MINI Navigation V27 Makes it to the Web

GSKChicago Mar 13th, 2006 Link

Nice to see that BMW/MINI is taking steps to bring their Nav system to the 21st century - or at least closer to it. The Nav system on my wife’s Acura is far better than the system in my ‘05 MCS. It defintely gets the job done, but not nearly as well. Aside from her system having a touch screen, searching is far easier as you can search by name versus having to know the category it is in first - which I rarely know what category the developers decided to put something into.

So does the new system upgrade give better overall functionality or simply better views with the 3D, etc?

I understand it however - Japanese car companies have catered to a public that likes the gadgetry, etc. European car companies have catered to drivers who could care less about the gadgetry and they have been playing catch up to make the North American market happy.

Edge Mar 13th, 2006 Link

Gabe, was the Microsoft jab really necessary? It just seems a little crass for such a cleanly run website.

Xan Mar 13th, 2006 Link

all in good fun . . . and I prefer Roxio Toast.

ANTSMINI Mar 13th, 2006 Link

How long before this upgrade is available at the dealer?

I don’t really feel like playing mad scientist with my MINI again.

Gabe Mar 13th, 2006 Link

Gabe, was the Microsoft jab really necessary? It just seems a little crass for such a cleanly run website.

LOL - No jab intended. If you’re talking about the “M$” I actually didn’t realize I even wrote it.

Dale Mar 13th, 2006 Link

Has anyone here done the upgrade yet?

Matt Mar 13th, 2006 Link

I think you can blame me for the M$ jab, Edge. I do it whenever I can. Apparently, it’s rubbed off on Gabe.

geno Mar 13th, 2006 Link

I have to say, I am totally at Mac guy. But when I have burned Nav updates. I have only gotten then to burn correctly on a M$ machine.

Also it’s all great that they are making the maps look cool, when are you going to update and clean up the rest of the interface? OBC? Menus? Make the fonts cleaner, etc.

mooper Mar 13th, 2006 Link

hi gabe,

if i toast the two files:

bmw v27.mdf
bmw v27.mds

as a data disc will they be recognized by the nav system?
am not familiar with the file format.
if i use the disc utility will the files be mounted?
thanks for your help.

best,

m

Mike Mar 13th, 2006 Link

Mooper,

I had luck just using Toast on the MDF file alone (the MDS file is clearly just a file of metadata which isn’t necessary). This looks freaking amazing! I’m so impressed that they came out with this after not too long ago having come out with the previous drastic visual improvement!

peter Mar 13th, 2006 Link

Anyone know if you need to have the v26 Nav installed before doing this upgrade? And does this install affect the US/British voice option at all?

Kurt Collins Mar 13th, 2006 Link

As with any firmware upgrade - be careful you guys.. you don’t want to fry your nav system firmware! Read the instructions carefully before diving. If you are uncomfortable with performing the upgrade - wait for your dealer to do it for you.

Jorge Mar 13th, 2006 Link

Hey guys,
I havent been able to find out definitively, but will this update work on a 2002 MINI Cooper with a CD Based NAV System? I just want to make sure before installing it.
Thanks,
Jorge

Mr_Edly Mar 13th, 2006 Link

I did the upgrade last night — works fine.
I’m not much for testing Beta firmware, but this is
The MINI logo doesn’t disappear — nothing but benefit.

Several others on NAM have upgraded without issue, also:
http://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/showthread.php?t=63345

Dale Mar 13th, 2006 Link
Has anyone here done the upgrade yet?

Mr_Edly Mar 13th, 2006 Link

I did the upgrade last night — works fine.
I’m not much for testing Beta firmware, but this is NOT a beta, it is the final released version of V27 that can have the Perspective Mode turned on by accessing the Nav hidden settings menu.

The MINI logo doesn’t disappear — nothing but benefit.

Several others on NAM have upgraded without issue, also:
http://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/showthread.php?t=63345

> Dale Mar 13th, 2006 Link
> Has anyone here done the upgrade yet?

O(=^=)O Capn Mar 13th, 2006 Link

Wow! that looks so cool! They certainly have come a long way. I wonder if the finish point is still a checkered flag and if it will mess with the british accent?

Steve Mar 13th, 2006 Link

I agree with you, Kurt. But what if you’re dealer WON’T do it?! When I had my Mini Convertible in the shop a few months ago, I asked them to update the Nav and they told me that “It’s still not recommended by MINI Usa so we won’t do it.” WTF?

So I’m still driving around with the old cruddy version. I’ve been too chicken to do it myself…Maybe this time, that perspective looks pretty darn cool……
Steve

geno Mar 13th, 2006 Link

Yeah, my dealer won’t even take my Nav to v26. First he said it wasn’t out yet. This was last week… I even took the MINI service bulletin in. And he still said they wouldn’t do it.

Kurt Collins Mar 13th, 2006 Link

Don’t even get me started on crappy dealers. I’ve had too many run-ins lately with my latest MCS.

Steve Mar 13th, 2006 Link

Gabe, I would be careful. This is not a source of LEGAL distribution of this upgrade. Don’t want the big black 7 Series showing up at your door.

Gabe Mar 13th, 2006 Link

Gabe, I would be careful. This is not a source of LEGAL distribution of this upgrade. Don’t want the big black 7 Series showing up at your door.

I’m technically not distributing it myself ;)

Steve Mar 13th, 2006 Link

OK,
I got over my fears and did the install. Worked like a charm! Loving it. And to my dealer, (and you know who you are…steve…..) pfffffft!!!! ;-)

MDSBrain Mar 13th, 2006 Link

To help answer some questions.

This can only be done to MINIs/BMWs with the MKIV Navi. Which means your car uses DVDs for the map discs.

You can upgrade from any previous version.

Legals…As some folks have told me this is a legal thing to distribute because its not copyrighted like a disc with the maps on it.

Mike (The Office Maven) Mar 13th, 2006 Link

Legals…As some folks have told me this is a legal thing to distribute because its not copyrighted like a disc with the maps on it.

Don’t let them fool you… The nav O.S. software/firmware is indeed copyrighted material. Do you really think that a company like BMW would release all copyrights to something like this??? I think not!

I have no problems whatsoever with the software/firmware for the nav system being distributed via the Internet (nor the map data CDs/DVDs for that matter), but don’t kid yourself for a moment by thinking that it’s LEGAL to do so.

We’re just lucky that BMW doesn’t seem to mind (as indicated by the long time existence of sites like X5world.com who’ve had a hand in the distribution of the nav updates for many years now).

I just wish that other companies were the same. Apple’s all over my ars right now for this very thing (MAN I HATE APPLE!!!)

– MIKE (TOM)

Edge Mar 14th, 2006 Link

Mike,

I think you’re being a little too paranoid about it. This is firmware that is completely and utterly useless to anyone unless they already own the intended hardware.

And if you are thinking that BMW/MINI will be concerned about “trade secrets” in the firmware, that’s a bogus answer too, because there’s nothing stopping a competitor from obtaining an already upgraded nav computer and downloading the firmware image anyway.

Seriously people… this is like a BIOS upgrade for a PC, or a firmware upgrade for other computer hardware. It only has one purpose - to improve the functionality of that hardware, to make it better… and more competitive with competing navigation products. BMW HAS to do this in order to continue to sell their Nav products to the general public. Companies like Garmin, Tom-Tom and Magellan have done their jobs (not to mention Japanese manufacturers like Lexus and Acura) and are keeping BMW competitive.

The only reason that dealerships won’t do the upgrade is because they are paranoid of breaking the Nav in the process, and therefore being held financially accountable for it. Think MINIUSA will gladly replace a Nav computer that wasn’t broken when the customer showed up? Nope. The dealer thinking is simply: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

Distribution of the map disc… THAT will get the black car coming to your door… not necessarily a BMW either - whatever the NavTech police use. :)

Apple? Well, they always were overly and fiercely protective of ANYTHING of theirs… they have to be able to keep charging that high mark-up, don’t they? :) (Note for the record: I consider Apple products high quality… AND high priced, both at the same time. Whether that quality is worth that price is a personal decision.)

Kev-e-Kev Mar 14th, 2006 Link

I love the update and it works fine. Took away the female British voice. :(

Bummer!

Anyone know how to get it back? If I do the v26 again, will it come back without taking away the new perspective?

Puck Mar 14th, 2006 Link

I did the upgrade last night and love it. Sadly though I have now lost the twaek that I had done to the previous release that swapped the usa and gb voices. I tried a half a dozen burns and never got the system to recognize a tweaked disk.

If anyone else has had success please let me know. I already miss my “straight on to join the motorway”. :(

Puck Mar 14th, 2006 Link

Wow. That was scary timing.

Yeah… what Kev-e-Kev said.

Mr_Edly Mar 14th, 2006 Link

http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/173304
Re: V27 is now available

Think anyone will incorporate the British female voice into this image?
I love this firmware, but it reverted my “v26 British woman hack” back to the USA accent that my ‘05 Mini Cooper came with.

-Ed

—> V27 can be hacked the same way as V26 was :)
Author: ucrewx5 Posted on: 2006-03-13

Also, http://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/showpost.php?p=860782&postcount=29

Kev-e-Kev Mar 14th, 2006 Link

“—> V27 can be hacked the same way as V26 was :)
Author: ucrewx5 Posted on: 2006-03-13″

Who hacked it last time? Surely they’d just have to do it to v27 the same way?

Puck- Great minds think alike!

rakh1 Mar 14th, 2006 Link

Hey all - just applied V27 to my UK Mini and it went without a hitch. Took about 3 mins and another 20 secs to activate the perspective mode. Very nice looking but not sure if it is as practical as the other map views for navigating :) Not had a chance to drive it around much yet so no idea if thre are any other imporvements. See my site for pics - http://spaces.msn.com/rakh1/ Cheers - Rich

Mike (The Office Maven) Mar 14th, 2006 Link

Edge,

What you are saying is totally true. However, I just don’t want folks going around with blinders on thinking that the firmware is not copyrighted material and so it’s completely okay to spread around and/or modify as they see fit as that’s just not true. BMW may not seem to mind, but that still doesn’t make it any more “legal” to do so.

With that said, and as I’ve already mentioned, I don’t give one single hoot about the firmware updates (nor the map data updates) being sperad around on the Internet. I say more power to them!

Again though, I just don’t want folks thinking that they’re not doing anything wrong when technically they are. I’m more than fine with my updates and I sleep just fine at night. V27 sure does look good on my MINI’s nav display and I’m really loving my 2006-2 map data as well! :-)

Thanks for your comments.

– MIKE

Lee L Mar 14th, 2006 Link

Quote: “Distribution of the map disc… THAT will get the black car coming to your door… not necessarily a BMW either - whatever the NavTech police use. :)”

But if you live in an area not covered by the crappy map data, can they actually find you? ;)

rkw Mar 14th, 2006 Link

Here’s the actual copyright notice included a file in the V27 image:

(C) 1999, VDO Car Communication Germany GmbH
All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced
or copied in any form or by any means (graphic, electronic,
or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, recording
taping, or information and retrieval systems) without the
written permission of the copyright owner.

Mike (The Office Maven) Mar 14th, 2006 Link

Thanks rkw.

My point EXACTLY! :-)

Jake Mar 14th, 2006 Link

Got it installed last nite for my wife.

IT IS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO COOOOOOOL!

She loves it too.

peter Mar 14th, 2006 Link

To the folks who installed it and lost the GB voice, were you running a previously hacked version to enable that voice? I’d hate to lose the accent. Got an ‘05 with the GB voice an option already enabled from the factory.

Mr_Edly Mar 14th, 2006 Link

Peter, this upgrade won’t hose you like it did me:
See posts 13,22-25,28,and 29 on the thread
http://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/showthread.php?t=63345

My GB voice wasn’t available ’til I installed hacked v26 firmware — to get it back, I’ll have to use hacked v27 firmware which isn’t widely available yet.

Since your hardware CAME with the GB voice, this upgrade apparently won’t erase yours like it did mine.

Mike (The Office Maven) Mar 17th, 2006 Link

BTW, for those that don’t already know…

Another HUGE advantage to installing the V27 update on your MINI’s factory nav system is that it has a really cool new feature that automatically dismisses the silly Accept (or Nag) screen for you after about 3-5 seconds.

No more pushing the Accept button each time you get into your car. This is the way that it should of been from the get go.

WAY TO GO BMW!!!

peter Mar 17th, 2006 Link

Did the upgrade on my ‘05 yesterday. Works great! Didn’t lose the GB voice either. Very, very nice upgrade, especially coming from v25.

Edge Mar 18th, 2006 Link

Gabe (and mdsbrain), the ISO file really shouldn’t be called the “Mac version”… ISO is a standard that is cross-platforms.

In fact, ISO is every bit as PC standard as it is Mac… the original MDF files are application-specific (i.e. you MUST have Alcohol 120%), but ISO can be burned by ANY CD burning program.

Mr_Edly Apr 16th, 2006 Link

Need the British female voice on v.27?
Those of us with older MKIV units
- don’t have the GB option language option built into our units;
- have to use hacked versions of the firmware that swap the voice files around to transform all of our “highways” into “motorways”.

See details and download pointers at http://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/showpost.php?p=915101&postcount=104