7" IPS Auto Android HU with wireless CarPlay

[BruceH]

I have owned my 2001 S for about 12 years now and over that time, I have tried to increase the connectivity between my phone and the HU. First I had a cable that connected to the original CDR-220 and my iPhone. Then, I bought a Pioneer single DIN with BT and added an iPad mini to the upper dash. The iPad mini gave me Google maps and other apps, basically a precursor to CarPlay.

For at least the last 5 years I have been searching for Double DIN HU with wireless CarPlay and a physical volume knob. Well, thanks to fridsten on this forum, we now have an excellent, IMHO, option. There is a long thread on Rennlist concerning a cheap Android HU for 997's. The unit for the 986/996 is basically the same and it matches the interior perfectly!

I installed it over the past few days, and it is actually pretty easy if your OEM radio harness is intact. I did not opt to install the rear camera. All I wanted was Apple CarPlay and this unit handles it perfectly. In fact, it is better than the unit that came with my 2022 Honda Ridgeline. Start up is pretty quick and much faster than my Ridgeline. The touch screen is very responsive.

To install, you will need to modify the dash trim to get it to fit. Right now, mine is basically a friction fit and seems to be secure. There are spring tabs on the sides of the HU which help hold it in place. I have not taken it for a good drive yet as I am currently battling Covid - again - but thankfully I have a pretty mild case.

I bought the unit with the most RAM and ROM (8/256). The price difference wasn't that much and I will probably never need all of the memory but IMO you can never have enough memory. For those with Bose, there is an option for connecting to that system. I just had the basic system but I do have the rear deck speakers which I upgraded years ago. At some point I would like to get a different amp but inertia will probably prevent that from happening All in all, I am very happy with the HU. The seller is very responsive (remember they are on the other side of the world from the US so response times do lag) Shipping took about a month. Here is the link to the unit.

[BruceH]

I tried uploading an iPhone pic but that didn’t work so then I tried linking to my Flickr account but that is not working either. We really need a better way to post pictures here IMHO. The site only allows JPG’s but the iPhone output is JPEG, ugh.
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Let's try this again, I fired up my old window's PC and converted the JPEG's to JPG's
The Porsche background in the first image is my own image.

[Woody63]

Hi, Thank you for the above post, I have actually gone ahead and purchased one of these units and it arrived very quickly, I am now in the position of trying to fit it, I have managed to remove the original head unit but have absolutely no clue which wire goes where for the new unit, all the original wiring harness is intact and I have a load of new cable etc with the new unit I dont have Bose, I wondered if you could help !
My car is a 2004 986 3.2S.
Many Thanks Mike

[BruceH]

Mike, I am not near my car right now but there is a picture of my harness in my review on the website where you bought the unit. The biggest issue I had was I didn’t realize that the RCA cable jacks need to be connected to the back of the unit and the other end into the harness. Once I did that it was pretty easy. The RENNLIST thread had some good info on it too. I can get a picture of the back of mine early next week if you are still working on it.

[Woody63]

Hi Thank you much appreciated, I imagine I will be doing this for quite sometime lol
All help and guidance very much appreciated
Mike

[Nickanator8]

Thanks for posting! I've been looking for something like this for a while.

[BRAN]

Great find, Bruce!
I must say, this looks more authentic than the PCCM Plus 996/986.

Do they offer a DAB+ version? FM radio is dying fast here since 2023.

[KevinH1990]

Woody63 has a 2004 Boxster and BruceH has a 2001. Porsche transitioned to the MOST system for audio sometime after they build my 2000 Boxster. I'm fairly sure that Woody63 has the MOST system in his car and BruceH does not. I don't think Woody63 will be able to replicate BruceH's wiring in his car.

Because I don't have the MOST system in my car, I don't have any direct experience with it. I have seen posts that suggest significant amounts of re-wiring are required to adapt an aftermarket system to a MOST-equipped car. I suggest that you search on the topic, and you should be able to find someone who made the conversion work.

Good luck.

[BruceH]

Originally Posted by BRAN

Great find, Bruce!
I must say, this looks more authentic than the PCCM Plus 996/986.

Do they offer a DAB+ version? FM radio is dying fast here since 2023.

Thanks! I would message the seller directly, I had found a manual for a similar unit and it mentions that DAB is available as an add on, this one may have that option as well.

[BruceH]

Originally Posted by KevinH1990

Woody63 has a 2004 Boxster and BruceH has a 2001. Porsche transitioned to the MOST system for audio sometime after they build my 2000 Boxster. I'm fairly sure that Woody63 has the MOST system in his car and BruceH does not. I don't think Woody63 will be able to replicate BruceH's wiring in his car.

Because I don't have the MOST system in my car, I don't have any direct experience with it. I have seen posts that suggest significant amounts of re-wiring are required to adapt an aftermarket system to a MOST-equipped car. I suggest that you search on the topic, and you should be able to find someone who made the conversion work.

Good luck.

You are correct, I do not have the MOST system but this unit does come with a Canbus box, I am assuming that is what is needed for a MOST system?

[KevinH1990]

Originally Posted by BruceH

You are correct, I do not have the MOST system but this unit does come with a Canbus box, I am assuming that is what is needed for a MOST system?

I used a Canbus box on my 2005 Mercedes C230. It functioned as an interface between the steering wheel controls (for functions such as volume and radio station changes.) My 2000 986 doesn't have steering wheel controls and I have not seen them on another 986 or 996.

MOST is a fiber optic system. I don't have any experience with MOST, but based on my experience with Canbus I don't think MOST has anything in common with Canbus. This post from the UK Boxster site may be helpful: https://www.boxa.net/topic/86553-howto-retain-factory-amp-most-fibre-optic-when-changing-head-unit/

[Woody63]

Hi everyone, thank you for the replies, just to confirm my Boxster does have the fibre optic (MOST) system.
I am very confused with all this stuff, I can see myself paying out for a local car audio dealer to fit it for me.
But having said that the unit does look nice and seems to replicate the Porsche factory upgrade very well.
I honestly thought this would be plug and play but obviously not so simple as that.
I will update here when and if I get it fixed, unless anybody fancies a trip to the UK to do it for me !
Thank you to everyone for your help.
Micheal

[BruceH]

Michael, Contact the seller and also read through the Rennlist thread. The majority of installs on that thread have the fibre Optic system so they can better answer your questions and help. Good luck! Oh, and it is never as simple as that

[obthomas]

My 03 Boxster has the MOST system. I installed a head unit similar to what is being talked about.

The OEM setup uses the fiber optics to turn on the radio and amp if equiped. The fiber optics may get its commands from CAN BUSS, I don't know.

To get my installation to work I simply had to find a way to turn on my head unit without using the MOST control. I needed an accessory on power supply.

I found an accessory on power supply in the center console just below the HVAC controls.

There was a plug for a mobile telephone, and it had an accessory power supply I used.

[obthomas]

I just looked in the wiring diagrams and it appears the fiber optics MOST originates in the OEM head unit and goes out to control the disc changer, amplifier and navigation. So if you are replacing the head unit you need to contemplate how the new head unit will be energized and how it will communicate with sub systems. In my case I did not have the sub systems and I controlled the head unit with an accessory power on. I suspect that if I had the sub systems, I would have replaced them to eliminate the fiber optics. Good luck you guys installing a new head unit.

[stateofidleness]

I'm interested! ...but wow, that thread is 78 pages long!

I didn't honestly see too many posts about 986's specifically, so I gave up. I have a single DIN aftermarket headunit that doesn't retain its settings when I turn the car off. Thought I would finally get around to pulling it out and trying to fix that, but man, having tighter connectivity with my iphone would be awesome!

How do I know if I have this "MOST" thing I'm seeing? I have an amp and a cd changer in the front trunk, and rear add-on speaker thing. I don't think I have a subwoofer anywhere that I know of. I have a '00 base model.

I might roll the dice on that cheapest one for $185 (2GB/32GB).

Do you have any direct links to any "plug and play" or wiring pics from that huge thread for the 986?


EDIT: dumb question, if I wanted up-to-date GPS on the headunit, which version would I need? Do i have to pay for cell service separately for it work? I don't know what the LT, LTE, non-LTE versions mean.

[KevinH1990]

A 2000 Boxster does not have the MOST system. (I have a 2000, so I can make that statement based on experience.)

Updating a non-MOST system is much more straightforward than what the folks with MOST have consider. When I have time later today, I will post some links that provide instructions for upgrades. I currently have a GPS system in my Boxster, but in the other vehicles we own, I have installed Apple Carplay and Android Auto compatible units. I prefer those to the system in my Boxster.

I believe the reason your current system is not retaining the settings is because it is wired incorrectly. Head units have two power connections. One is wired to the lead that has constant power. The other is wired to the lead that has power when the car is on. The person who installed your unit only connected it to the lead that has power when the car is on.

[BruceH]

Originally Posted by stateofidleness

I'm interested! ...but wow, that thread is 78 pages long!

I didn't honestly see too many posts about 986's specifically, so I gave up. I have a single DIN aftermarket headunit that doesn't retain its settings when I turn the car off. Thought I would finally get around to pulling it out and trying to fix that, but man, having tighter connectivity with my iphone would be awesome!

How do I know if I have this "MOST" thing I'm seeing? I have an amp and a cd changer in the front trunk, and rear add-on speaker thing. I don't think I have a subwoofer anywhere that I know of. I have a '00 base model.

I might roll the dice on that cheapest one for $185 (2GB/32GB).

Do you have any direct links to any "plug and play" or wiring pics from that huge thread for the 986?


EDIT: dumb question, if I wanted up-to-date GPS on the headunit, which version would I need? Do i have to pay for cell service separately for it work? I don't know what the LT, LTE, non-LTE versions mean.

You don't have MOST so no worries there. Hopefully whoever installed your HU didn't get rid of the OEM wiring harness. If you have a "subwoofer", it is your door speakers.

If you look on the site where the unit is sold, you will see my review with a picture of my connection. I bought the one with more memory, it wasn't much more. I always figure more RAM and memory is always a good thing, but I have no idea whether or not it makes a difference but I will say my unit is very responsive, YMMV. As far as GPS goes, since you have an iPhone, you will be using your GPS in your phone. I am very happy with this unit, it looks great and works great! In fact CarPlay on this HU works better than the unit in my 2022 Honda Ridgeline.

[BRAN]

Even my MY2001 has no MOST.

LTE/non LTE: I would go with non LTE, which shouldn't exclude the use of an external GPS antenna --> which is not needed anymore due to carplay.

[KevinH1990]

https://cai-store.com/pages/911-boxster-double-din-conversion

This link has instructions for installing a double-DIN head unit in a 986 or 996. Please note that you will need to relocate the climate controls to make space.