kvormwald

I've read through a number of threads on this topic, but never seem to have found the complete answer. I have a 2015 E63S that I recently bought with 20K miles on it. My local MB mechanic tells me that Apple CarPlay is only available on the 2016+ models. OK, so then I want to connect my iPhone to the vehicle to play music, podcasts, etc. What I've read is that by purchasing the roughly $60 proprietary Mercedes Benz lightning-to-30 pin cable will do the trick allowing the vehicle to recognize the iPhone as a connected device with a library of music. Some others have said they've had success with an Apple equivalent cable at half the price. Can anyone give me the straight scoop?

Ken

Rainers

Why not Bluetooth?

Chappy

Yup, I just use Bluetooth to stream from iPhone.

kvormwald

The main reason is that the sound quality is quite a bit better via a hardwired connection (or should be) than through BT. And the music on the iPhone is already stored in a pretty compromised format to start with. But you're right that for saved podcasts and similar, BT should be fine. I just thought that if it were reasonably easy to connect it directly to the car, I could for example, see the iPhone library on the dash and interact with the phone at a bit higher level than what the BT interface allows. I just would rather not spend double the price for a MB proprietary cable if an Apple cable would work just as well.

jrosa

Another advantage of connecting the iPhone using the wire is that you have your library and albums artwork displayed in your car screen and the sound quality is way better than BT.

1809

Bluetooth sound quality is horrible. I just use an Apple 30-pin to lightning adapter in my '14 E63.

looney100

On paper, BT sound quality is poorer due to limited bandwidth, but I've been unable to tell the difference - even with the B&O system and my songs at 320kbps.
As previously stated, the additional control through the interface cable is nice. As is the charging ability.
I assume your car came with the 30 connector stock. Your choice is really to use an apple 30 pin to lightning adapter or buy the proprietary Mercedes lightning cable. Plugging a USB - lightning cable into the USB slot won't work.

On a related note, I recently had a loaner GLA250 wit Carplay, the interface was flawless. A dramatic improvement over the Media Interface in the 2015s.

quandary

You do not need to buy the OEM mercedes part! I have used this Apple branded one on my car for the last 6 months and it works great. http://amzn.to/2kAfDfL

Since it is very short, I find it easiest to keep the little adapter in the console, and run a female-male lightning extension cable up to my physical phone. Make sure whichever one you purchase has DATA/AUDIO functionality, not just charging! This is the one I have used - http://amzn.to/2ljOS3B - although it did break after 3 months. There are no high quality ones available on the market.

I also could not tell a difference from BT vs cable, although like the above posters I anticipated the hardwire connection being higher quality. I also have B&O.

kvormwald

Thanks to all for the great feedback. It's a little disappointing to hear from some that they couldn't tell any difference audio-wise from the direct connection, but I'm going to give the Apple 30-pin connector and 3 ft. cable extension a try anyway. I'd like to see the difference in presentation of the music library on the dash and maybe it'll reduce some of the BT skips if nothing else.


Ken

kvormwald

Argggh, the Apple connector and cable extension doesn't fit to the MB 30-pin port. Unless I'm doing something wrong, the MB male adapter is sunken such that it's essentially flush with its port housing. And the Apple female Connector won't fit within the confines of that housing. I'm wondering if maybe those that got it to work had to shave or sand down the Apple Connector housing to reduce it's exterior dimension enough to clear the MB port. I hate to start messing with the Apple Connector only to find that it won't work anyway and now I can't return it. Starting to wonder if this little exercise will be worth it.

Ken

HPMan

I have a 2014 E63S, which came with the MB media interface to 30-pin apple cable. All I did was buy the standard Apple 30-pin to lightening adaptor and I have all functionality with my phone.

kvormwald

I'm wondering if I'm not missing an adapter? Next time I bring the car in for service, I'll have them take a look at it. Clearly this Apple 30-pin will not connect to MB port as is.

HPMan

You need to have the MB cable that plugs into the multi-media interface. If you only have an Apple cable, it will not plug into the multi-media port. MB sells a version of the cable that terminates in a 30-pin connector or a lightening connector.

HPMan

See this thread for more details. https://mbworld.org/forums/w212-amg/...s-arrived.html

kvormwald

Thanks, I had read that thread. Somehow, I got the impression that I could avoid buying that MB proprietary cable at ~$60 and instead buy the Apple 30-pin to lightning plug at ~$40. I think I'll first buy the bloody MB cable, make sure it works and then return the Apple connector and cable back to Amazon.

quandary

D'oh, sorry, I thought you already HAD the one for the 30pin MB connector in the center console. My car came with it, I just assumed they all came with it. It may still be cheaper to buy the 30pin cable instead of the lightning one made by MB.

davidjohnbamber

Try E-Bay.

Chappy

I picked this up at the dealer today. Works great!

Now......how do play downloaded movies from iPhone into the DVD system?

kvormwald

Yep, I too bought the MB A000 827 12 00 cable and that did the trick. Somehow I got off-track reading some of the earlier posts thinking that this MB proprietary cable would not be necessary and that an Apple-equivalent worked every bit as well at half the cost. But the MB multi-media port is not the same as an Apple 30-pin, so the Apple cable will not connect directly to the car. At a minimum, you have to have that MB proprietary cable to convert the multi-media port to an Apple lightning plug. Then it's just a question if you want to add a female/male Apple extension cable to bring the connected iPhone further out of the armrest. I'm not sure if the MB cable was typically sold with the vehicle when new, but as the second owner on my '15 E63, this cable was not in the car when I bought it. I guess I was focused on other aspects of the car when first inspecting it


Ken

Chanomatic35

I purchased a new iPod 128 GB today and used that instead of Bluetooth. For whatever reason the W212 E63 is very buggy when you use your iPhones Bluetooth to handle phone, audio and Benz apps - simultaneously or not.

Use a dedicated iPod TOUCH (not Nano) to directly handle the audio. MB apps will work flawlessly,quickly and the sound quality is noticeably better (although still not as good as a lossless file) with a directly connected iPod Touch.

Use your iPhone (mines a 6s) as a hotspot to communicate with your iPod if downloading is necessary. My wireless internet at home also hits my garage so auto downloading updated playlists etc. is a snap.

Chappy

Streaming video from iPhone to rear DVD?

Looking into this solution:

http://www.adcmobile.com/hdmi-av/