Bought an '05 Black/Black AMG last week. I immediately started reading everything I could find about adding satellite, ipod integration, back up camera, integrated phone etc. The prices are amazing whether for MB or aftermarket and a lot of the aftermarket solutions did not seem to be well known. I have not found anyone in Seattle, who has any idea how to mod the NAV for AV. Finally for me I realized it was all about the iPhone. I had xm for a 18 mo, and used it all the time, but I have more songs than XM and realized I used it because I did not have an iPod set up. So for me it is all about the iPhone. I would love to have what the HK Drive+Play2 does but integrated into the nav screen and steering wheel. The Nav screen would display the playlists and album art. And I would have a bluetooth handsfree set up. Even now when the iPhone is connected to the aux hard wire in glove box, a call on the phone mutes the music and sends the sound over the stereo in the car. So if I had a hands free mike (not in my ear) it would be perfect. Does anyone have a way to do this? I think the HK does exactly what I want, but I cannot figure out where to put that screen and controller that won't bug me. The inside of this car is beautiful. Thanks for any ideas.

 

Your car has hands-free microphones built into the rear-view mirror. The challenge is to figure out how to integrate them into your idea.

The service DVD has all the wiring diagrams.

 

Getting the iPhone video display onto your COMAND screen would not be easy. It would require 3rd party add-on device (see, e.g., http://www.nav-tv.com/index02.htm), and likely require you to send your COMAND unit away for modification. Even then, you'd have to be careful - see https://mbworld.org/forums/audio-electronics/208717-bad-install-i-seen-2day.html

With the A/V inputs established, you could then use the Dension Gateway 500 with its A/V add-on device. However, I don't know if a cable is available yet for the iPhone from these folks. Also, I understand that Apple may be using an "authentication chip" to limit the video functionality of the new generation iPods and the iPhone to "approved" 3rd party vendors. I don't know if Dension will be one of those.

If you don't need the full A/V display, you could use the Gateway 500 (http://www.dension.com/icelinkgateway500.php) and simply feed the audio input and the song titles, etc. to the COMAND screen. Again, you'll need a cable that will fit the iPhone (though the connector looks like the one used on iPods, I don't know for sure whether it is electrically the same; if it is you should be OK - the "authentication" is only for video, not audio or text output). See https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...88#post2234888. My current setup is in the pic below. You may need to locate the USB plug elsewhere in order to accommodate the iPhone's length (the USB connector is used for firmware updates, among other things).

Adding a handsfree Bluetooth mike to your current setup may be the best solution for the time being.

The cleanest setup for you,however, may be to use a separate iPod for music (using the Gateway 500), and to get a Bluetooth setup for your iPhone, using it as a phone when in the car; 8 or 16 GB is not a lot of storage space for music, at least not at decent audio quality. Your car would maintain its clean looks; you'd have phone book info and integration into your car's system (including steering wheel controls and display of phone information, and use of the built-in microphones); and you'd have full audio quality from your music source, display of song titles (assuming you have COMAND) plus steering wheel control.

 

As as I can tell the iPhone connector is identical to an ipod connector. The iphone will play music like an ipod through the MB ipod integration (also works in BMWs as we tried that with my wife's iPhone and a BMW). Not sure how the Dension would be different, but the most elegant solution (assuming you can live with 8G) is an iPhone with a cable connection for playing music and the bluetooth phone connection. I have seen notes where people have done this and are happy with it. The diaadvantage of the MB solution is no display on the Comand and rather clumsy steeringw heel controls. If ypu care will play DVDs in the single slot in the Comand you can also load up a DVD with 4G of music have control over folders, songs etc in the Comand -- and iy may already be there for you. Sure, there's a 4G limit per DVD, but you can't beat the price.

 

Thanks for the suggestions. In rereading my original post, I was not totally clear on the goals. I realize they may be unrealistic but I would like to see what can happen. My car (what a great car by the way) has the Comand system including DVD Nav. I have the aux connector in glove box and 6 CD changer.

My dealer quoted me a total of 4500 for Bluetooth, Satellite, Ipod. I would like to spend a lot less and focus on a few goals.

Goals - hands free calling. Do not need phone book, steering wheel controls etc. Would like the phone to transmit audio through stereo and have a discrete built in mike.

AV- play iPhone with playlists and menus on Nav Screen - steering wheel controls nice but not necessary as I tend to just leave it on shuffle. I would like to see what the song title is because I have so much varied music.

Play music vids, tv shows, movies from iPod to Nav Screen.

The DVD music idea interests me and I may try it. I saw someone mention burning MP3 to CD's. Does that work. 6 CD's of MP3 would be a lot of music. Do the titles show up on Nav? Thanks again. You are helpful and knowledgeable bunch. Car audio is way beyond the 8 track of my youth.

 

Playing music videos, movies, etc on the nav screen is the hardest thing of all. You'll have most of your problems there.

The Gateway 500 allows display of music titles and allows you to search by playlist, album, and artist. Once you have selected a playlist, you can scroll through songs. The title of the song playing is displayed. I do not know how an iPhone will respond to phone calls directly through the Gateway 500.

In addition there is a Bluetooth add-on kit for the GW500 that should allow you to do what you want - plug the iPhone in for music, and respond to and dial out over the phone portion using the car's built in microphone and audio system. I would double check this with a vendor or installer (may I suggest contributor rob13572468).

You can refer to the sticky at http://www.benzworld.org/forums/audi...rning-how.html for how to burn not only mp3 CDs but mp3 DVDs. It does work, but all of your music must be in mp3 format before burning (some software does this automatically). Your COMAND must have the ability to read mp3 CDs and DVDs (your COMAND manual can tell you if it does). The same slot is used for both in my car.

The 6-disc changer in my car does not read mp3 - only the single slot built into the COMAND unit. However, the changer reads home-burned CDs in AIFF (the original CD format) just fine.

 

Getting Video off your Iphone onto a screen... any screen is difficult. Let along a comand system through MB. Good luck. Let me know how it goes.