larrylgreenhill

Dear Forum Members:
I am a new member and plan to post a picture of my new black/black 2009 C4S 6-speed I've just leased when it comes back from the shop where it is getting fitted with a clear protector.

I've done a search on "Universal Audio Interface" but did not see any titles in the list of posts that included this option for the new 2009 Porsche 911.

My 2009 C4S came equipped with a Universal Audio Interface. This is a group of connectors, housed in the storage area between the front seats, that are to be used to connect the PCM with USB thumb flash drives or to an IPod. I am unable to get my iPhone to connect and show its stored music playlist on the PCM touchscreen. I've plugged in a 4 GB USB thumb drive with a 2GB set of music files to the appropriate USB port in the car but it does not come up when I select USB drive with the "SOURCE" button on the dashboard.

Has anyone been successful in using their Universal Audio Interface in the new 2009 911 cars? If so, how did you get your iPod or USB thumb drive to be recognized on the PCM' screen?

Best,
larrylgreenhill

Minok

Mine works perfectly with my ipod photo, and my flash drive with mp3 files. What type of files are on your thumb drive?

Eric - Plug Guy

larry - welcome to Rennlist.

Have you asked your dealer about this issue?

gray911

1. Plug in your ipod
2. Press disc or source button
3. List of songs should come out

Vic

Gaspasser19

I read somewhere that the iPhone 3G and perhaps the other new Apple products were having compatibility issues with the Universal Audio. I think it pertains to the change in charging voltage. I'd check with the dealer.

Likemystoppie?

Gaspasser- you're correct. The new apple 3G's are have bizarre issues with not only Porsche; but also the new MB Bluetooth/Harddrive based systems.

I'm not sure if Apple is working on a fix. But the pre-3G's link flawlessly.

to the original poster- DID your ipod work in your 997.2 at ANYTIME?

Bill_C4S

Curious - my iPhone 1.0 connects, and whilst it throws up the need to occasionally reconnect or reboot with PCM, overall it functions well as a music source...files ripped for the most part to Apple Lossless (AAC)....screen interface works well.

Also the crackberry sync's well on Bluetooth....

None of which helps the OP...but to hazard a guess, I'd start with either a duff hardware connector/module... or you've a version clash on the iPOD..

Have yet to try the USB link...may well check that out...

larrylgreenhill

Minok:
By the way, the dealer has not said anything helpful yet, but I'll tell him about the incompatibility issues with the iPhone 3G. I recall that my former iPhone, an original model that used the EDGE network, was able to play on a demo 997.2 C4S with a universal audio interface at another dealership. Perhaps it is the 3G iPhone!

The files on the 4 GB USB thumb drive are master hi-resolution audio data WAV files (24bit 88.2 kHz). The files are stored in industry standard file structure and include cover art and track titles. Playback requires a 24 bit 88.2kHz capable soundcard. My desktop and laptop computer can start the files playing, but are not capable of producing sound as I don't have the soundcard. I was hoping that the Porsche PCM system would recognize the files and attempt to play them.

Perhaps I should start with with 44.1kHz WAV files first. Let me try that!

By the way, are you able to get your Bose Surround Sound System to play CDs in 5-channel surround sound? My PCM simply shows a grayed-out 5.1 option which gives the error message "5.1 surround not available" when I use the touchscreen to pick that option when playing a Dolby 5-channel music CD.

Best,
larrylgreenhill

Minok

I don' t think the network you are using with the iPhone plays any role.

The current issue, as far as I know, with the PCM, is that charging of the newer iP* devices is not possible because the connector uses the FireWire/IEEE 1394 charging pins, which are no longer supported on the newest iP* devices. Now only the USB2 charging pins are supported, which the in car iPod interface doesn't use.

The iPhone specifically, I've heard say (as I don't have an iPhone), can only be in one mode at a time: you either have it interfaced with the PCM via bluetooth for phone use, OR you have it acting as an iPod music player, but not both. Maybe thats the issue at hand?

I'm not sure if you are indicating coverart embedded in the .wav file or not. In any case, I 'think' there is some section of the PCM manual that may address playback from a flash drive, but I'm not sure if it went into details on the format/encoding of the music in the files. I'd try a 44.1kHz sample frequency 2 channel (stereo) wave and/or mp3 file first, and see if that works. It may be that there are common standards in the computer realm, but the PCM is likely only going to support some lowest common denominator. I know my flash drive with mp3's played fine.

I don't have the Bose sound solution, so I cannot comment on playback of anything more than 2 channel audio.

RED HORSE

I don't have any trouble using bluetooth while using the iPod function of my iPhone. I have the original iPhone.

Gaspasser19

I believe the system voltage is a problem for the iPhone 3G, Touch and the new Nano. There are a few manufacturers trying to build a solution. I read about a product from Scosche that plugs into the iPhone, effectively "stepping down" the voltage from 12v to 5v. I have no affiliation but it might be worth a shot if Porsche can't help. Their website: http://www.scosche.com/passport

Minok

Ok, then I retract that portion of my analysis... the person that informed me of that problem was probably not using his iPhone properly.

The voltage should only be a problem when charging the new iP* devices... that should not prevent them from playing/working on their existing charge, I assume. My understanding is those two charging systems (firewire 12v vs usb 5v) are on two different pins in the connector. Is that not right?

dave20009c4s

To the original poster: I have a 2009 C4S (w/ Universal Audio Interface) and an iPhone 3G. For the first few months I owned the car, the iPhone worked perfectly as a music player - plug it into the Interface and the Playlists would show up under the "DISC" icon on the Source Menu.

However, yesterday I tried plugging it in as usual and the display indicated the iPhone was detected but I got a "no music data" message. If I play a song on the iPhone and then plug it into the UAI, it plays thru the car's stereo but I still don't get any playlist reading. Planning on calling the dealership soon. Will report back what they tell me.

I have had no issues w/ Bluetooth connectivity...

simsgw

Can't say about the iPhone since I don't own one, Larry. But the problem with your thumb drive is the file format. Page 42 of the PCM Manual says "permitted formats: MP3, WMA, and AAC-LC"

You can't use the full bitrate ripped from a CD either. I initially just transferred files from CD's I had ripped at their full rate, which goes up to about a megabit. The player scanned down the file directory ignoring all those until it found a couple I had ripped to a compressed format and then it offered those only. (Those were MP3 I think.) You must use one of the compressed formats.

However, I'm having no problem at all with high resolution files. I am using WMA set at 192 kbps. Frankly, I doubt anyone can hear the differences between 192 kbps and raw analog multi-track source from a studio -- unless they are in a studio at the time. Or a really fine home audio system. People who can and are bothered by the differences probably need to be driving a Lexus rather than a sports car.

The only lossless format I see is on the disk player. You can play the soundtrack of DVD's in DTS, Dolby Digital and MLP. That last one is Meridian Lossless Packing from Dolby.

Someone else mentioned being unable to get Dolby 5.1 from CD's. I'm afraid very few CD's are recorded in 5.1. It's even controversial among the performers you see. Many of them feel surround sound destroys the effects they look for. (Don't ask me for details. My talent for creating music is limited to humming off key.)

There is a confusing discussion of the 'surround' option on page 19, so I'll translate it to English with a little guessing along the way.

The system retains your preferences for each of the different sources. You can adjust balance, fader, loudness and surround. Press the sound button to bring up the adjustment screen while using the source you want to adjust. While playing a disk or USB files, or listening to FM or Sat radio you are offered the 'surround' choice. When I check that while playing material recorded in simple stereo it gives that characteristic deepening of the sound stage. The sense of greater 'space'. However, this is synthesized by a signal processor. Possibly using the Dolby Pro Surround algorithms or some other licensed code or chipset. Don't know. I can only be fairly sure that Porsche engineers didn't try to develop their own audio processing algorithms. Why bother?

I have no 5.1 material on CD and it's too much trouble to haul myself back to the garage with a DVD in hand. I just didn't think of it until now. But I would suppose that with or without 'surround' checked, the system will default to the separate channels provided in DTS and Dolby 5.1 recordings whenever they are present.

You are not offered 'surround' for AM broadcasts and I would suppose that the feed from an auxiliary source also is passed through unchanged since you control everything else on 'aux' from the attached device.

Gary

TooSixy

It won't play WAV files. You have to convert those WAV files into MP3. If you want best audio quality, convert them to 320kbps MP3 files.
I believe it is only available when you playback DVD Audio discs.

I have an iPhone 3G and the songs play back w/out any problems.