Amfab

The illumination on my CDR-210 doesn't work, can somebody run out, turn on your lights, cover the radio with your hands and see if its only the face plate LCD that illuminates, or do some of the other buttons (not on the removable face place) illuminate too. Im trying to find out if the problem is in the unit or in the faceplate .
TIA
-Andrew

Mark Harris

Did you (or a previous owner) switch out radios? Certain Becker radios need a wire spliced to light the panel. I bought a radio out of a 97 993 for my 96 and experienced this. If this is your problem it is an easy fix. Becker USA can give you a wiring harness diagram for the splice or when I get home from traveling I will send you a PDF on it.

Mark

Amfab

YES! it was a CR-210 cassette that didnt work, so I picked up a used CDR-210 and popped it in, no probs except the illumination.
-Andrew

Amfab

actually It looks like the pinouts are the same from the CR to the CDR

Tonydec

There is another connection to be made. Can't remember the specifics, but I found it on a search here.

Amfab

k I ll look some more

Tonydec

If you can't find it, I'll ask my installer and see if he remembers.

Amfab

OK you guys rock! Mark and Tony you are absolutely on it.
It turns out that 97 and later CDR-210s and some CD-210s are different from the pre 97s.
Becker upgraded the units from a fixed illumination scheme, where the illumination power is taken internally, to a scheme where the illumination power is taken externally.
The manual I downloaded from Becker showed the pinout in the Pre-97 configuration with pin 6 as Unused.
After doing the search I found that Geolab, with his bottomless supply of tech bulletins had posted the one about the upgrade.
The Tech bulletin showed that Pin 6 is used in post 97 CDR-210s and CR-210s for illumination and prescribed tapping the ashtray light as a power source.

I went out to the garage, Found a Blaupunkt harness I had laying around from an old stereo install in my 84 Targa, pulled a wire with pin from the old connector and I am now illuminated! The whole thing took about 20 min.
Thanks so much, this has been bugging me for weeks.

Raptor

Amfab: Clearing a bug like that is just too cool! Like reoving a splinter. Nice effort.

Amfab

Thanks again guys, last night driving home from work with the radio on, and being able to see what I was doing, all I could think of was how cool this place is.

Mark Harris

Amfab,

Nothing I have ever said or done in my life is original. I had the same question a year ago, posted it like you did, and got the answer from another Rennlister. Just passing the torch of light. (literally) The next time this post comes up (and it will) it's all yours brother.

Best of all, I had the same joy and excitment of what a great place this is when mine lit up in the garage after I read about the solution and ran down to the car and spliced my wire.

993Porsche

Amfab, could you send me the link to Becker? I'm researching the installation of a new systems too.


Thanks,

Ken

Amfab

Their website is pretty bad, it takes some searching around. http://www.beckerautosound.com/Service.htm
Will take you to the place where they keep the manuals.
For any other information it seems they want you to call.
The manuals have Pinout info though, but as you can see from the above posts, some of the manuals may not be the latest versions. I got the Porsche Technical Bulletin about the CDR-210 being upgraded here on Rennlist.

John95cab

The CDR210 manual does not have any diagrams but if you go here: http://www.beckerautosound.com/pdf_guides/om43-4462.pdf to the CDR220 manual page 28 shows the back of the unit which is the same as the CDR210. This is a very timely thread as I just acquired a CDR210 yesterday and I have the same illumination issue.