Justinius7

Steve is installing EURO command this sunday. Need to know what people are using (in the states) for a dvd player.

OR if someone can explain to me the PAL/NTSC thing. If you have a PAL/NTSC switchable player can you play US DVD's on the EURO-Command and can you watch TV stations as well.

What brands are people using? Where did they buy? I am in search of a DVD/TV tuner in one.

benzmodz

Most people are moving over to an MP4 player / DIVX hard drive. Sells for around $200 and holds up to 80 movies depending on hard drive. Laptop drives are very rugged in this application. The results far exceed the capacity of normal players. All you need is the device itself (ebay) and some basic DVD ripping software (DVDshrink, 1-click DVD) and you have a library in your car.

superflysocal

but will it output in PAL or ntsc?

regardless, i really want a tuner.

jeffreyy

Maybe I don't understand the question, but you know that Euro COMMAND has a DVD drive in it that plays DVDs. I think Steve can set the region code. I don't know about NTSC vs PAL but I can tell you it plays NTSC.

Also, Steve does sell a TV tuner that you can use to view TV on the Euro COMMAND and the associated antennas that make it work.

J

Ted Baldwin

............not really. From his list of cars, it looks like he will be installing the Euro Comand in a 2003 C320 which uses a D2b Comand 2.0. The euro Comand to fit this car does not have DVD drive. He will simply be using a Tv tuner or an adapter to get video input into the Comand. In this case it NTSC/PAL/SECAM compatibility matters. Simple answer is to spend the extra bucks and get the Mb Tv tuner that is multi-region and you don't have to worry about this anymore.

Ted

Wolfgang

pic: Peter Leubner

captret

Just'....I installed a 2.0 Comand (Steve's) in my CLK about a year ago, bought it with the RGB adapter. I hooked up a Blaupunkt DVDME3 player to it (DVD player with TV tuner).

To make a long story short, Steve's adapter only accepts a PAL signal from the DVD player....most (if not all players) can be switched to supply a PAL signal to the COMAND....Your DVDs will play fine.

The problem is with the TV tuner....USA uses a NTSC signal and cannot be switched to PAL, so the TV picture will appear to have no verticle sync (It'll keep rolling).

Sooooo....you can get the MB tuner as Ted says (outputs either PAL or NTSC signal, but expensive) and then plug the DVD player into it.

Also, I think that there are RGB adapters out now that will accept a NTSC signal, do a search for NAVTV .

Hope this makes sense to you, I'm in a hurry this morning.

Good luck, and enjoy your COMAND.

jeffreyy

Ah, thanks, Ted. Sorry. I wasn't looking at the car model.

Jeff

Justinius7

THANKS for your replies. CAPTRET.... thanks, that was exactly what i was wondering.

STEVE i believe is out of the tuners at this time, SO... plan "B" is to buy the RGB adapter and install the dvd/tv tuner like you.

TED, yes, for the C320 and your also correct that it will not play DVD's from the internal player.

ALSO.... as i was searching the NAV-TV... i concluded several that there are companies that make CONVERTERS NTSC to PAL for approximatly 45.00 + s/h. Has anyone tried this yet?

http://www.merconnet.com/product_inf...075938b0059317

note voltage states 120/240 via a power supply on this product, so it would probably be able to go 12v for less than 5 bucks compiments of radio shack.

ideas/opinions....

Ted Baldwin

............notice that the RGB adapter will plug directly into the back of your comand at C1 and C2. If the RGB adapter only recognizes PAL signal and displays the signal on your Comand screen. Then you need an NTSC to PAL converter, not a PAL to NTSC converter.

Ted

Wolfgang

Might this dingsda help?

It's the Dietz Mercedes RGB adapter for the COMAND 2.0 C1/C2. It accepts PAL and NTSC and is listed for 239 in their online shop.

http://www.dietz.biz

Ted Baldwin

.............ahhhhh! that will definitely solve the problem. I believe the cost is around 200Euros the last time I checked. That will be about the same price as an Mb Tv tuner on ebay. Another problem is that last time I tried to order from Audiotechnik...the outfit that sells this in Germany, I was told they do not ship to USA. This was over 2 years ago, perharps it is different now.

Ted

Wolfgang

.... Folks w/o a good contact in Germany can just search ebay.de for "Dietz 1440" and might find someone shipping worldwide? The installation instructions are here:

http://www.dietz.biz/pdf_technik/1440anl%20SWA.pdf

MBenzNL

erm...no way...TV tuners for D2B comands go for 4-600 euro nowadays on ebay...most of the tuners that get offered are USED and some of those are definitely faulty.

greetingz,

Ted Baldwin

...........I am not encouraging him to buy from ebay. Besides everything from ebay is bought on a "buyer be ware" basis. But I have seen MB TV tuners on Ebay for 200 Euros by the time you add the shipping and the hassle it is not much fun. Below is one for with a buy it now price for 390 Euros and probably has a lower reserve price. Sometimes Ebay is a customers only recourse.
MB TV tuner for 390 Euros

Ted

captret

Just' ......FYI, I tried one of those "cheapo" PAL to NTSC converters...I could not get it to work with Steve's adapter.

John

Justinius7

Thanks John,

That just saved me some $$$. Anyone have any other ideas?

So far it looks as if my choices are DVD with no clear TV or Dietz.com (if i can get shipped to the US) or hold out till i can stumble across the OEM tuner.

Also, John... I was researching on the internet the converters. Noticed that there is a digital and analog, which was it that you tried? What happened when you hooked it up, read that possibly it just adds more colors or pixels, and you still get the roll......?

captret

Just'....It's been a while since I experimented with it, It looked similar to the one pictured in your link. Also not sure whether it was digital or analog, all it seemed to do was slow down the rolling slightly.

I'll see if I can find any info on the adapter I bought.

John

MBenzNL

Ted, this TV tuner is offered at twice the price you first stated...and it is ONLY of use for people with a MOST based R230 SL, W220 S-class and W215 CL...eventhough the seller states that it is suiteable for the W211 E-class and W219 CLS as well - it is, in fact, not.

The D2B based TV tuners on ebay went up in price a lot during the last 10-12 months...and most of the D2B tuners that get offered on ebay are the oldstyle ones which aren't NTSC compatible...

greetingz,

Wolfgang

Sure, that one is for MOST, Steve, but there are others. Here a used non MOST tuner currently under 200, with 3 days to go..

Wolfgang

Justinius, this guy ships worldwide and has 16 left at present:

http://cgi.ebay.de/Dietz-1440-Multim...QQcmdZViewItem

Ted Baldwin

The D2B based TV tuners on ebay went up in price a lot during the last 10-12 months...and most of the D2B tuners that get offered on ebay are the oldstyle ones which aren't NTSC compatible...

............don't get me wrong, my opinion is for him to get the MB Tv tuner and the Comand from you and be done with it. I do not know how much your MB TV tuners sell for. It appears he doesn't have the funds for that and he is trying to get an adapter and then purchase a PAL to NTSC converter which would not have worked. He then began to look into PAL/NTSC adapter which sell for over $200. Instead of doing this, suggested he look at ebay and he will be able to find a TV tuner for about the price of the Dietz adapter. With the Tuner he will have two A/V inputs and have TV menu. I understand your suprise but ebay is amazing, you indeed can find these tv tuners offered for about $200 Euros. I posted the MOST TV as an example which usually costs more than the D2b one. I am familiar with the old D2B Tv tuners that you had to purchase adapters separately and plug it into the tuner for your a/v input. I am not talking about those. Of course, anything you buy from ebay comes with risk. In the final analysis, looks like he might be able to get the NTSC/PAL dietz adapter.

Ted

dcfsf

I also really want the OEM TV tuner but Steve have not been able to get any and will not install one purchased on e-bay.

So this "Blaupunkt DVDME3" or something like it looks really promising -- especially because it is a DVD player, too. And I don't care that I cannot change the channels through the command because I would only use it on 1 channel anyway.

So can I get something like (or exactly this) the Dietz Mercedes RGB adapter and plug the Blaupunkt DVDME3 right into it? I could mount the Blaupunkt in my glove box and be set!!!

Does this adaptor plug right into the Comand's tv inputs/controls?

Soooo, I would just hit the TV button on the Comand and have it play (and sound) form the Blaupunkt, right?

Ted Baldwin

............I am not really sure what your concern is. If you are not getting the Tv tuner because Steve does not have one in stock, then you can get the tuner from many other sources other than ebay. MBDOCTOR.COM, NAV-TV.com. The price is about $1K. If price is an issue, then these other sources will not work. If availability is the issue, you can get a Tv tuner in your hands by tomorrow. I just got one in today that I ordered from Nav-TV.


If you want to use the adapter because you prefer it, then no problem. But lack of availibilty of MB Tv tuner is really not a problem.
Ted

Wolfgang

Correct. Have a look at the install instructions:

http://www.dietz.biz/pdf_technik/1440anl%20SWA.pdf