How important is the RAZR SW version for MHI cradle?
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From: Irvine, CA
2008 E550, 2012 GL450, 2014 GLK350, 2015 S550, 2020 GLC350e
How important is the RAZR SW version for MHI cradle?
I noticed the wireless4mb.com site has a SW version for the RAZR.
How important is that version # to get the phone to be 100% compatible and 100% functional?
I'm buying the MHI bluetooth cradle for $325. I just don't want to pay $229 for the phone and want to buy it from someone other than a dealer.
Thanks.
How important is that version # to get the phone to be 100% compatible and 100% functional?
I'm buying the MHI bluetooth cradle for $325. I just don't want to pay $229 for the phone and want to buy it from someone other than a dealer.
Thanks.
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Joined: Jul 2007
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From: NJ, USA
2004 E500 4matic
I noticed the wireless4mb.com site has a SW version for the RAZR.
How important is that version # to get the phone to be 100% compatible and 100% functional?
I'm buying the MHI bluetooth cradle for $325. I just don't want to pay $229 for the phone and want to buy it from someone other than a dealer.
Thanks.
How important is that version # to get the phone to be 100% compatible and 100% functional?
I'm buying the MHI bluetooth cradle for $325. I just don't want to pay $229 for the phone and want to buy it from someone other than a dealer.
Thanks.
but you can use almost any razr as only BT...
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2008 E550, 2012 GL450, 2014 GLK350, 2015 S550, 2020 GLC350e
yeah I do plan to dock it for the charging benefit. I just wanted to know how picky the version issue is.
Taht means I need to find a phone w/ the exact version or firmware upgrade/downgrade the phone to make it work?
Taht means I need to find a phone w/ the exact version or firmware upgrade/downgrade the phone to make it work?
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From: Tampa, FL
2005 S500 4-Matic, 1978 450SL
First, the RAZR does not make a physical connection to the MB/AWS cradle for the antenna connection. It uses RF coupling, similar to the devices glued inside a glass window to transmit signals to an antenna on the outside of the window. The mini-USB connector at the bottom of the RAZR plugs into the cradle for charging only. It is not necessary to remove the round plug covering the antenna connection; I have never removed mine, but used the phone successfully with the cradle, with the boost in signal strength.
Cradles from other sources, such as SmoothTalker, may be different in that regard.
Second, firmware is very important. See http://www.benzworld.org/forums/audi...e+Quality+RAZR near the middle of the first post in the string for why.
A list of approved phones and firmware versions is here: http://www.benzworld.org/forums/audi...formation.html
Cradles from other sources, such as SmoothTalker, may be different in that regard.
Second, firmware is very important. See http://www.benzworld.org/forums/audi...e+Quality+RAZR near the middle of the first post in the string for why.
A list of approved phones and firmware versions is here: http://www.benzworld.org/forums/audi...formation.html
Last edited by Skylaw; Sep 17, 2007 at 08:36 AM.
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25 GLE53, 24 Macan, 15 GLK350
Really, my signal strength jumps when docked
I saw the note that the RAZR MHI BT cradle does not use the USB connection for antenna connection, but I almost always see a one bar improvement in signal when my RAZR is docked. Can anyone else confirm the same? Based on my experience, there is something about docking that improves the signal significantly.
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From: Tampa, FL
2005 S500 4-Matic, 1978 450SL
I saw the note that the RAZR MHI BT cradle does not use the USB connection for antenna connection, but I almost always see a one bar improvement in signal when my RAZR is docked. Can anyone else confirm the same? Based on my experience, there is something about docking that improves the signal significantly.
Last edited by Skylaw; Sep 17, 2007 at 04:01 PM.
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Oh yes, my bad
I am so, so sorry that I did not read your post with any care. I had assumed (again, my mistake and I am so sorry) that RF coupling implied it would improve the signal with the phone anywhere in the car, and that the phone being in the cradle didn't matter since there was no direct connection. Thinking really hard about it, I guess its a proximity connection to the cradle. Again, if I missed anything in any of your posts, I apologize.
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MBWorld Fanatic!
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I am so, so sorry that I did not read your post with any care. I had assumed (again, my mistake and I am so sorry) that RF coupling implied it would improve the signal with the phone anywhere in the car, and that the phone being in the cradle didn't matter since there was no direct connection. Thinking really hard about it, I guess its a proximity connection to the cradle. Again, if I missed anything in any of your posts, I apologize.
Sorry if I sounded harsh. I forget sometimes that not everyone is an engineer. The Bluetooth connections indeed occur over radio frequencies, up to a distance of about 30 feet, and you are entirely correct to believe that. The Bluetooth radio signals radiate in all directions, and are transmitted from one antenna to another over a fairly large gap.
RF coupling generally implies a closer proximity between the radio signal source and the device used to receive and relay the signal; an RF coupler is a device designed to minimize the radio signal loss over a small gap in a circuit, and to minimize leakage of the signal to places where it is not intended to be.
I should have been clearer in my original explanation.
Last edited by Skylaw; Sep 18, 2007 at 06:11 AM.
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From: Boston, MA
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No problem
Skylaw, Thank you for the kind reply; my apology for being sarcastic. Does that mean that when the razr is undocked, you'd still get improved signal strenght by placing the bluetooth in the vicinity of the cradle? I think I might experiment on the way to work today.
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You will see, however, that blocking the Bluetooth frequencies (the signals between the puck and phone, as distinguished from the cellular signals between the phone and the network) from the puck or cradle can cause poorer voice quality, even if your phone receives a strong signal from the network - i.e., placing the phone in a metal briefcase or having a significant piece of metal between the phone and the puck or cradle can degrade voice quality. That is also true of locating oneself at the fringes of the Bluetooth device reception (30 feet or so).
Last edited by Skylaw; Sep 18, 2007 at 01:40 PM.
