Thanks for that. Appreciate your help.

Try setting Bluetooth to OFF on the iPhone and see if it still faults. Mine did when I had Dip6 set to ON.

To work around my issue I have to have Dip6 OFF and iPhone Bluetooth OFF (at startup).

 

Dension was behaving itself this evening so could not accurately gauge if the issue was due to the BT stack differences between iOS and Droid. Will try again tomorrow.
I have noticed that having the head unit off before ignition is turned significantly reduces the chances of the issue occurring.
Will keep experimenting.
I would like to know where to tap power for a key in, but not turned, power as suggested earlier in this thread. This sounds like a good workaround. Anyone know which fuse position could be tapped?

Cheers

 

The past few weeks were interesting. Thanks to the feedback on this forum, I was able to isolate the issue on my unit. Here is the summary of my tests so far:

Symptoms:
. Unit installed behind PCM, getting unswitched power (first from footwell outlet, now from PCM), running firmware 0054
. Bluetooth paired to an iPhone 5, running iOS 7.1.2
. Unit crashes every other trip (rate varying between 40% and 70%)
. The unit crashes either at shutdown, or at boot. If the crash happens during the handshaking, we hear a clicking sound.
. If the unit is reset with the small button, and the PCM restarted or rebooted, the unit works for the trip
. Bluetooth phone, bluetooth audio, AUX jack input and reading from USB flash drive works during the trip
. USB connection to iPhone with USB-Lightning cable does not work properly: it works for 5 or 6 minutes, then the unit starts switching between IPOD UI and GW AUX every second, therefore stopping the playback from the iPhone

Thanks to NZSkater, i tried unpairing the iPhone's bluetooth from Dension. If the Dension gateway is NOT paired to any bluetooth device, it works without crashing. 100% stable using AUX input and USB flash drive. However, the USB-Lighning issue described above still happens predictably with 100% rate occurence after 5 minutes.

I did not touch the DIP switches, just unpaired the iPhone from the Dension.

Bottom line:
. If you are purchasing the unit for bluetooth or direct iPhone connection via Lightning, move on. Until the firmware is fixed, and possibly the automatic switching between AUX and IPOD UI, this unit will not fill your needs
. if you are looking for an AUX input (3.5mm jack) or for a system that reads MP3 from a flash drive, this unit could fit your needs, with some limitations (the user interface to select artists/songs is kludgy)

I reported most of the information to Eric from BumperPlugs. NZSkater did the same. Eric is responsive, but he is not help by the service of Dension. Totally ignoring the issue, other than questioning whether my installation is correct (PIWIS programming: done, optical cable loop: check, unswitched power supply: check).

My verdict after living with the unit two months: NOT RECOMMENDED.

 

Well after much agonizing and combing over this thread and other threads, sites, etc. I purchased neither Mobridge or Dension! I ordered the Viseeo unit via Amazon for my 2006 C2S.
I contacted the seller who said the unit I purchased doesn't support streaming music (even though every website indicates it does (however it might be the model I purchased doesn't (MOS1B!?!). Personally, I don't care if it can knit a streaming sweater or make great A2DP flambe! I only want it to do phone stuff while playing happily with the toys I have attached to my MOST merry-go-round.
I've read sooo many UK sites indicating the Dension was a boat anchor and lots of engineers there (installers) refuse to monkey with them. Mobridge is kinda the same but they just released the "Mobridge M2" for MOST/CAN which is supposed to correct all the problems of previous units. The M2 MOST will be my next stop if this thing doesn't work out. Wish me luck! $500 seems like alot of money to get your phone to talk to your car!

 

Follow-up on Dension 500s BT saga: They just released firmware 0055 .
Release note:
- Fixed the issue when the index file was not saved to the USB-drive (in some cases it caused the playback not to start from the latest position)

Sadly, they don't mention fixing the bluetooth iPhone crash issue. I don't have access to my car for 10 days. I will report back when I'll try it. If someone with the crash/handshake issue can try the 0055 firmware, and report back, I'll be very appreciative.

 

I'm in the same boat. Been away for two weeks, but will try when I return in a week or so.

 

I like to know also. thanks.

 

I installed version 55 today, but still no change. I was really hoping the programmers at Dension were listening and would have addressed the issue. Oh well, maybe next update.

 

Just tried the 55 firmware (along with the Porsche specific cfg file). No change - unit is still flakey as hell. If Dension don't resolve it soon I'm going to flip it for the new Mobridge and give that a try.
PS - I also tried a couple more times with an android phone but the Dension behaved itself…. I wouldn't suggest taking this to mean anything. When I get a chance I'll borrow the phone for a days trial to see if that makes a difference.

 

I installed mine on my 05 c2 two years ago. Installed it off the CD changer and ran the 30 Apple cable to the front panel in my footwell. I attached a 30 pin to lightning cable from the apple store and directly plug my Iphone 5 S in every time. I can't stream music but Phone calls are BT, Plays all my music by just hitting the CD button on the PCM. Allows forward or reverse functions right on the PCM. It charges my phone and allows waze, maps etc to over ride music when it's talking. Not sure what I did that was so right but outside of people not able to hear me well when I am on BT everything works great. My power source did come from somewhere in the frunk if I recall. Not sure if that makes a difference

 

z00mie - did you try looping out the CD changer? The notes on the Viseeo site say that this is required to enable A2DP.

 

I've tried upgrading to 55, but this has not resolved the issue. Dension still crashes on startup when a Bluetooth device is paired and active. Workaround still works; turning off Bluetooth on the device before startup results in successful operation.

 

My situation echoes yours, except that I had mine professionally installed in southern California by someone recommended by Eric at Bumperplugs. Unlike you, however, mine does stream music through my iPhone 5S from Pandora, Sirius, and other music apps, as well as iTunes. I am also using the Lightning adapter to the 30-pin plug. I have Bluetooth turned on as well, so if I plug the phone in it operates that way, and if I don't plug it in it streams via Bluetooth, with no input from me and no fiddling with the phone. Usually I plug it in so it charges as I drive.

I mounted the microphone just to the right of the steering column, and others hear me acceptably well on calls. Also, like you, I can operate the phone directly through the PCM and hang up using the steering wheel stalk.

The only fault is that I usually get the "Can't find phone" message on start-up, but all I need to do is push the right-hand **** in and it goes away -- not a hardship, and it seems to have no impact on operation. All in all, for me it was a better option than spending $2000 on a new head unit.

Also, I've never upgraded the software, on the "If it ain't broke don't fix it" principle.

I've been reading this thread with some curiosity, wondering why some folks seem to be having so much trouble with the thing. I feel their pain. Maybe using a professional, experienced installer would help?

 

Firmware 0055 did not help. It has been few months that iI have submitted the log files to Eric at bumperPlugs. Nothing.

In summary:
. My unit works as an AUX input or USB drive MP3 player
. Bluetooth with iphone works, except it crashes the unit if the car starts when the iPhone is in the vicinity
. Direct connection to iPhone5 using the USB - lightning cable works for 5 minutes, then it constantly switches every 5 seconds between AUX, BT and iPOD sources, interrupting continuously the playback.

I am convinced that we received a faulty unit. The tolerances on the source detection could be at the limit, and some of us got unlucky.

The saddening part: absolutely no support from the manufacturer. Eric at bumper plugs claims to support his customers, but his support is limited on blaming the installer (optical cable poor connection or wrong loop? Switched power? )

As an Aux input, it is stable. I am considering adding a $59 bluetooth - aux adaptor, power it through the USB port, and be done with it.

Bottom line: cannot recommend this crap. If at all, purchase the non-bluetooth unit, and add your external bluetooth-aux receiver

 

I'm glad your setup works well for you :-)
The experience does seem to differ from case to case. Not sure that a professional install would make any difference though. Once you get past the terrible install diagrams it's just a case of:
1) connecting power to the unit (instructions say to switched so mine is off the unit power source)
2) Introducing the device into the MOST loop using the supplied cable.
3) In my case bypass the phone module under the drives seat (rhd car) so phone book can be accessed from the PCM - this also enabled the accept/decline call buttons to function. The BT phone functions ok without doing this except you have to answer/dials calls from the phone and be in dension/cd changer mode.
4) enable cd changer on PCM with PIWIS (my car didn't come fitted with one).
I can't see what else can be done - professionally or otherwise.
It looks like my options are use the workarounds or change it for something else!