iPod Integration - 2003 C230
11-28-2007, 06:57 PM
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iPod Integration - 2003 C230
Cut me some slack for being a newbie here... My brother-in-law just bought a 2003 C230 Kompressor with NAV and a CD changer in the glove box. He is looking to integrate an iPod. I did some searches in the forum, but was confused not having a background with Mercedes cars myself (COMAND, etc.). Any recommendations? Thanks for your help.
11-28-2007, 07:24 PM
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RHD C200 Sport Coupe, RHD SLK-55, LHD SLK-350
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So your best bet is to look at the DIY thread here, and do a search on the particular navigation system you have.
IF it's the COMAND nav system - nice 2 DIN screen that looks something like that you have a couple of options.
One is to use the AUX input on the COMAND, which you very well may have to add a cable for. Again, search the DIY thread and you'll get all the info you need. You will have to use the iPod to control the playback - your nav unit will control volume only.
If you want more than that, it starts getting expensive and complicated. All the audio links on your car are D2B fiber optic links. It's possible to add a couple of different kits that will let you control the iPod through the Navi keys and the steering wheel controls, BUT - assuming you have a COMAND - you will not get nice, meaningful info displayed on your screen, and you will lose the use of your changer.
I personally went this route as my Audio 10 HU does not support AUX input, and went with the DICE kit as apposed to the Gateway 500. It works fine, but the crap menu system means that I drive the iPod via it's controls 90% of the time.. Install is straightforward but not trivial, and the documentation / support from the vendor is next to useless. I've heard that some Gateway 500 users have better "support" experience, but the only people I know using it on D2B systems seem to have had very mixed results.
Wife's car (again with Audio 10) we ditched the Audio 10 HU and replaced it with a Blaupunkt Queens with full CAN-Bus control and iPod integration. At the end of the day, her system sounded better than mine and the iPod functionality was awesome. When we sold the car, the buyer did not want the factory HU - he insisted on keeping the Blaupunkt!
IF it's the COMAND nav system - nice 2 DIN screen that looks something like that you have a couple of options.
One is to use the AUX input on the COMAND, which you very well may have to add a cable for. Again, search the DIY thread and you'll get all the info you need. You will have to use the iPod to control the playback - your nav unit will control volume only.
If you want more than that, it starts getting expensive and complicated. All the audio links on your car are D2B fiber optic links. It's possible to add a couple of different kits that will let you control the iPod through the Navi keys and the steering wheel controls, BUT - assuming you have a COMAND - you will not get nice, meaningful info displayed on your screen, and you will lose the use of your changer.
I personally went this route as my Audio 10 HU does not support AUX input, and went with the DICE kit as apposed to the Gateway 500. It works fine, but the crap menu system means that I drive the iPod via it's controls 90% of the time.. Install is straightforward but not trivial, and the documentation / support from the vendor is next to useless. I've heard that some Gateway 500 users have better "support" experience, but the only people I know using it on D2B systems seem to have had very mixed results.
Wife's car (again with Audio 10) we ditched the Audio 10 HU and replaced it with a Blaupunkt Queens with full CAN-Bus control and iPod integration. At the end of the day, her system sounded better than mine and the iPod functionality was awesome. When we sold the car, the buyer did not want the factory HU - he insisted on keeping the Blaupunkt!
11-28-2007, 07:34 PM
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Thanks to both of you for your help. It wasn't as clear in trying to piece this together from my searches. Sounds like the AUX is the way to go if he is up for the wiring job.
