E30 "era correct" stereo recommendations needed.

[e30_troy]

does anyone know if the continental hu offers bluetooth streaming? or is it just for calls

It will stream (music from Spotify, or stored on phone, etc.) over bluetooth. I'm happy with mine. Only knock is the orange is more yellow than orange, doesn't exactly match.
Edit: Oh, and the USB port doesn't charge. Annoying to still have to use a cigarette lighter adapter to charge.

[othatseric]

+1 Continental TR7412UB-OR. Just got mine from bergvillefx, it looks so clean in the cabin.

[straight6pwr]

+5. I also bought that Conti from German eBay
fits squarely with the style of the e30. pun intended. agreed the screen is a tinge yellow/orange compared to the orange/red of the dash lights.

the bluetooth works great with my android phone. some apps even integrate with teh controls. For instance with Pandora I can skip to the next song via the next button on the radio and dont even have to pickup the phone. Call audio quality is good, again I can answer calls and have handsfree conversations without touching the phone.

i'm fairly picky and the chrome volume dial doesnt bother me. i cant see it through my steering wheel, anyways. you might paint it black to really make it disappear for the inspectors.

another random thing i love about it - you know that one second delay you get with changing radio stations on factory/old/cheap headunits? not with this conti. it snaps between stations as fast as you can hit the presets. its actually quite pleasing when checking stations to avoid commercials.

[earthwormjim]

Just invert the display and change the LEDs like I did, and you'll have a nice match. I also have since plasti dipped the volume knob, so it's a nice flat black.

[808ETA]

Wow earthwormjim, that looks awesome! How do you invert the display and change the LED? I just ordered the TR7412UB-OR from ESC Tuning for my car.

[earthwormjim]

You invert the display by peeling off the top polarizing filter, and installing that new one rotated 90 degrees relative to the how the original one was installed. You have to buy a new 180 degree polarizing filter for LCDs, ebay or amazon has them.

Just like this: https://hackaday.com/2014/04/24/simp...watch-display/

For the LEDs, I simply desoldered the original ones on the face plate PCB, and installed new ones that I bought from digikey. I do not recall the part numbers. I just looked for 0603 surface mount 605nm color LEDs for the buttons, and two 5mm 605nm color LEDs for the display.

I picked the brightest LEDs at 5mA test current for the 0603 sized LEDs, and the brightest LEDs at 20mA test current for the 3mm LEDs. Digikey.com lets you search by color, size and brightness pretty easily.

You have some small margin to adjust the brightness too. All of the LEDs have a series bias resistor, which you can adjust up or down in value by +/-20% or so if needed. To find which resistor controls which LED, just follow the traces on the PCB.


If you don't have surface mount soldering experience, I do not recommend changing the button LEDs. They're quite difficult to replace because the traces are very large, and the 0603 LEDs are quite small, with very small pads.

If you're really not feeling confident you can PM me, I might consider some sort of service.

Edit:

Here is what I actually used for LEDs.

Display: https://www.digikey.com/product-deta...262-ND/4901619
Buttons: https://www.digikey.com/product-deta...3-1-ND/2356228

[e30_troy]

If you're really not feeling confident you can PM me, I might consider some sort of service.

PM'd you. Looks great.

[808ETA]

You invert the display by peeling off the top polarizing filter, and installing that new one rotated 90 degrees relative to the how the original one was installed. You have to buy a new 180 degree polarizing filter for LCDs, ebay or amazon has them.

Just like this: https://hackaday.com/2014/04/24/simp...watch-display/

For the LEDs, I simply desoldered the original ones on the face plate PCB, and installed new ones that I bought from digikey. I do not recall the part numbers. I just looked for 0603 surface mount 605nm color LEDs for the buttons, and two 5mm 605nm color LEDs for the display.

I picked the brightest LEDs at 5mA test current for the 0603 sized LEDs, and the brightest LEDs at 20mA test current for the 3mm LEDs. Digikey.com lets you search by color, size and brightness pretty easily.

You have some small margin to adjust the brightness too. All of the LEDs have a series bias resistor, which you can adjust up or down in value by +/-20% or so if needed. To find which resistor controls which LED, just follow the traces on the PCB.


If you don't have surface mount soldering experience, I do not recommend changing the button LEDs. They're quite difficult to replace because the traces are very large, and the 0603 LEDs are quite small, with very small pads.

If you're really not feeling confident you can PM me, I might consider some sort of service.

Edit:

Here is what I actually used for LEDs.

Display: https://www.digikey.com/product-deta...262-ND/4901619
Buttons: https://www.digikey.com/product-deta...3-1-ND/2356228

Thank you so much for the information! I may take you up on your offer later.

Aloha!

[BeirBrennerE30]

You invert the display by peeling off the top polarizing filter, and installing that new one rotated 90 degrees relative to the how the original one was installed. You have to buy a new 180 degree polarizing filter for LCDs, ebay or amazon has them.

Just like this: https://hackaday.com/2014/04/24/simp...watch-display/

Do you have any pictures of the process of changing out the polarizer? I would like to invert the colors of my Nakamichi cd500 but I am scared to break it.

[earthwormjim]

Do you have any pictures of the process of changing out the polarizer? I would like to invert the colors of my Nakamichi cd500 but I am scared to break it.

I didn't take pictures. I used a non-hardened box cutter blade, like you see window tinters use, to start separating the filter. After that I was able to just peal it off.


There was a lot of residue left over, so I just used some rubbing alcohol and microfiber cloths to gently clean it off.

[nd4spdlsc]

I was really contemplating the Continental head units. Thank you everyoen for pictures plus the modifications. I was wondering about getting a closer match.

My new project E30 is missing the front speakers and I have no idea what is in the rear deck. What can I get that preserves the stock look but sounds good? I have read most aftermarket options lack the bass of the stock premium speakers.

[strickland]

My new project E30 is missing the front speakers and I have no idea what is in the rear deck. What can I get that preserves the stock look but sounds good? I have read most aftermarket options lack the bass of the stock premium speakers.

I was able to fit new speaker cones into the back deck (Kicker CSC5 5.25"). The screws and everything lined up perfectly & the BMW stock speaker covers fit right over them.

The coaxial speakers have a tweeter built in. (I was surprised the speaker cover fit over them.) It's not a trunk-shaking bass but it is a much better sound than my broken stock speakers.

[moatilliatta]

Just invert the display and change the LEDs like I did, and you'll have a nice match. I also have since plasti dipped the volume knob, so it's a nice flat black.

AMAZING, PM sent!

[Cairn]

Just invert the display and change the LEDs like I did, and you'll have a nice match. I also have since plasti dipped the volume knob, so it's a nice flat black.

PM sent as well!

[moatilliatta]

Anyone try to get the Conti / VDO head unit to sit more flush?