Bigger than 2023 OEM, WOW !!!!!
Fantastic stuff……want want want….LOL

 

Wow, another amazing project. Job well done!

 

That looks amazing! What type of panel is it (TN, IPS). How are the reflections during the day?
How were the AC/heater vents routed under the screen?

Trim piece alignment looks pretty good from the pictures shown.

 

Very cool! Didn’t even know Aliexpress got these now! Look forward to your update on a better fitting unit. Thanks always for sharing your upgrades!!

 

I think I speak for the other folks here when I demand that you return to the older PCM display so the rest of us don't have to think about upgrading

Carplay looks so much better on that screen! What's intersection light?

 

I think I speak for the other folks here when I demand that you return to the older PCM display so the rest of us don't have to think about upgrading

Carplay looks so much better on that screen! What's intersection light?

Haha…. I’m doing the research for all of you…😂.

Intersection lights is a feature where when you are approaching an intersection during the night, both cornering lights will turn on at the same time, illuminating both left and right (only for PDLS and PDLS+ equipped vehicles). PDLS control module communicates with PCM to get GPS information to determine when to turn on. It is a cool but really unnecessary feature.

This feature wasn’t activated from factory in my Macan, but I activated it through coding.

Fun fact, once I got my GPS coordinates screwed up and it was saying in my map that I was miles away where I actually was… I found out about that when my intersection lights started to turn on at odd places and not turn on at intersections….

 

What coding do we need to enable for those intersection cornering lights? (Is this a PIWIS only thing?)

 

Can be added with Launch as well Phil.

 

I remember seeing threads about the Launch X431, but cant seem to find this for a few hundred bucks any more. There's so many Launch models now (And copy cats) it's fairly confusing...

 

Video is out!! As stated in earlier post, I replaced my PCM3.1 head unit in my Porsche Macan to install a 12.3” Android radio unit. This is the first of a series of videos on this topic that I intend to release.

The second video will be a full review of this system, and comparing with PCM3.1 with Mr12Volt module.

I also bought a different 12.3” Android radio unit that resembles more an OEM system from build quality perspective, looks almost the same as the PCM head unit in Gen3 Macan. I’ll be doing a different install video on this unit as installation is different, as well as a side by side comparison of the 2 units and a final review. As always, I’ll provide very unbiased reviews. I’m not getting paid by anyone to do this.

So, stay tuned. Subscribe to the channel so that you can get notified of future video.


Replacing the Audio Head Unit (PCM3.1) in my Porsche Macan with an Android Radio unit!! - PART 1

 

Outstanding detailed review as always !!
Thanks for what you do !!!

 

looks good. wish the lower vents looked more "oem"

 

Do you have links to the two you looked at and the specs? I’ve been looking at the ones that are 128GB/6GB ram. But there’s quite a few different vendors.

Never mind. Just saw them in the YouTube description.

 

i can already feel my fomo kicking in and i know i am going to want one of these. i just bought a mr 12volt 3 months ago

 

Join the BIG screen Envy club , It's bigger than OEM.....and more......

 

great video! that looks pretty neat. i do not love the trims they supplied, i would have to wrap those as well.

all in all that seems a lot easier than the existing carplay solutions that require cracking open the PCM.

looking forward to seeing how the next one compares and how you think it is more OEM. did i hear correctly the new one doesn't support MOST 25? if so, that would be a big negative for me.

 

great video! that looks pretty neat. i do not love the trims they supplied, i would have to wrap those as well.

all in all that seems a lot easier than the existing carplay solutions that require cracking open the PCM.

looking forward to seeing how the next one compares and how you think it is more OEM. did i hear correctly the new one doesn't support MOST 25? if so, that would be a big negative for me.

The new one does support MOST25. It has RCA to MOST25 conversion box. However, it doesnt have optical output via TOSLINK. THis is what I was referring to. I’ll connect new unit via RCA to MOST25 conversion box and determine audio quality. I will also connect directly to my Helix Amplifier low level RCA input directly (without the converter box) and determine audio quality and compare.

Here are some photos of mine… which the vendor sent me before shipping…

The blue box in this photo will allow you to connect unit to MOST25…

I’m using an alternate toslink optical connection in the unit I have installed. But as you can see in this unit, the connector is missing…. So I’ll have to connect with blue box…. This is what I was referring to.

In summary, you will be able to connect with no issues to your system.

 

@Santirx
Are there any surround options in the Android interface for audio ?

 

@Santirx
Are there any surround options in the Android interface for audio ?

No. Surround option is, as I stated earlier, a heavily processed option from Bose where they play with signal delays and phasing to create the illusion of surround. So, the amplifier control option to activate Bose Surround is not there, at least to my knowledge and what I found so far.

 

I stand corrected, the unit does have surround processing options…

 

Excellent Smithers…….

 

One thing to note, if you are replacing the PCM and moving to 2 channel audio out, may need to make sure you have all of your front/rear fader settings where you want them because you might lose that with the new unit. This is how it is in the 997 fiber adapters, the bose amp stays were it was last left and without the factory PCM you can't adjust it.

 

Good observation @signde. I’m assuming this will be the same for all Bose processing options. If you have surround on by the time you take PCM out, then it will stay on as this is a function of the amplifier…. You won’t have a way to turn it off then, unless you install PCM.

 

So put the Audio to flat, balanced, OEM.

 

I have Burmester and I always have surround disabled to stay true to the creator's intent. I am under the impression that PCM can play multi-channel files and Burmester can process them without any modification ( default 'pure' ), right?

Porsche Soundsystem - Burmester

BURMESTER MEETS PORSCHE High standards on both sides Since the introduction of the Burmester High-End Surround Sound System in the Porsche Panamera, Burmester has been considered a benchmark for factory-integrated car hi-fi systems. The Burmester High-End Surround Sound System was the first car...

www.burmester.de

 

That should be the case….Sound processing is at amplifier level…

 

Review of the unit is out!! Check it out!

12.3" Android Radio Head Unit - PART 2 - User Interface and Options Review...

https://youtube.com/@porscheDIY?sub_confirmation=1

 

Review of the unit is out!! Check it out!

12.3" Android Radio Head Unit - PART 2 - User Interface and Options Review...

santirx auto diy

Hi.. I have surround view cameras on my Macan, Do any of these 12.3" units show full surround view camera options and pictures?

 

thanks for the very thorough review. a lot to consider with this full replacement, quite a few pros and cons.

i'm glad you touched on the fault codes and that they are all passive, that was going to be one of my questions.

i wish the joker button worked for track advancement. that's my biggest wishlist item remaining for mr12volt.

this is personal preference but i do not love any of those android launchers. i'm sure there are more to download and choose from but i am not sure what the selection is like there. perhaps the default one on the next unit you are getting looks better.

i know you showed carplay starting automatically if you were last using it but that looked like a hot start. does it still launch into carplay if it's been a longer duration and the system has to do a cold boot?

 

thanks for the very thorough review. a lot to consider with this full replacement, quite a few pros and cons.

i'm glad you touched on the fault codes and that they are all passive, that was going to be one of my questions.

i wish the joker button worked for track advancement. that's my biggest wishlist item remaining for mr12volt.

this is personal preference but i do not love any of those android launchers. i'm sure there are more to download and choose from but i am not sure what the selection is like there. perhaps the default one on the next unit you are getting looks better.

i know you showed carplay starting automatically if you were last using it but that looked like a hot start. does it still launch into carplay if it's been a longer duration and the system has to do a cold boot?

Yes, it does. It just takes a bit longer. About 15 seconds longer, but goes directly into CarPlay.

I’m not crazy about the launcher either. Penguin Launcher is most similar to PCM but not intuitive and it doesn’t have much functionality. I hope that the one I’m receiving on Thursday has better launcher.

 

Today I was also playing with the knobs. I had one spare and I removed the face and installed it in one of the unit’s knob with double tape just to test how it looks. If I keep this unit, I’ll definitely be doing this…. But will glue with a smidge of epoxy glue.

 

this is really cool and I will order one aswell. Can anyone tell me if I would be able to add original facelift trims instead the ones I get with the android module? I would also like to add ambient light and would need to get the right trims.

 

If you look at the video, you’ll see that there is no way to use original trims. The unit impinges on the air conditioning vent location. And the original trim includes the air conditioning vent.