eugeni74

Please advise best way to have bluetooth for phone and music?

RCPDesigns

Search the forum. You need a "puck with a tail". https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...-question.html
You have to go to the dealer to get it version coded after you install it.
I know with our 2004 you cannot get bluetooth music. You need to use the AUX port that is in the glovebox to connect your phone to play music.

rapidoxidation

I've found that a carefully run Aux cable from the glovebox works quite well for music and for phone. Not quite as convenient as you have to plug the phone in and you get to see a wire, but a vent mounted phone carrier will allow for easy control and surprisingly good clarity on both ends of a call.

cetialpha5

I don't think you can get bluetooth music until the 2011 E-350. Even the 2010 didn't have it, but it could be enabled. No bluetooth music for W211. I kinda like the ipod touch cable better than bluetooth.

burgca

You can use a Bluetooth adapter through the Aux port for Music and phone if you don't want to upgrade the audio system
https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...at-s-nest.html

arto_wa

For music I bought used iPod Touch from eBay vendor for $50 and connected it to the Aux wire that was already in the glove box. The connector is the flat type used before lightning type.
For me it works best with the iPod in the shuffle mode!


My iPhone 5S paired easily with the Bluetooth puck that came with the car and was already in the center console.
The phone works fine handsfree when receiving calls but to make a call I pretty well need to select the number to call from the phone itself.

Yes, it's possible to select number to call in the instrument cluster with the steering wheel buttons but it's awkward!

You should be able to find some info here:

http://wireless4mb.com/


Did your car come with factory "mobile pre.-installation" option (code 389 in my car)?

cetialpha5

Bluetooth changed with the year. It's probably the same for 2007-2008, maybe 2006 as that's when the facelift happened. I think 2009 was a newer version of NTG so it was built in. So I'm not really sure if all that applies to a 2005. But yeah, the ipod touch is the best way to go for me. I run spotify on it and just bring it home once in a while to sync up with the latest playlist. It has the older 30 pin cable although I think there's a newer lighting cable. Ipod touch 4 is the best way to go as it's a $200 player that now goes for $30-$50 on ebay, craigslist. I think I have over 1000 entries in my phone book so I always get a message that says the address memory is full, I think MB limited it 250 entries so I never use the controls on the steering wheel, it'd take forever. Thankfully my Android phone has voice control and it's usually pretty good about selecting the right number when speaking out loud. The best part of using the ipod cable is that you can control the music being played from the steering wheel, if you just use the aux input, you don't have steering wheel control although the volume should still work.

arto_wa

Well, the OP asked for free advice and he got pretty good advice but we have not heard from him since...

eugeni74

Thank you for all responses! I normally use the AUX IN the glovebox for music, just got a little tired of plugging in every time. It also works for the phone, but still using the phone's microphone. Car doesn't come with factory puck, or at least I didn't see one. Have been looking into some of the of the aftermarket android head units on ebay. If one of these can also pull the google maps on from the phone on the screen would be great! Don't need the DVD player, that's stupid. But one of the posts is talking about re-wiring the amp in the back. That would be a pain, and don't want to do it. Willing to replace the whole head unit if I don't have to mess with the amp in the back.

YVR

kajtek1

When I know that playing music via command center in 2006 model is not going to be easy, I wonder if anyone tried one of those FM transmitters?
You plug it into headphones socket on your android, set the same FM band on it as well as on the radio and fire up.
I have 1 of those $10 adapters that I bought for my RV to play video sound from laptop via central speakers and after couple tries, found a model who works well.
Used it also in my house, who has central audio with amplifier upstairs, where playing TV sound would take running over 100' of ugly cable.
The transmitter works just fine.

EuroDriverSD

IMHO, best approach is to install an aftermarket head unit. I tried the BT puck/aux cable combo and got sick of all the quirks. I then went aftermarket and never looked back.
I don't know much about the Chinese android units but there's a few threads and how-to's here on the forum. If you want to go with a mainstream brand head unit, you're going to need a NAV-TV or Opti-1 module (it's a fiber-optic to analog converter). It's a bit expensive but well worth it. It makes the conversion plug-and-play without the need to rewire anything.

Here's the thread on what I did: Bluetooth Upgrade

arto_wa

I spent $54.99 on CoolStream Bluetooth receiver about year and half ago and it has worked flawlessly with iPhone in my 2008 W211!

kjb55

i hardwired in the Kinivio BTC450 in my 2006 E350 with COMAND. It works flawlessly, streams music via Bluetooth and the hands free phone works great.

YVR

arto_wa

If you search this site, you should be able to find info on how to connect "iPod cord" to the factory head unit and plug in Bluetooth receiver like many of us have done. If you are not iPhone user no problem, you can buy used older iPod pretty cheap and play music from that.
In my experience, iPhone (5S) has much better control for playing music then iPod (5th Gen.).

https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...ice-works.html

I suppose Android unit would also work!

cetialpha5

Hmm... I'm still using a 4th gen ipod Touch. Works fine. I just start it on my spotify playlist and then I can move up and down the song list and control the volume from the steering wheel. I just have to bring it inside every 30 days or less in order to sync the playlist.

arto_wa

Sure no problem, just my personal preference based on having both iPhone 5S and iPod 5th gen.

YVR

That would be pretty awesome and is probably my preferred solution. But I've been unable to find conclusive information of whether that's possible. The dealer says no, but it could just be that MB no longer produces the relevant parts. I've seen references to iPod connectors in gloveboxes, but mostly from people that already have one.

I have a headphone AUX jack in my glovebox, no iPod connectors. Can I tell if my head unit can accept some sort of iPod adapter? Is there a specific adapter I can get which will fit the head unit and leave me with an iPod connector (doesn't matter new/old; I can get adapters to solve that)?

Thanks in advance!

arto_wa

Please read post #8 by Strigoi regarding connecting iPod cable to the head unit:

https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...ice-works.html

Maybe he can help you more?
My car came with both iPod and Aux connections already installed in the glovebox. (Actually I have never tried the Aux connector and do not know if it is wired or not?)

arto_wa

Further to the above:
Apparently there are also a Bluetooth receivers that connect to the Aux connector, as mentioned by burgca in a post #5 above.

YVR

Thanks everyone for the suggestions! Sorry for being slow to circle back here. From posts and research online, it looks like there are three main options:

1. bluetooth receiver that plugs into AUX
   • Pro: cheap; easy to install
   • Con: wires hanging on front of dash; need to remember to turn off BT receiver
2. find wiring to adapt factory head unit for iPod
   • Pro: integration with iPod
   • Con: there seemed to be variations on parts and compatibility between adaptors, head units, factory installed cables, and phones and I couldn't definitively determine what would and wouldn't work without acquiring and trying; cost; not necessarily easy to install
3. replace stereo head unit
   • Pro: modern technology; ability to get android auto and apple carplay; modern navigation
   • Con: costs a lot more than option 1; several hours of work to install

For now, I've gone with option 1. I purchased and have been using it for over a month. It works pretty well considering it's so cheap (<$25).