Thanks for the compliment Nadim. I just received an update from Dension and they want me to update to 56. I requested an explanation and they wrote back indicating it includes "lots of fixes" regarding the BT connection. I wrote back and asked them to address the handshake issue'e some are having. I can forward the file and you guys can try it.

 

Al, please do! I can try it with constant power to test the handshake!

 

NZskater: the US drive works perfectly. It is a different interface (USB vs IPOD). I will test first the 056 firmware than Al will send, and soon i will receive the iPhone 6, i can test that as well, in case the issue is with my iPhone 5.

 

How is it a different interface? Are you not using the same USB port?

 

It is the same plug, but i select a different source on the PCM menu. IPOD is different than USB source.

 

Can you elaborate more on what the limitation is? I've been using the USB/Lightning cable and it doesn't seem to have any problem.

 

Pretty sure that post is from a spam bot.

 

Ah I see. When I wrote interface I meant the USB interface, not the software setting. Was speculating that the actual USB port could be faulty. Maybe try plug the iPhone cable in to the Dension unit directly (not through the extended cable/switch unit?).

 

I tried both: connecting the USB-lightning cable to the second USB board on the gateway unit, or connecting it to the breakout box (installed in the glove box). I don't have a 30pin-to-lightning adaptor to try the 30pin connector.

The symptoms are:
. It works very well the first 5 minutes
. During this period, iPhone 5 is chaging, and using the iPod interface of the software, i can plah Pandora, and the navigation audio is tranferred properly
. After 5 to 6 minutes, the Dension gateway starts switching automatically every 10 seconds between the iPod interface and the Aux interface. Nothing is connected physically at that time to the 3.5mm jack.
. When the gateway switch the input, the iPhone stops the Pandora playback, and playback does not resume
. The switching back-and-forth continues until i physically disconnect the iPhone and reboot the gateway

While it is documented that the USB plug is not made to support a USb-lightning cable, everyone else seems to be using it fine, except for my unit.

As to why this could happen, you know, i think i know how to properly plug a USB cable. Eric@bumperPlugs kept repeating that my installation has the wrong power connection or the wrong optical cable connection (breaking the MOST loop). I am no expert on MOST loops, but of all of the symptoms above, none can be traced back to a broken MOST loop, or even an intermittent issue with the MOST loop or power.

Go figure!

 

Strange... when I bought my Gateway 500s BT about a year ago, Dension support assured me that a standard USB to Lightening cable would work, and it did.

Btw, I plug the USB/Lightening cable directly to the Gateway with out the breakout cable / box.

I've used it with the following configurations and all work fine:
1) Gateway->iPod dock cable->iPhone4 for music (and iPhone5 via BT for calls)
2) Gateway->iPod dock cable->dock-to-Lightening adaptor->iPhone5 for music (and iPhone6 via BT for calls)
3) Gateway->USB/Ligthening cable->iPhone 5 for music (and iPhone6 via BT for calls)
4) Gateway->USB/Ligthening cable->iPad Mini for music (and iPhone6 via BT for calls)

works for iOS7 and iOS8.

I've tried installing the gateway in two locates and both work fine:
1) in the frunk, replaced the CD-Changer
2) behind the PCM, gateway is the first unit i the MOST loop
(in both cases, the power is taking from the power that was previously feeding the CD changer; both the CD-changer and phone module are taken out of the MOST loop).

Everything works fine, except I get the annoying "No CD-Changer" or "No Phone" error message after every ignition. I've been told that I need the dealer to re-code the PCM to disable the CD-changer and phone module in order to get rid of these messages.

 

I went ahead and did Al's wiring suggestion, and so far it's worked every time. Dension released update 56 a few days ago. I tried to install it but the gateway doesn't want to load it. I've done many of these updates and have never had a problem until now. Has anyone else had any issues getting update 56 to upload?

 

I've installed 56 successfully and it has been working solidly for a week. Still get the non impacting cd changer error on startup, but BlueTooth is now working as it should.

 

I installed firmware 0056 , and bluetooth is working like a charm.

Recap: Dension installed on non-switched power (pulled from PCM, power always on). Bluetooth used to crash after every other trip. Had to disable bluetooth for the past three months. Firmware 0056 fixed the bluetooth crash issue. Now the unit's bluetooth works properly on audio playback seemlessly.

What has not worked: direct connection using USB-Lightning cable. Unit still switches every 10 seconds between GW and IPOD interface for no reason, interrupting the playback.

What I have not tested yet: phone bluetooth with mic. I am heading out of town for two weeks, will test it next weekend.

With firmware 0056, we can put to bed all those who commented that the issue was a poor installation. It was not, the tolerance of the MOST handshake was very tight. Firmware 0056 probably fixed it.

Thanks all for your patience, and thanks Al for the tip!

 

Quick question on updating the firmware:

1) do I copy both the .rom and .cfg files to the USB drive, then run the update, or
2) copy the .rom file and update first, then copy the .cfg and run the update again?

Thanks.

 

Ok so, my old Dension died and I'm about to buy the new one. It appears as though the 56 software upgraded has addressed many if the issues from this thread. Is there a consensus on the switched vs unstitched power? Ong previous unfit I went switched and tapped into the cd changer power.

Also, will the Bluetooth signal be stable if the Dension is in the trunk?