Brief description of components
The aerials supply signals for the aerial system:
- FM aerial
The FM aerial receives radio stations and traffic information in the FM (VHF) range (FM stands for "Frequency modulation").
The number of FM aerials installed in the aerial system varies:
> E87, E93
4 FM aerials (FM 1, FM 2, FM 3, FM 4)
> E90, E91, E92 and
R56
3 FM aerials: (FM 1, FM 2, FM 3)
For space-saving reasons, the FM 4 aerial does not exist physically. The FM 4 aerial is formed from the HF signal of the FM 1 and FM 2 aerials by way of heterodyning. This improves FM reception.
- AM aerial
The AM aerial receives radio stations in the SW, MW and LW ranges (SW stands for "short wave" MW stands for "medium wave" and LW stands for "long wave").
- TV aerial
The TV aerials (TV 1 and TV 2) receive analogue or digital television signals. > R56 in Japan national version
4 TV aerials (TV 1, TV 2, TV 3 and TV 4) are installed in the Japan version.
- DAB aerials (Europe version)
The DAB aerials picks up high-frequency signals (digital signals) from the radio transmitters (DAB: Digital Audio Broadcasting).
Different DAB aerials are used for radio reception:
- DAB L aerial (frequency range: L-band)
The DAB aerial is used for reception in urban areas.
- DAB III aerial (frequency range: III-band)
The DAB aerial is used for regional reception.
- DAB L aerial (frequency range: L-band)
- GPS aerial
The GPS aerial picks up navigation signals transmitted by GPS satellites (GPS: Global Positioning System).
- Telephone aerial
The telephone aerial is designed for the GSM mobile communication network and for other services, e.g. CDMA. (GSM stands for "Global Standard for Mobile Communication"; CDMA stands for "Code Division Multiplex Access")
- Emergency GSM aerial
The emergency GSM aerial is installed in vehicles with TCU (TCU stands for "Telematics Control Unit")
An emergency call can be transmitted through the emergency GSM aerial if the external telephone aerial is not working, because of an accident, for example.
- SDARS aerial (US version)
> E90, E91, E92, E93 and
R56
High-frequency signals (digital signals) from satellites and stationary aerials for terrestrial reception are picked up by an SDARS aerial on the vehicle. (SDARS stands for "Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service")
An aerial cable routes the signals to the satellite tuner.
- VICS aerial (Japan version)
Information relating to the current road traffic situation is acquired from several locations and transferred to the VICS control center. (VICS stands for "Vehicle Information and Communication System")
Information is provided by radio and infrared transmission for the current stretch of road. Information is provided both in text and graphic form.
> E87
The aerial is integrated in the interior rear-view mirror.
> E90, E91, E92
The aerial is integrated in the rear window.
> E93
The aerial is installed in the mirror base of the inside mirror.
> R56
The R56 has 2 aerials.
One aerial is integrated in the interior mirror, the other in the rear window.
The individual aerials are integrated in the aerial system as follows:
- Aerials in rod aerial
> E87
The rod aerial contains the aerials for AM, FM 1, telephone and GPS.
> R56
In the basic version, the rod aerial contains the aerials for AM, FM 1. Depending on the vehicle's equipment
specification, up to 6 different equipment versions are possible.
- Aerials in the roof-mounted aerial
> E90, E91, E92
The following roof-mounted aerials are fitted:
- Roof-mounted aerials with aerials for telephone, GPS and DAB (Europe version).
- Roof-mounted aerial with telephone, telephone 2, GPS and SDARS (US version)
The US version of the roof-mounted aerial is noticeably larger than the Europe version. Depending on the vehicle's equipment specification, up to 5 different equipment versions are possible.
- Aerial in the rear window
> E87, E90, E91, E92, E93
Conductors pressed onto the heated area of the rear window act as aerials. The heated area connections for the heated rear window are decoupled from the aerials by rejector circuits.
- Aerials in side window
> E91
One TV aerial is integrated in the rear left and rear right side window. Each television aerial (TV 1 and TV 2) features its own TV aerial amplifier. The aerial amplifiers send the signals from the 2 TV aerials to the video module.
> R56 in Japan national version
One TV aerial is integrated in the rear left and rear right side window. The TV aerials (TV 3 on the left in the direction of travel; TV 4 on the right in the direction of travel) have their own TV aerial amplifier. The aerial amplifier sends the signals from the 2 TV aerials to the control unit for the Japan navigation system.
- Aerial on tailgate
> E93 US version
The SDARS aerial is fitted on the tailgate (design as roof-mounted aerial).
- Aerials in the rear left and rear right side trims
> E93
When the convertible hardtop is open, radio stations are received using the aerials in the rear right and rear left side trims.
The following aerials are fitted in the rear left and rear right side trims:
- AM and FM aerial (FM 1)
- FM aerial (FM 3)
- Aerials under the rear bumper trim
> E93
The following aerials are fitted under the rear bumper trim:
- TV aerial (TV 1)
- TV aerial (TV 2)
- FM aerial (FM 2)
- FM aerial (FM 4)
- Telephone aerial (GSM 2) for telematic services
- DAB aerial (frequency range: III-band)
The aerials TV 2 and DAB III share a common aerial amplifier. The aerial TV 1 has its own aerial amplifier.
- Aerial behind the front left wheel arch cover
> E93
The telephone aerial is fitted behind the front left wheel arch cover. The telephone aerial (GSM 1) is directly connected to the eject box.
- Aerials in cowl panel
> E93
The following aerials are installed in the cowl panel:
- DAB aerial (frequency range: L-band)
- GPS aerial
The following components are involved in operation of the aerial system:
- Aerial amplifier with aerial diversity for FM
The aerial amplifier compensates for losses that occur in the aerial line. The aerial diversity function makes available the signal from the aerial with the best reception to the radio.
> E87
The aerial amplifier for the FM aerial (FM 1) and for AM aerial is located in the base of the rod aerial.
The aerial amplifier with aerial diversity for the FM 2 to FM 4 aerials is installed on the inside of the boot lid above the rear window in the area of the auxiliary brake light.
> E90, E91, E92
The aerial amplifier with aerial diversity is installed above the rear window in the area of the auxiliary brake light.
Other aerial amplifiers are also housed in the AM/FM aerial amplifier housing:
- Aerial amplifier for TV aerials
- Aerial amplifier for DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting)
- Aerial amplifier for VICS (Vehicle Information and Communication System)
Moreover, the remote control receiver for unlocking the vehicle is also integrated into the module.
> E93
The aerial amplifier with aerial diversity is at the rear left in the luggage compartment.
The following aerial amplifiers are fitted in the aerial amplifier housing:
- Aerial amplifier for FM aerial (FM 2)
- Aerial amplifier for FM aerial (FM 4)
> R56
The aerial amplifier with aerial diversity is located on the inside of the tailgate, under the rear window (between the rear window wiper and the C-pillar). Other aerial amplifiers are also housed in the AM/FM aerial amplifier housing:
- Aerial amplifier for TV aerials
- Aerial amplifier for DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting)
- Aerial amplifier for VICS (Vehicle Information and Communication System)
- Compensator
The compensator equalizes losses in the telephone aerial wire. The compensator can be retrofitted at the customer's express wish to improve reception.
- Suppressor filter
The suppressor filter suppresses interference from the rear window aerials in the additional brake light wires. Filter circuits in the interference suppression filter are designed to suppress conducted interference. The interference suppression filter is located in the positive and earth cable of the auxiliary brake light.
> E87
No interference suppressor fitted (suppression filter not needed).
> E91
The interference suppression filter is additionally installed in the positive and earth wires for the heated rear window.
- Rejector circuit for heated rear window
The current to the conductors in the rear window is fed through 2 rejector circuits. The rejector circuits act as throttles to reduce the transmission of interference pulses in the aerials from the vehicle electrical system.
A rejector circuit is integrated into the earth wire on the left-hand side of the rear window. An identical rejector circuit is integrated into the positive (+) wire on the right-hand side of the rear window.
> E87
The rejector circuits are located in the tailgate under the rear window.
> E90, E92, E93
The rejector circuits are located on the left and right-hand sides under the C-pillar trim.
> E91
The rejector circuits are integrated in the interference suppression filter.
> R56
The rejector circuits are located in the tailgate under the rear window.
- TV amplifier
Each television aerial is connected to a TV amplifier. The TV amplifier compensates for losses that occur in the aerial line.
> E87
No TV
> E90, E92
The TV amplifiers are integrated in the AM and FM aerial amplifiers.
> E91
2 TV amplifiers are connected to the video module. The TV amplifiers are powered remotely by the video module.
The TV amplifiers are installed in the left and right C-pillars at the level of the rear side windows.
> E93
2 TV amplifiers are connected to the video module. The TV amplifiers are powered remotely by the video module.
The TV amplifiers are under the rear bumper trim.
> R56
The TV amplifiers are integrated in the AM and FM aerial amplifiers.
(In the Japan version, the R56 has a separate TV amplifier for the aerials TV 3 and TV 4)
- Coaxial cable
The coaxial cables carry high-frequency signals, e.g. between the aerial amplifier and the radio.
- RAD_ON wire
The RAD_ON wire carries the "Radio on" signal. The RAD_ON wire switches on the aerial amplifier with aerial diversity and the AM/FM aerials.
The following control units are involved in the aerial system:
- Radio, M-ASK or CCC
- BMW "Audio" radio, BMW "Business CD" radio, BMW "Professional" radio
A MOST bus is fitted for the BMW "Professional" radio and higher.
- M-ASK: Multi-audio system controller
The M-ASK is fitted with option "Business Navigation". The menus are displayed on the Central Information Display (CID).
- CCC: Car Communication Computer
The CCC controls all information and communication systems. The menus are displayed on the Central Information Display (CID).
- BMW "Audio" radio, BMW "Business CD" radio, BMW "Professional" radio
- TCU: Telematics control unit
A transmitter/receiver module (transceiver) with its own SIM card is installed in the TCU (SIM stands for "Subscriber Identity Module").
- VM: Video module
The video module is the central receiver unit for the picture signals from the TV aerials. In addition, the video module is a selector switch for the video sources.
- VM Hybrid: Hybrid video module (as from 03/2005 Europe version)
The hybrid video module is a combination of the video module (for analogue TV reception) and the set-top box (for digital TV reception).
- IBOC: Digital tuner US (US version only)
> E90, E91 as from 09/2005
> E92, E93
> R56
IBOC is an FM tuner that can receive additional digital information (IBOC stands for "In-Band On-Channel").
IBOC performs the task of the conventional tuner. This means the tuner function of the conventional tuner is coded inactive.
- DAB: Digital tuner (not US version)
DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting) makes digital radio reception possible. The digital tuner converts the digital signals from the DAB aerials into optical signals (light signals). The digital tuner transmits these optical signals on the MOST bus.
- SDARS: Satellite tuner (US version only)
SDARS (Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service) facilitates digital radio reception via satellite and terrestrial reception via stationary aerials