CDR23 iPod Woes

[number9ine]

I've been loving my 2003 S so far with nothing but the engine's soundtrack playing, but I got curious about auxiliary input for my CDR23. Thanks to these forums, I learned about Becker and its parts dept., so I gave them a ring and ordered 2 parts:

*BNA-116.276 - This part is a Phone-in audio only with radio mute feature interface for the CDR23. It comes with a green plug, single RCA female input, a black and red lead between them, and a gray cable to wire into the "A" block on the back of the radio for the mute. It is monoaural, and as a result, is said to only produce sound on one speaker or channel. Because of this it's useless to me for my iPod, but I figured I'd get it to see if I could rig it up for my needs. To hedge my bets, I also bought:

*1319-116.276 - This part is intended for CR220-CDR220 radios, and provides AUX in as well as phone in and mute. It comes with a dual RCA wire set with one red, one yellow and one brown lead, a blue plug to poke them into, a single RCA phone lead with red and black cable, and a gray cable for the phone mute. I was told that this is incompatible with the CDR23.

The Becker parts advisor tells me that I'm SOL on an aux input, and after futzing around on the back of the stereo, I'm pretty sure he's right, although I haven't hooked anything up to the phone mute lead to test my theory. I'm wondering if there is a pinout diagram floating around somewhere that might school me on how to get stereo sound into this thing without resorting to a new stereo and amp. I find it interesting that despite the CD changer now using a MOST interface, that the pins still exist for what used to be the CD changer plug, maybe something there? I hear Dension is coming up with the IceLink:Fibre, but judging from how it's now hidden on their website, I assume it's vaporware for at least a few more months. Can anyone share their experiences with a MOST radio and aux?

:help:

[Loren]

Did you read Orient Express's solution here?

[number9ine]

Did you read Orient Express's solution here?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

during my initial search here, yes. I'd like to avoid the FM modulator though, and he doesn't elaborate any way to avoid it on MY 2003+ cars with MOST. If the DIY crowd here doesn't have a wired solution, then there probably isn't one. :)

And so, looks like it's time to spend some cash on an amp/wiring for my Alpine CDA-9855 and live with the results. :(

[Loren]

I don't think there is any other current solution. The CDR-23 and other components have been optical (MOST) since MY2002. If you swap everything out you will likely need to add wiring since the current communication is via optical cables.

[ukchris]

There is supposed to be an Ice Link solution for the MOST system this fall. Search on Ice Link and add your name to the waiting list, it is estimated to be in the $399 price range but should control your Ipod from the head unit as well as prividing Aux In.

[KevinC]

Do folks really want the crummy Becker head controlling the iPod? Instead of the iPod's rich display with artist name, album and song title, you get some "virtual CD's" corresponding to some playlists. I would much rather mount the iPod near the center console and use it's display and controls. This is especially true with the nice bright displays on the new color screens. The Dension Ice Link is probably very slick with a more sophisticated headunit, but I don't see the value when the headunit has a non-alphanumeric display.

There is supposed to be an Ice Link solution for the MOST system this fall. Search on Ice Link and add your name to the waiting list, it is estimated to be in the $399 price range but should control your Ipod from the head unit as well as prividing Aux In.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[medtech]

How about just puttting in an Eclipse AVN5435. You get Nav, DVD, CD, XM, and aux in. Then you can throw that P.O.S. Becker in the trash where it belongs.

[ukchris]

Because you probably need to rewire the speakers, replace the amp... the CDR230, the MOST is sometimes the least..

[number9ine]

[with] the CDR23, the MOST is sometimes the least..

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'll drink to that. :cheers: I've actually got a brand-new Alpine HU with controls for my iPod from my GTI, just sitting in its box. However, I don't want to rip out the miles of fiber plumbing and reinvent the wheel (whilst draining my wallet) just to get my iPod to work. I'd much rather find a way with the CDR23.

So here's my idea, and more experienced folks can tell me if I'm bat$hit. I'd like to "spoof" the CD-changer. It might require me to actually install a CDC-4, but here's two ways I think it might work:

-Install CDC-4 and hijack audio bus for iPod (most plausible.) Installing the CDC-4 looks like no easy task (great writeup found here: http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=2429), but doing so offers me an option I don't have now, which is a recognized external audio source other than Phone Mute on my CDR23. What if I bought an analog->digital converter (available for around $40) plugged my iPod into the analog end, and passed out a digital signal to an optical A-B switch (about 10 bucks)? I could then plug the CDC-4's optical signal into the switch as well and when in CD changer mode flip back and forth between the two. This will obviously only work if the changer uses the optical bus for audio only and not for data signals, because I'd "lose" the changer every time I flipped the switch. Anyone have some idea of whether or not the changer data (power, disc in, track, etc) passes through the optical portion of the bus?

-The alternative is to "spoof" the CDR23 into thinking there's a changer installed when there's not. Same gig, using the CDC-4 wiring harness, A-D converter, and A-B switch. This would require knowledge of how the CDR23 "pings" for the CDC-4, which I don't have. Again, if it passes data through the optical bus, this is not an option either.

I've just created more questions than answers, but if I could wire in my iPod through the CD changer bus for $50-60 (plus a changer if necessary), I'd be a hell of a lot happier than wasting $300 bucks on a third-party solution that still isn't available and will only give me my iPod, instead of anything with a miniplug jack. Comments welcome on the feasibility/infeasibility of my hare-brained idea. :lightbulb:

Edited August 9, 2005 by number9ine

[NC996]

Has anyone tried this method of trying to trick the CDR23 via the CD Changer input, so that an ipod can be directly wired?

I saw the third party solution that's available, but I'm not looking to spend that much to get the ipod working without the modulator.

Thanks.

[Ciniboonianit]

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[systech]

Has anyone tried this method of trying to trick the CDR23 via the CD Changer input, so that an ipod can be directly wired?

I saw the third party solution that's available, but I'm not looking to spend that much to get the ipod working without the modulator.

Thanks.

The Solisto Pro 4200B01 is a USB / Ipod / Aux in adaptor for the Becker Grand Prix / Traffic Pro and Porsche CDR22 / 220 range of radios but not sure whether this works with the CDR23 because of the MOST bus.

It does exactly what you suggest and emulates the CDC-3 / Becker Silverstone CD changers. (see http://cgi.ebay.com.au/USB-iPod-iPhone-Int...=item2ea808924a for details). It provides a simple interface for USB (memory stick), IPod / Iphone and aux in (for other MP3 players).

I installed this with a Becker Grand Prix radio which offers native MP3 / Bluetooth capability and am fairly happy with the system as it retains the OEM look and is relatively affordable. If you want more details of this install please see Boxa.net (http://www.boxa.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=41811).

[JeTexas]

I'm going to put a big disclaimer here that I've never even seen the CDR23 or the MOST system, so this is all theoretical, but I think you could use one of these analog stereo to digital converters to either connect your iPod as a CD changer or to run it straight into the amp, bypassing the head unit.

http://www.ambery.com/anautodiauad.html

[allenh5]

I want so badly to read on here one day a easy solution to this problem......ugh. The ONLY thing I don't like about my 986.

[castillo2537]

Any new solution have you found? We Porsche lovers who have CDR23 installed in our cars are not going to be able to interface our iPods with the stereo system? Got to be a solution somewhere.

[JeTexas]

Can someone post photos of what the connections look like? If they're standard-size optical connections, I'm pretty sure that convertor I posted above will work.

[number9ine]

Can someone post photos of what the connections look like? If they're standard-size optical connections, I'm pretty sure that convertor I posted above will work.

That's what the fiber optic cabling looks like, sorry I don't have a better picture. The clear end looks like a plastic Optical Mini connector, and it fits with a locking pin into the black connector on the right. There are two holes in the black connector which are for in and out optical connections, and the black connector is the standard interface on every device in the loop (nav, CDC, amp, HU). The Optical Mini could easily be converted to TOSlink with a cheap adapter.

Unfortunately, MOST audio and data transport are on the optical bus so you need a box that converts from digital to optical and speaks MOST; the Ambery does the former but not the latter. Devices that do both exist (Dension, NAV-TV, Dice, etc) but can't be had for less than $450, which is about $350 more than my 60 GB video iPod is worth.

If someone came up with a very simple AUX input/charger for iPod that could live in the MOST loop and cost me less than $100 (hell, even $150) I'd go buy it this minute. I can use the iPod to select my songs, my PCM2's interface sucks anyway.

Why Porsche couldn't have just put a **** minijack on the face of my radio I'll never know. Maybe one day I'll crack it open in solder in one of my own. Don't hold your breath though! :rolleyes:

Mark

[beauar]

I really wish there was a solution. 80K car. Expensive MOST stereo with no input capability. So if I were to go get a new head unit they would have to rewire the whole **** car away from MOST? Is there any other head units that run on most that can hook up to the current wiring and of course have an AUX input?

Can someone post photos of what the connections look like? If they're standard-size optical connections, I'm pretty sure that convertor I posted above will work.

That's what the fiber optic cabling looks like, sorry I don't have a better picture. The clear end looks like a plastic Optical Mini connector, and it fits with a locking pin into the black connector on the right. There are two holes in the black connector which are for in and out optical connections, and the black connector is the standard interface on every device in the loop (nav, CDC, amp, HU). The Optical Mini could easily be converted to TOSlink with a cheap adapter.

Unfortunately, MOST audio and data transport are on the optical bus so you need a box that converts from digital to optical and speaks MOST; the Ambery does the former but not the latter. Devices that do both exist (Dension, NAV-TV, Dice, etc) but can't be had for less than $450, which is about $350 more than my 60 GB video iPod is worth.

If someone came up with a very simple AUX input/charger for iPod that could live in the MOST loop and cost me less than $100 (hell, even $150) I'd go buy it this minute. I can use the iPod to select my songs, my PCM2's interface sucks anyway.

Why Porsche couldn't have just put a **** minijack on the face of my radio I'll never know. Maybe one day I'll crack it open in solder in one of my own. Don't hold your breath though! :rolleyes:

Mark

[beauar]

i found this online but not sure on the cost. Take a look and tell me what you think. The attachment is a .pdf

I really wish there was a solution. 80K car. Expensive MOST stereo with no input capability. So if I were to go get a new head unit they would have to rewire the whole **** car away from MOST? Is there any other head units that run on most that can hook up to the current wiring and of course have an AUX input?

Can someone post photos of what the connections look like? If they're standard-size optical connections, I'm pretty sure that convertor I posted above will work.

That's what the fiber optic cabling looks like, sorry I don't have a better picture. The clear end looks like a plastic Optical Mini connector, and it fits with a locking pin into the black connector on the right. There are two holes in the black connector which are for in and out optical connections, and the black connector is the standard interface on every device in the loop (nav, CDC, amp, HU). The Optical Mini could easily be converted to TOSlink with a cheap adapter.

Unfortunately, MOST audio and data transport are on the optical bus so you need a box that converts from digital to optical and speaks MOST; the Ambery does the former but not the latter. Devices that do both exist (Dension, NAV-TV, Dice, etc) but can't be had for less than $450, which is about $350 more than my 60 GB video iPod is worth.

If someone came up with a very simple AUX input/charger for iPod that could live in the MOST loop and cost me less than $100 (hell, even $150) I'd go buy it this minute. I can use the iPod to select my songs, my PCM2's interface sucks anyway.

Why Porsche couldn't have just put a **** minijack on the face of my radio I'll never know. Maybe one day I'll crack it open in solder in one of my own. Don't hold your breath though! :rolleyes:

Mark

A2010_Porsche_CDR23_24_Application_Note_v2.pdf

[number9ine]

i found this online but not sure on the cost. Take a look and tell me what you think. The attachment is a .pdf

mObridge is roughly equivalent to the other solutions out there like NAV-TV and Dension.

It's a sad fact that all of them cost more than the iPod you hook up to them. As of now, there's no cheap solution for getting your sound on the optical bus.

Either shell out $450-600 or buy an inline FM modulator, those are the choices. Maybe one day that'll change, but I'd say this thread is dead.

Mark

[beauar]

that sucks. why the hell does it cost so much.....hmmm let me think.....because they can and there is no other solution. I have a friend who is an electronics genius. I will talk to him and see if there is a radio shack workaround that he can make. If there is I will let you know and post the procedure here. I never give up. I will work on this forever until I find a solution that is inexpensive. I really enjoy the sound of the current bose system I have and dont feel like shelling out thousands. I would rather shell out thousands on my home system....which i already have.

i found this online but not sure on the cost. Take a look and tell me what you think. The attachment is a .pdf

mObridge is roughly equivalent to the other solutions out there like NAV-TV and Dension.

It's a sad fact that all of them cost more than the iPod you hook up to them. As of now, there's no cheap solution for getting your sound on the optical bus.

Either shell out $450-600 or buy an inline FM modulator, those are the choices. Maybe one day that'll change, but I'd say this thread is dead.

Mark