I managed to get my hands on an original MB CD changer and bracket for the glove box for my 2005 C230k ss. while attempting to install it today, I discovered that there was no fiber optics connection for the CD changer. The dealer told me that my car was prewired for the CD changer and I didn’t need to purchase an additional fiber optics. I guess he was talking about the power wire, which I did find and tested ok. What I did see were three fiber optics cables without connector marked: SDS IN, SDARS IN, SDARS OUT, which weren’t connected to anything and covered with black tape and a grey spongy material. I don’t know if there’s a SDS OUT maybe it’s berried somewhere. I checked the right hand side of the trunk and found several fiber optics cables with connectors, one of which did plug into the CD changer, but it was labeled TEL, and I couldn’t find a matching power wire to see if it worked in the trunk. So, I went to the dealer and ordered fiber optics. does anyone know if the above-mentioned connections are used for the CD changer (SDS IN, SDARS IN, SDARS OUT)



Thanks

 

I remember seeing something about some models for '05 not having the fiber optics present, and they were even saying that some could ONLY be installed at the port. As long as you have the power wire though, seems like you could just get some fiber cables and tap the ring like normal and make it work. On the older D2B C-class you had to add a fiber cable separately any time you installed a cd changer, there were two. One for bose, one without. Since your car is based on a C-class, it could very well be that you have to add a fiber cable as part of a standard installation. I haven't had the pleasure of tangling with one yet....

 

Generally the W203 has never come with CD changer fibre optics cable unless it came with a CD changer (despite being "prewired", this means for power only). The fibre optic cable has usually been included in an installation "kit" with changer and bracket.

You should just use the cable you've ordered. SDARS is for the satellite receiver, and SBS is for the voice control. The power connectors on these devices are not the same as for the CD changer. Besides, they don't go to the glovebox.

-s-





Thanks[/QUOTE]

 

Thanks Saturnstyl, Scorchie for responding, you've both been extremely helpful. I did send Steve the same post yesterday so hopefully he’ll have info on the install that he did. I’ll post again once I have everything up and running.

 

Well, after going to the dealer twice, and getting the wrong fiber optics cable, I decided to use the cable I fund in the trunk labeled TEL. I had to route the cable from the trunk, to the front of the car; it wasn’t that hard just time consuming. I took apart the dashboard using instructions I found for the 2001-2004 models, and discovered that the TEL fiber optics cable was already the only cable hooked up to the radio. So I routed all the cables to the glove box, and turned everything on. All I got was NO CDC . I checked all the connections Power OK( I was able to eject the CD magazine) CD OUT to HEAD UNIT IN, HEAD UNIT OUT to CD IN, and still got NO CDC. I’m think version coding. So I’m going to the dealer sometime this week to have them do that and hopefully everything will work.