etenn

Don't know if this was discussed...I did not see it if it was.

After changing to the Euro setting using the 357 "trick", the Nav voice changes to a British accent as we discussed in the other thread. I can't see any other changes as it is hard to change back and forth.

I did discover a big difference in the radio settings. I now have RDS that gives the song playing, the artist, sometimes the weather forecast, etc.

The Euro softkey menu on the audio screen is:
Presets
TA (?? it turns on but nothing happens that I can see)
FM/AM (different than US setting)
Scan
Setting (see below)

The "setting" key brings up a choice of
RDS Standard
RDS with Local
RDS Off
TP Volume (Don't know what this does..there is a volume adjustment)

I was really surprised as I had thought that we could not get RDS on the US Command unit.

Anyone else found this?

Oslo

Traffic Program (TP): This symbol alerts you to the fact that the station you’re listening too regularly broadcasts special traffic information. You can search for TP stations so you’ll always have that extra edge as you’re commuting or driving on that long vacation. Think of TP as the "road sign" for Traffic Announcement (TA) listed in "Dynamic" services immediately below.

RDS "Dynamic" services:

Traffic Announcement (TA): This is the active side of TP capability. TA even allows you to program tuners to constantly monitor TP stations and tune them in automatically if a special announcement is being made -- even if you’re already listening to another broadcast, a cassette, or a CD at the time! This guarantees up-to-the-minute information to make your trip easier.

saffrontiger

Sorry to ask this, but could you review step by step how you did this. I think it would be cool to have a Brit voice as well as RDS.
Thanks so much,
Jay

bmms8

thanks a lot for the info etenn. it worked like a charm!! some things that were wierd was under NAV, for the route button, there is like fastest, and a couple other options, that differed from the US version. also, under nav, there is no home buton like the US.

also, does anyone know how to work TA?

saff, you need to be under the radio, and press 3 5 7 at the same time. then under the menu go to w211_ECE or whatever. then turn the radio off for 3 minz i believe. when you turn it back on, there should be a TA button on the main screen, and a little strenth bar, like phones have at the bottom right. to get to rds, go to setting like etenn mentioned and click rds with local. GL

Thanks a lot etenn!!

etenn

The "357" code is explained in this thread: https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w211/79901-secret-menu-05-s-comand-unit.html

If you can get your unit changed over the to European setting you will have the Brit voice.

If you want the RDS (shows what song is playing and the artist)..follow the original post on this thread.

If it is not clear...I will try to clear it up.

I still have to find and try the Maybach setting.

saffrontiger

ty

etenn

Anyone else using the RDS setting on the US Command?

Sounds like Bmms, Saffron and myself are the only ones using it...or maybe the only ones interested.

scorchie

When I activated it in my E-class (many months ago or whenever it was), I immediate turned it off in the menus, as I do with RDS in all my cars. There is some problem with the PTY or the "best station" in the Bay Area radio stations, and it just messes everything up.

Of course, with satellite radio, who needs RDS.

-s-

SGEM

Not yet...I am REALLY thinking about it now. I like the feature of getting the song's name and artist.

alewifebp

I've always wanted this after seeing it in other cars. I will now have to try that as well. It probably will be fun to hear the British nav voice too.

But out of the maybe 10 times I've tried to get in to the mode, I have only successfully done it twice, once to change it, and another to change it back.

bmms8

i havent used the nav since the change, oly heard her voice, but she sounds much more clearer. also, it seems like she talks slower, which is imo better, when you press rpt in the us version, she says navigation is not active within a second. in the euro, she takes her time, sounds better imo.

Brav

I have an early 04, and no luck. But ive read conflicting info, or im just a retard and dont get it. From waht I can tell you have to have the car on, radio on, then hold 357. Does the menu come up then? or do you have to shut the car off? I got something to flash on the screen, AMsomething, but no luck with any menu. is the 3 minute wait for the options to take effect?

marksatex

I am interested in this ! I will make an attempt today and see what happens. We have a a traffice system here in San Antonio ( I forget the name and too lazy to go look this morning) but it supposedly will interface in some way....The idea is to post traffic alerts into the NAV

bmms8

here is a rundown. ***Remember, this wont work for everyones NAV***

Have radio on, having the car engine on doesnt matter. just for a precaution, go to "fm." Then press the numbers 3, 5, and 7, all that the same time, hold these three buttons until the menu comes up, it shouldnt take more than 2 seconds. a menu will come up with 6 or 7 options for your NAV choice. it will be selected on w211_US. select w211_ECE(this is the only other W211 option) then press exit. it will take you back to the radio screen. nothing will have changed. then turn the radio off. wait 5 minutes(this is where the change will occur. Turn radio back on. the color, and mostly all the buttons will be the same. some soft keys will be different, like "TA", and on the botom right of your screen you will see a phone strength bar. to get to RDS you will need to press the setting softkey. select RDS with local. press exit, and RDS should be on, remember it doesnt work on every station, so you will need to go through stations to make sure its working. there are many more options you can play with, and many options dont work, like you cannot scan stations with the arrow buttons.

DownSides-

This will change some options like i said, and i havent been through everything, butwhat i noticed was the scan thing like i said before, i also dont believe your "serv" button works. though those options under than button can be found somewhere else. also, map button doesnt work, im sure it works in nav, but w/o nav turned on, i dont believe you can view the map. under NAV, some options have changed, your layout for NAV has changed, and there is no home button anymore, so you need to go to memory to select home. i am not sure if this is correct, but i dont believe there are POI's, only a hotel feature. one good thing about this nav system is that you can search by a zip code. this is great because sometimes if i am looking for somones house, i am not sure what city the nav is called.

hopefully all of this jabber has made sense. i am not sure on somethings above because i did this yesterday, so i remembered whatever i could. Hopefully it will work for most of us, depending on the year i guess. I dont think 05's work though. GL. i will post pics of the way to get to the euro version.

Miguk_Saram

bmms8:

FYI. Turning RDS off will enable navigating the radio stations with the arrow keys (I have this issue with my Euro COMMAND). Also, with RDS on the steering wheel controls are reversed (up-arrow DECREASES the frequency, and down-arrow INCREASES).

bmms8

hey, thanks for the tips. its also cool how the mfd shows the rds on the screen in the radio menu. thanks again.

Brav

I tried it several times again, and no luck.. engine on, engine off, FM, AM, CD, no luck

I just realized, my COMAND unit was replaced under warranty for a defect. Maybe somehow its a different version?

sucks. one of my biggest gripes was RDS. MBUSA is wayyyy to corporate changing all of this stuff time to go back to basics- common sense approach..

bmms8

brav, try pressing mute+357 at the same time to see if that works. i remember awiner saying something about this. you can try to search for the old thread, but he said mute+three other buttons would work. GL

MB4Fun

Interested in the RDS for US Command on a 2004 E320. Does this work if you DO NOT have nav? Thanks for the help.

bmms8

mb4fun, i have no clue, but it doesnt hurt to try, GL with it!

Brav

no luck.. even tried 159, and other permutations..

bmms8

damn, sorry man, maybe your version is more updated than the 03's. the rds feature is cool, but i dont know if its such a big deal. its cool to have, but one thing i noticed was that if the signal from the station isnt perfect, i dont think it will pick up on the rds i might be wrong, since i havent used it much, but thats what it looked like, maybe someone else can clear that up.

CALBenzo

Bummer! Mine doesn't work either.

Brav

sucks to be the "middle child" between 03 and 05.

Miguk_Saram

bmms8:

Not all stations broadcast an RDS signal, so you will not always get RDS Info.

Here, in the Washington, DC area (USA), the only station I have found that broadcasts full RDS is 97.1 (easy listening / soft rock -- barf!!); a few of the other stations broadcast station info (ie. HOT 100.5), but not song titles.

In any case, it'll depend on what's available in your area.

Personally, I rarely listen to the radio.. RDS is a novelty that my "ball-and-chain" enjoys (she's in to that mushy stuff [but aren't they all!]). Me? Hook me up with a non-stop, Vocal-Trance mix and I'm good to go.. too bad you can't get that on the radio over here (RAP seems to prevail.. )..

..if I could just get a live feed from DigitallyImported.Com to my COMMAND unit.. ah.. heaven..