2005 E500 Comand unit upgrade with aftermarket one
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 35
Likes: 2
From: Costa Rica
2005 E500
2005 E500 Comand unit upgrade with aftermarket one
Hey, I have read many related posts, but rather than helping me, I am getting more confused. Can anyone share his/her experience with replacing the Comand unit with an aftermarket one? I am basically interested in something with GPS, audio, Bluetooth, WiFi, ODB II, Rear Camera and support for TPMS, and if it is touch-screen even better, my car has the HK fiber optic, any suggestion that can pin point me in the right direction is appreciated, thanks!
Last edited by ahering; Jan 10, 2019 at 07:37 PM.
Member
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 112
Likes: 27
From: Atlanta, GA
'07 E350 (W211)
Search for Android for w211, you'll find several options. They are all the same components essentially, just assembled and supported by different companies. Firmware can be flashed across the different brands you'll find. I bought a Belsee, Xtrons is one that seems to popup more in the forums, and there are several others. They all do everything you asked for... it's basically an android tablet. Here is a decent thread to start:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/and...hread-t3734189
There is a fibre optic conversion kit you can buy from most of the places you'll find the head units... this turns the analog signals into something the HK FO system can read. I personally decided to get rid of the factory amp and install an aftermarket one so I didn't use this. I didn't like that the fibre optic was limited in how you can tune your system, you can't fade or tweak channels individually. Plus if you want to tie into the factory antenna or GPS, you have to run some wires to the trunk, so I thought if I'm going to do that I've already got to run wires so what the hell. It was a lot of work though, and I wouldn't recommend taking on anything like this if you aren't pretty familiar with car audio and have done it before.
Here is a decent thread about the process of installing..... it's kind of all over the place, but if you have experience with car stereo stuff you can find what's useful and what's not. It's for an older unit, but still most of the installation details are exactly the same.
https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...-pics-txt.html
But let me tell you.... just do this ****. It' blows the stock POS out of the water. Maps and Waze and Pandora and Netflix and all at your fingertips. I did a custom Nexus 7 install in my last car so I was already hooked to android in the car, but this all-in-one unit is way better. Go do some research and ask more questions, and I'll try to help out.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/and...hread-t3734189
There is a fibre optic conversion kit you can buy from most of the places you'll find the head units... this turns the analog signals into something the HK FO system can read. I personally decided to get rid of the factory amp and install an aftermarket one so I didn't use this. I didn't like that the fibre optic was limited in how you can tune your system, you can't fade or tweak channels individually. Plus if you want to tie into the factory antenna or GPS, you have to run some wires to the trunk, so I thought if I'm going to do that I've already got to run wires so what the hell. It was a lot of work though, and I wouldn't recommend taking on anything like this if you aren't pretty familiar with car audio and have done it before.
Here is a decent thread about the process of installing..... it's kind of all over the place, but if you have experience with car stereo stuff you can find what's useful and what's not. It's for an older unit, but still most of the installation details are exactly the same.
https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...-pics-txt.html
But let me tell you.... just do this ****. It' blows the stock POS out of the water. Maps and Waze and Pandora and Netflix and all at your fingertips. I did a custom Nexus 7 install in my last car so I was already hooked to android in the car, but this all-in-one unit is way better. Go do some research and ask more questions, and I'll try to help out.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 35
Likes: 2
From: Costa Rica
2005 E500
Now we are talking! This is exactly what I was looking for, thanks for the so clear response, it is of great help. I did research on the Belsee unit and it is exactly what I want and you having a good experience with it makes me feel confident. Thanks!!!
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 2,290
Likes: 434
C320
Search for Android for w211, you'll find several options. They are all the same components essentially, just assembled and supported by different companies. Firmware can be flashed across the different brands you'll find. I bought a Belsee, Xtrons is one that seems to popup more in the forums, and there are several others. They all do everything you asked for... it's basically an android tablet. Here is a decent thread to start:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/and...hread-t3734189
There is a fibre optic conversion kit you can buy from most of the places you'll find the head units... this turns the analog signals into something the HK FO system can read. I personally decided to get rid of the factory amp and install an aftermarket one so I didn't use this. I didn't like that the fibre optic was limited in how you can tune your system, you can't fade or tweak channels individually. Plus if you want to tie into the factory antenna or GPS, you have to run some wires to the trunk, so I thought if I'm going to do that I've already got to run wires so what the hell. It was a lot of work though, and I wouldn't recommend taking on anything like this if you aren't pretty familiar with car audio and have done it before.
Here is a decent thread about the process of installing..... it's kind of all over the place, but if you have experience with car stereo stuff you can find what's useful and what's not. It's for an older unit, but still most of the installation details are exactly the same.
https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...-pics-txt.html
But let me tell you.... just do this ****. It' blows the stock POS out of the water. Maps and Waze and Pandora and Netflix and all at your fingertips. I did a custom Nexus 7 install in my last car so I was already hooked to android in the car, but this all-in-one unit is way better. Go do some research and ask more questions, and I'll try to help out.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/and...hread-t3734189
There is a fibre optic conversion kit you can buy from most of the places you'll find the head units... this turns the analog signals into something the HK FO system can read. I personally decided to get rid of the factory amp and install an aftermarket one so I didn't use this. I didn't like that the fibre optic was limited in how you can tune your system, you can't fade or tweak channels individually. Plus if you want to tie into the factory antenna or GPS, you have to run some wires to the trunk, so I thought if I'm going to do that I've already got to run wires so what the hell. It was a lot of work though, and I wouldn't recommend taking on anything like this if you aren't pretty familiar with car audio and have done it before.
Here is a decent thread about the process of installing..... it's kind of all over the place, but if you have experience with car stereo stuff you can find what's useful and what's not. It's for an older unit, but still most of the installation details are exactly the same.
https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...-pics-txt.html
But let me tell you.... just do this ****. It' blows the stock POS out of the water. Maps and Waze and Pandora and Netflix and all at your fingertips. I did a custom Nexus 7 install in my last car so I was already hooked to android in the car, but this all-in-one unit is way better. Go do some research and ask more questions, and I'll try to help out.
