Latest advice for PCM2.1 replacements please
Discussion
I've just had my 997.1 C2S's PCM 2.1 replaced with a Kenwood DNX9180DABS. It's an excellent unit with all the usual connectivity. It has satnav (Garmin), plays any format disk including DVD's, plays from USB or SD card and has iPhone carplay and android connectivity. I had a dash cam fitted at the same time which is reviewable and configurable on the high definition 6.8" screen. It works with the MFSW and the surrounds come in 3 colours. It can pair with two mobiles. It has to be plugged in to the lightning cable for Apple car play or Android to work but once plugged in you can use iPhone's siri to call, text, play music etc. Satnav map updates are free for two years and speed camera poi's are simple enough to upload to the unit. It's got a few widgets, weather, photo displays stuff like that and a motorised tiltable display.
I looked at the top end Pioneer AVIC-Z910DAB which is has wifi connectivity for Apple carplay and Android but I didn't like the Navteq (Here maps) Satnav, which is only updatable for free within the first 45 days. The Pioneer isn't high resolution either, it's unfortunately WVGA with a resolution of 800×480 and the screen seemed a lot slower than the Kenwoods to respond and wasn't as smooth scrolling. Although the pioneers wifi was great to have it wasn't a deal breaker as I usually plug my mobile in when in the car to charge it anyway.
Neither were cheap, the Kenwood was actually £100 more than the Pioneer and by the time I'd forked out for installation and the unit to connect it to Porsches Bose system, the dash cam and sundries the bill came to £2k but it's transformed the car. Now the PCM 2.1 has gone so has all that extraneous 1990's type console clutter of switches buttons and knobs, and inputting destinations into the nav unit is a breeze. Controlling it all using siri is great too!
I looked at the top end Pioneer AVIC-Z910DAB which is has wifi connectivity for Apple carplay and Android but I didn't like the Navteq (Here maps) Satnav, which is only updatable for free within the first 45 days. The Pioneer isn't high resolution either, it's unfortunately WVGA with a resolution of 800×480 and the screen seemed a lot slower than the Kenwoods to respond and wasn't as smooth scrolling. Although the pioneers wifi was great to have it wasn't a deal breaker as I usually plug my mobile in when in the car to charge it anyway.
Neither were cheap, the Kenwood was actually £100 more than the Pioneer and by the time I'd forked out for installation and the unit to connect it to Porsches Bose system, the dash cam and sundries the bill came to £2k but it's transformed the car. Now the PCM 2.1 has gone so has all that extraneous 1990's type console clutter of switches buttons and knobs, and inputting destinations into the nav unit is a breeze. Controlling it all using siri is great too!
I’m in the same process as well on my 996 C4S. Not sure which way to go as i want the vehicle to look as standard as possible and i have even thought about going to a Single DIN unit and moving the HVAC controls to the same space so it looks like it was out the factory.
Can’t decide if a modern Alpine/Kenwood/etc would like out of place and if the iPhone intergration would be good enough.
Can’t decide if a modern Alpine/Kenwood/etc would like out of place and if the iPhone intergration would be good enough.
I've gone the aftermarket route twice - in a 987 Boxster and 997 and never regretted it. I put both back to standard when I traded them back and especially with the 997 remember feeling how prehistoric the PCM 2.1 looked.
Whatever route you follow may be determined by the amount of money you want to spend - you can pay a disgusting amount of money but I bought reasonable kit and fitted it myself. It's really easy to do and if it's done sympathetically with the correct facia panels it can look fantastic.
Whatever route you follow may be determined by the amount of money you want to spend - you can pay a disgusting amount of money but I bought reasonable kit and fitted it myself. It's really easy to do and if it's done sympathetically with the correct facia panels it can look fantastic.
I fitted the Pioneer SPH-DA120 which is £320
It has a 6" capacitative screen and works with your iPhone for your phone & Apple maps. Way better than hardware nav as it has live traffic
Fitted it to my 987 myself
It is just as good as the £1000 Avic F88DAB in my Maserati
You can keep the door subs but need new mids / tweeters
Did the whole job myself, very satisfying took 30 hours all in including stripping the doors down and putting all the sound deadening in
Sold all the old PCM, Bose crap to Porsche Apart for £300 and put this towards the kit I bought so the job cost me about £500 all in & sounds amazing!
It has a 6" capacitative screen and works with your iPhone for your phone & Apple maps. Way better than hardware nav as it has live traffic
Fitted it to my 987 myself
It is just as good as the £1000 Avic F88DAB in my Maserati
You can keep the door subs but need new mids / tweeters
Did the whole job myself, very satisfying took 30 hours all in including stripping the doors down and putting all the sound deadening in
Sold all the old PCM, Bose crap to Porsche Apart for £300 and put this towards the kit I bought so the job cost me about £500 all in & sounds amazing!
Adam B said:
What was the “reasonable kit” please
The Boxster had a Pioneer (tuner/satnav/phone model). Don't remember the model, it was 12yrs ago.The 997 had a Kenwood DNX7230DAB. Usual tuner, DAB, SatNav, USB, iPod inputs & bluetooth and of course phone connection. It's long been superseded but I had it installed for 5 or 6 yrs, with a facia panel that trimmed it in the same colour as the surrounding aircon controls.
thewatchbloke said:
I've just had my 997.1 C2S's PCM 2.1 replaced with a Kenwood DNX9180DABS. It's an excellent unit with all the usual connectivity. It has satnav (Garmin), plays any format disk including DVD's, plays from USB or SD card and has iPhone carplay and android connectivity. I had a dash cam fitted at the same time which is reviewable and configurable on the high definition 6.8" screen. It works with the MFSW and the surrounds come in 3 colours. It can pair with two mobiles. It has to be plugged in to the lightning cable for Apple car play or Android to work but once plugged in you can use iPhone's siri to call, text, play music etc. Satnav map updates are free for two years and speed camera poi's are simple enough to upload to the unit. It's got a few widgets, weather, photo displays stuff like that and a motorised tiltable display.
I looked at the top end Pioneer AVIC-Z910DAB which is has wifi connectivity for Apple carplay and Android but I didn't like the Navteq (Here maps) Satnav, which is only updatable for free within the first 45 days. The Pioneer isn't high resolution either, it's unfortunately WVGA with a resolution of 800×480 and the screen seemed a lot slower than the Kenwoods to respond and wasn't as smooth scrolling. Although the pioneers wifi was great to have it wasn't a deal breaker as I usually plug my mobile in when in the car to charge it anyway.
Neither were cheap, the Kenwood was actually £100 more than the Pioneer and by the time I'd forked out for installation and the unit to connect it to Porsches Bose system, the dash cam and sundries the bill came to £2k but it's transformed the car. Now the PCM 2.1 has gone so has all that extraneous 1990's type console clutter of switches buttons and knobs, and inputting destinations into the nav unit is a breeze. Controlling it all using siri is great too!
Sounds great. Do you have any pictures please?I looked at the top end Pioneer AVIC-Z910DAB which is has wifi connectivity for Apple carplay and Android but I didn't like the Navteq (Here maps) Satnav, which is only updatable for free within the first 45 days. The Pioneer isn't high resolution either, it's unfortunately WVGA with a resolution of 800×480 and the screen seemed a lot slower than the Kenwoods to respond and wasn't as smooth scrolling. Although the pioneers wifi was great to have it wasn't a deal breaker as I usually plug my mobile in when in the car to charge it anyway.
Neither were cheap, the Kenwood was actually £100 more than the Pioneer and by the time I'd forked out for installation and the unit to connect it to Porsches Bose system, the dash cam and sundries the bill came to £2k but it's transformed the car. Now the PCM 2.1 has gone so has all that extraneous 1990's type console clutter of switches buttons and knobs, and inputting destinations into the nav unit is a breeze. Controlling it all using siri is great too!
Do others who have changed the PCM have any pictures?
Thanks
Adam B said:
That looks very near watch bloke
+1 for Kenwood; works really well, although the windscreen-mounted DAB aerial is not 100% as good as a proper, factory fit item. However, Bluetooth, phone, iPod, and NAV are excellent, the latter especially.Only shot I have of installation, but it does look pretty unobtrusive in there and way better than the 'Fisher Price' PCM 2.1 console.
Hi,
(Sorry if im not allowed to link to an earlier posting)
Please look here from my PCM2.1 replacement and photos
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Let us know how you get on!
(Sorry if im not allowed to link to an earlier posting)
Please look here from my PCM2.1 replacement and photos
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Let us know how you get on!
Nice install. I think, either way - Pioneer [i]or[i] Kenwood (or any other premium, double-DIN head unit such as Alpine for example) - the user experience will be night and day different to the hateful PCM.
About the only thing I miss is the trip info and some of the car set-up options, but I really don't give that much of a toss about it. Not enough to suffer Stoneage connectivity and clunky, hard to follow Satnav. PLus, I am sure, there are probably apps you can add which might even be able to replicate the functions.
About the only thing I miss is the trip info and some of the car set-up options, but I really don't give that much of a toss about it. Not enough to suffer Stoneage connectivity and clunky, hard to follow Satnav. PLus, I am sure, there are probably apps you can add which might even be able to replicate the functions.
Digga said:
Nice install. I think, either way - Pioneer [i]or[i] Kenwood (or any other premium, double-DIN head unit such as Alpine for example) - the user experience will be night and day different to the hateful PCM.
About the only thing I miss is the trip info and some of the car set-up options, but I really don't give that much of a toss about it. Not enough to suffer Stoneage connectivity and clunky, hard to follow Satnav. PLus, I am sure, there are probably apps you can add which might even be able to replicate the functions.
The Kenwood has a much more in depth and configurable trip display than the PCM (available through the Nav page). About the only thing I miss is the trip info and some of the car set-up options, but I really don't give that much of a toss about it. Not enough to suffer Stoneage connectivity and clunky, hard to follow Satnav. PLus, I am sure, there are probably apps you can add which might even be able to replicate the functions.
With regards the car setup options I configured those as I wanted before removing the PCM, the main ones being lock the doors when starting to move off and keep the temp setting on what I left it at instead of defaulting to 22 degrees after the key is removed.
Other info such as range, mpg and std trip info are available on the various oem instrument displays so although I had the same concerns as you about the setup options in the end it made no difference.
The Garmin nav is excellent. The ability to add extra destinations into the existing route, and to be able to simply shuffle the order in which you want to visit them is superb.
I also find the exit guidance on motorways/autoroutes/autobahns is invaluable in those odd occasions where the junction is poorly sign-posted and not all at 'obvious' in layout. Or those ones where you realise, too late, you needed to be on the inside lane at least half a mile back...
I also find the exit guidance on motorways/autoroutes/autobahns is invaluable in those odd occasions where the junction is poorly sign-posted and not all at 'obvious' in layout. Or those ones where you realise, too late, you needed to be on the inside lane at least half a mile back...
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