Hi,

I have been digging around the internet trying to find an answer – and I am always coming up with a mixed answer, do you know if a EUROPEAN COMAND will work as a GPS navigation unit in an American car, or on American soil? I want the European COMAND unit without the flip down USA screen and I want it to work in America. I have been reading that the European COMAND will “work” but not as a GPS unit, or as an exact radio either. I have read some of the frequencies will not come in as clean as possible and AM could not even work. I have also read (From some highly reputable sources) that the USA navigation discs will not work due to them being regionalized. I have then read that some people have “cracked” the discs to have a readable version…by changing some file names?!?!? Can you please let me know if a European COMAND will work as a GPS navigation unit and radio command head unit in an American built w203?

Thank you,
Jake

 

While I do not have a Most systyem such as your 05, I have a euro D2b based navigation and it works fine. WIth the Euro system you also get RDS on your radio stations which is not available for US benzes. The only reason I would prefer a US Command unit is availability of Sirius.

 

u STFF'ed correctly...
on euro COMAND, most AM stations won't work...
and yes, u have to hack navi disc but no DIY instructions are posted by THE ONLY hacker in the forum...

 

So it looks like a USA version is the only way then...Especially seeing that...

North American vehicles do not get COMAND APS, they get MCS-II. Please do not try putting a Euro COMAND APS into a vehicle for North America as you will find there are no navigation map DVDs that work.

and...

The European DVD comands for the 2005+ 203 C-classes and 209 CLKs can NOT read the US navigation DVD...these units to US / Canadian customers: it will be just an expensive radio unit when installed in a US spec MB.


Bummer,
Jake

(The only thing I read is to change file names on the disc and re-burn a new disc with the changed file extensions...)

 

quick question..
One of the members is selling a EURO Navigation COMMAND system. I live in Vancouver, Canada, will the navigation be any use to me? i dont wana to spend hundreds of dollars on a command system and not have the navigation navigate canada.

 

make sure it is compatible with your 2005 MOST system.
At a certain point they went from CD-based Nav to DVD-based Nav.
If it uses DVD, then all of USA and Canada is on the DVD.
The CD-based COMAND uses a set of 10 CD's, and Canada is usually on CD # 10.
Once it is installed, you need STAR DIAG to input a few parameters, such as wheel size.

Carlos

Saprissa

 

Since you have an '05, you definately need the DVD navigation. I'm in Vancouver too and I have a Euro comand for sale, check your PM.

 

Euro DVD comands for the 2005+ 203s won't work with US nav.DVDs. Unless you - or somebody else - can 'modify' the nav.DVD... which isn't all that easy. In fact, we ourselves don't offer Euro spec 203 / 209 DVD comands to US / Canadian customers anymore. Simply because we can't get the US nav.DVD to work.

greetingz,

BigSis

 

typical response from the mbenznl team.

I've bought the euro unit and it worked great, nav and everything.

http://www.mbfanatics.org/forum/inde...1376&hl=COMAND

I no longer have this unit sold it and looks like he'll be making profits on the DVD i made

Enjoy your Euro comand

 

Typical response from benz_addict.

Man, I've PM'd you multiple times asking you to help me make the DVD work and you've never responded. Nor have you posted anything to this forum but pictures of it working. Why not help everyone and post instructions on how to do it? I don't understand.

The funny thing is I actually do believe that you got it working. I just don't get why you dont share with us. Thats the point of this forum, give some knowledge back to the community.

 

Glad I have an 02. euro command is working great.

 

Hey Everyone,

A bit of a precursor: I bought a European Comand unit a while ago knowing I probably wouldn't be able to get the navigation to work properly here in North America. After a few attempts to play with some European and North American discs, I wasn't able to get anywhere. Then benz_addict made this post but refused to release the secret to modifying the discs. After many attempts to contact benz_addict, both here and on other forums, I realized he was still an active member but refused to reply to my private messages. Later I came accross this post which was what I needed to figure out the rest. So a big "screw you" to benz_addict. Its people like you who ruin this forum with garbage posts that no one cares about. A special thanks to 14cue as he provided the motivation to finish this post.

On to the guts of this post. I figured out how to modify the disc to comply with the European Comand's requirements, but use the North American maps. Its actually pretty easy once you figure it out the first time.

You will need:

1. A copy of a European navigation disc.
2. A copy of a North American navigation disc.
3. Blank DVDs (DVD+R and DVD-R both tested and found to work).
4. A computer with DVD burning software (I use Nero 6.6.1.15)

The discs you use may vary. The one I used had the following files on them:

Disc 1: European Disc (Volume Label SAMCO_R9.6.2)


Disc 2: North American Disc (Volume Label Unknown)


As you can see there are a few different files on each disc. The two largest files are the map data. These are the files we are interested in. The idea is that we need to take the maps off the North American disc, and everything but the maps off the European disc, and mix them together to create a hybrid disc. The important part is that you rename the map files from the North American disc to match what the map files from the European disc were called.

The easiest way to do this is to create a new folder on your desktop, and copy in the maps off the North American disc, and everything but the maps off the European disc. Write down what the file names of the map files from the North American disc were, and rename accordingly.

Then, use Nero to burn a "DVD ROM (ISO)" using the default settings. Make sure you make the volume label of your new disc match the volume label of your European disc, in my case, its "SAMCO_R9.6.2".

Your resulting disc should look like this:

Disc 3: Hybrid Disc (Volume Label SAMCO_R9.6.2)


Again, the file names and volume label should be exactly the same as your European disc. Notice the file sizes though, as you can see, these map files come from the North American disc. Note that you do not need to copy the sound file over, as the default language on the European disc seems to be English.

One final, but important note. We tested this in both a 2005 C55 and a 2005 C230. In the C55, it took about 1.5 hrs of driving before the Euro Comand calibrated. Before this happens, you will be getting little to no sattelites showing up, and your car will literally be all over the map. In the C230, the calibration took only 10 minutes. So it looks like there can be quite a variance, so as long as you can get your map working, be patient and give it a few hours of driving.

Thats pretty much it. As you can see, nav is working perfect. If you have any questions feel free to ask, and share information in this thread.





And check out this YouTube video of it in action:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dR2DnCRjo2Q

 

You sir, rock! Thanks for this contribution

 

Wow! Very helpful post and it actually doesn't seem too hard. I still don't understand why this information was so secretive. I looked it up when I was intereseted in purchasing your old NAVI but couldn't find anything so I decided not to buy.

 

Great job Nick Glad to see you finally getting to enjoy that command unit

 

Awesome post, thanks Nick!

 

Wow... I always felt that most members of this board were pretty helpful via PM. Im surprised you didnt get help for this :\ awesome post - one day this will be useful. im subscribed.

 

good stuff nick.
you're the man.

fingers crossed for my install

 

i would also like to add, nick is a pro at taking apart the entire dash on the W203. you sir, rock.

 

I read in one of those threads referenced above that Mr. Benz_Addict did tell us what to do. It may not have been a true handholding post but he laid it out there.

I don't know any of the parties involed but benz_addict doesn't appear to be a TOTAL A/H...

 

Aside from the verbal attack, definitely a good/helpful post (Please keep in mind benz_addict we have no idea why benz_addict didn't respond to your posts, so no reason to go after him/her).

You've been added to the D.I.Y. sticky!

 

I don't mind being less diplomatic.

Benz_addict was of no assistance. How is that in holding to the traditions of this board? He alluded on how to do it. But did not do it at all.

I mean they were both Canadian! You would think he would help out a brother.

Funny thing is he has a F/S ad right now.

 

I'm of the opinion that benz_addict should have helped out anyone who asked, either by private message or through a thread, and he ignored me and others when asking for help.

I'm not sure why he didnt help but either way we have the information now, so I'm just going to forget about it and be happy I was able to figure it out so someone could share it with the forum.

I'm hoping that someone else with Euro Comand can try out this how to and let me know if it works for you, or if you find anything different with your set up.

 

werd.
for the record tho, he did finally reply to my PM. said his car is sold with the unit in it (duh). very helpful to say the least.

 

nickgailloux, excellent work!!! I tried something like this, and was not successful at all - but I was trying to map all the files from one to another.

Out of curiosity, are your POI's working?