1999 996 PCM and iPod

[byrannewell]

OK. I am trying to connect my iPod to my 1999 996 Cabriolet (Navigation system) but haven't had much luck. I bought the Dension iceLink, but it didn't work. When connected, the radio didn't recognize the new connection as a CD. Even going down to their offices in Signal Hill (Long Beach, CA area), they couldn't get it to work. After reading different forums, I realized that the Becker 220 series radio has a part sold by Becker (beckerautosound.com) for about $20 that allows auxillary input. Unfortunately, no such converter exists for the PCM series radio.

Turns out that the Becker PCM was jointly developed by Becker and Siemens. As of this post, I am still awaiting a call back from Siemens. I have, however, discovered that the Becker CD changer was OEM'ed by Sony, with the 6 CD changer having a model number of CDX-T62. The magazine can be either the original Becker, or a Sony, model number XA-T6. It turns out that this magazine can be used with any Sony unilink CD changer, so I called Dension, and they are e-mailing me a firmware update to convert the existing firmware to Sony's. My car is at the dealer right now, so I can't test it as of yet.

Has anyone had any luck hardwiring an iPod to their PCM system? The blue mini ISO CD changer socket (the blue one) on the back of the radio is the one for the CD changer. My guess is that there is a wire, maybe two, that acts as the sound, similar to home theater setups, but I could be wrong. I was thinking about buying a mini ISO socket, and trying different wire placements from a standard Y connector from the iPod to the socket (stripping the wires on the part of the Y connector that branches into two signal sources, left and right). Has anyone had success in this, or will it just not work?

I realize that I can use an iPod tape adaptor, or an FM modulator, but I want CD quality sound. Can someone help?

[SPR]

Uh, unless I am mistaken the back of the unit affords the bekker adapter to be inputted and shouldn't be a problem.

[Orient Express]

Does the PCM have a way of changing from a CDC input to an AUX input? This is usually accomplished by invoking a maintenance menu mode. On the regular Becker radios, this is done by holding down the TP button and the 10th soft button. Check the back sections of the user's guide for the radio.

I would assume that the pin assignments for the CDC connector are the same as for other Beckers because they both use the same CDC. If you still can't figure it out, then just get one of the ice-link units from Dension, and fake the PCM into thinking it has a CDC attached. In the end that might be the best choice, because it comes with a cradle for the iPod, and it really plug and play.

[SPR]

yes you go into the setup and make sure you cdc is not hooked up, then you can enable the aux.

[Mitty]

yes you go into the setup and make sure you cdc is not hooked up, then you can enable the aux.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How do you go into setup on PCM 1?

[SPR]

dunno on the pcm1 but it should say in the manual for my tp you just hold down the note key.

[Mitty]

My car didn't come with a manual for the PCM 1. Anyone got it in PDF?

[byrannewell]

PCM does not have an AUX mode. Can't force it either. Can't even unplug the RCA's that go into the CD changer itself, and plug new ones in from another source (read: iPod), and get sound. The bastardized Sony unilink, with the combination Becker/Siemens disaster, has resulted in a colossal clusterfcuk. I want to use my iPod, but cannot seem to find a decent way.

[gcp]

Saturday I installed the connector/wiring I purchased from Becker to my CDR-220. Easy enough to do and now I am able to hard wire my Nomad to my Carrera stereo.

One minor point, if you don't want to have to input the radio code (I don't have mine) do not disconnect the connectors of your CDR while installing the AUX connector/wiring. There's enough wiring slack there to achieve your task without disconnecting power. :beer:

Edited October 3, 2005 by gcp

[byrannewell]

Saturday I installed the connector/wiring I purchased from Becker to my CDR-220. Easy enough to do and now I am able to hard wire my Nomad to my Carrera stereo.

One minor point, if you don't want to have to input the radio code (I don't have mine) do not disconnect the connectors of your CDR while installing the AUX connector/wiring. There's enough wiring slack there to achieve your task without disconnecting power.  :beer:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Unfortunately neither Becker nor Seimens provides such a piece for the PCM head unit. I have found a site (http://www.mictronics/?page=becker) that has a DIY connector piece that involves ATmega8 circuit boards, and the like. I, however, am quite ignorant on the subject. If anyone knows anything about circuit boards, could you take a look at this and see how difficult it might be, and the steps involved?

The entire problem with connecting a PCM stereo is the Sony Unilink architechture. It is very uncooperative by design.

[globalfun]

I got this to work using a small unit that creates an Aux in for the PCM 1 replacing the CD changer. Mess me if you are interested. I just installed it myself :-)

Saturday I installed the connector/wiring I purchased from Becker to my CDR-220. Easy enough to do and now I am able to hard wire my Nomad to my Carrera stereo.

One minor point, if you don't want to have to input the radio code (I don't have mine) do not disconnect the connectors of your CDR while installing the AUX connector/wiring. There's enough wiring slack there to achieve your task without disconnecting power. :beer:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Unfortunately neither Becker nor Seimens provides such a piece for the PCM head unit. I have found a site (http://www.mictronics/?page=becker) that has a DIY connector piece that involves ATmega8 circuit boards, and the like. I, however, am quite ignorant on the subject. If anyone knows anything about circuit boards, could you take a look at this and see how difficult it might be, and the steps involved?

The entire problem with connecting a PCM stereo is the Sony Unilink architechture. It is very uncooperative by design.

[acneil]

I just installed a LC7 from Audio Control, it gives you the Aux in works perfect.

I got this to work using a small unit that creates an Aux in for the PCM 1 replacing the CD changer. Mess me if you are interested. I just installed it myself :-)

Saturday I installed the connector/wiring I purchased from Becker to my CDR-220. Easy enough to do and now I am able to hard wire my Nomad to my Carrera stereo.

One minor point, if you don't want to have to input the radio code (I don't have mine) do not disconnect the connectors of your CDR while installing the AUX connector/wiring. There's enough wiring slack there to achieve your task without disconnecting power. :beer:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Unfortunately neither Becker nor Seimens provides such a piece for the PCM head unit. I have found a site (http://www.mictronics/?page=becker) that has a DIY connector piece that involves ATmega8 circuit boards, and the like. I, however, am quite ignorant on the subject. If anyone knows anything about circuit boards, could you take a look at this and see how difficult it might be, and the steps involved?

The entire problem with connecting a PCM stereo is the Sony Unilink architechture. It is very uncooperative by design.

[KevinMac]

The Becker CDR 220 does have Aux input capability. Not sure on the interface to the PCM. The following is the pinouts to use for Aux control.

http://www.beckerautosound.com/pdf_guides/...0directions.pdf