V50 General : DAB Radio options

[Asphalt Pirate]

Hi,

Im looking to add DAB to my 2010 V50, what are my options I would rather not have something that attaches to the dashboard.

Is there a headunit I can change?

[iainmd]

Search seems to be quite broken on the site as I tried to find the previous threads on this. If you want something that doean't attach to the dash your options are quite sub-optimal and singular. There's a bluepower Android based headunit that can do it but it's expensive, clunky, support reported as pretty terrible, often shipped with parts missing and the original infotainment unit "head unit" has to be hidden in the glovebox I think. Pretty sub par.

The neatest solution I could come up with is what I have fitted (pic) and (pic). It's an Alpine EZI-DAB on a Brodit dash mount. I wired it to the aux-in socket and hid the control unit behind the dash so the only visible part is the controller on the waterfall dash. Cost about £80 IIRC.

Dension used to do a Gateway 500 unit that might have been an option but I don't know if that still exists. Other than that you're in the realms of FM transmitter type DAB units.

[Jarndyce]

I stream digital channels from my phone via the aux socket (and a Bluetooth link) rather than use DAB.

[PaddyB]

Your options are limited.

I use one of these & pair to my phone using BBC sounds or RadioPlayer.

I'm happy with it.

[Cornish Expat]

You’re options are limited to
1. Spend hundreds on a blu power unit.
2. Spend hundreds to get a grom or dension unit that connects into the fibre optics and tricks the car into thinking it’s an extra cd changer. May require connecting up to Vida to enable.
3. Spend about a hundred and hardwire something into the fm input
4. Use a wireless fm transmitter (I trip) and connect to a phone running internet radio or a portable dab.

I use option 3, a kinetic digitizor, it’s doesn’t have a visible controller but I rarely switch away from 6music. From past experience the pure 300di is better if you want to control an iPod from it or regularly switch stations. Look for something with a standard aerial connection as the newer pure units don’t have that and the included aerials aren’t great.
https://www.dabonwheels.co.uk/produc...a-car-radio-2/

[Cornish Expat]

Oh, forgot to add alpine ezidab is a rebranded pure highway. There’s an ezidab for version of each highway, the 300di or original ezidab is the one with the smb aerial connection.

[superhifi]

I'm currently contemplating buying the Denison DAB-U, which plugs into the cars USB port and then servers up the stations as 'files', so you can continue to utilise your existing interface.

Although their website focusses heavily on Audi and Merccedes, from what I understand, so long as your have a USB port that can play mp3 files from a USB stick then it will work.

It comes supplied with an Antenna, which i'm assuming is one of the stick on windscreen types.

https://www.dension.com/automotive/p...olutions/dabu/

My finger is hovering over the 'Buy' button, but i've got a couple of issues i'd rather sort on the car before buying a nice upgrade like this.

*Edit to update link to manufacturers website