Best MP3 deck ever in a Benz + pics!!
 

Yes, my 2002 W210 E320 wagon has the best MP3 deck ever, and I finally took pictures of the install. The deck is the empeg (aka: RioCar); an in-dash, 110 gig, two hard drive, pull-out Linux computer with GAPLESS playback, 128x32 4 gray shade VFD display, 20 band parametric EQ, loads of real time visuals, nested playlists, ID3 tag database searching, ethernet and USB for song upload (and browsing its internal web page, streaming music on a network, remote controlling, etc), RCA outs for home use, custom start up animations, and LOADS of add on hardware and software such as GPS, games, lyrics scrollers, Palm playlist uploading, colored buttons and lenses, etc, etc, etc.

This was my first install, taking 4+ months of occasional work, requiring me to buy and learn how to use soldering tools and a heat shrink gun, and do TONS of research and testing. The end result: two headunits (empeg and Alpine), switched via audio sensing source switcher, feeding line-out into the stock Bose amp and speakers. The best part, it can be reverted to the stock setup in minutes showing no marks of the install.


First, the green beauty:
http://home.earthlink.net/~litbutton...ar-outside.jpg


The wiring harness, carefully researched, tested, soldered, and heat shrunk, with extra grounding wires and true headlight sense and ignition sense wires for tapping into the cigarette lighter:
http://home.earthlink.net/~litbutton...ar-harness.jpg


The dash "spectacle storage" bin with the pocket removed and Alpine cage fitting perfectly with tab holes dremmeled:
http://home.earthlink.net/~litbutton...ashstorage.jpg


The whole mess smashed in the dash, with headlight sense tapped into cigarette lighter purple/red wire, and ignition sense tapped into cigarette lighter yellow/black wire:
http://home.earthlink.net/~litbutton...preinstall.jpg


What thieving punks see when the car is parked:
http://home.earthlink.net/~litbutton...r-stealth1.jpg


Sacrificed face plate from an Audio 30 and spectacle storage flap hide the goods:
http://home.earthlink.net/~litbutton...r-stealth2.jpg


empeg / RioCar slides into its sled, Alpine faceplate snaps in:
http://home.earthlink.net/~litbutton...r-stealth3.jpg


The custom boot animation I created to show when the empeg powers on:
http://home.earthlink.net/~litbutton...r-bootlogo.gif


As shown in this video


The install, along side a Kuda custom leather cell phone pedestal with ProClip custom Treo and bluetooth headset mount:
http://home.earthlink.net/~litbutton...oCar-light.jpg


The empeg at night with amber buttons and a light yellow/orange gel filter to match the dash lights and dials:
http://home.earthlink.net/~litbutton...ioCar-dark.jpg


The whole dash. I think the colors match quite well:
http://home.earthlink.net/~litbutton...r-fulldark.jpg


You have to experience the empeg to "get it" and realize how it puts iPods and every other MP3 deck sorely to shame. Did I mention it was created in 1998; so far ahead of its time, and still unmatched. Let me know what you think, thanks.