Dension+iPod on 2003+ 996 anybody?

Has anybody installed iPod on their 2003 or 2004 (MOST) 996 using Dension Fiber IceLink that recently got released? Would love to hear how it is working out for you... thanks...

Check the 997 section....huge thread.

thanks, but i specifically want to get feedback from 996 owners

I have it installed and love it :-) I put it in the trunk. I have the bose amp that I tapped into for FO/power, no cd changer.

do you have NAV or CDR-23? how does it work with CDR-23? does it properly display IDv3 tags and other song info? how do you control it (songs, artists, shuffle, etc...) did you install yourself? was it difficult? thanks...

I have the Dension Gateway 500 installed in my 2003 C4 Cab. I have the PCM 2 with Nav, so some of my reactions won't apply to your situation with a CDR-23. Overall, I love it. I have a dedicated iPod in the glove box, and also have XM satellite radio installed through the Aux port in the Dension unit. Sound quality is great, and the user interface is good, at least within the limitations of the 4 playlist system that the Dension favors. Scrolling to additional playlists is a little more difficult, and scrolling through artists is really tough, particularly when you have more than 500 artists, as I do. You can get there, it just takes a little time and patience. I would imagine that you would want to rely more heavily on the 4 playlist system, given the CDR-23's setup. Many have self-installed the device, but I did not. I was nervous about dealing with the fiber optics, and I also wanted a clean install of the XM unit. The end result is very polished, and looks almost stock. The XM antenna is completely out of site. Hope this is helpful. Let me know if you have any specific questions.

Why? Isn't the MOST infotainment infrastructure and PCM identical between the 9x6 and 9x7 (Boxster and Carreras)?

Yes....that is why I suggested the link

well.. maybe. i specifically would love to get feedback from people with CDR-23 and i dont know if 997s use CDR-23

Where's the antenna on the cab install? Do you have any pics of the install? Do you need the denison unit for XM? Thanks.

Please chime in if you have the CDR-23. I am getting this installed in a few weeks. Thanks, Steve

The antenna on my Cab is mounted beneath the plastic molding that covers the windshield wiper housing, just aft of the front hood. Reception is excellent. I'd post pics, but there's nothing to see. My installer mounted the antenna under the housing, and routed the antenna wire through the back of the dash to the XM unit. I believe you can use an FM modulator with the MOST setup for satellite radio, but sound quality with this connection is apparently not great. I would imagine the XM connection via the aux port would be superior, but I've admittedly not compared the two options.

I have the CDR23 installed. Sound quality is what I expected - its good. It's actually pretty quick to go back and forth songs. I use the 4 playlists named 1., 2. etc. There are obvioulsy some things that would be nice to have - random play, ability to display song names on the display (instead of track number), play all my drm songs (biggest issue - I think). There is a bug when going between playlists - the display says "loading" switching between playlists - it stays until selecting next/previou ssong. I read somewhere that it is fixed in a new firmware version but decided to wait. It's not a big issue. Overall, it works great

so song names are not displayed? hmm.. what is displayed, just #2, #3, #10? ID tags are not displayed??? can you switch between songs/artists/etc. like you would in iPod menu?

It displays the track numbers - Track 1, 2,.... I have not tried the config but don't think the CDR-23 support CD text mode. You can switch songs just like when using the CD - previous, next. Or use the iPod.

that sucks. almost a deal breaker for me. how do you switch between artists or albums? not sure i want to use iPod while driving a 6 speed high-performance auto

Another option for XM antenna location: Underneath plastic cover w/alarm LED in middle of dash (only if you don't have nav system). There is a metal plate under this plastic cover that houses the satellite antenna in cars with nav. It's just the right size for xm/sirius antenna. Reception is just fine. Biggest challenge is running antenna wire down seam in dash - requires care and patience.

Hi, went for my install yesterday and no dice for the fiber optic option. I have the CDR-23 and it would not recongnize the new equiptment. I do not have the cd changer and I was working with a top professional. I was bummed but after trying some fm modulator options he found one that with some tweeks works well. The best part is that he happened to have a a tech art interior piece that fits on the right side of the console and provides a nice place to mount a Dice or other Ipod docking location. It sounds pretty nice but not as nice or loud as a CD. If you have the navigation system you are good to go! To the poster who has the cabriolet with the CDR23 what type of equiptment are you using and did you get it from eric? Steve

I have the CDR-23 and my Dension Gateway 500 works great. I did not have the CD changer...the key is that you must use a PST2 or PIWIS to tell the MOST system you have one. Once that is done, no problem. Your top professional does not understand MOST. Seriously you should do this...it is way better than FM modulator!

Hey can you translate for me? You trojans have your own language=fight on. Thanks, Steve

Steve, I would be happy to help...what needs translation? Yes Trojans #1, but watch out for those Buffs this year!

PST2 or PIWIA ? I was going to go to the dealer for the cd changer presto chango?

Did you guys know about this option for iPod in the car? www.2point5.com I have it in my M3 and it works great. I think the text will display on the radio and shows song titles: it does on mine. The iPOD is in an actual dock and not stashed away in the glove compartment. If not in use, the standard tray door closes and there's no unsightly cable dangling out or bracket sticking out like a sore thumb. The interior looks completely original and unmolested. I installed mine from out of box to blasing down my street in about 45 minutes.

Yes these are Porsche testers. You can go to the dealer or some indy's have them. It is a 5 minute job at most to get the system to recognize the cd changer (dension iPod) Jimhsu, How does this product work, where does it connect in the fiber optic chain? Is your M3 MOST?

I am not exactly sure how the product works in the Porsche stereo setup but I know it's not any more difficult to self-install than my M3 because I looked at the Porsche install manual briefly before. The new website does not have the manual pdf files available now. You can call up the folks at the http://www.2point5.com though and they will happily talk to you and answer your emails with lots of info. I am not sure what the acronym "MOST" stands for? In my M3 self install, I plug into the cables in the trunk that's meant for the CD Changer, route the wire to the front without cutting into anything, unscrew a few center trim pieces without taking the dash apart at all, snap the custom dock with the heavy plastic base into the ashtray (fits perfectly: this is custom made for each car model), reassemble the unscrewed trim pieces, and next thing you know I can see text on my OEM stereo that's the song title, and the iPod plays and charges at the same time. With my M3 there are buttons to control volume and track FF/REV on the steering wheel, but to change Playlist, Genre, etc. you still need to use he iPod controller. Fortunately with a big playlist all I really need to use 95% of time are the volume and FF/REV functions. There are no buttons on the Porsche steering wheel, so you still need to touch the iPod, but that's the same predicament in any of the iPod adapters. ADDENDUM: I found Media Oriented Systems Transport on Wiki and yes BMW is listed as one of the involved companies since 1998, but I am not sure if the older style stereo system (mine is the "premium Sound" but it seems to be just a console and a 10-speaker Harmon Kardon system) is involved or just their (TERRIBLE!!) iDrive all-encompassing system. My E46 M3 is thankfully spared of the iDrive embarrassment.

My experience has been mixed. If you don't have the CD changer, you need to get the head unit reprogrammed by the dealer to see the Denison unit. Random play works, you just have to select it from the head unit. I have the iPod in the glove box. Some annoyances: the Denison defaults to playlist 5 (all songs) every time the car is restarted. Random play is also reset. No track names in the CDR-23 display. The sound quality is good though and I like that the iPod remembers its position in the song when the car is shut off.

If the song title does not show up on the console....and the iPod is in the glove compartment and I can't see the screen on the iPod, I don't think I would be a happy camper for too long. That's why I like my SPEC DOCK for my M3 (see attached pic from my post a few posts above) instead of the system hawked by BMW dealer, because even if I don't want the song title scrolling across the stereo all the time, I can turn it off, and then if I am not sure what the sone title is, all i have to do is touch the iPod wheel and I can see it.

The Dension unit is using the CDR cd changer set-up...so 6 cds. In the Dension case it is the first 4 playlists on your iPod and 5 is the entire iPod. The random funtion works every time for me and I can see the track names in the head unit.

@wross996tt Do you have the NAV unit or the CDR-23? I understand how the playlists work but everytime I stop the car and then restart it, it reverts to CD 5 and the randon turns off. Yours doesn't?

Hamilton, I have a turbo, so yes it comes with the Nav unit stock and CDR-23. Mine starts wherever I leave it random on cd1 if that's where I leave it. What firmware are you running? It is now at 1.05.

I have no idea what firmware I have. I suppose i should update and see if that fixes things.

Yes, I got mine from Eric. You need to update the Porsche software to recognize the Dension. The dealer charged me $70(!!!) using their standard P tester software - took them 3 minutes to do it. They claimed they wanted to cover the software cost. I heard other dealers do it for free or at least for less than I paid (I was the first one doing it at my dealer). Sound quality is great and I don't miss my old fm modulator at all...

Interesting. My understanding is that CDR-23 does not support displying track names. Did you use the config to make it display CD text? If so, was this using the 1.05 firmware?

I didn't do the install, but I asure you I see see the track names. I saw them on the previous firmware level as well (1.04).

Are you seeing the names on the CDR or the NAV? I don't have the NAV unit...

I also have the cdr23 (with the latest firmware) and don't think that it supports the track names. (both the dealer & stereo installer worked on it) It's been working great but have only been able to access those first 4 playlists through the hard buttons. I don't know if it is a configuration issue or what, but I can only bring up menu choices (visible on ipod screen) - no way to 'select' them. Dealer told me to press the track change **** but no go. Until I can 'select', I can't get the Dension to charge the ipod while it's plugged in. Anyone else have this issue?

This is what I get on my screen...there is no cdr screen.

yeah, that's the part I don't have...