vistec

How do you quickly skip through your radio presets?
Can you use the buttons on the steering wheel? I took a C400 out for a test drive and couldn't figure this out...

joshg1001

yes, you can use the steering wheel buttons, but you have to toggle left or right until you get to the radio screen.

One of the reasons why I liked the numeric keypad of the old MBs, you can change radio station and dial numbers in a snap

StanNH

Just swipe the touchpad or turn the dial under it.

vic viper

Would be great if you could type the station number on the touchpad while in the radio submenu.

StanNH

With radio stations, you can just say the frequency and it'll pull up that station.

You can arrange your presets into groups, which also helps when scrolling through that carousel. I keep all the FM stations together, then the satellite stations. The system does have the advantage of offering lots of memory channels with no need to switch between memory blocks, like Sat1, Sat2, FM, etc.

It's not as easy as just pushing a numbered button to make a selection, but it does impress the passengers.

rob72

Sure, if you first press the Radio button on the centre console. The same for controlling it from the steering wheel, yes it is possible, but you first need to press a bunch of buttons to get into the right menu.

I really miss having dedicated buttons for next and previous track/station.

StanNH

Unless I'm using navigation, I always have the main screen on the radio menu if I'm listening to FM or satellite radio ... and then just swipe to change stations. With a CD, I'm in the Media menu ... which comes on automatically once a CD is inserted ... and can just swipe forward or back to change tracks.

I didn't like this when I first got the car, but the more I use it the easier it gets. It's very different and takes some getting used to, but it does work well once you get the hang of it. With 100 memory channels available, there's no way this system can work with manual buttons. With button selection, each memory bank typically holds 6 to 10 channels, and then you have to manually select another memory bank. With something like this MB system, you'd have to switch between over 10 memory banks to find your selection .. and that really isn't practical.

It's an electronic system that is nothing like anything I've used before, but I understand why it's done this way. Eventually, it does make sense. I still don't like the way you have to go through sub-menus to save or delete a preset, but luckily that's not something that has to be done frequently.

rob72

I don't understand why your talking about Banks. There is no reason to artificially put the stations or tracks in groups of 10 with next and previous buttons. Yes the number of radio stations or tracks may be quite large, but who cares, just let me skip to the next one!
This is no different then you rotating the controller one step, or swiping the touchpad to the left or right.

c4004matic

You can also put them in your favorites, thus when you push the favorites button on the touchpad you can select them from there. I agree its a major pain in the ****.

StanNH

That's not what I'm saying. Audio systems that use buttons for their memories typically can store no more than 6 presets in a group. These are usually divided into Sat1, Sat2, etc. with each selection offering another list of 6 or so presets. It's the way every memory setup with buttons works in every car I've ever seen or used.

The MB memory system does not require the user to move between memory groups, since all choices scroll through the carousel displayed on the screen.

rob72

I am not asking for preset buttons, just next/previous buttons.
But also preset buttons could work just fine. On my previous BMW there where six preset buttons that you could define yourself. So you could use them for radio/phone/nav or even a quick jump to a certain menu in the idrive system. Whatever you wanted to use them for.
There was no way to do a 'mode' on the preset buttons, so they could each only have one function. So you could define 'button 1' for instance for navigate home, and 'button 2', call home. Etc.

goherdibg

If I understand what you are wanting to do.....


On the touch pad at the bottom is a square with a little raised nibble below it. If you press that it should bring up a pop up on the bottom of the screen that allows you to swipe left or right through your presets.


Hope that helps.

vistec

Thank you!