igolfchip

Hi folks;
Just purchased a great 06 E350 today. Really pumped about my purchase, but only drawback is the lack of 2009 bells and whistles (of the electronic variety).

A few questions:

1) Car has Navigation, but no Sirius / Sat Radio. Should it come with Sat already? If not, can I purchase a unit to work with the factory "command' head end?

2) Is it worth the bother to try for bluetooth? Car didn't have the telephone installed.

3) Any options to play back MP3 via the command unit? Worth any kind of iPOD or other connectivity option?

Thanks in advance for your advice and patience with the newbie!

Skylaw

Welcome to the forum, and congratulations on your purchase. In response to your questions:

1) No, it's an option. You may be able to have the factory Sirius radio retrofitted. It's expensive, and not a particularly easy installation.

2) That's a "values" question and depends on your own needs. See the
How To Guide" at https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...77#post2788377, posts #1, 5, and 6; in addition, post # 93 and 95 at http://www.benzworld.org/forums/audi...bluetooth.html will help you identify what you already have (you can use the phone bulletin for the '05 when you get to that link). The cost will vary a great deal depending on what is already installed - or not.

3) You may be able to have the Apple/MB iPod kit installed - if your car has an AUX jack (left side of the glove box, possibly under a plastic cover). If not, there is the Dension Gateway 500 - see https://mbworld.org/forums/audio-electronics/194660-gateway-500-most-o-good-unit-poor-documentation.html and https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...51#post2471051 (click on the photos to enlarge them). My personal value judgment is that despite the DVD mp3 playback capability of my S500 COMAND, the addition of the GW 500 was well worth the effort and the cost (about $500 plus the iPod).

igolfchip

Thanks Skylaw - really appreciate your thorough answer. Pretty clear now about your god-like status on the boards!

A few follow-ups (keep in mind this is a '06)?

1) Sirius - most desired option. How much do you think? Best thing to stop by dealer for quote? Can one save money buying parts and going to non-MB service center?

2) Thanks on the bluetooth - I looked at the phone bulletins. They stop at 05and I have a 06 but seems that I have none of the phone components already installed and starting from scratch (yay!)

3) I have a MOST system, not a D2B. Does that change anything for iPOD suggestion?

Best,
Chip

Skylaw

Thanks for the compliment, but hardly god-like. I learn a lot from members here.

I am aware your car is an '06. Relatively few differences from the '05 in terms of electronics and mechanicals.

1) You can expect the Sirius unit to run approximately $1000 to $1400, installed. There is a lot of work necessary to do it. Other contributors have written up cost and difficulty - I don't have them bookmarked to give you, but a search on "Sirius" will get them for you. Whether you can save money by purchasing from a dealer and having an indy do it will depend on labor rates, principally - and while there are superb independents, in no way should you ask your local Best Buy or Circuit city folks to do it. Not on your Benz.

2) Again, the '05 and '06 are virtually identical. You can use the '05 phone bulletin for its guidance. If you truly have nothing installed, it's probably about $2500 to have a dealer do a full installation.

3) No. My links, and my Gateway 500 installation were for a MOST unit with COMAND. The one advantage you may have is that if your CD changer is in your glove box, the installation is far simpler than it was in my S-Class.

lkchris

This car already has capability to play MP3 copied to CDs.

It may have aux input jack in glove box, useful for connection of an MP3 player.

2006 is a "special" year as regards Sirius.

It's "special" because the connecting wiring from the trunk (where the Sirius receiver is installed) to the dashboard Command unit is NOT factory installed. Therefore, dealer retrofit involves some removal/replacement of interior components.

2005 and 2006 are indeed identical as far as phone installation is concerned.

igolfchip

Gee - that *is* special.

I wonder who in 2005 thought that customers wouldn't want to add Sirius after purchase?

jmorris644

If you don't mind I will add my 2 cents worth regarding adding Sirius.

I just finished installing Sirius last weekend in my 2006 C55. Your car might be a little different. I did not have the pre-wiring so the install was a little more difficult. But it only took me about 3 hours and that includes wasted time trying to figure things out. If I had someone that could tell me all of the details it would have taken about 2 hours. You have me now if you wish to proceed.

I purchased a used receiver on E-bay for $305. I then purchased the wiring harness from Steve at mbenznl.com (extremely helpful people!!!!)

If you already have the wiring for the SAT then you don't need the harness. Here's how to check.

You have to remove the right panel in the trunk. There are 5 plugs that you have to remove. 2 by the trunk, one down in the bottom of the well, one right behind the trunk hinge thing, and the other up by the back seat.

Once you have this removed look at the orange fiber wires. You might have to remove the power amp to see all of the wires. Sometimes they are tucked in really tight. If you see orange wires with a SDARS label then you are pre-wired for Sat. Your instalation should be pretty much a plug-and-go.

If not I can provide detailed instructions (sorry no pics) of the more difficult installation.

Joe

igolfchip

Joe - you rock. This is exactly the kind of info I was hoping to find.
let me get back to you if the wires exist, would appreciate identifying the correct Sat receiver on ebay to purchase.

jmorris644

No Prob. The SAT receivers are hard to find on E-bay. Steve at mbenznl has them too. I would check with him to see what he charges. You know you would get a new one from Steve and eliminate the risk of a bad one from E-bay. I would have checked Steve's prices out had I not already won the receiver on E-bay.

Let me know what you find out.

Joe

jmorris644

One more thing. I gotta tell ya, I absolutely love it!!!

I have it in my boat, at home, and now my car.

OT: if you want a really good solution for Sirius at home check out the DUET products at www.slimdevices.com

Joe

lkchris

This was "decontenting" to cope with the falling dollar.

Of course for 2007 the reversed themselves and made everything but the subscription standard equipment!

igolfchip

lkchris - thanks for chiming in!

Just found the Aux jack - surprising to find it in the top of the glove box.

I'm having difficulty getting MP3 DVD's to play.
- I've gone in via engineering menu and enabled the MP3 settings and DVD setting.
- Burned multiple DVD's as data discswith MP3 files and got the "CD Error" after inserting the disc in the main CD player above the comand screen. I searched the forums and followed the suggested type (DVD-R) and software / settings (Nero 6, ISO) but still got the error. I've also inserted actual DVD movies (read that you will hear the audio tracks and not see video in US W211 comand units)

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance!
Chip

lkchris

I've never tried burning MP3s to a DVD so can't comment. I'm also surprised a bit to learn the 2006 Command might play DVDs.

I do know there is more than one way to write files to a CD and have found that one way will play in our E-class (Becker radio) and not in our GL (Alpine radio).

A few years ago F1 driver Gerhard Berger was involved in a road accident and the first persons to reach him were doctors who specialized in helocopter accidents. Anyone else that moved him would have killed him.

Not as dramatic, but my GL salesman was coincidentally an IT tech in his previous life and figured it out and explained the file writing conventions to me. Can't remember if I ever heard their names.

Maybe this is relevant, maybe not.

jmorris644

I have not tried MP3 DVD but I have my changer filled with MP3 CDs.

Joe

Skylaw

It will play only the DVD sound track on a U.S. specification car. It will not display video.

igolfchip

Skylaw - now I'm getting really confused

Are you saying it will play the DVD sound track IF you have a DVD player in the slot?

I'm guessing at this point I only have a CD player in the slot as I've tried multiple DVDs in the slot and would not even play the audio soundtrack "CD Error"

Thanks as always!

igolfchip

I thought about that - 7 Slots X 700MB per disc is not shabby. I could even organize each slot by "Genre" of music (Jazz, New Wave, Classic Rock, Kids, etc...) without having to go the iPOD adapter route.

While I'm interested in the mobridge solution, I'm getting to the point that XM or Sirius is the option I may pursue. The mobridge is still 1000+ installed. I have a short commute so could use a bluetooth headset when driving. If I can get the MP3s working in each slot, there goes the need for an iPOD adapter / setup.

While on an aside, I spoke with the Mobridge folks about their upcoming XM radio. They said that they said:
1) Expect their kit to cost less than the MB option
2) Could be as late as Nov/Dec for release

jmorris644

Have you checked out your cabling yet?

Skylaw

Sorry, I didn't look closely enough at the fact you have an E-Class. Externally, your COMAND looks identical to my '05 S-Class COMAND, which plays DVD audio (movie or DVD audio); however, your COMAND manual does not list DVD as a compatible format.

igolfchip

No, not yet. The trunk liner is in there a bit more solidly than your post suggested and I haven't had the time to remove it properly, examine the cables, and replace it.

jmorris644

I too did not notice that you had an E class. It is probably different than my C class.

Joe

igolfchip

Do you think that the dealer will peek into the trunk for me free of charge to see if they can get the upsell for the sat radio components?

lkchris

It's a 100% sure thing your MY 2006 E-class did NOT come with cabling for Sirius.

igolfchip

Kent;
Went to the dealer and you're right on - my E350 is equipped with the "low cost" Comand = no cables.

$330 labor + 800 parts from my local dealer.

The labor isn't so bad - going to shop around and see if I can get the parts for cheaper.

XJ9

thats actually not a bad price at all for non prewired sirius... normally its several hundred dollars higher because the wiring has to be added in.. I can tell you that the sirius module alone parts cost is like $650 and the completer kit is another 150 (thats basically the bracket and antenna and fastners). so it sounds like they quoted you the pre-wire install price. When the prewiring is not included then you need additional parts that include the actual plug that fits the sirius and extra fiber optic cables and additional labor is needed to run and connect the wires. I remember because we found out the hard way after quoting a client before we realized the car was not prewired.

you might want to jump on that price if you can hold them to it because it sounds like they made the same mistake.