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Dension Gateway 500 installation

jonathanw

jonathanw

PCGB Member
Member
Have just got delivery of Dension Gateway 500 interface unit for iPod. Have arranged for an outfit called incar-installer.com but will have to wait for a few weeks. Does anybody have any experience in fitting this and is it within the bounds of a reasonable DIYer. I'm anxious to get the unit working. My car has PCM/sat nav but no cd changer.
 
The latest Total 911 (May Issue) has a section all about IPOD + 911.I quote:

The gateway 500 and OPi-P kits consist of a control box and associated wiring. The box is mounted in the luggage compartment and utilises the existing CD changer loom, so it is relatively straightforward to fit; although you will have to tap into the wiring loom to pick up a 12 volt supply, unless you run it straight from the battery. If you're in doubt, a Porsche Centre or auto-electrician will be able to instal for you.

Now, I know nothing about any of this, I've only been a 997 owner for 12 hours. Why don't you read up the instructions, get a feel for what you are doing and drop into local friendly OPC where you bought from or get the car serviced and see if an engineer can spend 10 minutes with you to ensure that you have the right end of the stick - in particular on the power issue.

Again, no particular experience, was just reading an article on that mod today.
 
How did the installation go? I'm thinking of using the same guys to install a GW500 into a Cayman.

Thanks
 
Just had same installed by my local in car supplier and it is very straightforward but they did dismantle the dash to fit the kit behind the pcm. They supplied and installed for £400 which is probably (definitely) a rip off but I have had to return to them a few times with operation problems. For example there is a switch which is supposed to enable you to switch to either ipod or cd changer operation but this does not work. They now say that on this installation use of the cd changer is not possible. Also on startup the whole pcm system sometimes seems to reboot itself and doesn't work for several minutes - this includes the sat nav and phone. The menu system is not particulary logical in its operation but when it works the quality is fine - as you would expect of digital.

I would not diy as although the wiring is straightforward I personally do not like stripping out trim and it is useful to have somebody you can go and shout at if it doesn't work!
 
£400 is good value as the unit costs £270. Some people are asking for over £300 to install the GW500!!
 
Sounds like they're not too experienced with this tbh if thats the trouble you're having. The installation is very straightforward and the only trim needing replacement is within the front boot.

If you already have the CD changer option, there is therefore a MOST connection between the two units that you can tap into. Its better to pop the GW500 into the chain as the first device after the PCM so detection problems are removed from the equation. Then, tap into the 12v from behind the cd changer directly, or if you haven't got it then the car should have arrived with the car prep'd nonetheless.

Pop the GW500 alongside the PCM DVD and fastened down and that should be all there is to it. The bypass switch can be left within the front boot but, of course you can run it into the cabin. People have chosen to do this and afixed it to the top side of the glove box compartment.

Just recently, a new update to the firmware was released. The update before last actually changed the menu operation to make it more intuitive.

Phil - thr troubles you are mentionning sound like they tapped into a switched 12v source. AFAIK, the unit needs 12v continuous. Of course, this is assuming that everything else is good with the installation.

Regards

Popolou
 
It is really quite easy to fit if you follow the diagrams provided with the unit. I fitted it myself and it took about an hour and a half. Great sense of satisfaction when it works and the sound is great. The whole system takes a bit of getting used to though.
 
This is a very clever device, will sense when the car is on and provide power ..only £30

http://www.speedcheetah.com/scshop/product.php?xProd=25&xSec=95
 
I had mine installed by Car Electronics Castle Boul Nottm who have done a few of the MOST fibre GW500's now...reputable and now what they are doing.
 
I fitted mine all within the luggage bay- why would you want to put anything in the passenger cabin/ behind the dash? - and secured it to the Nav unit with sticky pads. Only slight disappointment is that I can't seem to display the artist name on PCM screen - got track list et al, but no artists. What am I doing wrong? Also has anyone succeeded in replacing the iPod with a Hard Drive? Works OK with a USB memory stick, so in theory should work (but doesn't)
 
Jon, it requires the USB power adaptor that Dension also supplies since the GW500 does not supply the full voltage to the external USB drive.

You're not forced to use their hardware, but its a cleaner presentation.

Regards

Popolou
 
Jon - I didnt ask them to fit it behind dash - I left it to them and seems fine as none of the equipment is visible apart from the cd changeover switch that is velcroed to carpet behind centre console.
Popolou - are you saying that the reboot on starting the pcm is because they have not used a 12v continuous supply? (I take it this means a supply that is permanently live?) Would this not cause a drain/flat battery after a while?
 
Phil,

If all else is working as it should be, installed correctly and the unit was wired into a switched power source, then its likely this is the cause for the reboots. There are reports of somewhat similar issues which have been resolved once supplying an unswitched source to the unit.

I beleive this is because the PCM does a quick check of all components on the MOST ring on startup. If the Dension unit takes a little longer than the PCM to boot from cold then it breaks the chain (since its the first device after the PCM) and hence delays the start up.

The unit was designed to be on a continuous supply because it also charges the Ipod for a period once the car is turned off. The unit itself powers down after a while nonetheless. I can understand why the shop may have wired it into a switched supply, but iirc, its all in the instructions.

Regards

Popolou
 
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