PCM MP3 playback

[mattd]

Hi,

I have a PCM unit 997 642 143 02 from "date of manufacture 38/05". Please can someone confirm if this unit will play mp3s, or if that functionality arrived in 997 642 143 03?

997 642 143 02 is a level B unit so should be mp3 capable? Does date of manufacture refer to production week or calender week, i.e. is week 38 calendar month ~April or August? IIRC mp3 support arrived after March 2005?

The software versions on the PCM are:

Version 3.0

System: 04514BD1/5104

PCM: 05024AD1/0205

I've done lots of searches, but just want to check that the hardware does actually support MP3 before I launch my CD burner out of the window! :)

Many thanks,

Matt

Edited October 5, 2008 by mattd

[berty987]

Matt,

I think the last digit in the part number of the PCM relates more to the porsche model in which the pcm is installed, ie its configuration. All the TSBs I have seen seem to suggest that the 10th and 11th digits denote the progression of hardware on level B and C units, ie

997 642 141 0x is level B and

997 642 141 1x is level C.

So 997 642 141 02 is the pcm from a boxster / 911, wheras 997 642 141 03 is from a turbo 911, both are level B software.

I have not seen any software breaks for the level B units. TSBs stipulate that level B was introduced in CW 16 2005. There are only two variations of level B , one with bose and one without This seems to point to the hardware being the same and there were updates to the firmware rather than hardware. This suggests to me that all level B units can run the same updated software with the same functionality.

All of the numbers relating to manufacture are CW meaning calender week.

The PCM part number you list is available loaded with software level 3.0 or 3.1 . A tech bulletin (W610) suggests that tolerance discrepencies can cause the MP3 function or CD playback not to work correctly. The update available for level B units (loaded with software V 3.0 and 3.1) takes the PCM to 3.3 so it should be beyond the level 3.1 meaning that MP3 capability is possible. The TSB for the MP3 playback issues covers chassis numbers including the part number of your PCM chassis application, so I would feel confident that your PCM is MP3 capable.

Edited October 5, 2008 by berty987

[mattd]

Thanks Berty, you sure know a lot about PCM :)

Matt.

[mattd]

Hi,

Just an update on this...

I never figured out how to get the PCM to play MP3s. It would read the disk and say "single cd: checking cd data" and then do no more. So it sees it as a data CD but would not go any further.

I also tried a software upgrade from 3.0 to 3.3 using the single CD repair kit, but the same thing happens.

In either case I do not get an error/unreadable message.

This is less of an issue now as I have installed a Dension GW 500 for mp3 playback, but it would still be nice to figure out what is going on with the PCM.

I suspect that it is because it is a PCM retrofit and I need to take the car to a dealer to have it coded correctly for the car using the PIWIS machine.

Matt.