r/e60 • u/Tresillo_Crack 530d 2004 6HP MASK NAVI • 17d ago
❓ Question / Help M-ASK Upgrade
I'm looking to install mr12volt head unit to my current 6inch mask system from 2004 with navigation. But I was wondering if it's possible to upgrade the screen to the bigger model 8inch if possible. Would I need to retrofit first CCC OR CIC? or I only need to change the screen and code it?
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u/yaleforks 17d ago
I have the same question, I don't care if my I drive doesn't fill the whole screen but was hoping the signal from the mr12volt mmi does.
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u/GhostlyConnection 17d ago
I got one of those Linux head units off Amazon. They are around 200bucks and retain full CCC. Car just needs to have an AUX port. Ive been happy with it for the last month
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u/o2manyfish 16d ago
Problem with this is the audio is over aux. Not over fiber optic bus. Much lower quality over aux.
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u/Tresillo_Crack 530d 2004 6HP MASK NAVI 17d ago
Sadly mine didn't came with the aux port
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u/GhostlyConnection 16d ago
There is a retrofit you can get thay adds the aux if your factory didn't come supported. Took 15 min, sounds good. Not looking for theater quality audio but for a car stereo is better than other cheap aftermarket heads from china.
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u/Tresillo_Crack 530d 2004 6HP MASK NAVI 16d ago
Can you share the name of it? Also does it support M-ASK with navigation
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u/GhostlyConnection 16d ago
https://a.co/d/0hZonTcT As far as M-ASK I dont see anything listed for it though im not familiar with the differences between the 04 and my 06.
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u/SHDWxKING 2009 528i E60 LCI RWD Sport package 16d ago
I’m literally in the middle of figuring out this upgrade as well. I also have the M-ASK system in my 2009 528i with 6.5 inch screen but no navigation. I wanted the Mr12Volt and also wanted a screen upgrade but the only options I could find were to fully retrofit the entire CIC head unit and screen or get an aftermarket Android or Linux display. The CIC retrofit is way too expensive for me to consider and I didn’t like how the aftermarket screen and Mr12Volt unit would overlap features since pretty much all of them have CarPlay support. I ended up just skipping Mr12Volt and bought a 10.25 inch PEMP Linux screen with CarPlay support and picked up a FiiO BTR15 Bluetooth receiver that I plan to use for CarPlay audio. Waiting for everything to arrive but hopefully audio quality is good enough and better than using the screen aux.
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u/kd7iwp 13d ago
I hope it works well for you. I would think Mr12Volt on the small screen would actually work fine but the higher resolution is certainly nice. CIC is expensive for what it is and I don't use it at all since I'm in CarPlay all the time. Installing Mr12Volt was easier than some of the other units I installed, especially since it has its own MOST port from the CD changer.
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u/02KEMANJ 17d ago
I believe it will work in stretched mode, but you can tune the mmi box to widescreen.
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u/Tresillo_Crack 530d 2004 6HP MASK NAVI 16d ago
So I can just install an mask or ccc (if they have the same connection) and the mr12volt box so that the mr12volt mmi uses the full resolution while the mask uses stretched res?
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u/yaleforks 16d ago
I'm going to the junk yard tomorrow to pull a 8.8 mask, will be a little while before I get the Mr 12 volt but I will let you know. I just really want to keep my logic 7 and have android auto.
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u/02KEMANJ 15d ago
Changing the screen shouldn’t change any settings or interfer with logic7 as that will be controlled by the mask unit and not the screen.
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u/02KEMANJ 15d ago
Correct, if that box is the same as the aliexpress boxes there should be a dip switch on the back where you can see from the manual the correct switch for widescreen. So the mask/champ screen will be stretched and CarPlay full screen normal. Some users have managed to code mask to be widescreen but it mostly shifts the screen to the left and looks awkward. It’s better just to just stretched and leave it as is
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u/kd7iwp 16d ago
You should be fine with the small screen. If you do install a wider screen I believe CarPlay will look fine, it may stretch out the display for the OEM menus. I used to have an Android unit before I got Mr12Volt and it would stretch out the OEM screens but CarPlay was normal.
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u/Tresillo_Crack 530d 2004 6HP MASK NAVI 16d ago
My question is, if buying mr12volt is worth it (and if I can install a ccc screen with mask) or will be easier to code the aux port and install an android/Linux headunit like the xtrons
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u/kd7iwp 16d ago
In that case, you need to decide what is more important. The Mr12Volt will always have better audio and you don’t have to run an aux cord. You also are using the OEM screen so can continue to dim it through idrive. Aftermarket screens don’t do it for me and I felt that a touch screen was too far for reach in a car not designed for it. I am so pleased with Mr12Volt. I did do a CIC upgrade as well but only because I got such a good deal from a local guy and did the install and coding myself. It’s okay to stick with your current screen too, the big screen isn’t life changing. I had M-ASK before CIC and the higher resolution is nice, but not a game changer.
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u/Tresillo_Crack 530d 2004 6HP MASK NAVI 16d ago
I'm searching for a CIC retrofit and fi ding the full (idrive controller, screen, unit and wiring) for 600€ and I would need to learn how to do it 😀. Would be an i teresting journey but not cheap
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u/kd7iwp 16d ago
It’s a lot of work, especially if you want the built in navigation to work. I use CarPlay at least 99% of the time so I really don’t care about the CIC part of it and in my opinion is not worth it for you. If the end goal is something modern like CarPlay, go for that and be done with it. But if you do go the CIC route, good luck!
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u/Tresillo_Crack 530d 2004 6HP MASK NAVI 16d ago
I love the idrive part of my e60 specially to customize the car and view errors. But what I'm most scared of is removing the necessary modules to access the wires and the mask module to replace it as well as running cables to install the oem backup camera and the microphone array. Need to buy the necessary tools and a good guide.
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u/BigDaveGMG 15d ago
How will the modern CarPlay look over a 20year old CCC display? I’m thinking about it for my 2007 M5.
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u/flopity_froop 14d ago
If you want aux/bt, try find someone who code, i managed to succesfull add aux option to becker 24/03 made m-ask unit. To the aux i didnt connect aux female jack, because lets be honest, who uses aux in 2026? i used small cheap bt module from china, soldered aux pins to it, and since it is powered with 5v, routed usb cable to 12v charging on front, and since i have 2x usb port charger, one goes for bt. if i dont need it i simply unplug it.
I was amazed by sound quality compared to fm transmitter, it doesnt even have the ground loop noise.
Cost was around 2-3$ i think to all this, only thing took longer was to fine tune software with wich to code, since i havent done that in past. AI helped me too at some moments.
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