jkb

that sucks. almost a deal breaker for me.

how do you switch between artists or albums? not sure i want to use iPod while driving a 6 speed high-performance auto

Macho Belly

Another option for XM antenna location: Underneath plastic cover w/alarm LED in middle of dash (only if you don't have nav system). There is a metal plate under this plastic cover that houses the satellite antenna in cars with nav. It's just the right size for xm/sirius antenna. Reception is just fine. Biggest challenge is running antenna wire down seam in dash - requires care and patience.

Livefreeandrive

Hi, went for my install yesterday and no dice for the fiber optic option.
I have the CDR-23 and it would not recongnize the new equiptment. I do not have the cd changer and I was working with a top professional. I was bummed but after trying some fm modulator options he found one that with some tweeks works well. The best part is that he happened to have a a tech art interior piece that fits on the right side of the console and provides a nice place to mount a Dice or other Ipod docking location. It sounds pretty nice but not as nice or loud as a CD. If you have the navigation system you are good to go!
To the poster who has the cabriolet with the CDR23 what type of equiptment are you using and did you get it from eric?
Steve

wross996tt

I have the CDR-23 and my Dension Gateway 500 works great. I did not have the CD changer...the key is that you must use a PST2 or PIWIS to tell the MOST system you have one. Once that is done, no problem.
Your top professional does not understand MOST.
Seriously you should do this...it is way better than FM modulator!

Livefreeandrive

Hey can you translate for me? You trojans have your own language=fight on.
Thanks,
Steve

wross996tt

Steve, I would be happy to help...what needs translation? Yes Trojans #1, but watch out for those Buffs this year!

Livefreeandrive

PST2 or PIWIA ? I was going to go to the dealer for the cd changer presto chango?

jimhsu

Did you guys know about this option for iPod in the car?

www.2point5.com

I have it in my M3 and it works great. I think the text will display on the radio and shows song titles: it does on mine.

The iPOD is in an actual dock and not stashed away in the glove compartment. If not in use, the standard tray door closes and there's no unsightly cable dangling out or bracket sticking out like a sore thumb. The interior looks completely original and unmolested.

I installed mine from out of box to blasing down my street in about 45 minutes.

wross996tt

Yes these are Porsche testers. You can go to the dealer or some indy's have them. It is a 5 minute job at most to get the system to recognize the cd changer (dension iPod)

Jimhsu, How does this product work, where does it connect in the fiber optic chain? Is your M3 MOST?

jimhsu

I am not exactly sure how the product works in the Porsche stereo setup but I know it's not any more difficult to self-install than my M3 because I looked at the Porsche install manual briefly before. The new website does not have the manual pdf files available now. You can call up the folks at the

http://www.2point5.com

though and they will happily talk to you and answer your emails with lots of info.

I am not sure what the acronym "MOST" stands for?

In my M3 self install, I plug into the cables in the trunk that's meant for the CD Changer, route the wire to the front without cutting into anything, unscrew a few center trim pieces without taking the dash apart at all, snap the custom dock with the heavy plastic base into the ashtray (fits perfectly: this is custom made for each car model), reassemble the unscrewed trim pieces, and next thing you know I can see text on my OEM stereo that's the song title, and the iPod plays and charges at the same time.

With my M3 there are buttons to control volume and track FF/REV on the steering wheel, but to change Playlist, Genre, etc. you still need to use he iPod controller. Fortunately with a big playlist all I really need to use 95% of time are the volume and FF/REV functions. There are no buttons on the Porsche steering wheel, so you still need to touch the iPod, but that's the same predicament in any of the iPod adapters.

ADDENDUM: I found Media Oriented Systems Transport on Wiki and yes BMW is listed as one of the involved companies since 1998, but I am not sure if the older style stereo system (mine is the "premium Sound" but it seems to be just a console and a 10-speaker Harmon Kardon system) is involved or just their (TERRIBLE!!) iDrive all-encompassing system. My E46 M3 is thankfully spared of the iDrive embarrassment.

hamilton

My experience has been mixed. If you don't have the CD changer, you need to get the head unit reprogrammed by the dealer to see the Denison unit. Random play works, you just have to select it from the head unit. I have the iPod in the glove box. Some annoyances: the Denison defaults to playlist 5 (all songs) every time the car is restarted. Random play is also reset. No track names in the CDR-23 display. The sound quality is good though and I like that the iPod remembers its position in the song when the car is shut off.

jimhsu

If the song title does not show up on the console....and the iPod is in the glove compartment and I can't see the screen on the iPod, I don't think I would be a happy camper for too long.

That's why I like my SPEC DOCK for my M3 (see attached pic from my post a few posts above) instead of the system hawked by BMW dealer, because even if I don't want the song title scrolling across the stereo all the time, I can turn it off, and then if I am not sure what the sone title is, all i have to do is touch the iPod wheel and I can see it.

wross996tt

The Dension unit is using the CDR cd changer set-up...so 6 cds. In the Dension case it is the first 4 playlists on your iPod and 5 is the entire iPod. The random funtion works every time for me and I can see the track names in the head unit.

hamilton

@wross996tt

Do you have the NAV unit or the CDR-23? I understand how the playlists work but everytime I stop the car and then restart it, it reverts to CD 5 and the randon turns off. Yours doesn't?

wross996tt

Hamilton, I have a turbo, so yes it comes with the Nav unit stock and CDR-23. Mine starts wherever I leave it random on cd1 if that's where I leave it. What firmware are you running? It is now at 1.05.