Just finished installing the Chinese S150 Android based head unit.

Not sure if anyone is interested since I do not see this head unit mentioned anywhere in the forum. I think this Android platform was just introduced to Merc. Works. Definitely not OEM, but works. I like that it is all Android, go to the google play store and download what I need. I replaced my radio, which did not even play mp3 with a head unit basically... from this decade.

Before I go further I want to mention that I absolutely hate non-OEM. Even the tires I buy are the exact make and model as the ones that came with the car. But I also absolutely hated the plain radio I had. It was a dated technology back in 2005. And the upgrade to the OEM navigation meant about $700 for the second hand COMMAND and this is just the plain unit. If I wanted a hands free it would have added god-knows-what. So Chinese head unit it is. This is what I got on alibaba - http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/13...lass_W203.html. I got mine on ebay.

Before:


and after:


from the top:


and the back:


Boot screen looks like this. Before the boot screen, it shows the tri-star. Unlike the OEM unit, this can only be turned on with the key in ignition:


Then you get to the home screen:


And from there:














And why not a Skype call :-) :


I put the iPod in the glove compartment like this (still a work in progress):


The reverse camera was a tough one to crack. Mine is a manual and does not show the gear in the dash. And I guess the canbus decoder was failing to detect that I am switching to reverse. I needed to figure out which the control wire is and run a cable from the trunk, which I had to do anyway for the camera cable, so not a problem.

Here is the camera location


I tried to figure out how to use the mic array in the rear view mirror - no luck, so I installed the provided mic in the A pillar.

And while I was working on the car, completely unrelated, I installed parking sensors and hard wired a passport max radar detector.

Overall pros and cons (Bear in mind I have only had this for a couple days now)

Pros:
1. A ton of features. Navigation, bluetooth handsfree and audio streaming, backup camera, music and video from a bunch of sources (USB, MicroSD, DVD), iPod integration, it says it has a TV runner though I am not interested and have not tried it.
2. Android OS. Freedom to upgrade and install new apps.
3. WiFi connected.
4. Steering wheel controls.
5. GPS is quite accurate.

Cons:
1. Touch screen is not very sensitive. It takes some getting used to. But works at the end.
2. Android 2.3. It was released in 2011. I am hopeful there will be an upgrade soon.
3. Radio antenna adaptor was not very good. Had to install a separate antenna. I think I am OK now.

 

Interesting. I've never heard of it. Can you provide some pictures and links?

 

+1

 

Very nice! Congratulations on a nice install!

 

looks very interesting and the fit looks like oEM at least in the pics. i 'upgraded' my standard radio to the OEM COMMAND. only reason i did it its that i got it very cheap ($200) from a wrecked w203. but indeed it is a very plain and limited HU. i checked the link and didnt see that much information. i have the H/K in my car and normally aftermarket HU do not play well with the OEM amp and MOST network. do you have the H/K system or standard audio?

 

Nothing fancy on mine. I have the optic ring, but as I just found out when I installed the new unit, it had been bypassed when the dealership installed the OEM iPod integration back in 2007. And I do not have a separate amplifier in the trunk.

 

ah there it is. yeah from what i understand all w203's have the optical ring, but whether it goes through the amp for the Premium sound (Bose or H/K) is the difference here. oh well back to square one for me hahaha. this would def be an option if i didnt have the amp

 

I bought one from eBay from a Chinese vendor and the wiring was completely jacked up. The schematics on the radio didn't even come close to the vehicle wiring. I had to repin the power and ground wires because it kept blowing the radio fuse under the hood. I couldn't even get the unit to power up which was so frustrating. I lost $200 bucks.

Nbbankov looks like you had success with your purchase. Which eBay seller did you go thru?

 

Wow. Sorry about that buddy. My seller was ownicestore. This is the link - http://www.ebay.com/itm/251417625427...84.m1497.l2649
I really had no trouble installing. With the package, I received a harness that plugs in the car harness and was even wrapped in foam like mercedes does, with a canbus decoder box and two jacks on the other end that go in the radio. I only had to cut out of the can bus box plug and ground the parking brake wire to make video run in motion and the reverse camera wire since my car is manual. I even got a second harness, I do not know why. Here is the picture:

 

That looks fantastic, do you have some basic instructions or guidelines to follow for the install?

 

Yup I ordered two harnesses because I wasn't sure at the time if I had the amp located in the trunk. It turned out I didn't have the amp and ended up using the short harness but that's when all the problems began. When I purchased the DVD/gps radio I figured this should be a plug and play install. I didn't realize I was going to have to repin every wire and then some, so I said forget this and returned it.
The 1st two pics are for the first wiring harness and the 2nd two pics are from the second wiring harness. Neither of them worked.

This link is for one on eBay currently and pretty much identical to the one I purchased last summer.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/For-Benz-C-Class-W203-CLC-W203-G-Class-W467-CAR-DVD-GPS-Rear-Camera-CD8993R-/200925861647?pt=US_Video_In_Dash_Units_w_GPS&hash=item2ec81d570f

 

I knew I should have taken more pictures :-). I guess I could make an install tutorial, I just did not know if anyone would be interested. In the meantime, ask questions.

 

Anyone looking for an In car setup should check with crutchfield asap. They are blowing out their 2013 models right now.

I just picked up the Pioneer avh-1500dvd 6.1" mp3, dvd, rear backup cam, USB port, nav expandable, and iphone jack with wiring harness and install kit for $219 shipped 2-day.

Purchased the aswc-1 steering wheel adapter kit, rear backup cam itself, and iphone cable for $80 shipped. Now have a $300 full nav (with iphone) streaming video (youtube/ netflix), satellite radio (pandora), rear backup cam, steering wheel controlled, complete system with a 1 year manufacturer warr.

 

This is very interesting. Can you share pictures? I am very interested what the installation looks like.

 

I hate having the Bose...none if this stuff is an option

 

You can still fairly easily replace everything. I have a pioneer double din in my C230 with bose. I just ran speaker wire from the new head unit and spliced it into where the bose speaker wire was underneath each door. The fiber optics only run from the old head unit to the bose amp, they then just use normal speaker wire than can be attached to any new head unit.

 

And it sounds ok on the bose speakers without the bose amplification?

 

Yeah they sound better than they ever did before. I'm just using the built in amp on my Pioneer head unit.

 

Interesting. Did you somehow integrate the bose subwoofer?

 

Thanks for the write up. I just bought this radio about 2 days ago from a company in Hong Kong www.seicane.com I also ordered the ATSC tuner and the rear backup camera. Can't wait for it to come so I'm looking at others experience. You pictures are not showing up for me, all I see is broken links is does anyone else see the same thing. Can you fix or maybe even make a youtube video showing functionality? How is your experience with the unit so far?

 

How is the unit holding up for you? Any problems, concerns, cons? Thanks

 

Wow looks great!
Good job!

I'm also planning to do this mod.
But I cannot find one of these units for less than $330.
Would you please help in finding a lesser expensive unit??

 

Does anyone have a wiring diagram for the plug coming out of the Bose amp? I've run my speaker wires to the trunk but not sure which wires coming out of the amp go to which speakers.

Thanks

 

Hi all,
Does anybody know what model for is my DVD.
I have bought DVD Android for my CLK Restyiling 2004. After pluging in all wires, it start working, i was wery happy, but when I tried to put it on place, there rises a small problem, the upper width is 0.5cm wider than original, and cannot be entered in place. 260mm instead of 255mm. lower width and height is ok. Maybe Chinese are wrong with sizes? or this is from different model of mercedes?
Due to long delivery i cannot return it. Only sell to somebody or somehow cut angles

 

Do the steering wheel buttons still work with this?