BMW I-Bus How to connect..

**CdRsKuLL** · 08-23-2004, 03:45 AM

After asking about and searching everywhere.. I can confirm I have now connected the steering wheel buttons to my PC and they work 100%.. all the time everytime.. :-) Its awesome..

heres how.

First you need a I-Bus interface. I got mine in 'kit' form from HERE

It cost 30 euros.. (about £20) which is a bargin I thought..

Then was the hard bit.. trying to locate some software to map keys. I searched and searched and was getting prepared for a long month of learning and programming to write one my self then I came across some software called beboxMP. This is a piece of software wrote as a winamp skin.. Not what I was looking for, but it also included the IbuscomM app I was looking for :-) with a few changes to the ini file.. The job was done.

The changes I made were to change to com 2 as this was what I was using.. I also set the timeout to 0. I dont want the ibus to time out.. unsure if this was/is correct but it works. Then I changed the following line from/to

;AppCaptionSendEventTo="<* BeBoX Multimedia Player *>"
to
AppCaptionSendEventTo="MEDIACAR"

and also set

ProcessEvents=false
to
ProcessEvents=true

I then needed to find the correct values for the rest of the steering wheel buttons.. these worked out as follows

vol_up = 50046832111F
vol_dn = 50046832101E
phone_dn = 5004C83B8027
RT = 5003C8019A

All you need to do is add a few lines now to the .ini and your done :-)

It makes the Carputer so much better to use to be honest.. full control of the volume is a must. I also mapped the up/down to curser up/down.. the RT key to 'enter' and the Phone button to the Esc key.. but you can map these to any buttons you want.. I'm using mediacar atm, but you can map it to anyone.

I have attached the file.. let me know if anyone needs help

**erazor** · 08-23-2004, 03:53 AM

hm very interesting now i only ned the bmw :P

**Enforcer** · 08-23-2004, 05:30 AM

Hmmmmm, I just need a steering wheel with buttons.

wonder if I can get an E46 wheel on my E36. or an E36 with buttons.

**Nicholasp27** · 08-23-2004, 10:38 AM

guess i'll have to spec my new MINI with the multi-function steering wheel now...

**rando** · 08-23-2004, 10:46 AM

That is sweet!

**ayclens** · 08-23-2004, 11:40 AM

WONDERFUL! A few questions though:

This is a serial connection eh? What if my GPS receiver is already serial?

When you buy the "kit" form do you have to do soldering etc yourself?

Where did you grab the IBUS wire in the trunk? Thanks!

**CdRsKuLL** · 08-23-2004, 12:34 PM

lo.. ok.. yep this is a serial connection.. I'm using a M10000 board.. so decided to use the extra one onboard... yep 'kit' form.. just a bit of soldering.. you can buy it already done but this is more expensive. and the Ibus wire.. is where the cd multichanger unit is in the trunk (boot).. it just pushs onto the connector.. no cutting needed :-)

cheers

Steve
CdrPro

**jedi7001** · 08-23-2004, 09:23 PM

cdrskull:

I have to hand it to you. this was the post of my dreams. It took me a while to find the guy that made the pre built IBUS controller, but finally did and ordered one. I bought the fully assembled controller (I think it was $40). I have been sitting on it for a month now trying to figure out how to get an app to map the keys. I was about to break open a c++ book and do it the hard way. To be honest, I was hoping gork would post somthing before that. anyway, thank you and thank you. I will let you know how it works. Just getting ready to start my install here in September. I will keep a log on my thread (posted below).

**ayclens** · 08-23-2004, 11:45 PM

Originally Posted by CdRsKuLL

lo.. ok.. yep this is a serial connection.. I'm using a M10000 board.. so decided to use the extra one onboard... yep 'kit' form.. just a bit of soldering.. you can buy it already done but this is more expensive. and the Ibus wire.. is where the cd multichanger unit is in the trunk (boot).. it just pushs onto the connector.. no cutting needed :-)

cheers

Steve
CdrPro

I also have an M10000 board but I'm already using the 1 serial connection for my Deluo GPS receiver! Any suggestions? I don't think it's possible to split a serial connection is it? What GPS receiver are you using? Is it USB?

Good to know it is plug and play as far as the connector goes...

**CdRsKuLL** · 08-24-2004, 01:51 AM

If you look at your m10000 board you will find you have another com port on board, you just need to get the correct lead for it. I was going to buy the M12000 board thats just come out, but I dont think that has the extra com port needed..

thats what you need, you can get them almost anywhere.. :-) All I did was remove the backplate and hot glue the interface to my pc case i've made.

once the carpet bit is put back you will only see the first 2 inch's of the case, where I drilled some holes for the vent, and put a usb socket.. coz you never know when it might come in handy :-)

cheers

CdR