Hard Disc drive instead of CD Multichanger

[sneakybear]

Hi,

I am researching what's possible in terms of adding a disc drive full of mp3'd tunes to my 997.1 C2S. Going and buying an ipod and getting the factory connections added is an option obviously but are there any other things to consider? None of my music is 'appled' either so that might take a while...

Ideally I'd be able to browse my folders as per an mp3 cd from the front screen and I'm not keen on changing too much elsewhere either.

Any thoughts, comments, suggestions all gratefully received.

Cheers,
sb

[anonymous-user]

There are other diy options. Search here for dension.

[kingston12]

My Dension Gateway 500 has a USB slot and will play music from a stick or HDD.

I have never tried this out as I have an iPod connected to it.

The Dension fits into the MOST ring instead or as well as the CD Changer, but is quite an expensive option at £300.

[SoliD]

I have a 996, with PCM2.0, just wondering if you know whether the Dension would need a CD changer coded to the car as I don't currently have one, or whether it is plug and play?

Thanks

SoliD

[smj996c]

sneakybear said:

Hi,

None of my music is 'appled' either so that might take a while...

Ideally I'd be able to browse my folders as per an mp3 cd from the front screen and I'm not keen on changing too much elsewhere either.

Any thoughts, comments, suggestions all gratefully received.

Cheers,
sb

An iPod will play mp3 so no need to convert should you go down an iPod route, the only other thing to consider is your head unit mp3 compatible?

[mankey]

smj996c said:

...... the only other thing to consider is your head unit mp3 compatible?

I seem to remember the CD units were MP3-compatible roughly from around 06.

As a Dension GW500 owner I can wholly recommend it. I fitted it myself and find it's a dream to play music from the PCM. The real bugbear is the PCM 2.1 anyway, which is one of the most prehistoric pieces of audio equipment I've come across. Things improved with the PCM3 in the latest cars, but everyone is already streets ahead.

Problem with the Dension is the price, it may not be worthwhile if all you want is to play a CD full of MP3s.

[Richard Hamilton]

SoliD said:

I have a 996, with PCM2.0, just wondering if you know whether the Dension would need a CD changer coded to the car as I don't currently have one, or whether it is plug and play?

Thanks

SoliD

The Dension emulates a CD changer, so the MOST gateway needs to be coded to include a CDC. It is very easy to do with a PST2 or PIWIS. If you are anywhere near me (Maidenhead, Berks) I would be happy to do it for you.

[RichB]

Forgive what may be a daft question but what does this provide above simply pluggin one's iPod into the jack socket in the centre cubby box?

Reason I ask is that my wife has a 2009 987 without a multi-CD changer. She wants to play lots of different music so would this provide that facility?

[anonymous-user]

If the Jack in the arm rest is aux-in only, then the Dension unit offers full integration (control and charging) with the cars PCM system. You can also maintain the use of the CDC if fitted, as well as using a USB key.

The only downsides are:

1. Can't touch these if you have a Porsche warranty you wish to maintain.
2. It is relatively expensive (However, it is cheaper than replacing PCM with a double-din unit which includes nav, and looks nice.).

[davek_964]

Just a (very minor) point about using a system with a USB key. I've had a couple of stereos that allow me to use USB - and they all play the tracks in alphabetical order, not the actual track order on the album. Not a big problem, but it means I prefer to plug an old ipod in.

[kingston12]

RichB said:

Forgive what may be a daft question but what does this provide above simply pluggin one's iPod into the jack socket in the centre cubby box?

Reason I ask is that my wife has a 2009 987 without a multi-CD changer. She wants to play lots of different music so would this provide that facility?

The Dension allows you full control of the iPod from the PCM screen and probably slightly better sound quality as I think I remember reading that the Porsche Aux-in is of the wired-FM type.

The Dension is a great bit of kit, but I wouldn't bother fitting one if you already have the Porsche Aux-in. The advantages would be outweighed by the expense and the fact it voids the extended warranty!

[sneakybear]

Thanks for all the info: Denison Gateway 500 seems to be the unit of choice then. I'll investigate the cost and what effect (if any) there'll be on the warranty.

The head unit does play mp3s, so that's good and although I agree that a fancy head unit would be, well, fancy... I'm just interested in being able to carry around more music at the moment while keeping the car stock as well.

64GB of mp3 is quite a bit more than 6 CDs and a whole lot easier to navigate around than multiple mp3 cds in the car.

Cheers guys,
sb

[sneakybear]

OK, so the warranty will be rendered void if I install the Denison unit?! Why... well I suppose I know why but it's annoying.

Don't have an aux in plug, besides, was keen on a USB drive rather than buying an ipod as well.

What to do... hmmmm

[barnseyboy]

I have a cayman 06, with bose. It had the cd changer, amp and sat nav stolen :-(

I have bought a replacement amp and fitted fine, however the BOSE fibre/most system will not work without the CD changer present.

I was about to buy a CD changer model 997.645.140.03 when I saw this thread, and wondered if I could just buy a Dension instead to 'complete the MOST loop'.

I've read that the Dension can be installed alongside the CDC (so you keep both), however does anyone have any experience, or guess, on whether I could not bother replacing the CDC, and just use a Dension instead.

Thanks in advance

Dan

[mankey]

You can use a cheap fibre optic connector to complete the loop on your car. I assume the b*stards managed to break the continuity and/or the cabling when they pinched the kit did they?

[clockworks]

The Dension Gateway that I fitted into my BMW came with a fibre loopback plug. You can either just fit the Dension to the headunit, and use the loopback plug, or fit the Dension to the headunit and the CDC to the Dension, and let the CDC handle the loopback.

[namyacs]

My 991 has the JukeBox which is a 40GB HDD, plug in a USB or similar and I can copy the folders/files onto the PCM. Really good. Also, one can set the bass and treble independantly for the source, except for the balace which seems to be fixed once set.

[mankey]

It's great that the Porsche have finally wised-up and installed some up to date equipment in the 991. Regrettably I was only able to do this with a Pioneer unit I fitted to my Boxtser 7 years ago and they've moved-on even more.

As I say, the OP probably has a broken link in the chain that either the Dension GW500 can satisfy OR just a connector. I'm currently using the Dension in my 997 and find it works extremely well, with the ability to copy your music to a USB memory stick as well as integrate the phone, if that's what you want.

[Popolou]

mankey said:

It's great that the Porsche have finally wised-up and installed some up to date equipment in the 991.

Some.... They forgot the DAB.

[mankey]

... Yeah. I gather that DAB is usually a bit flaky in cars.