renault12ts

Possibly because it looks exactly like the OEM head unit, whereas the one you show will definitely look after market, and not in a good way. I could be wrong.

niceguyeddie

Hi kyosuke,

I've never seen the Pioneer unit working, and mine does look almost identical to the original as Renault12ts says but also...

The Pioneer is $1400 - I paid $450 in total (and $70 of this was for the multi core bypass cable and $65 for DHL shipping to UK). Mine is a pure Android unit - every bit as "real" as the Pioneer. I'm not sure what CPU the Pioneer has or how much RAM, but I doubt it is significantly (if any) better than the RK3188 1.6 GHz Quad core and 1GB DDR3 RAM of my un-branded unit. They both have a 7" capacitive touch screen. The 4 x 45w of the Chinese unit is broadly on a par with the 4 x 50w of the Pioneer. Mine uses Android 5.1 - the Pioneer's version is undeclared from what I can see (but likely to be 5.1 or 4.4)

I've now had my new HU up and running for about 3 weeks and I'm very impressed - and I haven't even had time to install new apps etc. (apart from adding PowerAmp) as of course you can with an Android system. It just works and performs brilliantly. I've noticed the occasional lag within the first 60 secs of a cold start up but otherwise it's been faultless.

Does the Pioneer have an included or optional bypass cable? If your current unit has MOST fibre optics (like my 2005 CL500 did) then you'll need one to install it. Took me 2 days to install everything, but it was all new to me and I went slow...didn't want to damage my ride.

Another good reason to upgrade perhaps? I put the old components (Head unit/ CD changer / Nav unit / and amplifier) on eBay and within 4 days have sold everything but the nav unit for a total of $450! OK, so I've got to take fees off, but it has made the whole process a very cheap upgrade and it's brought my car up to 2016 spec! It would appear that the fibre optic components are sought after replacements for those that want the ease of plug-in replacements for failed ones, but who buys discs anymore? The disc is dead! I have thousands of MP3s on just one of the 2 (32GB) micro-SD cards that my new unit holds.

I took the plunge, replaced everything and no regrets!

BlownV8

One thing yours can't do is XM/Sirius radio. To me, that's the deciding factor.

paperchase

niceguyeddie, any updates now that you've had it for a bit? Did you get an aftermarket amp for the subwoofer and, if so, how did it sound?

niceguyeddie

Hi paperchase.

No issues. I'm still very happy with the unit. I've plugged a 1TB portable hard drive into one of the 2 USB sockets, so I now have my whole music collection on board.

I fitted an Alpine MRV-V500 5 Channel 1100W V-power amplifier. Runs all four main speakers and the sub. Sounds great!

renault12ts

Thread revival.

I have just fitted one of these excellent units to my car.

Everything works as it should...even the steering wheel controls (albeit in a limited fashion). A tip I will repeat from niceguyeddie is to set the canbus to "no" and then it will work.

My 5 channel amp goes in after Santa delivers it next Sunday.

renault12ts

I don't even know what that is...but I am blessed with very good FM reception where I am so I don't even feel the need to fit the optional DAB+ kit.

tusabes

can you link the exact one you bought and any extra parts you needs to buy

renault12ts

This is the unit I bought:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Android-5-...vip=true&rt=nc

Since the connections for the radio antenna and GPS antenna are in the boot (trunk) I also bought cables to run from the unit to the back of the car. I also wanted to use the existing mic so I bought a cable for that too.

I will be adding a 5 channel amp. You can use the speaker connections at line level from the unit (with a suitable converter if needed) using the bypass cable (which is also used to power the unit) or use the RCA connections. I decided on RCA so I ran three pairs of RCA cable...for the 5 channels and one for the reversing camera which I will fit when it arrives.

I laid the bypass loom and all the other cables on the kitchen table, connected them to the back of the unit to get the correct positioning and length and then proceeded to wrap the whole lot in loom tape to make it easier and neater when running the new loom from the front of the car to the back.

tusabes

Does that seller include the wood frame ? I have an older 2000 model Mercedes with the separate command screen and buttons to the right side

I don't see a color option for the wood from dark walnut or light chestnut

renault12ts

It includes the wood bits for an S class...but couldn't for the W215 since the wood is rather large. But you should be able to get one from a dismantler.

Russ Ward

So I'm considering buying this exact same unit for my 2004 MB S430. I've got the MOST system, so that means if I get the Fiber-Optic Decoder Box for an additional $115 USD, this unit should install as an exact replacement so that it will use the BOSE power amp and speakers. I'm not sure about the CD player in the trunk, but I really don't care about that. And, if I get the CAN-BUS Decoder Box for an additional $55 USD, this unit should allow the controls on my steering wheel to work as they are intended.

Do I have a correct understanding of this unit and everything I need to replace my current non-functioning COMAND?

Thanks,
Russ

Russ Ward

So I purchased this Erisin Android DVD GPS COMAND replacement from Ebay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/201605120474?rmvSB=true
The CAN-BUS was included and I paid an additional $115 USD for the Fiber-Optic Decoder Box BS001. With the "Best Offer" option, I got the head unit for $304.00 USD, plus the $115 for the Fiber Optic box, making the total $419.00 USD. I purchased it December 31st and received it January 4th from Honk Kong to the USA in Florida. I still can't believe how quick that was!

The one original connector to the COMAND unit has 5 cables. The 2 fiber optic orange cables are in a smaller connector that snaps out of the larger one and fits nicely into the Fiber-Optic Decoder Box BS001 that I bought with the Erisin unit. The other 3 wires are also in a smaller connector that snaps out of the larger one, but it does not fit the main "Power Port" connector from the Erisin unit.

I left a message with Erisin Support 2 days ago with no response; but I did not send an email yet. I'm thinking they have a direct connector adapter, but for the trouble to get it at this point, I can easily wire it directly.

The brown wire from my Mercedes is ground and will go to the Erisin black wire pin 16. The red/yellow B+ from my Mercedes fuse box will go to the Erisin Yellow pin 15.

My question is: Which wire or pin on the Erisin unit should I connect my Mercedes blue/black "MOST Wakeup" wire to? The Erisin red wire on pin 13, identified as ACC (positive power control by car ignition) goes directly to the Can Bus unit.

The attached images are: 1. the Erisin wiring diagram and 2. Mercedes W220 MOST wiring diagram from the W220 MOST COMAND-APS Encyclopedia

Also I will need to connect a radio antenna and a GPS antenna. As long as I run the wires from the OEM antenna connections in the trunk/boot, will the OEM antennas work?

Thanks in advance; I would appreciate any suggestions you may have.

Russ

Russ Ward

I'm adding a picture of the exact copper wires in my 2004 MB W220 S-430. (Brown = Ground; Red/Yellow = B+ constant; Blue/Black = MOST Wake-up)

biker349

if it were me i'd e-mail erisin and get they're response and also adapter if they have one.

renault12ts

Wire #13, acc.

Yes run wires to the boot (trunk) for GPS, radio antenna and BT mic.

Russ Ward

Thanks for the reply! I thought it'd be OK to use the OEM antennas.

Gut wire 13 already is connected to the CAN-BUS box! I don't think I should either cut that or splice into it.

HULKSTRONG

DOES ANY1 RATE THE AFTER MARKET SAT NAV FOR C CLAS W204 ? Thanks

renault12ts

I suspect they are the same inside.

HULKSTRONG

What do you mean mate? Because the original sat NAV the reckon you need a retro kit to stop it over heating

Russ Ward

Well, I did have a few back and forth exchanges with Erisin with relatively no resolution. In a nutshell, here it is:

"The connector in my Mercedes is not physically compatible with the Erisin Power Connector 11. Please see attached image: MB-04_S430_COMAND-Connector_Erisin-Connector-11_01.jpg

However, I can make an adapter, but I need to know which of my 3 wires go to which wires in the Erisin Power Connector 11.

Mercedes Brown (Ground) to Black in Erisin Power Connector 11.
Mercedes Red/Yellow (12 VDC +Positive Battery) to Yellow in Erisin Power Connector 11. Is this correct?
Mercedes Blue/Black (MOST wakeup) to [I DON"T KNOW} in Erisin Power Connector 11. I NEED to know which wire this connects to!!!
I would think it should go to the Bold Red ACC (positive +power control by car ignition), but that wire goes from pin 13 of the POWER PORT connector to the back of the unit directly to the CAN-BUS box. Please see attached image: ACC-to-CAN-BUS.jpg

I've tried to make my questions very clear and directly to the point. Please be very specific with your answer, addressing my issue."

Erisin response:
"We are sorry to keep you waiting. We had already submitted your problem to our technical department and factory, but we are sorry that as the Chinese Spring Festival is approaching, most of our staff are on holiday now, and your radio's problem are a little complex, sot we could only work out a solution for you after we come back in February. Would you please kindly understand it and wait patiently? Many appreciation for your kind understanding"

Here's the main COMAND connector from my 2004 MB S430:



Here are the sub connectors removed fro the larger connector:



The Fiber-Optic cables fit nicely into the Fiber-Optic Decoder Box BS001, however the mini 12 pin connector with Ground, Battery+, and MOST wakeup wires do not interface at all.



I would initially think the MOST wakeup would connect to the ACC, ignition on, wire on terminal 13 from the Erisin unit, however that wire (red) goes directly to the CAN-BUS box:





So my question is, where do I connect the MOST wakeup (Blue/Black) wire to on the Erisin unit?

Again, thank you all in advance!
Russ

Russ Ward

Hi Niceguyeddie,

You have the same original COMAND connectors as I have in my 2004 MB S430. I purchased the same Erisin head unit, but got the Fiber-Optic Decoder box. The Fiber-Optic cables connector fits nicely int to the Decoder box, however the the other 12-pin connector with 3 wires do not interface. The Brown wire is chassis ground, the Red/yellow is B+ battery, but what about the Blue/Black? What does that connect to on the Erisin head unit?







If I can get a difinitive answer to that, I will be able to have my unit up and running in no time at all.

Thanks,
Russ

Anonymouse-Oz

Hi.

I'm very curious about the image of the screen with the gauges. Does that head unit have connections to all the necessary sensors on the vehicle?

Can you customise for different gauges? For example, I don't see much point in having speed down there on the screen, unless of course it's GPS speed.

tusabes

the android head units gauges connect via wireless Bluetooth obd2 sensor , so just like any app you can put on your phone for gauges , the radio screen can show the same gauges as a phone app

any gauge that transmits data through the obd2 port can be shown as a gauge - speed , volts , coolant temp , intake air temp , etc.

just look on the popular phone apps for gauges and those are the types of gauges you can show on the radio screen

Russ Ward

I'm very disappointed that no one else has apparently done what I am trying to do or could reflect on what they have done in this regard...