yes

comand

the tv tuner sucks! yea its good cause you get the extra aux inputs but the reception is horrible, and thats in nyc. whether youre in manhattan and the tall buildings are blocking some of the signals or youre in one of the outer boros not near an antenna, the reception is generally pretty snowy. seems better in nj.

 

Thank you BklynBenz. Can I position the AUX ports anywhere I want them? Also, I understand that the TV video is fuzzy in the city, but what about the audio? Is the audio clear when the video is fuzzy or is the audio fuzzy too? How much was the installation in NYC?

 

The tuner is quite ok in Houston. Especially Spanish Stations which I cannot understand. They seem to be spending more in better signal strength area. My DVD player is tied into the TV Tuner and that works great.

 

We need to put this in perspective.

1) I don't believe your car will work with the iPod interface when it first ships from Mercedes.

2) I believe at some point the iPod will work with your car, but it may require a bunch of modification, and who knows when that will be.

3) If you just want audio aux inputs to listen to your iPod TODAY, we can do that for you. The TV Tuner is an expensive piece of hardware, but as I wrote, if you don't want TV reception (which might be marginal in your area, but we can't predict it unless someone else in your area has the same setup), then you can forego installing a bunch of expensive parts (antenna modules, wiring, etc.) and just install the actual tuner module and harness.

The inputs will be in the form of RCA jacks in the area behind the seats. A cable can be run to provide you a minijack anywhere you would like it... center console would be easiest, glovebox would be possible.

-s-

 

If I do as you suggest and don't install the antenna, will the TV tuner still allow me to watch DVDs? How expensive is the the TV tuner hardware?

 

To watch DVDs on the screen with your COMAND you would need a Euro COMAND. At this point, we have been unable to get a US-spec COMAND in an SL to play video from a DVD.

For pricing, please e-mail Wanda (use Steve's e-mail address: steve@mbenznl.com) and ask her for a TV tuner for a 2005 R230 SL, no antennas, just tuner and wiring harness. If you want installation, you'll have to get on an install list and ask about the price for fitting it.

-s-

 

Will do. Thanks scorchie.

 

I have perused the complete iPod installation documents as well as the M-class W164 introduction training materials... and it has pretty much shown that the speculation in this post was correct.

1) iPod integration only works over CANBUS, so information is available in the instrument cluster only (NOT on the display of the head unit).

2) integration kit available for M-class; followup on E-class. C- and CLK- classes not mentioned.

3) requires auxiliary input. On M-class and E-class, no problems (standard MCS2/COMAND). When listening to iPod, head unit must select auxiliary input mode. (No information mentioned on C-class, but it should work with the standard head unit... it DOES NOT require COMAND, just as mentioned earlier in this thread... other posts on mbworld erroneously indicate that COMAND is required.)

4) installation is quite simple for M-class (and probably C-/CLK- classes). Unplug head unit, plug iPod wiring harness into radio, plug radio wire harness into iPod wire harness. Disconnect/discard existing auxiliary input jack (if in place). Run cable for iPod dock into glovebox. On the E-class, it will be a bit more involved, as the auxiliary input is available on the back of the COMAND and must be connected; however, CANBUS and power will have to come from elsewhere.

5) What to do if the phone rings when your iPod is playing? The steering wheel controls will still answer the phone.

6) New information on new instrument clusters. The instrument clusters in the M-class correspond to a new direction for Mercedes-Benz. That is, to enable features in the instrument cluster, "version coding" with Star Diagnosis will no longer be enough. New features must be enabled via SCN codes. SCN codes are key strings which are used to "unlock" features in control modules by programming a new configuration block into the control module. The SCN code must be obtained from Mercedes-Benz through FDOK (outside USA) or NetStar (in USA), by submitting a request with all required information (car VIN, new feature to be added, reason for addition). In the US, you can be sure this will be scrutinized before any SCNs are issued. Of course, this will make adding a new feature to a car require more steps and the intervention/blessing of M-B, which means some things may just not happen as easily as before. Oh yeah, the SCNs are VIN-specific so it needs to be a correct string.

-s-

 

Scorchie,

How about integrating the iPod into a 2005 SL with TV tuner (aka aux input)? Will the SL's canbus allow iPod control and song info in the instrument cluster?

Jeff

 

I wouldn't shed a tear over any SLR owner not happy with his phone/audio options!

I sat in the SLR a many weeks back. It did seem very odd that the Audio 30 was installed. Granted, what type of radio does an Enzo come with? I don't know - just asking. If I was in the market for a supercar I doubt the deciding factor would be the radio.

 

I don't think it will work... I'll bring along a kit to try though. If you can get it controlled by the instrument cluster, then it's only a matter of figuring where to hook it up (easy).

-s-

 

You da man!

J

 

Scorchie...

Does Steve have the Ipod kits available???

THX!

 

No... and even if he did, they would be W164 units only (as that is all that will be released first). Once other kits are available generally... then they are available. I think that's pretty obvious, but I guess it needs to be said.

-s-

 

For those from downunder, I've contacted daimler chrysler australia regarding this issue about iPod integration kit. The answer is.. quote "Thank you for your recent enquiry through our Mercedes-Benz website. At present, Mercedes-Benz Australia does not have any plans for a collaboration with Apple for an iPod integration kit. If your vehicle is fitted with the COMAND DVD system, you can play your iPod through a jack point located in the glove box."

just me 2 cents

 

Could you also elaborate supported generations of iPod? Will it be compatible with future generations of iPod. For example I'm buying Benz now with iPod adapter, but plan to buy 5g iPod in autumn.

 

Let me see if I can make sense of this for my situation: I own a 2002 C230 coupe with the factory cassette radio.

1. I could buy IceLink and connect the iPod in place of the CD changer. This provides steering wheel integration as well as title readout on the dash.
2. I could upgrade the radio to the command system with aux cable. This would allow me to be able to connect the iPod to the aux cable in the glove box.

What mystifies me is the following:
1. If I go the command route, what cable do I use that connects to both the iPod and Aux cable. Is this the adapter that may someday be released by Mercedes for the C class? I’m aware that when it is released, the pod will charge when connected and allow me to see the track info on the dash not the command unit.
2. What are the advantages of upgrading to the command unit as opposed to the IceLink solution for the cassette radio? I mean besides the navigation and with regards to the iPod.

 

In your first point that the IceLink provides titles in the dash... that's incorrect. The IceLink gives you "integration" in that you can access playlists and change tracks with the steering wheel controls (and of course the volume). That's all.

The rest of your questions really don't pertain to the Mercedes iPod integration (you may have missed the part that this device is for 2005+ cars ONLY), and the answers have been covered in many threads here. You may want to do a search and it should answer your questions (what cable to use, what good is COMAND, etc.).

-s-

 

I guess I was misinformed. I posted another thread last week talking about the command and the ipod. I even went so far as to email Steve, MBenzNL, about possibly getting a command unit. He made it sound as if having the command unit, which has an aux cable, would be all I would need.

Thanks for telling me that there are, at this time, no plans for Mercedes to develop any iPod integration kit for my car. I thought it had to do with the fact that my car did not come with a radio that had the aux cable.

Thanks again. You saved me a pile of change. If I do decide to go the navi command route in the future I'll consider it ipod independant.