PDIM Software Update
 

Due to Camaro1's detective abilities, he has found that a software update was available for the PDIM in his Camaro. It should resolve a lot of the issues concerning lockups at startup and while playing music on a USB drive. Visit your dealer to see if the update is available for you.

Be forewarned that the update is going to take a while (Camaro1 reported a 50 minute update) so you may only want to do this update if you have been experiencing problems.

If anyone gets the update, keep us posted on if it improves the operation.

i think i will go get this today

Is this update geared only towards flash drive problems?

No, it should improve the operation overall for all types of devices.

Good stuff. Will have to give that a go. Do you know if there's a reference number or anything to tell them to look it up? If the service department is even half as stupid as the sales department they will have no clue on how to do it or even where to look. Or maybe I'll just take it to the Pontiac/GMC dealership that's much closer to my house.

+1

Thanks for the hit codeman71! Much appreciated!!

GM actually has the update info online and publicly available (thanks codeman). All you need is your VIN # and you can see it (should be the same). I assume your dealer can use these to get the full details.

Part Number CVN Description

20861681 0000A80A New software for improved operation including proper handling of WMA DRM music, addition of the play/pause button and RSA support, and improved Zune/PFD connection robustness.
20840959 0000A24C New software to address: USB sorting/indexing issues; Bluetooth interface/implementation improvement; Apple iTouch implementation/interface issues
20824078 0000EB10 Operating system

From the looks of it, there's 3 versions. Some interesting changes in there.

Test so i remember my VIN

Now what do we do with this info?

If you're having problems, go to your dealership and ask them to update your PDIM module. If they can't find it, provide them with the numbers above and/or point them at that website I linked above and it should help them out.

Hi Codeman71,

I was just curious if you can tell if these updates have already been done at the factory? I am guessing that the firmware update has not as it seems brand new and my car was built on 06-18-09 and I don't even have it yet to test out the system. All the other updates regarding brakes and radio, restraints etc have been done already to my car??? TIA

ok i just plugged in my VIN and 12 (controllers) popped up. is it saying that i need all of those

No. Just select the PDIM module.

ok making sure my car isnt seriously out of date already

No, the PDIM software update is not yet being applied in the factory. That isn't scheduled until later this month and it will be the next software version after this one (The factory is skipping this particular software version).

Also just a clarification about that site. It just lists the current software for those various modules. It does not know what is currently programmed on them and which ones need to be updated. Only your dealer can tell you what is necessary for your particular vehicle.

Thanks for the info Codeman

Thanks for the info Codeman! I've beem having intermittent problems with my ipod... Guess I'll swing by the dealer and see if they can help!

I think this thread should be a STICKY THREAD?!!!
Thank you for the great info!!

Can someone clarify this?? I was hoping the "Mute" button would pause the iPod playback (currently it continues playback while muting the sound). I have another thread about this. If this update fixes it, I'm definitely going to get it! :D

No, this won't add that functionality unfortunately. You'll have to take the information on this site with a grain of salt. This PDIM module is going in a variety of vehicles and some of them have a play/pause button on the faceplate (new Equinox for example). Sorry about the confusion, but just remember that not everything listed on that site (meant really only for internal viewing) will apply to the Camaro.

:cry:

Thanks for the info

Here's what showed up for mine:
New software for improved operation including proper handling of WMA DRM music, addition of the play/pause button and RSA support, and improved Zune/PFD connection robustness.
New software to address: USB sorting/indexing issues; Bluetooth interface/implementation improvement; Apple iTouch implementation/interface issues
Operating system

Any further info on what this update will do? My car has the known issues of the USB intermittently going back to the first song when I start the car, and the one where if you put it into shuffle, it's not on shuffle next time you start the car.

I think the Bluetooth is great, but may be getting my daughter a Zune, so interested in that update as well.

Thanks for all your answers here, Codeman!

wonder if this update will fix the 2500 song limit...

That particular software version you're referencing is the one that shipped with the Camaro, so you already have that one. The top one is the update that's out now. The update should resolve a lot of startup issues that people are seeing. The shuffle issue will not be fixed in this update. The PDIM currently does not have memory allocated to be able to store this setting over power cycles.

The Zune doesn't get too many advantages over a thumb drive other than the ability to play DRM content. I haven't heard much about if the Zune Channels (think that's what they're called?) work or not, so that may be a factor for you as well. iPods are the most supported device because there is no song limit, the iPod remembers the last song it was playing, what what type of music it was playing (Artist, Album, Genre, etc.) and it keeps track of the shuffle setting.

No, there would have to be major rework to how things are done in the PDIM to get around this issue. The indexes are stored in PDIM's internal memory and that memory gets maxed out at 2500 songs. A very unfortunately consequence to cost cutting...

Hi i have 2 Q
#1 dos the PDIM's software only recognize fat32 formatted USB's or is NTFS filesystem OK .
#2 is there a PDIM's out there that has a internal memory larger than this one that can be had for more $ that will store more than 2500 songs.

I didn't know there was a 2500 song limit... booooooooooooooooo :(

My PFS/PFD iriver player does this as well, as long as I dont physically open the console and manually shut it off after shutting down the car. If I let it just stay plugged in and shut itself off the same song will play (however not from the same location, but from the beginning).

That's a shame. It's so CLOSE to being a really cool feature, but the 2500 song limit, IMO is unacceptable. I doesn't take more than a few KB of storage to house an index of songs. I mean, its 2009... data storage is virtually free at those capacities. I guess we can chalk it up to an 'old GM' decision.

My work around for this will be to have a handful of thumbdrives in the car

Yeah I totally agree and understand where you're coming from. You can probably imagine how I feel having worked so hard on the interface for it to be crippled with this song limit.

I don't think it has so much to do with the physical problems with storing more than 2500 songs, it probably has more to do with how long it would take to index over 2500 songs.

This has been wonderfully informative thread. Thank you for you 'after hour' dedication to our new babies!

reasonably sure only fat32

besides NTFS is defiantly not the best choice for usb keys. fat32 is much more compatible with mac and linux and most devices that have usb inputs (tv's stereos, car stereos ect)

You're very welcome! Being that this was my first project at GM I have a special bond with the Camaro :thumbup:

Codeman71,

Will the shuffle problem get resolved eventually??

I think I might wait for the update until then. The USB indexing issues I can wait to fix... but this shuffle thing not remembering drives me crazy.

Also, did this address the issue of not remembering which input (xm, usb, aux) was being last used if a USB device is plugged in? (aka always switching to USB if inserted even if you were listening to XM before).

Thanks man!

That's tough to say. I'm not involved on this project anymore since it went off to production land, so I'm not as familiar with the future plans as I once was. I know they're looking at improvements to the PDIM but it's not clear to me what they'll be able to do with the current hardware vs. adding more memory in future modules. Sorry I can't offer up more info.

Yes, I believe this was one of the things that they fixed in this update.

BTW, thanks for your video you posted a long time ago about the USB interface. I showed my management how excited you and others are about the feature to just reinforce how important this is to customers. So thanks!

Having the ability to listen to music via a native USB stick is huge... Major props to you all for doing it.

Any plans on a GMPP upgraded chip for the PDIM for more memory? Maybe that could get around some of the issues with song limits and would allow you all to program specialized software modules for future updates.

I'd really love to see the car computer to have the ability to install custom apps.

Cool thanks! Wow, my video really got around I guess! Glad they got to see it - it's a HUGE deal to me and to a lot of people. Easily the most exciting infotainment feature of this car IMO.

My car is actually at the dealership right now...I think I'll have them do this update for the heck of it (getting a new muffler - mine has that annoying baffle issue!)

Thanks again man.

Btw, just had my dealer look into this - apparently my VIN didn't show this update available yet - I have to have it back in in a few days anyway since they had to order a new muffler for me. Hopefully it shows up then.

It would be extremely awesome if they could do the PDIM upgrade via onstar. They can obviously transfer data back and forth. This would be amazing.