dlipetz

Last week I bit the bullet and spent $1400 to have the CDC-4 CD Changer installed in my MY04 Cayenne S. Since PCM displays CD-TEXT, I burned a number of CDs with CD-TEXT expressly for play in my Cayenne.

ALL of these CDs play flawlessly, and display CD-TEXT properly, using the integrated CD drive in the PCM.

When these same CDs are inserted in the CDC-4 CD Changer, it is hit or miss if they are even recognized. The changer may only recognize 1 or 2 CDs out of a full magazine. If you eject and re-insert the magazine, it may recognize an entirely different number of CDs. Again, these same CDs play perfectly in the PCM CD drive.

I have used three different brands of CD-R media and all are problematic in the CDC-4. I use Nero software to burn all of them.

These same CDs also play flawlessly in changers in a Subaru, BMW, Audi, Ford, and others. Even a $15 K-Mart CD player recognizes them, yet the Porsche CDC-4 does not.

Brought to the dealer yesterday. They say same magazine of my CD-Rs also does not work in another Cayenne's CDC-4 and that "store bought" CDs work fine in my changer. They e-mailed PCNA and the response was that some CD-Rs may not work.

I am extremely disappointed. This is 2004, not 1994. Just as one would expect a TV to accomodate a DVD player, one would expect a 2004 CD Changer to play CD-Rs! Especially when they work fine in the PCM drive.

At the very minimum, Porsche should advise consumers that the CDC-4 does not support CD-R. If they had, I would not have purchased the changer.

I have escalated this to Customer Committment at PCNA. All I want from them is a CDC-4 that operates as one would expect it should.

So, for all of you out there that have a CDC-4, please let me know what your experience has been using CD-R media.

Do CD-Rs work intermittently, all the time, or not at all?

What brand of CD-R media do you use?

What software do you use for burning CDs?

The more info I have, the better for my conversation with PCNA.

I really don't think I am being unreasonable, and I don't want to start a debate about the virtues of iPODs or similar devices. I am just shocked that this is even an issue in 2004.

Appreciate feedback on your CDC-4 experiences with CD-Rs.

Matt C

Dlipetz,

I've never had an issue with my CDC with different sorts of CD-R brands. The latest were "TDK CD-R80 Metallic" (Don't know if they are available in the US) with the software Nero 5.5.9. I use CD-Text too.

Do a search on the forum. I believe I've seen a couple of posts from other users with similar problems.

Difference Engine

We've had some customers with similar issues. And one customer that is having problems playing certain store bought CDs.

Having said that, I use mainly Sony and Memorex CD-Rs and so far I haven't had an issue playing them on any Porsche CD player. I just tried them on the CD Changer in the Cayenne in the showroom here and both worked fine.

I use Cakewalk's Pyro program for burning CDs.

mudman2

I use Imatation or TDK (Compusa's best) and Nero 6, never noticed a problem apart from the title not scrolling when its long

dlipetz

As a result of my call to PCNA Customer Committment, the regional PCNA rep has already contacted my dealer regarding my problem . The rep told my dealer that he burns his own CDs and they play fine in the CDC-4 changer in his Cayenne. The rep is going to the dealership tomorrow and I will drop off my CD-Rs tonight to see if they will play in his CDC-4.

My dealer called me about 40 minutes after I left the dealership with my Cayenne. So, now I need to go back. Again.

But this is progress.

camcayenne

mine is totally intermittent using purchased CDs, never tried it with CD-Rs

dlipetz

PCNA has authorized my dealer to replace my CDC-4 with a newly ordered unit. I'm hopeful that this will resolve the problem with CD-Rs.

rbaron

Did you get the replacement and did it solve the problem?

The new S I wanted and bought did not have a changer so the dealer ordered one as part of the deal and it was installed last week. I was happy to see it takes the disk holders I used in my traded in MB ML430; today I am not so happy because it has been intermittently not recognizing, skipping and reloading store bought cds that played well in the MB.

So, before I raise a ruckus, I'm checking to see what experiences others have had.

btw, does anyone have a good source for the disk holders at a reasonable price?

--Bob

Moogle

first of all, you should all be using the Porsche Magazine / holders

from that starting point, you can then try to isolate what other issues may be causing the CD-text / play not to work correctly.

there are so many gremlins with the audio system on 03-after porsches due to the ****-tastic MOST bus.

dlipetz

Well, yes and no. The new CD changer installed by the dealer appeared to be immensely better than the previous unit - recognizing CD-R media the old unit failed to recognize. Within 24 hours, I realized that it was better, but still intermittent - failing to recognize many CD-Rs and not properly refresh track listings.

So, I tried another new brand of CD-R media, Verbatim, which I have found to be wholly more reliable than Maxell, Fuji, Imation, and the others I've tried. Now, CD-Rs are recognized better than 90% of the time. Occassionally, one will be skipped or more occassionally, a CD track title or two is not recognized. This is usually cured by ejecting and reinserting the magazine. On a few occassions, the CD Changer failed to recognize the fact that a magazine had been inserted at all.

So, this is not perfect, but operates much better than my old unit and I am more or less satisfied.

NYC Cayenne

I haven't had any problems with any kind of CDR's, it playes them all I have, and the text comes out perfectly.
I was a very dissapointed when I foundout it doesn't play MP3's though.

dlipetz

Please indicate if you are playing the discs in a CDC-4 CD Changer or the head unit (my PCM head unit never has a problem, just the changer), which CD-R media you use, and which software you use to burn the CDs.

Thanks.

jamy85

Have your cd changer replaced. Same problem happened to me, the dealer ordered me a new unit and ever since no problems :-)

ltc

I do not believe this problem is associated with the MOST infotainment bus.
This is an issue regarding certain Becker OEM CD mechanisms, which are used to build CDC4's.

rbaron

>>first of all, you should all be using the Porsche Magazine / holders<<

I cannot tell the difference. Is there one?