Live Steam

Yes. I used the Isudar USB tether to connect a wireless CarPlay dongle. The Isudar board renders CP for the dongle.

Edit: It would be nice to find a way to disable the Isudar wifi and BT and just utilize it to render CP. Every once ina while there's a conflict or a glitch, but this is working for me without interfering with my home LAN when the car is in the garage.

Westcoast

Interesting, I have a Carlinkit 4.0 unit for my 718, although it works most of the time, it is not perfect, and it won't automatically connect, eventually it comes around.

So, you mentioned disabling the WiFi and BT on the Isudar, so you were able to do this or are you saying that it can't be done, and you are simply ignoring it from your phone?

Live Steam

No haven't figured out how to disable them. I just "forgot" them on my phone.

I just wish Porsche would come out with a PCM update such as they did for the older gens. Yeah I'd pay their price of admission.

danby

That's an interesting idea- I might try this. Is the Amazon like the unit you're using? I'm not sure if what you want to achieve with disabling the wifi/bt, but removing the antennas could help.

Westcoast

What using the Carlinkit unit does is shift the phone connection to that unit then ultimately through the Isudar USB connection. It does not disable WiFi or BT on the Isudar unit.

I think that there is something else going on in your case, the WiFi and BT should not affect the key fob.

ZedZed

I agree, yet when he removes the unit completely, his fob range comes back to normal. I can't imagine what might be causing that behavior. Something has to be sitting on the frequency range of the key fob and interfering with it. Yet the remote unlocking uses a 433Mhz rolling code system and, AFAIK, nothing in the Isudar board can conflict with that.

Here's some spitballing:

1. @danby has replaced the fob battery, but I wonder if he's tried using a different 'new' battery? Sometimes these coin batteries are cheap fakes (even when sold by reputable suppliers) and sometimes they may have been sitting on a shelf for years. One of the signs of a run-down battery is loss of range. On the battery pack I have there is a 'use by' date, like this:

1. Another thing to consider is if 'key not detected' ever shows up on the dash. This is another sign of a weak or dying battery. I assume @danby hasn't seen this or he would have mentioned it. I also assume he has checked that the contacts in the fob are all tight with the battery.
   
   
2. The other obvious possibility is signal interference from transmitters on the same frequency band close to the vehicle. I have experienced this in a particular parking lot where my car has refused to start due to interference from a close-by radio mast. I assume @danby has tested the fob operation in different locations, and has experienced the same issue. This would indicate that, if local radio interference is happening, it is coming from the car itself, whicjh then points back to the Isudar board (remember when the board or PCM is removed, the fob behaves normally.)
   
   
3. Another potential issue is with the receiver module. The module has a 'keyless entry antenna' - this could have failed or become damaged (maybe during Isudar installation), although this wouldn't explain why the fob works OK when the unit is removed from the car. An OBDII scanner can reveal if the commands are being transmitted or where a potential fault might lie. I use the iCarsoft POR3.
   
   
4. It is possible to reset the keyless entry system. All onboard computers can be rebooted by simply disconnecting the car's 12v battery for a few minutes. Remove negative cable first, then positive cable. With the cables removed, turn on the lights to drain any residual electricity from the circuits. After 15 minutes, reconnect the battery (positive first, negative second this time) and see if it has made any difference. It may be necessary to reset the window positions etc (see user handbook).
   
   
5. I've read that this procedure might work and can sometimes perform some sort of reset: Lock the doors from the outside by using the key in the door lock. Unlock the driver's side door using the key in the door lock. Within about 10 seconds or so, open the door and insert the key into the ignition. DON'T START THE CAR!! With the key still in the ignition, push the unlock button on the key. IDK if this is true, If the car alarm goes off, putting the key in the ignition stops it. Apparently key fobs can go into 'hibernation mode' if not used for some time, so this might explain why the second key isn't working.
   
   
6. None of the above 'fixes' explains why the fob works OK if the Isudar is removed. That still points to radio interference.
   
   
7. One final thing - is the car's battery fully charged? Sometimes this can have an impact on the various systems.
   

@danby - IDK if any of the above is any use to you or not. They're just some ideas I had while thinking around your problem. As a last resort, you might have to visit an OPC - but once they know you have installed a 'non-factory' board, they'll probably not help you much.

danby

Thanks for the thorough response @ZedZed . I think the fact that the FOB works very consistently from very far away to unlock the car eliminates some of these issues, but there are some more troubleshooting items you point out that I could do. I think my next steps are:

1. Try resetting the keyless system
2. Try iSudar FW update.
3. Try removing the iSudar and doing a longer term test (previous ones have been short experiments)

Syh244

Hi all. New to Rennlist. Finished installing Isudar in my PCM 3.1 / 2010 Panamera 4S with Bose and built in / OEM back camera.

Wanted to share my experience and the joy I feel from this upgrade.

Took me ~5 hours because it was my first rodeo, among other snafus. If I would have to do it again, it would take me 30-45 mins from beginning to end.

Let’s start with why I chose Isudar vs:

JoyeAuto / Mr12volt - absence of the external box and not having to connect wires to the fuse box. Last year, I watched a video on JoyeAuto installation and the external box certainly looked like a pain in the butt, so I decided to not do anything until last week.

ZZ2 - price. I read somewhere that ZZ2 is the best one out there and it doesn’t require an External box, but ZZ2 only partners with authorized dealers. I contacted them directly, and they were charging me $950+shipping but if I install it myself, it would void the 3 year warranty. I then contacted an authorized dealer around my area and he was charging me $250 per hour for labor (outside of the price of equipment) and projecting 4 hours. He was giving me the scares that if I try to install it myself and I break the PCM, it would be very expensive to fix. He was not lying (other than taking 4 hours to install), but… for ~$2,000 all in, I could break the PCM and buy another one from eBay, and end up in the same place. Additionally, I did some research on ZZ2, and I get the hunch that ZZ2 sources their chips from a third-party Chinese manufacturer, who could be the same manufacturer who supplies to Isudar. You are just paying an astronomical premium for a warranty on the CHIP, but if the PCM bricks because of the chip, then I’m sure that ZZ2 will NOT cover the PCM. As for functionality, ZZ2 and Isudar looked exactly the same.

After Market PCM - I didn’t like the shiny bezel and I love the million buttons in my car. Really wanted to keep the OEM look. But if I brick my PCM, I wouldn’t mind going with an after market.

Now, regarding the installation…

I read in many forums and threads that removing the side air vents was the hardest part. They say that the Porsche tool costs a fortune and a 90* pick tool can do the job just as well. I purchased the pick tool, but I wasn’t able to get in the latches very easily… I think my pick tool was too short. So I decided to drop $70 on the Porsche tool (box comes with 2 tools). Omg, this tool made the removal process a piece of cake. And because you have 2 tools, you can pull both sides of the vent simultaneously, which minimizes the chance of bending any internal piece when exerting too much force on one side. Highly recommend you buy the Porsche tool.

Removing the cables from the PCM wasn’t too hard. But while doing so, I placed the PCM on top of the Temp button in the passenger side, and the temp button sunk in. UGH!!! I’m sure other folks here have experienced a sunk button and know what this means. Not the first time this happens to me, but fixing this is always a PITA. And this time around, it was much harder than usual, so I used brute force to remove the button and broke a little internal piece. I managed to put the button in place, but now is 1mm loose because of the broken piece and have all these scratches around the button. UGH!!! This button repair process probably took like 2 out of the 5 hours previously stated. Everyone, be careful.

Once the PCM was out, I needed to remove the CD player. All the instructional videos out there make this look so easy… but this part is HARD because is the first time it’s being detached, so it’s pretty stuck. I’m sure all the videos are recorded once the CD player is already loose from being detached previously. I decided to remove the face plate and used the 90* pick tool to carefully remove the ribbon cables from their housing. I think the 90* pick tool is critical to perform this with upmost precision. I have seen other people breaking this cable housing because they didn’t use the proper tools (I.e. a flathead screw driver cannot apply force in the correct angles), which is a very expensive mistake. Once the face plate was removed, I could finally apply leverage and the right amount of force to slide the CD player out.

Layering in the chip was not hard. I just didn’t have a torx tool that was thin enough to reach a screw in a tight spot. Had to improvise, but got it out. I don’t have SAT radio (and don’t see the use for it once CarPlay is installed), so I had plenty of space to work with. Again, the 90* pick tool is absolutely clutch when loosening and securing the ribbon cable housing. Other than this, all the instructional videos and images are pretty straight forward.

Once the chip was installed in the PCM, assembling everything back was easy.

Now, it was the moment of truth.. putting the PCM back in the car. I connected the square cable and 4 other connectors. Turned on the car… the screen would turn on, I could toggle in and out of Isudar but NO EFFING SOUND!!! No sound for FM radio, AM radio or Isudar. Came to Rennlist to see what the problem was and apparently, because my sound system is Bose, it has a fiber optic connector that I need to dismount from the original square cable and re-connect it to my new square cable… Instructions on how to do this are nowhere to be found in the videos or the manual. WTH. But once I managed to do this, screen would turn on and sound would come out. Another won battle.

Finally, it was time to screw the PCM back in the dash board. Had a bit of trouble getting this done because 1) the fiber optic cable is so damn short, so not a lot of range of motion and 2) all these new cables get pretty bulky, so not much space in the back. Had to try to push everything to the passenger side of the dashboard where there is a small cavity in the back. Barely got it to fit snug.

Snapped back the air vents and mission accomplished.

What do I think of Isudar? I ABSOLUTELY LOVE it. I read various threads talking about glitches, etc, so I was very skeptical at first, but looks like the latest models fixed all this stuff (good thing I waited 1 year to finally do this). My model shown in the picture below.





The sound quality is the same as before. Not sure what everyone is talking about. Maybe it’s an issue from an old chip model.

The system turns off as soon as I turn off the car.

There was one instance when my phone connected to Isudar but sound wouldn’t come out on AUX mode but worked on AUX BT. Apparently this was because I didn’t turn off the PCM AUX BT. After turning off the PCM AUX BT, problem solved.

I also connected my wife’s phone. When we both get in the car, Isudar connects to my phone. When she is using the car alone, it connects to her phone. Perfect.

When putting the car in reverse, the OEM camera kicks in just the way it did before. Absolutely perfect.

I can now install a MagSafe charger on top of the ashtray and leave my phone charging without the need to mount it on top of the dashboard to use Waze. See pic below.




I have no idea what the Isudar WiFi is for but everything seems to work fine without connecting to it. If anyone knows, would be great if you can share.

Only issues I have:

Takes ~30 seconds for Isudar to connect wirelessly to my phone from a cold start. Anyone can make this connect faster using wireless connection?

When watching a YouTube video, the sound has a slight delay. OEM AUX BT also had this problem tho. But I don’t plan on watching YouTube in the car, so not a big deal. If anyone knows a workaround, would be great if you can share.

Overall, I paid $400 for the upgrade ($300+tax for the chip, $70 for vent removal tools, $8 for 90* pick tool). Much lower than the $2,000 I was quoted by ZZ2 or $1000+ for an after market PCM.

Absolutely exhilarating upgrade. Now, I have zero interest in trading my beloved panamera for a newer car.

Westcoast

Welcome to the forum, and that is a helleva first post!

I don't know if the phone makes a difference, but my Pixel Pro is connected within seconds, quite literally begins the process when I open the driver's door, by the time I sit down and start the engine the phone is connected, and Waze is up and running.

I have noted no delay in the sound but I don't usually watch You-Tube in the car, will have to check.

I see by your software version screen you are down a level or two, but if everything is working fine...

ZedZed

Hi - welcome to this incredibly useful and helpful thread. Yours is, without question, the best first post I have ever seen on any forum, anywhere!

If I may, I will add a few perspectives of my own - not to assist you because you have already done a fine job, but maybe to help others who follow the excellent guidance in your post.


My car is also a Panamera and you are right - those vents can be a pig to remove. Like you, I struggled with using a pick and I eventually gave in and bought the proper tool. However, I found the exact same tool on Ali Express for about 6 bucks! Works perfectly and I can recommend it. Here is a link to the one I got:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000...5a381802O0Pv1z

And this is how it looks:




It's the 'double kink' on the end that makes the job easy.

Yep. I recommend laying a thick towel over the centre area below the PCM, and putting the car into Drive so you can get the gear shift out of the way. It is so easy to damage that delicate trim!

Your tip about using a pick to remove the ribbon cables is right on the money, I used a small screwdriver and managed to snap off one of the ends of one clip. Fortunately, the other end has enough chops to hold the clip in place - but if it hadn't, I would have entered a world of grief. A set of 4 picks on Amazon is less than 10 bucks and makes this job easier and safer. And yes, splitting the PCM for the first time is way harder than those videos show!

My Isudar unit's instruction book mentioned the fibre optic BOSE plug, but only in passing. Luckily, I'd seen this tip on another video so I was prepared. I still managed to futz it up - I managed to do the allegedly impossible and put the plug ion the wrong way around, but it onbly took a second to realise this and re-insert it properly. Good advice is to test everything, and I mean everything, before putting the PCM back in the car.

We're lucky - the Panamera has a lot more room than the sports cars - but it's still tight. I attached a long cable tie to the wires bundle with the loose end poking out near the glove box and sort of pulled the cable tie a little while simultaneously pushing in the PCM. This stops the cables bunching up behind the PCM and preventing it going all the way in.

Mine is the same. I use a Pixel phone. I beleive that Apple phones connect faster.

I have seen this mentioned somewhere. Is there a setting in the Isudar sound section where you can change the sync delay? Or is it in the YT app.

ZedZed

OK - here we go. The ZWNAV unit has arrived. No instructions provided ("it's plug and play, no worries"). Following the two helpful videos by member @Santirx I think I have figured out the wiring. Each connector to the head unit is unique, so it is impossible to put them in the wrong places. Here is a picture of the fully wired unit, so far:



As you can see, the unit is very shallow compared withv the PCM. so there should be no difficulty in accommodating the wires and plugs. I hope.

Unfortunately, I cannot install the unit today, as planned, because no 'fibre optic box' was provided with the unit. This is required for BOSE installations like mine. The box takes RCA outputs from the head unit and converts them to become suitable for onward transmission to the two orange fibre optic cables that owners of Bose-equipped vehicles are familiar with. What impact this will have on sound quality, if any, remains to be seen. The head unit also has a Toslink (optical) output, and it is possible to get a converter box to translate this to the fibre optic connection on the car, so that is another route if needed.

I complained to ZWNAV that, as supplied, the unit is not compatible with BOSE, despite being advertised as such. They have agreed to send me a unit FOC if I pay postage, which I have agreed to.

This will inevitably delay then installation, so I may decide to source the required magic box locally instead, even though this will cost me another $100 or more.

So that is about as far as I can go right now. I will update when I get the bits I need.

I am happy with the quality of the unit. The bezel etc is glossy black, which I know many dislike, but my Panamera has Piano Black trim all over the inside, so I feel that the unit will integrate well into my piano black dash.

More reports as and when . . .

Syh244

wow. That looks very straight forward. Lol. I’m confused here with regards to the air vents. During a cold winter day, if you blast the heater, wouldn’t the hot air blow against the electrical equipment? Can the equipment overheat because if this? Also, all the dust particles that are able to pass through the filter, wouldn’t it all accumulate in the equipment? Wouldn’t the equipment also overheat because of this?

Syh244

@ZedZed @Westcoast

Thanks for the kudos!

I spent hours after hours on research and instructional videos / manuals on upgrading my PCM. Now that I’m finally done with it, I feel like there is a missing hole in my day and writing my experience would provide me with some type of closure.

Additionally, I received a ton of info from these posts and threads, so this would be my way of giving back.

Lastly, just like you both, I now have a vested interest in the Isudar system. The more info on installation and reviews there are >> the more comfortable people would get on adopting the Isudar system >> the more units Isudar will sell >> the more firmware upgrades Isudar will roll out. Comes full circle

ZedZed

Haha. It doesn't look it from that huge jumble of wires, but it really is. Just find each connector and its corresponding socket and plug it in.

Sorry, good questions and my bad for not explaining more clearly.

No, what is going on here is that the car's original air vent ducts are connected to new ducts supplied with the unit, and the airflow is redirected to 'replacement' vents at the bottom of the new unit. (This is similar to how they are laid out in the latest model Panamera). See the pics for a clearer explanation.

This pic shows the new ducts: (looked at from 'behind' - that is, as if you were inside the dash looking towards the seats. The 'guts' of the new unit fits into that rectangular space between the vents):



Remember that the new screen replaces the PCM andthe OEM vents - it's 12/3 inches wide. The redirected airflow comes out of these vents at the bottom of the new unit:



There is some discussion as to whether these smaller vents will deliver enough airflow. However, I am in the UK and we are not renowned for our hot summers So my feeling is that these vents will be more than enough. I'll know for sure when I've installed and tested the unit. I don't generally direct hot air from the centre vents - just cool - but even if I did, it won't go anywhere near the back of the unit.

Just to make this as clear as possible, here is a 'before' and 'after' shot (these are not my car, and the unit is slightly different too, but it gives the idea of how the vents will work, I think:

Marcus13190

Very good integration. Where did you buy this