search doesn’t provide much useful info on how to repair them.

The CD changer terminology confuses me here, as these radios originally use cassettes.

The CM5908 has a CD changer connection on the back of the radio. The benefit of this would be for those of us who want to retain the tape deck. You’re right, plenty don’t want the tape deck and they have that option, however that wasn’t my question. I am looking for interest in who would. 🤗

[McGyver]

Yeah, I'd be interested in a Bluetooth option that uses the CD Changer input. (depending on price) Let me know!

[calypso rot]

Very interested. Need to keep the tape functional - listen to tapes out the 5908 daily.

[Aleman]

That sounds cool, but, I just use this bluetooth FM emulator. It's cheap and dead simple to use. I just tune my head unit to 107.7, and I hear my phone audio. It takes (low quality) calls in a pinch. I had installed the Cantaloupe board in my C5908, but it never worked right.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07F2RTN5Z

[McGyver]

Aleman, that's honestly not a bad option. Sure the sound quality might not be the greatest, but I also have cheap speakers and the car is loud. It would take some serious convincing to decide to pay real money for a clean option when I could get the dongle for cheap and store it in my glove box.

[Aleman]

Aleman, that's honestly not a bad option. Sure the sound quality might not be the greatest, but I also have cheap speakers and the car is loud. It would take some serious convincing to decide to pay real money for a clean option when I could get the dongle for cheap and store it in my glove box.

Yeah, I'm running a rebuilt amp from Bradnic and factory speakers. Not exactly Bose hi-fi, but sounds good enough for a 30+ year old weekend car.

[ehrawn]

Im interested. My Pioneer KE-83 zbm has an unused DIN receptacle that seems like a logical place to plug in a BT adapter. Way less intrusive than losing the tape deck function.

[ehrawn]

.

[bradnic]

Aleman the BT cassette adapters are much better sound quality than the BT FM ones. Get one that has a little mic on the small wire sticking out of it and you can do calls too. That's the 'lowest end' I'd go for this stuff.
McGyver
platelets reached on this a while back. it's been on the back burner, but I have all the required info to do some testing now. Pioneer came out with the car cd changer in 1984 and the fist alpines a couple of years later from what I've been able to tell. the KE83 was for sale with 4 channel audio and the CD changer interface back in 90 or so (see Roundel ad 2 posts down). It was a popular retrofit option for dealers.

There's a lot of conflicting information out there about that CD changer DIN port in the 5908 and KE83. Some of it is DEAD WRONG. There are a few things that are clear
- the 5908 was compatible with the "standard BMW CD changer at the time"
- the KE83 and 5908 supported different incompatible CD changers despite having the exact same physical connector on the radio. While the cables and cd changers are clearly different, what's not clear is if the actual protocol is compatible between them
- the interface changed with the E36 radios, BOTH the connector and the protocol (the communication "language" going over the wires). There's an E36 interface available called the maakbaas. It streams audio and lets you control track playback. No track info. I've been working with the owner Johannes to understand the requirements for E30 era radios.
- the interface changed again with late E36/E46, when iBus was adopted
- E46 and later radios have plenty of aftermarket BT cd changer interface options. some support BT phone, most do not support track info.

I'm working with Jay at Cantaloupe on other options as well. We both recognize the demand for a more 'middle tier' OEM+ offering that's a strong step up from a BT FM, BT cassette or DIY with generic BT module effort.

[bradnic]

Very interested. Need to keep the tape functional - listen to tapes out the 5908 daily.

calypso rot I hear ya. Definitely a cool vibe with tape. There's a core segment of die-hard tape folks. I grew up with them. They feel and sound pretty awesome when you're dropping them into a cassette, doing autoreverse, eject etc. The car tape mechanisms are engineering marvels too. They take up a HUGE amount of real estate in the radio though.

Yes it's true you there are OEM+ "BT retrofit and retain cassette" options beyond the BT tape adapter. They're honestly limited in capability though. It's a high price to pay to keep the tape deck. Current generation BT tech is absolutely clean. Anyone who's used a BA31 or BA32 Cantaloupe Radio kit can attest to this.

[bradnic]

some more info

Jan 1990 Roundel ad for the KE83 radio and CD changer retrofit


example of connector incompatibility. In this case Pioneer KE83 vs an un-named Kenwood. Exact same physical connector