PCM1 16 Bit Nav

ArBee · Apr 29, 2005

I have been following a thread on the Renntech site in the USA regarding a claim from a guy in Germany that if you have PCM1 with a 16bit nav computer it will read Opal (Vauxhall) nav discs which unlike the Navtech discs for Porsche are upgraded after 2002. The nav will only read the Opal discs if the software used is v5.43 and to check if you have this software you hold in the A/C button on the PCM and at the same time press the selector knob to the right of it for 3 seconds and the information will be displayed.

Well I did all this and found I have v5.43 which indicates I have the 16 bit (as opposed to the earlier 8 bit nav - 16 bit was fitted after 2001 apparently) I hot footed it down to a Vauxhall showroom and asked if I could try a disc in my car. They obliged with a 2004 CD but alas it didn't work. The obvious benefits should this have worked is the Vauxhall nav CD is updated on a regular basis (there is a 2005 CD and the only thing that would be missing is the OPC locations, replaced with the Vauxhall ones!!!) and the cost of a 2005 CD is £125 +Vat.

In his post he mentions 8 discs as part of his CD package with his nav and this got me wondering and I have a couple of points I hope people can help me with

How many software CD's are normally supplied with PCM? My car only came with the CD needed to run the UK nav programme and I assumed that's all there was. The car was second hand and bought from a dealer (not Porsche)

A question I know has been asked before but I still don't have an understanding on - is it possible to buy an update for PCM1 from an OPC that is later than 2002?

If any of you want to check out the Renntech thread it can be found at http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=4807&hl=

TIA

Ron Bonner.

Alex Foster · May 4, 2005

Any luck with this yet Ron??

ArBee · May 4, 2005

No, not yet Alex,

I am trying to find a Vauxhall dealer who has a car sitting around with a 2005 nav disc in the sat/nav. If they have a car with a disc in it tends to be a 2004 which doesn't work in the PCM and they don't tend to have the 2005 update on the shelf - you have to order it.

I was hoping someone would have helped out by now on the couple of points I raised about PCM1 software or updates but as you can see - nothing.

Ron

Alex Foster · May 4, 2005

Here is my 2p

My car only came with a single PCM1 disc (for the UK)

AFAIK you cannot get post 2002 updates for PCM1

ArBee · May 4, 2005

Well that helps me out on that Alex. Looks like the Vauxhall option may be a little jem for us PCM1 16 bit users if it actually does work.

I will do my best to find out. I might risk it and order a Vauxhall 2005 disc and if it is a load of bull and it don't work I will knock it out through Ebay etc.

RB

Guest · May 4, 2005

i am just about to buy a 996 with sat nav, it is a facelift car ... does this mean i will have the newer sat nav version?

Laurence Gibbs · May 5, 2005

From reading the renntech post it would seem the following are worth checking. You need to get hold of the eight cd's that are used to load the system software for the nav unit (as best as I understand the renntech post) it would seem possible that one of the cd's was not loaded and this is the reason you cannot load the opal/vauxhall discs. Would your local opc lend you the disc's ? He also mentions that your head unit (the cd bit) should be a 16 bit unit. it might be prudent to confirm this (maybe slide it out and check part no's) or you may end up going round in circles trying to do something that's not possible anyway.

Colin Booth · May 5, 2005

I collected my new car from the factory 3 weeks ago, it came with a four disc set which covers all of Europe.

COLIN.

ArBee · May 5, 2005

I agree Colin and in fact I will be doing just that this week-end to confirm the unit is the 16 bit unit. In my circumstances I find that the software version shown on the screen is the 16 bit operating software but I am still not 100% convinced!

RB

ArBee · May 5, 2005

ORIGINAL: ArBee

I agree Colin and in fact I will be doing just that this week-end to confirm the unit is the 16 bit unit. In my circumstances I find that the software version shown on the screen is the 16 bit operating software but I am still not 100% convinced!

RB

Sorry Colin, I was meant to respond to Lawrence and put your name instead

Alex Foster · May 5, 2005

Keep us posted Ron - you could be the "Saviour of PCM1 users" [

]

ArBee · May 5, 2005

Will do Alex, If it is possible to get around this lack of updated data for the PCM 1 the Forum will be the first to know.

RB

ArBee · May 5, 2005

From reading the renntech post it would seem the following are worth checking. You need to get hold of the eight cd's that are used to load the system software for the nav unit (as best as I understand the renntech post) it would seem possible that one of the cd's was not loaded and this is the reason you cannot load the opal/vauxhall discs. Would your local opc lend you the disc's ? He also mentions that your head unit (the cd bit) should be a 16 bit unit. it might be prudent to confirm this (maybe slide it out and check part no's) or you may end up going round in circles trying to do something that's not possible anyway.

Had my PCM out and checked my CD head unit and it turns out it is an 8 bit unit so I will need to upgrade it to a 16 bit unit before proceeding any further. The part number confirmed its age.

Any one with a PCM1 in a 2001 - 2002 car know anyone with a Vauxhall sat nav ?

Alex Foster · May 5, 2005

I shall go and see my local Vauxhall dealer - at least I can go and have a look at a Monaro at the same time

Guest · May 6, 2005

Arbee - how much is it to upgrade to 16bit version?

ArBee · May 9, 2005

ORIGINAL: cthorne

Arbee - how much is it to upgrade to 16bit version?

Cthorne

The cost of a replacement processor is a whoppin £1,089.00 + VAT Ouch!!!

Guest · May 9, 2005

GULP!

Mark_Bennett · May 9, 2005

ORIGINAL: Alex Foster

I shall go and see my local Vauxhall dealer - at least I can go and have a look at a Monaro at the same time

If you can find one that knows what it is...[8|]

Guest · May 20, 2005

ORIGINAL: ArBee

Had my PCM out and checked my CD head unit and it turns out it is an 8 bit unit so I will need to upgrade it to a 16 bit unit before proceeding any further. The part number confirmed its age.

Any one with a PCM1 in a 2001 - 2002 car know anyone with a Vauxhall sat nav ?

How did you get the CD head unit ? What sort of tool did you use ?

There was another thread on this on Renntech mentioning this, but no one responded to my question at the end. The guy was mentioning that there is a German Tequipment 5 CD Europe set for the 16 bit system...

Here is the link to that thread:

http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=2530&hl=

Nik.

ArBee · May 23, 2005

Dear Nik,

At the both end of the CD Unit there are plastic covers that prise of the face. Behind are two holes at each end that take a standard Audio removing tool. I should imagine you can pick them up from Halfords etc. I had a pair of Ford ones in my tool kit and they fitted.

You put the prongs into the holes, squeeze them either together or apart ( I can't remember which way) and that releases the unit to enable you pull it forward. The part number is on the back of the unit.