I got my Dension Gateway 500 few days ago and just finished installing it in my 911 C2S (997.1). However, although there is a lot of information about installing it in a Porsche, the information is very scattered, and I found myself doing a lot of searches and weeding through many posts and other sites to find relevant information.

My objective with this post is to provide, in one place, relevant link to posts, documentation, tools, and videos to configure and install your Dension, export your music to an USB flash drive, and view tutorial on Dension User Interface.

• Dension Gateway Configuration. Configure dip switches according to Gateway 500 Install Guide: http://dension.com/index.php?pageID=171 Notes: If you have CD changer: Use option 2a. If you do not have CD changer: Use option 3a.

• Connect fiber optic link to/from Dension to MOST network in car. Follow directions from this link with excellent pictures: http://www.planet-9.com/reviews/showproduct.php?product=103&cat=5 Notes: If you have CD changer: Disconnect fiber optic from back of CD changer. If you do not have CD changer: Disconnect fiber optic from back of amplifier. To get to the amp, remove cover where fix-a-flat and air pump are located.

• Connect power and ground cables to Dension unit. Follow directions from this link: : http://www.planet-9.com/reviews/showproduct.php?product=103&cat=5

• Connect your iPod and test unit and connections before you tidy-up all the wiring.

• Optional: Export your iTunes music to an USB flash drive. To be able to play iTunes music from USB flash drive connected to your Dension, you will need to convert the songs from Apple’s AAC format to MP3 format. Steps:

• Create Dension Index for songs in USB drive by using Dension utility: http://dension.com/index.php?pageID=229 Note: Dension Indexer utility does NOT work in Windows Vista, you need to install and run this utility in Windows XP.
• View tutorial on Dension Gateway 500 User Interface in Porsche’s PCM in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWc8OYImCc4

(Strange that one youtube link shows like two screens). Note, I do not have any association with any of above sites or vendors. I have simply compiled the ones I found useful during my Dension Gateway installation. I hope you find these steps & links useful.

Cheers,

 

Great write up. When I get the Dension I will start here! Rep points!

 

Great write up. You da man!! I hadn't considered having this installed until now. Rep point.

 

great write up mate! would also give you a rep point but actually don't know how to!

 

I lub you! Mine has been sitting in my trunk for 2 months since the "fairly reputable" stereo installer I went to said he wouldn't touch with a 10 ft pole! Im rolling up my sleeves in the morning. Thanks!!!

 

thanks for this:-)

 

How long can one expect this DIY installation to take? Is there any need to run any wires through the car, as in from the front amp into the passenger compartment if you want to be able to control tracks with the iPod itself?
CATTMAN

 

I am glad this info will be useful to few of you.

Cattman - Taking my time, it took me about 1.5 hrs. However, I did not run wires from trunk to passenger compartment. Since you can select playlists, artists, and albums from PCM display using PCM buttons, there is really no need to touch the iPod. Actually, I ended up moving my whole music library to an USB flash drive which is now connected to my Dension; so I am not even using an iPod. There are very few wire connections to make: 1) fiber optic from dash (disconnected from Amp) to Dension. 2) fiber optic from Dension to Amp. 3) Constant +12v wire. and 4) Ground wire.

 

From what you are saying (I didn't click through to all the links on your first post), this is an easy DIY that anyone with a couple hours can do. I am very handy, as I've done almost all my mods myself, but I don't typically mess with wiring. I am fine with nuts and bolts, sockets and drivers, but wires, never tried. If you say I can do this, then I will give it a shot! I'll need your cell in case I get stuck!

I am told the reason to run a cable from the amp/ dension unit to the passenger area is because the head unit (PCM) is slow to load, and has limitations (50 items) in terms of # of artists, songs, etc. before a long pause (1-3 seconds) to load the next batch of 50 items on any given list. If that's true, I'd get annoyed, and would prefer to toggle on my iPod. Have you not found that to be an issue?

In getting the USB flash drive ready, you had to convert your entire iTunes library over to MP3? What possible disadvantages might doing that have in terms of playback on laptop, other iPods, etc? What kind of USB drive are you connecting to the Dension unit?

BTW, my local shop quoted me $800 for the unit and installation, including running the wire into the console storage bin or glove box. Depending on your answers, you may have just saved me $300
CATTMAN

 

Just out of curiosity, can anyone explain to me why this and any other iPod/iPhone integration I've found for a Porsche is over $400? For any other car I've had the most one of these adapters costs is $80. Granted my other cars have not been Porsches but still how much different could it be?

 

I understand where you are coming from. There are many modifications which on a Mustang or a Corvette cost $400 but on a Porsche cost $3,000. The typical rationale stated has to do with R&D costs- specifically: it costs the same to develop a solution for Corvette that you can sell 50,000 units of, vs for a Porsche that you can sell 3,000 units of, so the costs per unit are higher in order to cover R&D.

In this specific case, however, the reason that it's complicated to get a simple iPod integrated solution has more to do with the technical specifics of the PCM 2 and the vehicles "MOST bus". Essentially, PCM 2 was not designed to be an open system capable of integrating auxiliary inputs other than the Porsche CD changer.

Fact is, until the Dension IceLink Gateway 500, the only elegant or clean iPod integration solutions required the installation of not only a new head unit, but new speakers and amps as well. Those solutions are still popular, as they replace the PCM (even in the new 997.2) with an 8" full color touchscreen which has it's own NAV, Bluetooth, DVD Player, iPod, CD, Radio, SAT control, etc. These solutions are cool, to be sure, full of show-off bragging rights, and they run in the $2,500-$3,500 range.

But if all you really want is to be able to listen to your iPod in your car, cleanly, the Dension IceLink Gateway 500 is a blessing.

By the way, that video demo is horrible.
CATTMAN

 

Cattman - Wiring of the Dension Gateway was easy. There are two different types of wiring; The first one deals with fiber optics, the second one with regular copper wires.

Fiber Optics: You will need to disconnect the fiber optic connector (has 2 fiber optic cables) from the Amp. Once connector is removed from Amp, you turn on the ignition switch; identify which of the two fiber optics is emitting red light. Turn off ignition switch and you will proceed to remove the fiber optic that emits red ligtht (this will be connected to the Dension unit). To remove fiber optic, you will need to remove a tiny blue clip from connector. Next, you will have to insert a very small screw driver into the connector (you will have to study picture in link provided above) to lift a "tonge" and release the fiber optic. Do NOT force or pull hard the fiber optic cables. Once fiber optic that emits red light has been separated from (black) connector, you will "extend" this fiber optic as shown in link provided, so it reaches Dension unit. The second fiber optic connection consists of taking the spare fiber optic from Dension unit and attaching it to empty space on (black) connector you pulled out from Amp. So, you first "open" the MOST fiber optic loop to add Dension in the loop (take a look at Dension install diagram in link provided above).

Copper Wires: You will tap into CD changer wire connector to power Dension unit. Whether your car has CD changer or not, all 911s have this connector. My car does not have CD changer, so connector (with three wires) not being used was hidden on passanger side (take a look at picture in link provided). You will cut or tap into the red-green wire (un-switched +12v) to solder the red Dension power wire. Be careful not touch any metal body part with this red-green live wire. Use heat shrink tubing or electrical tape to protect this connection right after you soldered the wire. Next, cut the brown wire from CD changer connector (ground) to connect the black Dension power wire. Solder and protect this connection.

These are all the wire connections involved. The rest of them consist of connecting peripherals to Dension. Fool-proof since each of the 3 or 4 connectors are different and can only connect one way.

WRT delay displaying information on PCM display, you are correct, info is displayed in "batches" of 20 or so artist/album info, then there is a delay of few seconds when Dension is sending info on next "batch" of artists/album info to PCM display. It is a bit sluggish. However, the best way to deal with this slugish performace is to create Playlists, and play your music out of playlists. One playlist can have unlimited number of songs, and one Dension "batch" has 20 or so Playlists.

WRT using USB flash drive instead of iPod, I created a new folder in my computer and called it "MP3 Music." Then, I exported my music from my iTunes library to the newly created MP3 folder. So at the end, I end up with two versions of my music library, one is the original and unmodified Apple iTunes library, and the second one is the newly created MP3 Music library. This is simply a work around Apple DRM (digital right management) limitations.

Cheers,

 

I am planning to undertake this tomorrow night, I believe. Can you PM me your cell number in case I hit a wall?

I think this is what I'll need to buy:
-15W soldering iron
-adhesive lined heatshrink tubing
-wire strippers
-rosin core solder

Never done this before, so relying on you! Seems soldering the power 12v is the hardest part. I supposed one could just skip it and twist the wires together and seal them with electrical tape, yes?

What size solder and heat shrink will I need? Is "flux" made as part of this solder material?

 

You can skip the soldering and use a quick splice connector with male disconnect.
http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...ductId=2998435

 

How do you pull out the head unit?

WHere do you fish the ipod wire?

I'd like to install the Bluetooth but these are the issues I have questions about..