readydiverone

Going to install this soon in 2020 cab, wondering whether others have left a USB cord attached (like 3') and taped so that future firmware updates can be done without removing unit? Wondering if unit will work with cord attached, albeit only at unit end.

Thoughts? And anyone in Montgomery County MD done this want to help me do it? I'm buying....

Thanks.

tourenwagen

Where are you buying it from? I've seen prices very quite a bit.

There was a thread a few weeks ago with a tutorial. Looked pretty straight forward.

dhirm5

Apparently Euro cars get this by default - they have a special key and likely some coding to make it work. One can buy the key from ebay.de -- I'd like to know if US cars can be coded to work with this key.

Drew46

I am guessing that by the time you buy the key (let alone 2) and do the programming, it is cheaper and easier to get the SmartTop. Plus the SmartTop has additional extra functionality.

Drew46

Yes. The instructions specifically say "It is a good idea to permanently install the USB cable with the module in the car, leaving the compute plug in an easily accessible spot for later use with a . . . laptop".

dhirm5

I prefer OEM, given the choice. Curious, though - what is this extra functionality?

audi4t

I have the SmartTop controller on my BMW 135i cabriolet.
After installation I left a usb "tail" to enable any future updates and upgrades, this can be left connected permanently.
Several years ago I had the good fortune to meet and spend some time talking with the SmartTop developer face to face.
This guy is a genius - when required CANBUS etc. coding for a vehicle is not readily available he will rent and / or borrow a vehicle and reverse engineer the requisite code to enable functional operation.

The benefits I see installing SmartTop are:

Many times the SmartTop install is plug and play - OEM connectors are used and that means the original harness does not have to be spliced.
Often, additional functions that may not be available on US vehicles are enabled.
The software is straight forward to apply to the commands you may wish to activate.

Drew46

drcollie

I had one in my 2014 Cab, never updated the software. Have one now in my 2021 and didn't bother to leave a USB cord dangle. There really isn't much to update, my 21 operates just like the 14. Not that hard to install if you are skinny and limber (neither applies to me). .

readydiverone

Thanks all, hadn't seen the mention in the manual re leaving the usb attached. And thanks @drcollie you make it sound easy I'm not so sure!!We'll see.

GJS NYC

I installed one the other week into my ‘20 C4S cab. Unhooking the carpet from the outer clips was not fun as well as the final plug with the red tab. Other than that, it was painless. Now it is installed, but i did not leave the USB cord revealed, i buried it back in there when i closed everything up. I think I’m regretting it.

Another gentlemen in a 911 Northeast group sent me a WhatsApp video here that i don’t know how to link to. He let the USB hang out and then Velcro’d the cord to the back carpeted area under the rear window. You cannot see this with the top down or up AFAIK. The reason for this is when he gives it into service, he updates the software to disable the module. Presumably, this is for it to not show up on the PIWIS scan that it is in there.

If you send me a PM with your phone number, i think i can send you the video he took of his 991.

Drew46

You can disable the module through the remote.

GJS NYC

How?

Drew46

I though you could do it from the fob, but now can't find that - but you can do it from the car. You toggle Setting 1 to "off". See page 6 of the manual: http://www.mods4cars.com/sms/db/smar...on_v1.0/en.php

GJS NYC

Doing it “via the car” means the dongle needs to be exposed so you can update the module to be ‘off’, which brings us full circle to post #11.