Which Bluetooth Adapter
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 758
Likes: 1
From: Warren, NJ
'05 E320 CDI;'04 S2k;'94 Supra TT;'10 QX56;'38 Buick;98 Port City Offset Late Model
Which Bluetooth Adapter
Just for the record, our E320CDI is no over 6 1/2 years old, has 90,000 miles, and seems in better condition than any other car we have had (mostly BMWs) at 50,000 miles.
Now is the time to upgrade the V710 that has been in the car since 2004. In 2004 it was the latest and greatest (it came out in August 2004, we picked up the car in Stuttgart in September, and it was delivered in NJ in November.) We want to connect to current smartphones. I have a Samsung Fascinate on Verizon, and hope to upgrade to a Galaxy S II soon. My wife may get an iPhone5 or another Galaxy S II.
The Bluetooth adapter is a snap in affair, but there are 4 options:
1) The original MB part, from 2006, available new and used under $200.
2) The second generation MB part, a bit smaller, all black. Sells new for $493, available used around $300.
3) Viseeo MB-2. A third party unit with a bit more functionality. About $275 new.
4) Viseeo MB-3. Just out; not all Viseeo dealers list it yet. Appears to be $450.
The issues are compatibility and cost. Saving $200 is no benefit if it limits functionality and has problems. $200 is not well spent if adds no additional reliability or benefits. Playing iTunes over the FM radio channel is not a big advantage for us...we generally just listen to the Satellite radio.
Presumably the newer ones use newer chipsets and are more compatible with the newer Bluetooth standards. Are there any problems with the older MB factory Bluetooth adapters with the latest Android and Apple smartphones? Are their meaningful functionality differences?
Thanks,
David
Now is the time to upgrade the V710 that has been in the car since 2004. In 2004 it was the latest and greatest (it came out in August 2004, we picked up the car in Stuttgart in September, and it was delivered in NJ in November.) We want to connect to current smartphones. I have a Samsung Fascinate on Verizon, and hope to upgrade to a Galaxy S II soon. My wife may get an iPhone5 or another Galaxy S II.
The Bluetooth adapter is a snap in affair, but there are 4 options:
1) The original MB part, from 2006, available new and used under $200.
2) The second generation MB part, a bit smaller, all black. Sells new for $493, available used around $300.
3) Viseeo MB-2. A third party unit with a bit more functionality. About $275 new.
4) Viseeo MB-3. Just out; not all Viseeo dealers list it yet. Appears to be $450.
The issues are compatibility and cost. Saving $200 is no benefit if it limits functionality and has problems. $200 is not well spent if adds no additional reliability or benefits. Playing iTunes over the FM radio channel is not a big advantage for us...we generally just listen to the Satellite radio.
Presumably the newer ones use newer chipsets and are more compatible with the newer Bluetooth standards. Are there any problems with the older MB factory Bluetooth adapters with the latest Android and Apple smartphones? Are their meaningful functionality differences?
Thanks,
David
Former Vendor of MBWorld
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,199
Likes: 6
From: Atlanta
05 CL65 AMG, 07 Ferrari F430, 03 Range Rover HSE
As a biased supplier, we can only offer the following advice (sometimes met with strong protest from individuals). We are THE major supplier to nearly all of the MB dealerships and aftermarket shops that support MB. We are CONSTANTLY replacing the MB branded pucks in favor of the Viseeo. The MB have VERY spotty compatibility with phones. Example: Owner A has a iPhone and part # MBxxxxxx puck. Owner B has the EXACT same phone, software and puck part number. Owner A it will work fine, Owner B it will not work or partially work. In reality the part numbers on the MB branded pucks are supposed to denote software versions, but there are several sub versions not notated in any way on the puck.
The Viseeo's whole purpose is that it is software updatable by the end user and does not suffer from all the issues the MB branded pucks have. It is also less money (at retail). We are receiving one of the first engineering sample MB3 this week for testing. We will be posting a review later in the week. Based on passed performance of the manufacturer, we do not expect them to be widely available (assuming they pass our stringent tests, we don't carry just anything) for about 30-45 days.
The Viseeo's whole purpose is that it is software updatable by the end user and does not suffer from all the issues the MB branded pucks have. It is also less money (at retail). We are receiving one of the first engineering sample MB3 this week for testing. We will be posting a review later in the week. Based on passed performance of the manufacturer, we do not expect them to be widely available (assuming they pass our stringent tests, we don't carry just anything) for about 30-45 days.
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 758
Likes: 1
From: Warren, NJ
'05 E320 CDI;'04 S2k;'94 Supra TT;'10 QX56;'38 Buick;98 Port City Offset Late Model
As a biased supplier, we can only offer the following advice (sometimes met with strong protest from individuals). We are THE major supplier to nearly all of the MB dealerships and aftermarket shops that support MB. We are CONSTANTLY replacing the MB branded pucks in favor of the Viseeo. The MB have VERY spotty compatibility with phones. Example: Owner A has a iPhone and part # MBxxxxxx puck. Owner B has the EXACT same phone, software and puck part number. Owner A it will work fine, Owner B it will not work or partially work. In reality the part numbers on the MB branded pucks are supposed to denote software versions, but there are several sub versions not notated in any way on the puck.
The Viseeo's whole purpose is that it is software updatable by the end user and does not suffer from all the issues the MB branded pucks have. It is also less money (at retail). We are receiving one of the first engineering sample MB3 this week for testing. We will be posting a review later in the week. Based on passed performance of the manufacturer, we do not expect them to be widely available (assuming they pass our stringent tests, we don't carry just anything) for about 30-45 days.
The Viseeo's whole purpose is that it is software updatable by the end user and does not suffer from all the issues the MB branded pucks have. It is also less money (at retail). We are receiving one of the first engineering sample MB3 this week for testing. We will be posting a review later in the week. Based on passed performance of the manufacturer, we do not expect them to be widely available (assuming they pass our stringent tests, we don't carry just anything) for about 30-45 days.
Former Vendor of MBWorld
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,199
Likes: 6
From: Atlanta
05 CL65 AMG, 07 Ferrari F430, 03 Range Rover HSE
Although the Parrot is more of a standard, the BlueCore has not been an issue at all. The difference in price at this time does not justify a switch in our opinion if you are not going to use the FM transmitter.
Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 134
Likes: 8
From: near Rochester, NY
2019 GLE400
The Bluetooth adapter is a snap in affair, but there are 4 options:
1) The original MB part, from 2006, available new and used under $200.
2) The second generation MB part, a bit smaller, all black. Sells new for $493, available used around $300.
3) Viseeo MB-2. A third party unit with a bit more functionality. About $275 new.
4) Viseeo MB-3. Just out; not all Viseeo dealers list it yet. Appears to be $450.
I looked at options 2, 3 and 4 and decided that #2 was the poorer choice due to a confirmed lack of upgradability. A lot of people will say that puck #2 works fine with their phones, but future upgradability seems like a good thing to have on a piece of communications hardware - especially for the same cost!
I inquired about options 3 and 4 and found the #4 was not available quite yet - and I have an ipod connected so it was costlier for features that I didn't need.
Item #3 was out of stock when I ordered and I'm waiting (with great anticipation) for its arrival. I'll give a full report when it arrives.
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
2007 E320 Bluetec, 2007 ML320CDI
We've just bought a 2008 E350 without any puck and picked up the original MB part as a "deal". The system will work for my iPhone 3G. I can talk, but no download of contacts. Calling out requires dialing the phone by hand or working through the COMAND display to enter the phone number manually. The system works even worse for a Samsung Hue - and shuts off after about 40 seconds unless you continue to play with the display to keep the phone from going to sleep - kind of dumb thing to have to do with a "hands free" device. Again, no contacts. The device cannot be upgraded.
I looked at options 2, 3 and 4 and decided that #2 was the poorer choice due to a confirmed lack of upgradability. A lot of people will say that puck #2 works fine with their phones, but future upgradability seems like a good thing to have on a piece of communications hardware - especially for the same cost!
I inquired about options 3 and 4 and found the #4 was not available quite yet - and I have an ipod connected so it was costlier for features that I didn't need.
Item #3 was out of stock when I ordered and I'm waiting (with great anticipation) for its arrival. I'll give a full report when it arrives.
I looked at options 2, 3 and 4 and decided that #2 was the poorer choice due to a confirmed lack of upgradability. A lot of people will say that puck #2 works fine with their phones, but future upgradability seems like a good thing to have on a piece of communications hardware - especially for the same cost!
I inquired about options 3 and 4 and found the #4 was not available quite yet - and I have an ipod connected so it was costlier for features that I didn't need.
Item #3 was out of stock when I ordered and I'm waiting (with great anticipation) for its arrival. I'll give a full report when it arrives.
Former Vendor of MBWorld
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,199
Likes: 6
From: Atlanta
05 CL65 AMG, 07 Ferrari F430, 03 Range Rover HSE
As we stated earlier, YOU CAN NOT rely on a MB part #. Trust me, we support over 184 of the 360 MB dealers in the US, and you can have two pucks with identical part numbers, one will work with phone A (iPhone with latest OS in this example) and one won't. Unfortunately, there are sub software versions within part numbers when it comes to MB branded pucks.
The OP is wise to choose a puck that can be software updated. Not just because we sell it, but because that provides the best economy (future proof).
BTW, for those that are interested (todays date is May 24 2011), the next wave of Viseeo MB2 just arrived along with our engineering sample of the MB3. We supply all of North America with Viseeo product (at least if you want a warranty from the manufacturer). So the wait is finally over!!! yeah!
The OP is wise to choose a puck that can be software updated. Not just because we sell it, but because that provides the best economy (future proof).
BTW, for those that are interested (todays date is May 24 2011), the next wave of Viseeo MB2 just arrived along with our engineering sample of the MB3. We supply all of North America with Viseeo product (at least if you want a warranty from the manufacturer). So the wait is finally over!!! yeah!
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Former Vendor of MBWorld
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,199
Likes: 6
From: Atlanta
05 CL65 AMG, 07 Ferrari F430, 03 Range Rover HSE
Promised Viseeo MB-3 Review:
We finally got our initial Viseeo MB-3 bluetooth adapter from manufacturing today. We have put it through it's paces and these are the results of those tests. The MB-3 is an ALTERNATIVE to, not a replacement of, the MB-2. The MB-2 has been the best defacto standard for all late model Mercedes Benz models. It features software upgradability (which makes it obsolete proof), and is compatible with just about every phone on the market today. The MB-3 continues that tradition, but adds a couple more features. The phone functions seem to work about the same and the phone quality is also similar between the MB-2 and MB-3. The extra features are charging of an Apple product or of any USB chargeable device. It also has an FM transmitter to transmit music played through the USB, Bluetooth or AUX input. The FM transmitter is programmable and has three total presets that can be set to three different frequencies. The unit works as advertised and we offer our overall opinions below:
PRO:
1. MB-3 has the Parrot chipset, so compatibility and quality are good.
2. It can provide a charge point for Apple, Android, Blackberry and more, from your armrest.
CON:
1. If you use any of the supplied charge/music cables, you can not close your armrest fully and the cables need to extend outside the armrest as there is no room for both the MB-3 and any phone/player besides maybe an iPod Nano inside the armrest.
2. All music played through the device goes through the FM transmitter. Some people do not mind FM transmitters. In our tests the background hiss was always present on every frequency we tried. If you have already used FM transmitters in the past, and are happy with them, then this will work fine for you. If you are more critical of the sound, you will not be happy with the music sound quality.
MB-2 MSRP is $299
MB-3 MSRP is $459
The above prices are MSRP set by the manufacturer, Cartronics.com does not sell them for MSRP, usually a bit less. It should also be noted, that Cartronics.com is the exclusive North American supplier of the MB-2 and MB-3. The manufacturer has clamped down hard on warranty and serial number matching. If the serial number of any MB-2 or MB-3 does not match one imported by Cartronics.com, there is no warranty available on the unit. No matter what some dealers may advertise, they must purchase from Cartronics.com distribution network for a warranty to apply. If you are in doubt, please call Cartronics.com and find out if the retailer that you are purchasing from is an authorized dealer of Cartronics.com
We finally got our initial Viseeo MB-3 bluetooth adapter from manufacturing today. We have put it through it's paces and these are the results of those tests. The MB-3 is an ALTERNATIVE to, not a replacement of, the MB-2. The MB-2 has been the best defacto standard for all late model Mercedes Benz models. It features software upgradability (which makes it obsolete proof), and is compatible with just about every phone on the market today. The MB-3 continues that tradition, but adds a couple more features. The phone functions seem to work about the same and the phone quality is also similar between the MB-2 and MB-3. The extra features are charging of an Apple product or of any USB chargeable device. It also has an FM transmitter to transmit music played through the USB, Bluetooth or AUX input. The FM transmitter is programmable and has three total presets that can be set to three different frequencies. The unit works as advertised and we offer our overall opinions below:
PRO:
1. MB-3 has the Parrot chipset, so compatibility and quality are good.
2. It can provide a charge point for Apple, Android, Blackberry and more, from your armrest.
CON:
1. If you use any of the supplied charge/music cables, you can not close your armrest fully and the cables need to extend outside the armrest as there is no room for both the MB-3 and any phone/player besides maybe an iPod Nano inside the armrest.
2. All music played through the device goes through the FM transmitter. Some people do not mind FM transmitters. In our tests the background hiss was always present on every frequency we tried. If you have already used FM transmitters in the past, and are happy with them, then this will work fine for you. If you are more critical of the sound, you will not be happy with the music sound quality.
MB-2 MSRP is $299
MB-3 MSRP is $459
The above prices are MSRP set by the manufacturer, Cartronics.com does not sell them for MSRP, usually a bit less. It should also be noted, that Cartronics.com is the exclusive North American supplier of the MB-2 and MB-3. The manufacturer has clamped down hard on warranty and serial number matching. If the serial number of any MB-2 or MB-3 does not match one imported by Cartronics.com, there is no warranty available on the unit. No matter what some dealers may advertise, they must purchase from Cartronics.com distribution network for a warranty to apply. If you are in doubt, please call Cartronics.com and find out if the retailer that you are purchasing from is an authorized dealer of Cartronics.com
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Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 72
Likes: 0
From: San Diego
2000 CLK430 Cab - sold; 2009 C350 White with Mocha P2,MM,18" AMG,Pano roof
I am a big Pandora fan and was looking for a way to stream Pandora from my Droid Pro in my wife's 2008 E. Last week I had the Parrot MKi9200 kit installed along with a new fiber interface called a QCFiberA-MK and it works great. I not only got Pandora streaming I got full hands free voice activated bluetooth calling, A2DP music streaming, Ipod/iPhone charging interface, USB port, SDCard slot and auxiliary input. I finally got everything I wanted with one Parrot kit install that only took a half hour for my installer to put in. And all under 500 bucks including install. To think I once paid $2K to order the analog Verizon phone in my CLK!
Former Vendor of MBWorld
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,199
Likes: 6
From: Atlanta
05 CL65 AMG, 07 Ferrari F430, 03 Range Rover HSE
However, the Parrot is not integrated into the car at all. They keypad on the dash does not work, the displays don't work and extra buttons have to be put in the car somewhere. ALso the Parrot will not work on the COMAND radios at all, since they are all fiber optic based.
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 72
Likes: 0
From: San Diego
2000 CLK430 Cab - sold; 2009 C350 White with Mocha P2,MM,18" AMG,Pano roof
However, the Parrot is not integrated into the car at all. They keypad on the dash does not work, the displays don't work and extra buttons have to be put in the car somewhere. ALso the Parrot will not work on the COMAND radios at all, since they are all fiber optic based.
Former Vendor of MBWorld
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,199
Likes: 6
From: Atlanta
05 CL65 AMG, 07 Ferrari F430, 03 Range Rover HSE
That is exactly like I said - you can not dial from the keypad, the caller id does not come up in the instrument cluster and radio screen, your phonebook is not in the cluster or radio. You do have external devices such as the display and remote, that are mounted in the car. I am glad it works for you, but it is not what many Mercedes clients are looking for. For just a little more, the iTronic BT is 100% integrated and does all the features of the Parrot and many more. As a sponsor we just want to keep all info on the table, I hope you understand.
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 72
Likes: 0
From: San Diego
2000 CLK430 Cab - sold; 2009 C350 White with Mocha P2,MM,18" AMG,Pano roof
Thanks. Sounds great. I use voice dialing and the Parrot kit announces my caller, so I don't need to call from the keypad. But your kit sounds intriguing. Does it show the song playing when you stream from Pandora on an Android phone? How much does the iTronic cost with Pandora features?
Also, maybe you can help me. I also own a car with a hard wired aux in jack and want to use Pandora in there too. Do you make a wireless A2DP adapter that will pair just the A2DP protocol from my phone and still allow me to remain paired with the built in bluetooth in the car (not A2DP capable I'm afraid).
Also, maybe you can help me. I also own a car with a hard wired aux in jack and want to use Pandora in there too. Do you make a wireless A2DP adapter that will pair just the A2DP protocol from my phone and still allow me to remain paired with the built in bluetooth in the car (not A2DP capable I'm afraid).
Last edited by SDGuy; Jun 2, 2011 at 11:15 AM.
Former Vendor of MBWorld
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,199
Likes: 6
From: Atlanta
05 CL65 AMG, 07 Ferrari F430, 03 Range Rover HSE
There are several devices (one made by Sony) that work with bluetooth and an Aux jack. We have a bluetooth dongle that works on the end of an iPod cable (AnyStream) for A2DP streaming.
The iTronic will support Pandora out of the box and it will control track forward and back. One of our models announces callers, by voice too. We don't quote prices in the forum, as the post lats for years, and prices change. But you can check our site - Cartronics.com for current prices and feature set.
The iTronic will support Pandora out of the box and it will control track forward and back. One of our models announces callers, by voice too. We don't quote prices in the forum, as the post lats for years, and prices change. But you can check our site - Cartronics.com for current prices and feature set.
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 758
Likes: 1
From: Warren, NJ
'05 E320 CDI;'04 S2k;'94 Supra TT;'10 QX56;'38 Buick;98 Port City Offset Late Model
Update...back and forth between the MB-2 and MB-3, an one year old MB-2 at a very attractive price became available.
Still getting the hang of it. The installation was a snap. Pressed the on button and the pair button and than also went quickly. Voice dialing worked, all the old voice tags were there; on our Infiniti they are tied to the phone separately and were lost, or at least inaccessible.
The sync worked, although each number became its own entry with the same name. That requires looking at the number displayed at the bottom and knowing which number is which for each entry. It downloaded the fax numbers the same as the phone numbers.
So issue one is how to handle the sync to get the number name (work, home, cell, etc.) in the label, maybe keep the middle initial and suffix/title out of the label, and prevent non-voice numbers (i.e. fax) from being downloaded.
When the car is turned off the adapter stays on. I'm sure the power drain is low but it is also non-zero. Do you have to press the off and on button each time you use the car?
My wife (after all it is her car) was on the phone an entered the car. The MB-2 connected, dropped the existing call, and started dialing another number. I wasn't there and can only relate the info second hand, but it does sound like problem in the connect. Shouldn't it have just transferred the call to the Bluetooth or even waited for the call to be explicitly transferred? Wife's phone is an HTC Incredible.
The MB-2 is paired with both my wife's phone and my Samsung Fascinate. However, it only displays the phonebook of one of the connected phones. Is it possible to control which phone it is connected to for the phonebook and outgoing calls while keeping both phones connected for incoming calls? In addition to accessing the phonebook, Verizon 3G doesn't support voice and data concurrently. This would let the passenger use their phone for data without being interrupted by phone calls.
Thanks,
David
Still getting the hang of it. The installation was a snap. Pressed the on button and the pair button and than also went quickly. Voice dialing worked, all the old voice tags were there; on our Infiniti they are tied to the phone separately and were lost, or at least inaccessible.
The sync worked, although each number became its own entry with the same name. That requires looking at the number displayed at the bottom and knowing which number is which for each entry. It downloaded the fax numbers the same as the phone numbers.
So issue one is how to handle the sync to get the number name (work, home, cell, etc.) in the label, maybe keep the middle initial and suffix/title out of the label, and prevent non-voice numbers (i.e. fax) from being downloaded.
When the car is turned off the adapter stays on. I'm sure the power drain is low but it is also non-zero. Do you have to press the off and on button each time you use the car?
My wife (after all it is her car) was on the phone an entered the car. The MB-2 connected, dropped the existing call, and started dialing another number. I wasn't there and can only relate the info second hand, but it does sound like problem in the connect. Shouldn't it have just transferred the call to the Bluetooth or even waited for the call to be explicitly transferred? Wife's phone is an HTC Incredible.
The MB-2 is paired with both my wife's phone and my Samsung Fascinate. However, it only displays the phonebook of one of the connected phones. Is it possible to control which phone it is connected to for the phonebook and outgoing calls while keeping both phones connected for incoming calls? In addition to accessing the phonebook, Verizon 3G doesn't support voice and data concurrently. This would let the passenger use their phone for data without being interrupted by phone calls.
Thanks,
David
Former Vendor of MBWorld
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,199
Likes: 6
From: Atlanta
05 CL65 AMG, 07 Ferrari F430, 03 Range Rover HSE
See answers below with !!!! in front of them
Update...back and forth between the MB-2 and MB-3, an one year old MB-2 at a very attractive price became available.
Still getting the hang of it. The installation was a snap. Pressed the on button and the pair button and than also went quickly. Voice dialing worked, all the old voice tags were there; on our Infiniti they are tied to the phone separately and were lost, or at least inaccessible.
The sync worked, although each number became its own entry with the same name. That requires looking at the number displayed at the bottom and knowing which number is which for each entry. It downloaded the fax numbers the same as the phone numbers.
So issue one is how to handle the sync to get the number name (work, home, cell, etc.) in the label, maybe keep the middle initial and suffix/title out of the label, and prevent non-voice numbers (i.e. fax) from being downloaded.
!!!!PHONE dependent. The iPhone, for example, can send sub categories etc, to the car.
When the car is turned off the adapter stays on. I'm sure the power drain is low but it is also non-zero. Do you have to press the off and on button each time you use the car?
!!!!!It goes off after about 3 to 4 minutes (Off completely) Opening a door, trunk, locking or unlocking the car turns it back. Kind of like the fridge light, unless you sit in the car very still with key out and open and close driver door, you will not see it go off.
My wife (after all it is her car) was on the phone an entered the car. The MB-2 connected, dropped the existing call, and started dialing another number. I wasn't there and can only relate the info second hand, but it does sound like problem in the connect. Shouldn't it have just transferred the call to the Bluetooth or even waited for the call to be explicitly transferred? Wife's phone is an HTC Incredible.
!!!!!MANY MANY posts on this. This is a Droid problem. Droid's are currently frought with many bluetooth issues. It is because of the non-regulation of the platform. They are getting fixed by the carriers and phone makers, but slowly.
The MB-2 is paired with both my wife's phone and my Samsung Fascinate. However, it only displays the phonebook of one of the connected phones. Is it possible to control which phone it is connected to for the phonebook and outgoing calls while keeping both phones connected for incoming calls? In addition to accessing the phonebook, Verizon 3G doesn't support voice and data concurrently. This would let the passenger use their phone for data without being interrupted by phone calls.
!!!!!NO - not in the Bluetooth Consortium protocol. One phone at a time.
Thanks,
David
Still getting the hang of it. The installation was a snap. Pressed the on button and the pair button and than also went quickly. Voice dialing worked, all the old voice tags were there; on our Infiniti they are tied to the phone separately and were lost, or at least inaccessible.
The sync worked, although each number became its own entry with the same name. That requires looking at the number displayed at the bottom and knowing which number is which for each entry. It downloaded the fax numbers the same as the phone numbers.
So issue one is how to handle the sync to get the number name (work, home, cell, etc.) in the label, maybe keep the middle initial and suffix/title out of the label, and prevent non-voice numbers (i.e. fax) from being downloaded.
!!!!PHONE dependent. The iPhone, for example, can send sub categories etc, to the car.
When the car is turned off the adapter stays on. I'm sure the power drain is low but it is also non-zero. Do you have to press the off and on button each time you use the car?
!!!!!It goes off after about 3 to 4 minutes (Off completely) Opening a door, trunk, locking or unlocking the car turns it back. Kind of like the fridge light, unless you sit in the car very still with key out and open and close driver door, you will not see it go off.
My wife (after all it is her car) was on the phone an entered the car. The MB-2 connected, dropped the existing call, and started dialing another number. I wasn't there and can only relate the info second hand, but it does sound like problem in the connect. Shouldn't it have just transferred the call to the Bluetooth or even waited for the call to be explicitly transferred? Wife's phone is an HTC Incredible.
!!!!!MANY MANY posts on this. This is a Droid problem. Droid's are currently frought with many bluetooth issues. It is because of the non-regulation of the platform. They are getting fixed by the carriers and phone makers, but slowly.
The MB-2 is paired with both my wife's phone and my Samsung Fascinate. However, it only displays the phonebook of one of the connected phones. Is it possible to control which phone it is connected to for the phonebook and outgoing calls while keeping both phones connected for incoming calls? In addition to accessing the phonebook, Verizon 3G doesn't support voice and data concurrently. This would let the passenger use their phone for data without being interrupted by phone calls.
!!!!!NO - not in the Bluetooth Consortium protocol. One phone at a time.
Thanks,
David
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 758
Likes: 1
From: Warren, NJ
'05 E320 CDI;'04 S2k;'94 Supra TT;'10 QX56;'38 Buick;98 Port City Offset Late Model
Thanks!
The first issue would be software related; I'm using Bluetooth File Transfer. It would appear there would need to be an option to configure which fields to transfer and how to label them.
Other Bluetooth devices don't disconnect the call when they connect. Is there any diagnosis as to the cause of the problem?
On the last, most current high end Bluetooth headsets appear connect to two devices concurrently. I thought the MB-2 could receive calls from multiple devices (albeit one at a time) but used only one for transmit.
The first issue would be software related; I'm using Bluetooth File Transfer. It would appear there would need to be an option to configure which fields to transfer and how to label them.
Other Bluetooth devices don't disconnect the call when they connect. Is there any diagnosis as to the cause of the problem?
On the last, most current high end Bluetooth headsets appear connect to two devices concurrently. I thought the MB-2 could receive calls from multiple devices (albeit one at a time) but used only one for transmit.
Former Vendor of MBWorld
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,199
Likes: 6
From: Atlanta
05 CL65 AMG, 07 Ferrari F430, 03 Range Rover HSE
Thanks!
The first issue would be software related; I'm using Bluetooth File Transfer. It would appear there would need to be an option to configure which fields to transfer and how to label them.
Other Bluetooth devices don't disconnect the call when they connect. Is there any diagnosis as to the cause of the problem?
On the last, most current high end Bluetooth headsets appear connect to two devices concurrently. I thought the MB-2 could receive calls from multiple devices (albeit one at a time) but used only one for transmit.
The first issue would be software related; I'm using Bluetooth File Transfer. It would appear there would need to be an option to configure which fields to transfer and how to label them.
Other Bluetooth devices don't disconnect the call when they connect. Is there any diagnosis as to the cause of the problem?
On the last, most current high end Bluetooth headsets appear connect to two devices concurrently. I thought the MB-2 could receive calls from multiple devices (albeit one at a time) but used only one for transmit.
Again, basic headset profiles are different than automotive "headset" profiles. It get sticky technically, but with a headset, it may not disconnect. With a Toyota, it may or may not disconnect. The Mercedes requires that the letter of bluetooth law be followed, and many a Droid device exhibit this problem. Blackberry (all but one model), iPhone, and 98% of the currently marketed basic phones follow the rules. However Droid has simply been problematic in this area. Many Droids have been fixed over time with updates from Carriers or Manufacturers, only to have new ones come out that are broken in some new way. It seems these manufacturers are so busy trying to take down RIM and Apple, that they really are beta testing on unsuspecting customers. When a new one is released every couple of days, you get the idea. If you are on Verizon, they are the most guilty of all, of releasing crappy bluetooth stack profiles. Fully 80% of Mercedes smartphone clients are on iPhone and Blackberry. 20% are on Droid as of April. However, 70% of our support calls come from Droid owners.
The headsets that can do two phones at once are doing so with a dual channel bt chipset. That way they can stay within protocol and deliver that function. However, there is currently no automotive manufacturer that can address the complications of handling dual channels and safety issues, yadda yadda with such a setup. A car is certainly infinitely more complex than a headset, and much more systems are integrated. For instance, your steering wheel runs on the CANBus, the stereo on the M.O.S.T. bus and then they have to talk together and multitask many items at once. I would not want to be the manufacturer that got the pants sued off because the car was too busy handling multiple calls, calls on hold from multiple phones, and have a safety system not respond in the millisecond required to do the job.
Sorry, long winded answer, but people need to know what is really going on behind the scenes. Makes our clients better understand our products and what goes into them.
Former Vendor of MBWorld
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,199
Likes: 6
From: Atlanta
05 CL65 AMG, 07 Ferrari F430, 03 Range Rover HSE
Lastly, your MB2 should have come with 2 manuals, and 2 update cables. You probably don't know the age of it, if it was used, or purchased from a non-authorized dealer (we are the only US authorized dealer). The non-authorized dealers are often selling the 1st gen models (as they can not buy the latest model since they are not authorized), and almost always do not include the specialized CPU update cable. So check that first.
The very first thing I would do is make sure it is updated to the latest software. That can also be a contributing factor.
The very first thing I would do is make sure it is updated to the latest software. That can also be a contributing factor.
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 758
Likes: 1
From: Warren, NJ
'05 E320 CDI;'04 S2k;'94 Supra TT;'10 QX56;'38 Buick;98 Port City Offset Late Model
Lastly, your MB2 should have come with 2 manuals, and 2 update cables. You probably don't know the age of it, if it was used, or purchased from a non-authorized dealer (we are the only US authorized dealer). The non-authorized dealers are often selling the 1st gen models (as they can not buy the latest model since they are not authorized), and almost always do not include the specialized CPU update cable. So check that first.
The very first thing I would do is make sure it is updated to the latest software. That can also be a contributing factor.
The very first thing I would do is make sure it is updated to the latest software. That can also be a contributing factor.
I didn't update the software, but did try to register. I entered the information and submitted. Never received anything back. The download for the upgrade and the USB driver all require a logon. How do you get a logon.
Also tried just leaving it and letting it sync on its own. It did, took a bit over 10 minutes, not remembering between sessions. My QX56 needed the BTF to sync, and the truck remembers the settings, letting you apply voice tags. Does the MB-3 syncs much faster?
We are on Verizon; I have a Samsung Fascinate and my wife has an HTC Incredible. Both are running 2.2.
