Bluetooth vs MHI
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Joined: Apr 2006
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From: Florida, USA
2017 Rolls Royce Wraith, 1999 CLK Cabriolet, 2023 Genesis G90
Bluetooth vs MHI
Hello:
I'm relatively new to this forum, but thus far I have felt quite welcome. I currently have a 2003 S 430 with the Moto V60 phone, so I'm new to all this BT stuff. I have just bought a 2007 GL450 Premiere Edition and I'm told it comes with the Hands Free Communication System from the factory. I'd like to know several things before I make a costly mistake:
1. When using the Bluetooth adaptor, will the phone's signal be transmitted using the car's antenna or the phone's?
2. If indeed it uses the phone's antenna, and I have the infrared glass, am I likely to drop calls?
3. If I get the BT adaptor, instead of the MHI, can I then get any Cingular phone that is BT capable and have it work? Say a Palm Treo?
4. Finally, my dealer says I am supposed to buy the BT adaptor (or MHI) from the service dept., yet a lot of paople have bought and received theirs from AWS. What do you recommend I do? I'll be dealing with Bill Ussery in Miami.
Thanks in advance for your attention.
I'm relatively new to this forum, but thus far I have felt quite welcome. I currently have a 2003 S 430 with the Moto V60 phone, so I'm new to all this BT stuff. I have just bought a 2007 GL450 Premiere Edition and I'm told it comes with the Hands Free Communication System from the factory. I'd like to know several things before I make a costly mistake:
1. When using the Bluetooth adaptor, will the phone's signal be transmitted using the car's antenna or the phone's?
2. If indeed it uses the phone's antenna, and I have the infrared glass, am I likely to drop calls?
3. If I get the BT adaptor, instead of the MHI, can I then get any Cingular phone that is BT capable and have it work? Say a Palm Treo?
4. Finally, my dealer says I am supposed to buy the BT adaptor (or MHI) from the service dept., yet a lot of paople have bought and received theirs from AWS. What do you recommend I do? I'll be dealing with Bill Ussery in Miami.
Thanks in advance for your attention.
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2019 Volvo XC90 Magic/Amber, '95 E320 Cabriolet Midnight,'14 GL350 Lunar/Almond was '07 GL320CDI
Major question first
Which phone do you think you want to use. If you want to use one which will integrate with the vehicle, then don't bother with bluetooth...if you want to use one that won't, then consider your questions. obviously, you're ready to drop the v60???
Thread Starter
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From: Florida, USA
2017 Rolls Royce Wraith, 1999 CLK Cabriolet, 2023 Genesis G90
The v60 is on the S430, and this I will have until my S63 arrives. The new car will be shared between my parents and me, so my dad's cell phone, currently a non-BT Nokia, will be replaced with a newer model. I'm open to suggestions because everything will be new. What I learn from this, I will then be able to apply to the S63 I have on order. As far as integration, I would prefer to have it integrate with the system that's already in the vehicle, and preferrably use the car's more powerful external antenna. However, if this means that I can only use one of the very expensive and not so modern MB phones, then I'll forego that in favor of BT only.
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From: Orlando, Florida
**SOLD***2003 E500
Originally Posted by neodoc
The v60 is on the S430, and this I will have until my S63 arrives. The new car will be shared between my parents and me, so my dad's cell phone, currently a non-BT Nokia, will be replaced with a newer model. I'm open to suggestions because everything will be new. What I learn from this, I will then be able to apply to the S63 I have on order. As far as integration, I would prefer to have it integrate with the system that's already in the vehicle, and preferrably use the car's more powerful external antenna. However, if this means that I can only use one of the very expensive and not so modern MB phones, then I'll forego that in favor of BT only.
Ok, I'll try and answer your specific questions.
MHI is either Bluetooth or a MB phone specific cradle for the USA. Bluetooth will not use the external antenna at all. BT will solely use the phone's antenna. As far whether to buy the the Bluetooth adapter (PUCK) that is up to you. I would surely check the price at the dealer against AWS as this part should not cost you more than $350.00.
I am not sure of the possible down grade in quality due to the IR glass with the cell phone service. As you are in a pretty dense poulation area in SE Florida, I would believe your cell service is very good. I would tend to believe you should not have a problem in town, however if you are on say the Turnpike headed north, you might experience some signal quality issues say around Yee Haw Junction and Fort Drum.
I personally would not buy another single phone from MBUSA, as they are all outdated very shortly after release. The Bluetooth option in theory allows you to use more phones than MB offers, and most will at a minimum allow making calls and ending calls, phone book and caller ID seem to be the items that may not work at all.
I know I used my EU RAZR I bought on Ebay with and an AT&T sim card and paired it perfectly in my father's 06' E55 with the bluetooth (PUCK) just last week. Full phonebook transfer and caller ID. Dash and Command fully inertegrated.
I hope this helps,
Randy B
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Thanks, Randy:
That helps clarify some of my doubts. I had my heart set on getting a PalmPilot/phone for myself and this would then mean I would have to use the BT puck instead of the cradle, as it won't fit otherwise. Since my dad is older, and he needs something with big numbers and size to make it easier to hold, I may end up getting the BT puck for the GL also. It's a shame that no product exists (that I know of) that would simply allow one to plug into the cars audio system and use the external antenna. I was told by the guy at AWS that the Moto V600 they sell is the only one that is also covered by the car's 4 year warranty. My current V60 had to be changed three times, so this is something to think about as well. Cingular is making everyone switch to GSM phones now, so I will have to get something one way or another. At least I have options. Thanks again for your help.
That helps clarify some of my doubts. I had my heart set on getting a PalmPilot/phone for myself and this would then mean I would have to use the BT puck instead of the cradle, as it won't fit otherwise. Since my dad is older, and he needs something with big numbers and size to make it easier to hold, I may end up getting the BT puck for the GL also. It's a shame that no product exists (that I know of) that would simply allow one to plug into the cars audio system and use the external antenna. I was told by the guy at AWS that the Moto V600 they sell is the only one that is also covered by the car's 4 year warranty. My current V60 had to be changed three times, so this is something to think about as well. Cingular is making everyone switch to GSM phones now, so I will have to get something one way or another. At least I have options. Thanks again for your help.
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From: Florida, USA
2017 Rolls Royce Wraith, 1999 CLK Cabriolet, 2023 Genesis G90
One other thing. If I understand it correctly, in theory, any BT phone should work with the puck, even if the phone doesn't have the proprietary software that the ones sold by MBUSA and AWS have. What may be missing is the capability of downloading the phonebook and other features like that. If one can answer and end calls using BT and preferrably with the Command System, that should suffice. Right? Then, I wonder why they try to sell these expensive outdated phones to us.
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Originally Posted by neodoc
One other thing. If I understand it correctly, in theory, any BT phone should work with the puck, even if the phone doesn't have the proprietary software that the ones sold by MBUSA and AWS have. What may be missing is the capability of downloading the phonebook and other features like that. If one can answer and end calls using BT and preferrably with the Command System, that should suffice. Right? Then, I wonder why they try to sell these expensive outdated phones to us.
John
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2003 E500/Sport
how can I put blutooh in my 2003 E500 no cradle....just button with phone on it....any shortcuts to this.......also its there a way to replace the face with a nav unit MB or other...?
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From: Tampa, FL
2005 S500 4-Matic, 1978 450SL
Welcome to the forum, jusbu. Your question is a bit difficult to decipher. I take it you mean your steering wheel has a button with a phone symbol on it, but you have no other phone equipment that you know of. See the sticky at https://mbworld.org/forums/audio-ele...l#post2788377- especially post #4 - but also read posts 1, 3 and 6. You are fortunate in having a CP-211 phone module already installed in the trunk (follow the links to the phone bulletins); you simply need to add a bit more equipment and you will be in business.
In addition, a contributor has recently informed us that he successfully added the "cradle eliminator" cable and a V60 Bluetooth puck to his CP-211 system, with good results. His car had never had a phone, but he did not even require version coding.
If you install a V60S cradle, you are limited to using a very expensive V60S plug-in phone from Verizon or installing a V60 Bluetooth puck, which lets you use any compatible Bluetooth phone. It will be less expensive and less complex to go straight to the "Cradle eliminator" cable and Bluetooth puck combination.
It is possible to retrofit your car with a COMAND unit for navigation. See https://mbworld.org/forums/audio-ele...ml#post2788377 - with persistence you will find the answers all there.
It is also possible to fit your car with 3rd party navigation and audio systems. Search a bit for Kenwood, Alpine, and AVIC on the forums - many contributors have written up their experience. See https://mbworld.org/forums/audio-ele...alled-slk.html for an installation on an SLK and https://mbworld.org/forums/audio-ele...view-pics.html for an installation in a C-230.
Also, as a new guy, you might want to take a look at https://mbworld.org/forums/suggestio...-guy-help.html
In addition, a contributor has recently informed us that he successfully added the "cradle eliminator" cable and a V60 Bluetooth puck to his CP-211 system, with good results. His car had never had a phone, but he did not even require version coding.
If you install a V60S cradle, you are limited to using a very expensive V60S plug-in phone from Verizon or installing a V60 Bluetooth puck, which lets you use any compatible Bluetooth phone. It will be less expensive and less complex to go straight to the "Cradle eliminator" cable and Bluetooth puck combination.
It is possible to retrofit your car with a COMAND unit for navigation. See https://mbworld.org/forums/audio-ele...ml#post2788377 - with persistence you will find the answers all there.
It is also possible to fit your car with 3rd party navigation and audio systems. Search a bit for Kenwood, Alpine, and AVIC on the forums - many contributors have written up their experience. See https://mbworld.org/forums/audio-ele...alled-slk.html for an installation on an SLK and https://mbworld.org/forums/audio-ele...view-pics.html for an installation in a C-230.
Also, as a new guy, you might want to take a look at https://mbworld.org/forums/suggestio...-guy-help.html
Last edited by Skylaw; Nov 21, 2008 at 08:59 AM.
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2008 E550, 2012 GL450, 2014 GLK350, 2015 S550, 2020 GLC350e
I bought my V3 RAZR BT adapter from ebay. I believe the seller is MB of PA. Sold it to me for $125 or something cheaper than my dealer or AWS.
