Porsche 911 becker cdr-220 install information

[srs]

I would like to add my install to possibly help future readers with their installation.  I have a Porsche 911 with a becker cdr-220 radio.  I bought a VW phatbox--  I changed the firmware to Porsche version 4 with the DMS tools program and then I added rca plugs to make my installation easier.  It appears that you can wire the audio through the 26 pin adapter as well.  Figuring out the cable and the pinouts was probably the hardest part.  Here are the pinouts that worked for me on the Porsche or becker radio.  On the phatbox side, it uses the sony connections to communicate with the Porsche firmware.

7 Unilink BusOn   10 Unilink Data   13 Line in phone   16 rs232 in   19 Line in L
    9  Ground       12  Unilink Reset     15  rs232 out                                18 ground
8  Steady +12v   11   Unilink Clock   14   ground phone   17   steady +12v   20  Line in R

      CDR-220   Phatbox      
               
bus on       C2-7   22      bus on
 12v pos      C2-8   10,13       12v pos
ground      C2-9   4,9,16      ground
data      C2-10   21      data
clock      C2-11   24      clock
reset      C2-12   11      reset
               
               
ground      c3-18   3      ground
L audio      c3-19   1      L audio
R audio      c3-20   2      R audio


I am going to try the traffic pro firmware and see if I can get text tags working on the headunit.

[gbarron]

Great information.  I have a few questions if you don't mind as I am going to give this a go in my Porsche too!

1.  In the grouping of pin-outs you list...are the first group from the back of the CDR-220 and the second group from the PhatBox?  I am having a little trouble understanding them...!

2.  How did you wire to the back of the HU?  Did you get some OEM plugs for the CD input/outputs?  If so, where did you get them?

3.  How did you make out with the TrafficPro firmware?

Thanks!

Glenn

[srs]

Code: [Select]

7 Unilink BusOn    10 Unilink Data       13 Line in phone    16 rs232 in        19 Line in L
9 Ground           12 Unilink Reset      15  rs232 out                          18 ground
8 Steady +12v      11 Unilink Clock      14   ground phone   17   steady +12v   20 Line in R

CDR-220                          Phatbox     
               
bus on     C2-7                 22           bus on
12v pos    C2-8                 10,13        12v pos
ground     C2-9                 4,9,16       ground
data       C2-10                21           data
clock      C2-11                24           clock
reset      C2-12                11           reset
               
               
ground     c3-18               3      ground
L audio    c3-19               1      L audio
R audio    c3-20               2      R audio
The pinouts are not lined up like I wanted them to.  The top ones are the pinouts from the back of the becker radio.  The lower diagram shows the pinouts of the radio on the left and the pinout from the 26 pin phatbox connector.
I got the radio connectors from a person on ebay.  Just look up mini iso connector for porsche becker or blaupunkt.  You may need the green and blue one.
I found out either the porsche or traffic pro firmware works on my radio.  The cdr 220 cannot do text display for the songs but the traffic pro can display text.

I tried and tried to figure out how to interface a palm pda to scroll through the songs but cannot get that to work.

Have fun

[sbingner]

if you use [ code ] it will line up better. -- I went ahead and modified your post for readability, hope you don't mind

If you send me data like it has on http://www.phathack.com/?page=pinouts I will add this to it..

Sam

[gbarron]

Thanks vey much...and thank you Sam for the edit as this makes it a lot easier to decypher!

Glenn

[gbarron]

Ok, I got all the components together and started figuring out the pinouts to the CDR-220 but I got different results than what you posted.  Maybe I am doing something wrong?  Here is what I bought:
1. VW Phatbox & 20G DMS
2. Audi factory CD changer cable (from HU ISO plugs to 13 pin round male connector)
3. Audi 13 pin round CD changer female end to Phatbox 26 pin connector

I connected the cables together and started tracing the pinouts to mark the wires for the correct pins on the back of the CDR-220.  I was able to line up pins 8,9,18,19,20 (CDR-220 end) no problem, but when it came to pins 7, 10, 11, 12 (CDR-220 end) I found the numbers on the Phatbox end different than what you have listed.  I used the schematics listed on Phathack.com for the VW pinouts as I have a Phatbox out of a VW.

I started scratching my head and could not figure out why my testing was different than the chart you posted.  I re-read your first post and noticed something about using the Sony connections with the Porsche firmware...what does this mean exactly?  Does the Phatbox change which pinouts it uses depending on the firmware installed?  Is this possibly why the Audi cable I have is connected to different pinouts on the Phatbox?  Does this make sense?  Any help is greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Glenn

[S80_UK]

Does the Phatbox change which pinouts it uses depending on the firmware installed?  Is this possibly why the Audi cable I have is connected to different pinouts on the Phatbox?  Does this make sense?  Any help is greatly appreciated!

Hello Glenn,

Yes!  Different firmware may use different pins for the control signals on the interface.  Power and audio connections are fixed.  The reason for using different pins is partly due to the fact that different head-units use very different signalling protocols on their CD changer interfaces and this requires the signals to connect to different hardware functions in the Phatbox.

So even if your box was originally intended for one type of interface, you must wire it according to the unit that you will be connecting it to.

Hope this helps,

Les.

[srs]

S80_UK is correct.
I have the porsche cdr-220 radio connected to a VW phatbox, but I used the sony cable connection and pinout info.
I tried to use the audi cable that came with it, but it was missing one of the connections at the 26p phatbox plug.
You could chop off the 26p end and buy a connector from mouser.com or just juse sony cable.

steven

[gbarron]

Thanks all...now I know what I need to do!

Glenn

[gbarron]

Well, I finally got around to gathering up the necessary parts and installing the new 3M end on the Audi cable.  It was a fairly simple process and I decided to run the audio via the 26 pin connector instead of adding RCA jacks.  After soldering everything together and double checking the connections I hooked everything up with the Porsche/Ferrari firmware flashed onto the DMS.  The lights blinked as they should for the re-programming of the box and voila!  Everything works perfectly!  I was greeted with the "Welcome to the Phatnoise Music System" message, then started playing music.

Thanks for all the help on this board!

Glenn   

[S80_UK]

Well done Glenn,

Glad you got there.  Enjoy.

(I've had mine installed almost four years and 63000 miles - one of the best things I've done in the way of auto add-ons.)

Les.

[JSBear]

Just picked up a 2002 911, and would like to move my Phatnoise from my Audi to the Porsche.  I have the CDR-220 as well.  Studying this thread, still a bit confused on what I need to order to get this going.

Right now I have the Phatnoise, and the cable that connects from the Phatnoise to the Audi CD changer interface in the trunk.  Does Porsche run a cable to the front trunk for the changer, or will I have to run a cable to the head unit.  If I have to run a cable from the trunk to the HU, what cable do I need to buy ?

Any guidance would be appreciated. 

Thank you.

[gbarron]

Hi Jonas,

Congrats on your purchase and welcome to Porsche ownership!  As for your questions, I will do what I can to help.

1.  I am not sure if your car will have the factory CD changer cable installed or not...you will need to take a look for it.  If you can't find it in the trunk then take a look at the back of the CDR-220 to see if there is a cable plugged into the mini ISO ports then trace it back to the location. 

2.  Even if you have the factory CD changer cable installed, good luck finding a Porsche/Phatnoise adapter cable!  They have not made any for years now.  I didn't have any luck finding one and was getting old waiting for one to surface on e-Bay.

3.  The part I used to adapt the Audi cable for my CDR-220/Phatnoise is here:

http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?lang=en&site=US&WT.z_homepage_link=hp_go_button&KeyWords=10126-6000EC

4.  I used the info from this site along with the link below to help build the new connector end:

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?s=7ff5033de5ea4fd9ab78d8d6f0a1d1c9&t=133871&page=2&highlight=phatbox

Whether you car has a cd changer cable or not, I think you will have to modify it to connect to the Phatbox unless you luck out and find a Porsche specific Phatnoise connector cable.

Glenn

[JSBear]

I really appreciate the response.  Ok so I could not find the CD changer cable in the trunk.  So let assume that I do not have one. 

In the step 3 below, I assume this connector is for the Phatnoise side of the connection ? How do I connect to the pinouts on the CDR-220, do I need to purchase a mini iso connector so I can connect it the CDR-220 in sockets C2 and C3 (on the back of the radio) ?

I assume the best place to mount the Phatbox is in the factory CD changer location in the trunk, so I will need to build a cable long enough to make it inside the cabin, through the firewall etc.  My current cable from the Phatnoise to the Audi CD changer hookup is about 2 feet long.  The cable in the Audi that leads to the HU came with the car, and was ran to the trunk from the factory.  Would prefer to leave this cable for the next owner, and just take the Phatnoise and the short cable from the Phatnoise to the Audi changer hookup.

Step 4 makes sense, again I assume this is the Phatnoise side of the connection, I assume the ribbon cable has to be long enough to make it to the back of the radio etc ?  Where can I source this ?

Sorry if my questions are lame. 

Thanks again for your assistance.

Jonas

[gbarron]

The easiest way to do this is watch e-bay for an Audi remote CD changer cable, I got mine for less than $20.  If it is complete it will come with the mini ISO plugs you need.  I chopped off the 13 pin round connector on the other end and spliced in the plug I got from Digikey.  The cable will be plenty long.  There are some listed on there right now:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Audi-CD-Changer-Phatbox-cable_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem2a005bcee4QQitemZ180394643172QQptZCarQ5fAudioQ5fVideo

Use the pinouts listed in this post and you cant go wrong.  If you have the factory manual for the CDR-220 it will list the pin numbers for the ISO plugs near the back of the book.  If no book, google it and you will find the pinouts.  I used about 6" of ribbon cable and peeled back/chopped off the ones I didn't need.  Ribbon cable is dirt cheap (maybe even free) at your local used computer store.

Where you mount the Phatbox will be your choice.  If you choose the factory CD Changer location you might need to modify the mounting brackets (new mounting holes, etc.).

Glenn

[JSBear]

Starting to make sense now

I will order a few parts, and update my progress here.  Thanks again. 

I'm sure I may have a couple more questions.

If this works, it will really address my music problem

[JSBear]

Just to recap, Audi CD changer cable connects to the CDR-220 (Location C2 and Location C3 as noted in the wiring diagram in this thread), cut off plug at end of the Audi CD changer cable. (I have the radio manual, and see the diagram with the pinout for C2 and C3)

Use the ribbon cable and connect it to the Digikey plug, as demonstrated in the TDIClub thread, then strip the wires on the other end of the ribbon and solder them to the wires on the Audi CD changer cable (per the wiring diagram) ?

Then plug the Digikey plug into the Phatbox and I should be good to go ?


Jonas

[gbarron]

Yes...but don't forget you need to re-flash your DMS with the Ferrari/Porsche firmware.  You can do this via the Phatnoise Media Manager.  Make sure you do this BEFORE trying to use the Phatbox with your CDR-220, otherwise strange things might happen...possibly permanent damage.

Also, when you hack off the 13 pin round connector you wil only need some of the wires for splicing with the ribbon cable/3M plug.  When I bought the Audi CD changer cable it came with a diagram to show what pins went where in the ISO plugs.  You will need this to identify which wires are used for audio/data/etc.  If you don't get this let me know as I think I might still have it and could scan it and e-mail to you.

Glenn

[JSBear]

Again, thanks for your help.  I have a decent understanding as to what needs to be done.  If you scan that document, that would be great.  You can email to jsbear (at) gmail.com.  No rush, unfortunately it may take some time to get all the parts in my hands.  I'm very excited about getting this thing working in the new (to me) car.

Can't wait, I will take my time, and post my results here plus I may still have a few more questions, I work very slow, and like to make sure things are right before moving forward   I will remember to flash the firmware PRIOR, thanks for the reminder, I could see how that could happen after the cable is built.

 
Much appreciated.

Jonas

Edited by Mod to disguise email address from the spam-bots

[sbingner]

If you email it to me, I can post it with instructions on the pinouts site as well...