KingsoverQueens

My samsung galaxy with Android 5.1.1 is paired via bluetooth for phone calls, but I can't play any music or use any streaming via bluetooth, and when I connect via the usb port in the glove box (left side port near the 12V) the phone connects but the system is telling me that "Device is not compatible."

My old IPOD works perfectly, but the samsung phone...not so much.

Any idea's?

Mike5215

There's no streaming BT audio in the W221, and the USB connection is looking for an Apple device. You can pick up a Tune2Air BT adapter on Amazon for around $79. Works well and will pair to your Android.

DaveW68

Are you blue in the face yet?

Mike5215

I know right. He must be like the 3rd guy to ask that same question.

DubVBenz

Wow, the MB flagship in 2013 still didn't have BT streaming... and I thought my 211 was antiquated for not having it in a 2007 model.

KingsoverQueens

Appreciate the response. I did search several different combo's but couldn't find anything as straight forward as your response.

KingsoverQueens

Crazy.

The damn thing connects perfectly with our Dodge minivan and stupid hyundai sonata...but not the fancy schmanzy benzo.

Mike5215

Apparently Mercedes still wasn't convinced this whole "Bluetooth Audio" fad was going to last. Their official reason was that the 221 at the time by far contained the most electronic systems they'd ever installed in a car and they didn't want to risk interference.

GPrime2

Neither of which have hand stitched leather dashboards or bookmatched walnut burl. If you bought an S-class for the gadgets alone, you're doing it wrong.

DaveW68

Only the S600 and S65 come with leather wrapped everything, including the dash. The plebeian S550 & S63 come with the vinyl/plastic dashes and door panels, unless they are Designos.

KingsoverQueens

The lack of blue tooth music connection doesn't bother me as much as the fact that the car won't recognize my phone even when connected via cable to the USB port. Why MB decided to only support Apple is beyond me. Seems really short sighted.

KingsoverQueens

I don't think it's a lot to expect that a 100k car being able to recognize an android phone as a compatible device is a lot to ask. Seems to me that MB is doing it wrong, at least on this issue anyway.

GPrime2

The problem is they don't do major overhauls until generation changes, 2013 would have been the last year using the same command system as the 2007. In '07 bluetooth streaming was unheard of, by 2013 it was like you said basically expected. So at that point they can either spend a bunch of money adding it into the w221 for 1 or 2 model years, or just wait until the w222. I personally think it should have been in the 2010+ facelift, but I think a majority of S-class customers (for new ones, which is what MB cares about) didn't really care about bluetooth streaming.

DubVBenz

While you don't buy an S-Class (or any mercedes I suppose) for the gadgetry, us long time MB fans remember the 80s and 90s when most mercedes models were 10-15 years ahead of their counterparts. It took other manufacturer's almost a decade to start producing competitive cars with the 70s designed W126 S-Class.

I'm not asking that MB still be revolutionary in that regard, but access to consumer electronics and cheap component prices means that even base level cars (like Corollas or KIAs) often time have more of the the simple techno-crap than a Mercedes 3-8 times the price.

Let's face it, the COMAND system in my 211 was barely competitive in its debut year (2003) and by the time I my bluetec was produced in 2007 it was already relegated as a backup to a garmin. They didn't even bother to update it until the final year of production, where it got a slightly newer version that could handle SD cards (at a time when everyone else was mounting USB and most cars could do bluetooth streaming).

The antiquated COMAND system in the 212 has pretty much made up my mind that a 212 won't be my replacement, even if they have incrementally updated it over the lifespan of the car. My profession allows me to drive a ton of rental cars and I've been shocked about how far cars and manufacturers I used to look down my nose at have come. This comes from someone that grew up with nothing but Mercedes (and the occasional Volvo).

My only hope is that the 213 and 222's COMAND is kept modern and updated because it's simply a screen and the software can hopefully evolve.

Mike5215

The 13 should have no trouble recognizing the phone, Android or IOS. Take it into the dealer and let them take a crack at pairing. But yeah, it's mind boggling that you can find much better connectivity not only in cheaper cars generally but cheaper Mercedes as well.

My new C shares the COMAND infrastructure of the 222 and it does it all, BT audio, cover art display, vastly faster searches, Siri Eyes Free, etc so I think MB has caught on.

KingsoverQueens

I can do without the streaming...its inexcusable in my view that the phone isn't a compatible device when attached to the car via cable and USB port. It can read the IPOD with no issue, why not android?

Mike5215

The USB port is configured to look for a mass storage device, like a USB thumb drive or external hard drive. It's looking for MP3 files in the root directory of the device, or in a single folder. Phones confuse it. Only use the USB port for music on a mass storage device, not as a charger or phone connection.

However, the Android phone should pair to the car for calls, address book etc. How far along do you get in the pairing before the process hangs?

KingsoverQueens

It pairs fine for phome calls and address book. No texting or music.

Will try the USB port with some music on a thumb drive to see how that works.

Appreciate the responses.

Mike5215

Ah. Well I think most of just picked up the Tune2Air for streaming music. It connects to the car's IPod cable in the glovebox and will stream any BT audio source. It'll show up as Media Interface on COMAND and you can control the device by the steering wheel or COMAND wheel to skip tracks or adjust volume.

Once paired, your phone will sync to it every time you start the car. It's as close to an OEM connection as you can get.

The Thomas J

when using the tune 2air what becomes of the integrated phone control? Is it lost or does the car and phone recognize both blue tooth devices?

Mike5215

The BT Phone duplex connection (two way one channel audio) and the BT Audio (one way 2 channel audio) are two independent systems. Your phone can connect to the car's telephone circuit and simultaneously connect to the Tune 2 Air.

BadaBingMan

hi will it only work tjru command if I have an iphone or will it work and display info with a samsung as well? thanks

DaveW68

Both Apple and Android will work with the Tune2Air.

JDowney

The Tune2Air is GREAT for streaming music. It connects to the car's IPod cable in the glove box, and will stream any BT audio device. Will not negatively affect your phone communications. Plus it shows up as a Media Interface on the COMAND system, so you can control the device by the COMAND wheel to skip tracks, get listings by artist/track name, etc..

Once paired, your phone will sync to it every time you start the car, and it works with Android 5, 6 and 7 phones (only 1 at a time).


Jeff

BadaBingMan

I got my tune2air 2day in the mail, it works and streams the music but it doesn't give the track info such as name and such