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I’m in a similar boat with my 2009 Cayman’s CDR30, non-Bose setup. I really want to find something with apple car play that matches the Porsche aesthetic.
Let us know how your Alpine install goes!
Last edited by nicetheory; 03-14-2023 at 09:10 PM.
Done and done! And happy with the results. It’s great to have technology I’m used to from my other cars now in the Boxster - and the backup camera to boot. This may be a DYI project for those of you who are a little more adventurous than me, but I was happy to write the check and let the experts take on the job. All in I spent $1750 which from what I can tell is about the same I could expect to pay for Porsches solution (whenever that comes out for 987.2) which won’t include the backup camera.
The trim piece which fills in the opening is an excellent match with the rest of the interior, but unfortunately it highlights my only complaint which is that the narrow plastic trim around the Alpine unit is piano black which doesn’t match anything in the car. But, the technology upside more than offsets it so I’m willing to live with it.
One big surprise is how much better the audio quality is, whether HD radio, USB or Pandora. I did not replace the OEM speakers and didn’t expect an improvement here, but for sure the factory radio never sounded this good. To be clear, I did not have Bose with my OEM unit which affects the parts required (no fiber optics) and the before/after comparison.
A few pics are below including an itemization of the parts used in case anyone takes on a similar project.
I'm still in the learning phase of operating the music while driving but all the functions like NAV, CarPlay, ApplePlay and, hands-free are very intuitive.. My biggest issue with the music function is the size of my music library. I have 80GB of music on a 128GB USB drive which makes scrolling by song, artist, or album lengthy requiring more attention than I am willing to sacrifice while driving so I've created more playlists for a quick choice. Bluetooth connection to my phone was much quicker than with the CDR30 which took several tries before it accepted my phone and I never could download the phonebook successfully. This was also much easier with the Pro 8 unit.
The accessory dual USB port directly replaced the 12V socket making the installation much cleaner. I have my phone in one side and the music drive in the other. The one drawback is that the Pro 8 uses its own microphone which I haven't found a permanent home for it primarily because I am so obsessive. It will likely end up close to the sun visor and God know they give you enough cable to put it anywhere in the car.
All in all, I am very happy with this as a replacement for the CDR30 and met all my requirements. I was able to download the PORSCHE logo and crest as the boot screen which sweetened the look when powering on the unit. The biggest pain other than the aforementioned microphone placement was getting the CDR30 tabs to release and required me to push each individual tab, and scoot the unit to hold each as I went on the next
Originally Posted by LaughingCrow;[url=tel:18707848
18707848[/url]]I'm still in the learning phase of operating the music while driving but all the functions like NAV, CarPlay, ApplePlay and, hands-free are very intuitive.. My biggest issue with the music function is the size of my music library. I have 80GB of music on a 128GB USB drive which makes scrolling by song, artist, or album lengthy requiring more attention than I am willing to sacrifice while driving so I've created more playlists for a quick choice. Bluetooth connection to my phone was much quicker than with the CDR30 which took several tries before it accepted my phone and I never could download the phonebook successfully. This was also much easier with the Pro 8 unit.
The accessory dual USB port directly replaced the 12V socket making the installation much cleaner. I have my phone in one side and the music drive in the other. The one drawback is that the Pro 8 uses its own microphone which I haven't found a permanent home for it primarily because I am so obsessive. It will likely end up close to the sun visor and God know they give you enough cable to put it anywhere in the car.
All in all, I am very happy with this as a replacement for the CDR30 and met all my requirements. I was able to download the PORSCHE logo and crest as the boot screen which sweetened the look when powering on the unit. The biggest pain other than the aforementioned microphone placement was getting the CDR30 tabs to release and required me to push each individual tab, and scoot the unit to hold each as I went on the next
thanks for posting your experience- very helpful. I may have missed it earlier but did your 987.2 have MOST BOSE? Mine does and I’m keen on the Dynavin solution. Also want to get the rear view camera - I trust myself but I don’t trust others in parking lots that are distracted with phones kids pets etc. not judging. Just reality.
thanks for posting your experience- very helpful. I may have missed it earlier but did your 987.2 have MOST BOSE? Mine does and I’m keen on the Dynavin solution. Also want to get the rear view camera - I trust myself but I don’t trust others in parking lots that are distracted with phones kids pets etc. not judging. Just reality.
Yes, my car has the Bose system. I should mention that because the Bose amplifier is two-channel you will lose the front/rear fader. However, mine seems well balanced anyway; so it hasn't been an issue for me. I might also consider the rear camera at some point since I have been spoiled by my other car.
Originally Posted by LaughingCrow;[url=tel:18709413
18709413[/url]]Yes, my car has the Bose system. I should mention that because the Bose amplifier is two-channel you will lose the front/rear fader. However, mine seems well balanced anyway; so it hasn't been an issue for me. I might also consider the rear camera at some point since I have been spoiled by my other car.
awesome. Thx for the intel. Sort of silly to have front / rear fader anyways in a car this compact and with two seats only - and a glorious engine note. Not fussed but appreciate the heads up. Install instructions straightforward?
03-14-2023, 09:03 PM
