I have my install working 95% correct (including Bluetooth phone and iPod connectivity), but I cannot browse by album or artist. When playing an iPod or USB stick, I see the following menu in the "CD List" option in the PCM:

iPod GW: ...
Empty
Empty
Empty
Empty
Menu

Instead, I expected to see (from the YouTube videos online):
Scan Playlists
Scan Albums
Extras
iPod
Menu

I updated the Dension unit to the latest firmware (0.46). When I run the Dension Indexer utility on a USB thumb drive that I had inserted in the Dension, it gives the following information:
Software version number: G51A0046
Interface (Car Config): (0E) MERCEDES_KNW

Now, I checked that the DIP switches are set to Porsche. I have the GW52MO2 (500S BT). My car is the 2007 Carrera S with PCM.

Do I need to change the configuration somehow to enable the browse by artist/album functionality? Should I update the "GW_CFG.BIN" for Porsche? It seems like the DIP switches may be set to Porsche, but the internal software still thinks its a Mercedes (is this possible)?

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I found this Porsche.zip file on the Dension website. But it only applies to the Gateway Lite:

Before connecting the Gateway Lite MOST (GWL) device to the MOST ring it requires a car configuration procedure. The default car setting of the GWL is Mercedes. Depending on the car type it requires a different car configuration file.

Car configuration procedure of the Gateway Lite MOST:
1. Copy the appropriate GW_CFG.BIN file to the root of a USB flash drive
2. Connect the flash drive to the GWL MOST when it is not powered
3. Please connect the power cable to the GWL MOST
4. The GWL will start booting. In the meantime the configuration procedure will
start automatically. Wait about 1 minute.
5. Connect the GWL to the MOST ring
6. Turn the ignition & Head Unit ON and test the GWL functionalities
7. Finish the installation of the Gateway Lite MOST

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Update:
I found that I can browse artists and albums by going into the "MENU" and navigating from there. However, it still seems much simpler to navigate from the CD List menu using the rotary **** on the bottom right. This was how it worked in the old Gateway 500. I wonder if Dension will put this feature back.

By the way, I bought a 32GB USB thumb drive from Costco today. Just make sure you run the Gateway Indexer on the drive before you insert it into the Dension. It works better than the iPod (faster navigation). Cost was only $24...so I think I'll sell the iPod on eBay.

 

That's right I havent done that, and maybe its the reason, the weird thing is that it works sometimes for a few days no problem and is great and the next thing it has one of two errors, one is phone not available but everything still works fine. Or it has the phone, amp & nav not available error and nothing works.

I'll try to see if I can code the factory phone out with my Durametric or disable the phone feature in the 500S BT (and just get a second sim card for the P-phone).

 

FYI guys, anyone only using just the CAR side of the 500s and NOT being able to work in Bypass. You need to loop the CDC side with one of the extra optic cables and connectors. Just make it go out the OUT side and then loop it back into the IN side.

This will create the loop that will allow all devices to continue to "talk" to one another when in bypass. If this is not done, when in Bypass, the unit breaks the connection and the units can't talk back to the PCM head unit.

If you currently use the CDC side in your install, you would not have this issue.

 

Sorry I've been totally out of this loop (no pun intended) as we are in a major site revision and my time is screwed for the boards.

If anyone has issues they know to reach out to us if we sold the unit - and some of you have done so, and I greatly appreciate the patience and feedback. Couple that with a delay from my Dension contacts who have been out of town, and well, it's not fast on the response time, but we're moving forward.

997TT has been great, and in his case, we seem to know what is happening, but in other cases, it's not the same. The majority of installed units are working properly, so we don't think this is an 'across-the-board' issue or anything to panic about, but the engineering guys in Europe need as much detail on issues as they can get.

We also have better diagnostic tools now to grab info from the unit and send to Dension Engineering, so if you are having issues, and bought from us, email me and we'll work through it as best we can.

XBox - some Euro cars have to have the phone decoded if it normally gets delivered with that feature. You can't have two 'phones' in the system - one factory unit in the loop, one bluetooth through the Dension, so try to get the phone out of the system.

If you have a factory phone module under the passenger seat, it must be looped out and bypassed regardless, and then decoded from the car.

New site goes live in about ten days, so I may be slower to respond as we tweak the rest of our e-commerce stuff, but I'll do everything I can to get resolution for you.

Thanks for your patience, and feedback (good or bad).

 

I'm getting a similar issue and also one step further. I get stuck on the source that I'm in. It won't let me change to Ipod or anything else. Can't even get to the menu to change the menu settings. I can change to radio and PCM CD but can't change the Denison source.

Anyone else getting similar issues?

 

I had the same issues. You'll have to reset the module

Edwin

 

Hi, this is my first post here. I just bought a 2007 997 c2s.
I
I have this exact same display.
I did not have a cd changer before I installed the 500s so assumed that I was getting this limited functionality because I hadn't coded a cdc in yet.
But do you think if I get the above display them that is correct?
I've seen the you tube videos where you get Album/Artist etc in the CD 2-5 positions. What should it be?

 

Dension informed me that this feature is not yet implemented for the 500S. Instead, you have to select Menu and use the forward/back track buttons to navigate the menu as a track (on the left hand side of the screen).

 

Seems a bit if a backward step. Having looked at those videos of the old 500 it seemed much better.

So it looks like I don't need to get the cdc coded in, is that possible? Can the denison work without this? I'll take a photo of my pcm screen later as it does say something about cd changer on the screen so maybe it's happy enough?!

 

Actually, if it works as is, I would not get the CDC coded in. The reason is that Dension's firmware from v45 onward gives an annoying error that says "CD Changer Not Found" every time you turn on the PCM screen. They say they will fix this in v48, but their ability to get their product working is poor.

If I had it to do over again, I would have gotten a better product and saved money by getting the Gateway Light. At this rate, it is going to take them a year (if ever) to get the 500S where the Gateway Light is already.

 

It seems strange that I haven't had to code the cdc in. Maybe the previous owner had a cdc and removed it?
It's on firmware v45 and I get no warnings about the cdc but I do get a phone error - unable to find phone every time I start it up. The bluetooth connection to my phone is fine. I assume it's because they removed the oe gsm phone module during the installation.

Is it worth upgrading to v46? Seems it's only useful if you have an iphone 5. I use a Samsung S3.

 

From talking to Denision, I think v48 will have a lot of important fixes. I would upgrade to v48 when it comes out.

 

Thought I should update. Mine had been working fairly well although I sold my car so it won't matter going forward.

The big frustration I had was the instructions missing the to make a loop of the CDC side in the optical cable. I had to remove the PCM multiple times ever time we tried something new so I had it in and out 8-10 times before that was suggested.

I also had it lock me out from changing any sources a couple times within a few days of being installed. A reset of the unit fixed that and it didn't happen again.

The Bluetooth did drop a few times when returning to the car after it was powered down but all I needed to do was power down the PCM and turn back on and it found found the BT again without issue. Not a big issue.

The new structure of the file system was a little strange as I had the old Denison unit for years and was used to it's layout. Since I was mainly using Bluetooth, this was not a major issue either.

BT Phone sounded great when stopped. Moving it wasn't too great but that could be that I had a Cabriolet (even though top was up). These cars are fairly noisy with engine and road noise so that may be a hard one to overcome for a universal BT device.

Overall, a decent unit but I think they needed a little more RD on it before releasing it. I'm guessing they may have it pretty much figured out now based upon the new firmware update addressing the dropped BT. Hopefully they update their instructions as well to include the optical loop needed on non-CD Changer installs so others don't have the same headaches.

Having Bluetooth was nice, I would purchase again.

 

Firmware 0047 has been in beta for several weeks, final testing this week, and due to release very soon. They believe it will resolve many of the issues mentioned above.

On the cdc loop, that was only found on a handful of units, they are not sure why yet, but most won't need it. Of course, if there is light showing from those ports, the loop will resolve. They have been testing on 997 and Cayenne for about two weeks, so we hope to post up the final revision and release of the firmware in the next week or so.

 

If you have any issues with your Dension, you may want to try this latest release. 0047 now ready to go.

GW500S_BT_0047.zip

DensionFirmware_update.pdf


Please remember, if you have any issues after updating, follow the install guide to revert back to previous version (0046). Full log of updates will come when Dension posts this on their site, but we have it now for release to customers.

And just so you know, Dension is fast at work on 0048 for some enhancements, we expect to see sometime in April/May.


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