Hello folks, finally got Xentry 9/15 and a SDC 4 mux for my W212. I knew up front there were few resources online for learning. Just did not know how few!

The ******* forum is a wealth of information if you have a problem with the mux or are trying to offline program a module. Not the place for a Mercedes customer maintaining his/her car to ask noob questions.

Using the simulator and examining Actual Values are interesting, but this is starting to take too much time from other things. Any insights are greatly appreciated!

I'll also chat with our local MBCA prez and see what's available.

 

I am looking at getting a Xentry also. Can you share what you purchased and how much? Thanks

 

For a year I had been trying to find one from a previous owner, but they were older C3 systems that would not work with the W212. Thought I had done enough research, but the learning really didn't begin until I unboxed it. Some of it was not pleasant. Here's what I've learned...take with a grain of salt. I'm just an engineer nearing retirement, curious how things work. Please correct any factual inaccuracies.

There are a few routes to go:

1. Some folks around the world offer a value add by sourcing components (i.e. the laptop and mux) from eBay and/or China and ship a turnkey system. You may or not be able to put these systems on the internet (see item 2). These cost a few hundred more than the price of typical turnkey Chinese systems. You are paying for their trouble, i.e. updating the mux, installing/configuring/Xentry key generation, and dealing with issues you can have when buying a refurb laptop or a junk clone mux. You may or may not get a warranty. Get it in writing, and ask if they stock spares.

2. Cross your fingers and order 'new' direct from China. These are supposed to be turnkey systems. Some people have said they are just as advertised and a bargain; some say it's a nightmare and you get what you pay for. Examples are hooking up to the internet and finding their mux blacklisted by Mercedes. Anothr is to update the mux online or locally and it becomes a brick.

3. Order the mux/cables from China, get your own Windows 7 laptop w/internal HDD, and download software from *******'s forum (after you join, which costs ten bucks to join and is well worth it). You may or may not need to pay for a particular software key. There is more than one flavor of Xentry. I would have never known this except for *******. For example, Vediamo gets high praise from people who need/want to do offline module programming in addition to regular diagnosis/repair/adaptations.

People may ask which I did, and it was option one. Buyer beware; know more than I did before ordering! The system worked out of the box, but right away it was evident the mux needed some cable surgery and TLC before I felt it would be reliable. This provided the lesson about knowing all clones come from China and vary widely in terms of QC. Search on C4 mux quality in ******* for more detailed information. We worked it out and to their credit it was made right without a battle. I learned a hell of a lot about the C4 mux. Just in time for the C5 clones. BTW, there are 'genuine' C5 muxes for sale. Twelve grand. The real thing is a tad pricey.

Whichever route chosen, join *******. Very helpful with mux issues, patches/updates and module programming. Always use PayPal. Mine ended up costing a grand, and if I ever sell it the price won't be that far off because there is great value in buying a pre-vetted system from someone who was a good steward. I got a better Win 7 laptop with more memory than the typical Dell 630 running XP. Makes a difference.

Since we're in the W212 forum, DAS really isn't in the vocabulary for cars made after 2009. From my version of Xentry (9/15) you can launch DAS, but you will read that Xentry will soon be the only way to launch. If you continue you will see the W212 is listed as 'prototype'. The UI is different with new Xentry, the F2/F3 almost Windows 3.1 'data are being determined....' interface is gone.

I'll share things as they are learned. Almost there with lowering Airmatic, experimenting with the effects of tweaking inclination angle. Wish I had this when replacing the rear airbags, would have been easier.

 

BMWtoAMG i appreciate the complete reply.
I have just started on the Xentry research and signed up to ******* last night. Seems to be some extremely smart people there.
Sounds like finding something complete is the way to go.
One question I have for you if you know. Is for the w212 (2012 specifically) is a C4 mux sufficient or is a C5 needed?

Too bad there isn't a xentry specific form here...

 

A C4 is fine for certain. I'd poke around ******* to see opinions on C5 clones.

Make sure Xentry is at least 9/15 and you should be fine. I am not having an easy time finding folks with specific W212 experience.

 

Will do. Any chance you're in the SF bay area?

 

get it from china , i bought mine there to !
get a complete package with the laptop and the c4

 

[UPDATE]


I just finished making a bootable Win 7 PE stick, along with imaging the disk drive. When buying a system like this, don't expect the source installation files to be provided on CD/DVD. Take system recovery into your own hands, as you may not have a genuine licensed copy of Windows or DAS/Xentry.


Make sure the system you buy has developer mode enabled, which is under DAS, not Xentry. I did not understand the W212 requires a hack (called the prototype hack) for developer mode to be available. I trusted the seller (sponsor on MBWorld) to know this, and subsequent requests for him to send it to me have gone unanswered.


Most won't need developer mode unless it's necessary to reprogram a module. Developer mode also has German menus despite everything else being in English.


I don't need it (yet), but there is an alternative, one I'm slowly learning as time permits--Vediamo. You can get a cracked version free from a number of forums, but it's not enough to get you fully up and running. Vediamo seems to be the direction for cars after 2010, especially ours. Like Developer mode, Vediamo is English until you start querying modules, then it switches to German.


That's it for now. Anyone new to this like me who has Vediamo and is struggling with the database or trying to figure out how to talk to the W212, I can probably help. Be sure Vediamo is installed on the Xentry system as it requires CAESAR drivers.

 

Most people playing with these are working on older cars, W212 are not really old enough yet to have significant issues that need this sort of thing without taking it to a dealer. I haven't really done any research on them, but I have heard from a couple people that the Xentry system is being sold as a Virtual PC on a portable hard drive. You just need VMware player or similar to spin it up, and the hardware piece passes through to the VM.

 

Good point, and I learned that too--lots of tuning and modding going on with pre-2009's, in particular AMG's. It's the same thing in the C5 and later Corvette world--most people go to the dealer, and a small group of enthusiasts maintain/tweak them as a hobby.


The VM solutions you mention are fine, and the way to go for someone with a new laptop, not wanting another. For me a cheap Dell with a cheap HDD and Fast Ethernet port made sense given it was going to get dirty hands all over it.