shaun.barnard

Have any of you tried these Dynavin aftermarket nav touchscreen "COMAND" units? I would post a pic but don't know why I cant upload pics

shaun.barnard

http://www.gumtree.co.za/cp-car-audi...avin-520160509 Here's a link though.

dre5373

Might want to read this thread, post #84 on... https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...t-w211s-4.html

I was considering the Dynavin but was concerned with the lack of reviews to begin with. After I saw the thread above, I figured it would be safer to find another alternative. I ended up purchasing an aftermarket head unit install kit and sending it to oCarbon with the rest of the interior trim to be skinned in CF to make whatever I end up with visually integrated as the rest of the "options" weren't any more appealing and going to an aftermarket double-DIN was the only safe way to go.

Leaning toward a Parrot Asteroid Android-based unit at the moment...

Good luck!

shaun.barnard

Its so frustrating, why are there telephone buttons if there is no telephone installed and installing a telephone you must pay R10000 or whatever the case may be. And what is the video button for anyway?! I wish there was just some kind of a software cd to update all this stuff. But I suppose nothing is perfect, cause if that was right it would be a perfect car

Duncan64

Haha Shaun, looks like me and you are in the same boat here. I've been looking for something better than what i have already - logic 7 / nav etc... but upgrade ding this piece seems to be more of a pain in the butt. I think i'm going to resort in just keeping the original system, and building a molding cover over it housing an ipad mini. I can use the AUX port from the glove box to plug into the ipad's earphone jack and somehow hardwire the power supply into the cigarette lighter. I think it'll look cool and work nice with my navigation app and kinda keeping up with technology that way. I was planning on using my iphone to tether through wifi if i want to listen to pandora instead of my tunes on the ipad.

the only downside is that you can't use the phone with the car. i was thinking of getting the sony app radio where my ipad can plug directly into it through usb thereby charging it as well i think??? and that enables your iphone's bluetooth connection to link up to the sony - hopefully there is a interface that works with the steering wheel controls - i think there is just didn't find it yet specific for the C55... people say there are interfaces out there that just turns the steering wheel controls into a standard format for the sony to interpret.

dominicandude

I have a W211 Wagon and by the looks of it it looks like it was a major Fail On MB to just toss whatever into the vehicles. Don't get me wrong I LOVE my MB's But wow the navigation, phone and basically the entire head unit is something to be lacking on My Eclass and My CLK. Looks like the C isnt that far behind either.

blacksage

Has anyone tried one of these? Most C55s have the aux input, right?

shaun.barnard

And what about this?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Grom-MOST-USB-iPod-iPhone-Android-Bluetooth-Car-kit-Adapter-Mercedes-Benz-MBO-/380724696551?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item58a4f5d5e7&vxp=mtr

dominicandude

Nice find

shaun.barnard

I found this on the net and it looks like something most of us can do with

http://www.mercedes-player.com/Merce...ger-comparison

Duncan64

I installed the itronic for bluetooth so now i have the handsfree calling and working steering wheel controls... but i want more, so here is my little project.

shaun.barnard

Have a look at these units and help me decide which one is the better please.


http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_saca...203+navigation

shaun.barnard

Bump

Saaboteur

I have been contemplating this same sort of question for a little while now. For sure you will need a unit that fits into the facelifted 203 car as you have a C55. But then I think the major consider is whether you want to go OE or go with the aftermarket stuff.

OE you need either a facelifted 203 COMAND unit, or a 07-08 (I think) G-Wagen unit. The 08 seems to be most desirable because it has rear view camera capability built in – you just need to wire in a camera. There’s some more discussion on this subject in the regular 203 forum:

https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...s-command.html

Pros with OE: steering wheel button functionality, OE fit and quality (duh). Cons with OE: the nav systems from that era are really showing their age, as an off the shelf GPS unit has better capabilities for $150-200, compared to used OE COMAND unit at say, $6-800; no built in Bluetooth, no built in iPod functionality; and likely you will need to get updated nav disc (say $250 or so) for most up to date maps. Of course, eBay OE units seem to be hit or miss if they come with nav discs already, but you can always buy a used map disc for considerably cheaper. By comparison, I just picked up a Garmin with Bluetooth, voice command, and lifetime map updates for C$150. I don't really think I'll use it in any of my personal cars on a consistent basis, but I will use it for rentals when we travel.

Bluetooth and iPod you can add – I have that with my current Audio 20 system – Dension makes modules for this functionality, as does Mobridge. But the cost is going to be another $3-500 at least. But then you have complete steering wheel functionality.

The first aftermarket option seems to be the cheap Chinese made units that are all over eBay. Pros with these units: plug and play (supposedly), built in Bluetooth, iPod and current-ish (you’d think) nav, and also steering wheel control compatibility (supposedly). I think most are back up camera ready too. Cons: most don’t work with the higher end fibre optic Harmon Kardon or Bose factory stereo upgrades. There might be work arounds.

Also, and this is speaking from my experience with a Chinese made nav/Bluetooth/iPod unit that the previous owner installed into my Audi A4 winter beater, the functionality is sometimes hit or miss. Yes, everything works initially as advertised. But iPod synching is. Very. Slow. Like it only refreshes a page at a time, so you can’t flip to, say, artists beginning with ‘T’ very easily. The nav system just randomly quit working for about two weeks a little while ago, but then started working again. Sometimes, infrequently, the whole unit will just pack up and not work – some errors about not having initialized or needing an update or something. And whilst I am of Chinese descent, I was born in Canada so I don’t read Chinese – sometimes the error messages come up in Chinese and its indecipherable. The user manual is only about 30 pages long, not very in depth at all, and of course is in very poorly written English. About the only good things I have to say about it is that the Bluetooth works very well, audio quality better than my Dension in the Benz, and no need to add an external microphone.

I think for cars with the Harmon Kardon, the biggest issue is the fibre optic one. It just might not work period. There are some threads with discussion about this, I think a guy in the 203 forum managed to make one of the Chinese made units work with his Harmon Kardon car. Also, I think one of the Chinese eBay sellers offered a work around to the fibre optic issue. I’ve read on some Porsche forums that generally speaking, it is possible to work around the fibre optics.

The other option is for ‘real’ aftermarket, with well known and respected brands – and that would involve a double DIN set up – but then I don’t know you if can retain steering wheel functionality. You might be able to add one of those PAC-SWIS units, or whatever they’re called, but those aren’t always wired and thus lead to some delay.

Those are my thoughts anyway.

blacksage

The navi system is dated. I need something touch screen and with bluetooth. I thought the fiber optic thing was simple, run wires from the head unit to the back of the car and tap into the speaker wire coming out of the amp. Can this be done? If so, it seems like an aftermarket deck would be the way to go. So I would just need the deck, harness, speaker wire, PAC unit, dash kit and an aftermarket unit of my choice to complete the install.

Duncan64

Yup I'm doing that as we speak with an app radio 3 and an aftermarket amp.

shaun.barnard

Hi Saaboteur what do you mean by this?


OE you need either a facelifted 203 COMAND unit. Is there an updated OE command unit for my car?


Hi blacksage yes they do mention that you can bypass the optics with the wiring thay give you. Ive put my command up for sale and hopefully Ill get a buyer soon and then I can try one of these things out.

Saaboteur

I just meant that if you are upgrading from no nav to a COMAND system, you need the 05 to 07, because it's a different look and shape from the 01-04 (or whatever it was) pre-face lift 203s. A lot of those listed in that eBay listing you linked to were for the pre-face lift cars.

shaun.barnard

Oh ok so ill have to make sure its not for the older type replacement, thanks I wouldn't of known, I thought all the holes were the same size etc.

blacksage

I've been out of the game for a while. I'll take a look at the speaker wires leaving the amp this weekend. It does not seem like a difficult install. The app radio 3 seems similar to their AVIC units, I'll do some research and see what the differences are. Seems like it has an internal amp, bluetooth, radio, co MP3, etc. I might pick one up, they are not too expensive.

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PU...o+3+(SPH-DA210)

Duncan64

yeah its not expensive at all. I went for the SPH-DA110 because i didn't care much for a CD/DVD player... nobody uses that anyway and its much more expensive.

I'm running the door speakers from the radio itself, but i'm also using an external amp to drive the sub and front center speaker. I'm also installing a backup camera for it so its going to be a nice upgrade.

blacksage

Nice. I have an amp and a sub sitting in my garage from my younger days I hate the idea sub in the trunk, I use most of the space from time to time. I'll look at the wiring and see if the door or the amp makes more sense. Thanks, I didnt consider running it to the speakers, usually that is not as clean and a PITA, but if it makes sense...

I think I might go with the appradio. Seems like the difference is the AVIC stand alone and the appradio needs your phone to function, but that should not be a problem.

Saaboteur

I'm keen to see what you guys will do for steering wheel controls with the Pioneer set up? PAC unit? What's its response like?

It would kill me to have the buttons on the steering wheel just sitting there, doing nothing. I guess I like gadgets...

Duncan64

I've taken that into consideration as well. There's a crux module i bought that will work with my HU so i wont loose any functionality either.

Duncan64

I'm not actually putting an aftermarket sub in, I'm using my stock one. Its by the back windshield on the left. My car has the 7 logic Harmon Kardon sound system in, which has a ton of speakers.

I'm mainly running the four doors from the head unit to the back, then just tapping into the wiring harness that came out of my stock amp. SInce its fiber optic i could not re-use it with my pioneer. So i ran those four speaker wires to the back and tapped in.

Then i ran two sets of RCA cables all the way to the back as well, one will drive my sub, and the other front speaker... which i'll tap into the existing wiring harness in the back as well.

You mostly want to just run all your wires to the back and tap into the harness for a nice clean install.