New Kenwood HU with OEM VM Phatbox - not working

[sbingner]

Very strange -- why would they change it to be incompatible with all their old changers?  I wouldn't be surprised if that just means they don't support it anymore?

Anyway, I'll try one when I get home but I thought I actually used a 2008 HU before.   You're REALLY sure you had music on it?  I saw it say first there were "0" discs then later there were a total of "1" discs when you said nothing had changed... that seems a little strange.

Of course if it worked with just change to VW firmware, I suppose you must have had to have music on it.

[jheyerman]

Sbingner,

If you mean the 0 disk and 1 disk was for the log files, then this makes perfect sense.  As I indicated in the posts, the first was after a "create new DMS" and no music.  The second was after putting some music on it.

The issue, though, is not that it won't play; it is that it does not show up on the deck.  There is *no* CD Changer source available on the deck.  The PB seems to boot fine, and as you said worked when I switched back to VW.

Kenwood definitely said "not compatible", not "not supported", and only applied to 2008+ decks, and only to the Phatbox/Music Keg - CD changers were not affected (what is in the PB that causes the system to break, that is not in real CD changers, I haven't a clue). I did ask Kenwood support why there would be a change, and he said "I'm not the engineer who designed it, so I don't know...". Fair enough.

I have a 2007 deck on the way (KDC-X791) - I should have it on Friday, so should post my results on Saturday.  I can at least say that I did everthing I (and others) could think of to get them to talk and no go.  I will be quite surprised if you find the 2008 deck to work, although I am using a US model deck, and maybe yours would be EU? 

Cheers,
Jeff

[sbingner]

Nah - I'm in hawaii so it would be US... maybe it was still an '07 deck I picked up last

[VorTechS]

If you mean the 0 disk and 1 disk was for the log files, then this makes perfect sense.  As I indicated in the posts, the first was after a "create new DMS" and no music.

If you had used the latest version of the tools (v2.12) this should not have been the case....

[jheyerman]

VorTechS,

No, I mean that I hadn't put any music on it - it went straight from the tools to the car, w/o stopping a PMM (3.92).  I don't know if the tools put any "music" files on the DMS - I didn't check the Data directory after the "create new DMS"; however since the PB was never recognized it is a moot point, although could speak to the log files; are the two I posted truly different? 

Jeff

[VorTechS]

The not-meant-to-be rhetorical question was really which version of the tools was it? 

If it was 2.12 then music (in the form of a startup sound) should have been present.  If no music was present (as the logs suggested), then something happened along the way that could have been the cause of the PhatBox not starting up properly.

The subsequent failure may be a different cause... or may be related.  It'd be nice to flesh out the reason for '0' discs to make sure there is no underlying problem with the tools.

[jheyerman]

It was V2.12, I believe (I only downloaded a few weeks ago).  I will verify when I get home.

Jeff

Confirmed: V2.12

[VorTechS]

Okay, can I suggest you:

a) Delete any files in My Docs\PhatHack Media Manager\Logs
b) Run the tools again to create the new DMS.

Once that's done, can you send me a copy of PHTSYS, PHTDTA zipped up to the e-mail address on my profile please.
I'll take a look at the files etc see if I can spot what's wrong.

[jheyerman]

Got my 2007 deck (KDC-X791) and the PB works perfectly... so there is definitely an incompatibility with 2008 decks.

Just to clarify: 2008 decks do not show CD Changer as an option even with PB hooked up.  I tried two different 2008 decks with identical results.  If I had to guess, it might have something to do with the latest iPOD functionality in the 2008 decks.

VorTechS,

I reran the DMS tools to create new DMS, using the VIOT plugin.  When I first tried it, the KW display just said No disc.  When I then initialized the DMS with PMM 3.92, I got sound out of the speakers, saying "empty disk, empty disk, empty disk, etc".  I put a few files on it using PMM 3.92, and it works - scan changes browse mode.  I can do a create DMS again, if you want to see the virgin partition contents (I forgot to grab them before adding files).  I could send you the log file I have in the ././Phathack Media Manager/Logs dir right now, though.

Jeff

[bobthebuilder]

Hi,

Ended up here after a bit of looking. I have the same problem - keg working fine with an 5021 head, went out and got a nice new W6041U with USB and no joy.  HU won't play!

The new HU is nice but want to keep all my files in FLAC if i can, makes life easier as it's the same as my slimserver

So could someone let me know the newest UK kenwood head that they have working? pref with
usb port on it . I know the 7031 will work but anything newer?

Thanks a lot,

Bob

[markbowen]

Check the Kenwood UK website for the 2007-2008 models.  Any of those should work.

I have a DNX7200 from this lineup, and it works fine.

http://www.kenwood-electronics.co.uk/support/brochures/car/2007_2008_brochure/