The mystery of MB optional CD changers
02-12-2002, 11:04 AM
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Mercedes-Benz 300D TURBO 1987
The mystery of MB optional CD changers
Becker Electronics has been supplying the headunits for MB for many years. As newer technology allowed controlling a CD changer, something interesting happened. Suddenly MB was selling a six disk, plastic Alpine changer at a ridiculous price to mate with its Becker headunit. Becker makes a TEN disk, metal changer that works perfectly with its own headunit. It does not need a special surround to protect it in the trunk. Alpine provides its electronics in Lamborghi, and markets this in their advertising. They offered MB a deal they couldn't refuse, and the result is a Japanese, plastic, six disk changer at three times what its retail should be, to connect to a German, Becker headunit. SW Stereo Specialists at 800-2702378 sells Becker. P.
02-12-2002, 02:23 PM
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2001 CLK320
Depends on the OE head unit
Your radio data card will indicate which make of head unit you have...
BE - Becker
AL - Alpine
I have a 2001 CLK (w208) that has the Alpine head unit - which is otherwise known as the "Audio 30" head unit combo with the Bose system.
Depending on the car line and model year, there are different setups being used.
BE - Becker
AL - Alpine
I have a 2001 CLK (w208) that has the Alpine head unit - which is otherwise known as the "Audio 30" head unit combo with the Bose system.
Depending on the car line and model year, there are different setups being used.
02-12-2002, 02:25 PM
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2004 SL55, 2015 A250d, 2016 GLC250d
One of the "sensible" things that MB did is to ensure that the design of the optical bus (ie both software and hardware layers) are not propriatary to one manafacturer.
The opted to use the D2B standard, which was a JV between 3 or 4 companies (including Becker) which is now owned by C&C Electronics in the UK.
This means that anyone can make equipment that should in theory plug into the D2B bus and the head-unit can talk to it.
This, of course, means that they can get multiple manafacturers to make different bits (or the same bits) - as far as I can find at the moment from public info is
Head-units = Becker (Audio 5/6/10/30 etc
Becker Audio30APS (sat nav), Audio50APS
Bosch COMAND
Phone controllers = Motorola, Nokia
Voice recognition = Temic
CD Players = Becker, Alpine
Digital AMPs = BOSE
Im told that D2B exists on other vehicles, so theres a bunch of manafacturers I dont know about.
This of course means that can (a) source the best bits for the price for the job (b) a supplier cant hold them to ransom.
A fine example of a manafacturer not doing this is LandRover (i.e Ford) - they source chassis for the defender from one company that just went bust. They had to get an injunction to prevent that company from stopping making them, and in the end have just today announced that they are bailing that company out. This cost them a lot of money and almost cost them a lot of jobs in LandRover and in all the suppliers for the Discovery ....
Net aftermarket result is you too have choice, Becker or Alpine ...
I think this is a good thing :-)
The opted to use the D2B standard, which was a JV between 3 or 4 companies (including Becker) which is now owned by C&C Electronics in the UK.
This means that anyone can make equipment that should in theory plug into the D2B bus and the head-unit can talk to it.
This, of course, means that they can get multiple manafacturers to make different bits (or the same bits) - as far as I can find at the moment from public info is
Head-units = Becker (Audio 5/6/10/30 etc
Becker Audio30APS (sat nav), Audio50APS
Bosch COMAND
Phone controllers = Motorola, Nokia
Voice recognition = Temic
CD Players = Becker, Alpine
Digital AMPs = BOSE
Im told that D2B exists on other vehicles, so theres a bunch of manafacturers I dont know about.
This of course means that can (a) source the best bits for the price for the job (b) a supplier cant hold them to ransom.
A fine example of a manafacturer not doing this is LandRover (i.e Ford) - they source chassis for the defender from one company that just went bust. They had to get an injunction to prevent that company from stopping making them, and in the end have just today announced that they are bailing that company out. This cost them a lot of money and almost cost them a lot of jobs in LandRover and in all the suppliers for the Discovery ....
Net aftermarket result is you too have choice, Becker or Alpine ...
I think this is a good thing :-)
