PAL1973

Hello-

I just bought a 2002 ML320 w/22k miles.
I want to install my iPod Nano in it.
What is the best/cheapest way to get this done.
I have been told tha the FM modulator is not the way to go..but it is the cheapest, I have also been told to look at a unit made by Harmon Kardon which retails for about $200..

What have you guys done?
What have you spent?
And what are some good resources?

Oh yeah, I almost forgot.
I also want to add a hitch to tow my boat could you let me know which hitch to buy and where to get it?

Sorry for the newbie questions.
Thanks for your help!

PAL1973

Anyone out there?

///M3N

I think the cheapest way is to use a tape adaptor. That's what I'm using right now. Used my the old adaptor from my discman.

BiTurboV12 AMG

If you dont mind giving up your CD player i can tell you the best way to get the best quality CD sound from your ipod. You can do the ice link route but i prefer to keep control of my Ipod on my ipod and not in the MCS. Since with ice link you have to make play list and each play list can only hold 99 songs and you cant navigate well. So far for 02+ MLs with fiber optic CD changers you need to buy a Fiber optic converter. this converter will plug into the back of your MCS where your CD changer used to plug, by doing this it will give you a aux line in.

http://www.logjamelectronics.com/log...undauxmb1.html
That is the site for the converter. After you get that you can just go buy some Stereo adapter cables that plug into the 1/8 jack on the ipod or from that same site they have a product that will charge your ipod and play it through the base dock connector, by playing it out of the base dock connector it will give you the best sound and then you wont have to turn the volume on your ipod up all the way to hear it out of your cars stereo.

http://www.logjamelectronics.com/logjam/blitzuii.html
That is the product that allows you to charge and play.

If you want a cheaper alternative to the charger/player you can get one from belkin found at the link below

http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProdu...duct_Id=193794


i suggest not doing a Tape deck or FM modulator because of the sound quality. yes a tape deck only cost $20 and at first sounds good but i found after a week or so the quality degraded really bad. and so far i have only been happy with the direct connection in-place of the CD player, who needs a CD player when you have an IPod.


If you are reading this and have a 00ML and lower you do not need the Fiber optic converter box all you have to do is buy this auxinr2 pice and plug it in-place of your CD player and it will give you a line in with R and L audio like the fiber optic converter and it only cost $12.99. If you have a 02 and up ML dont waste your money on the auxin2r in hopes it will work it wont.

here is the link for 00MLs and lower with none fiber optic MCS

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-iHBMbg2...0&I=023AUXIN2R

Somewhere there is a DIY on this i used to have pictures but they where lost on my computer if i remember right wolfgangs site has the DIY . If any of you need further help or have any questions you can contact me via PM or on AIM my screen name is BiTurbo V12 AMG

BiTurboV12 AMG

Could you post the link for the harmen kardon thing? I think i know what it is and it only works with pre MCS ML's since in the 02 MLs the problem with getting an audio input is the fiber optics used.

PAL1973

Has anyone bought this?
Neo iOn SP
Mercedes Benz: ML-Class : 2001 - 2004
The Neo iOn connects the iPod (3rd/4th/5th gen, mini, Photo, HP, U2, video and nano – ALL iPods with a dock connector on the bottom) to your Mercedes Benz radio. Full quality audio and controls - easy installation!
$449

Anybody know about these?

-PL

springerfever

$449.00 for an adapter ?

BiTurboV12 AMG

Its like the Ice link. but with that the control on your MCS is limited only to changing tracks and your ipod basically shows up as a CD with 99 tracks and its annoying to change them or to find a song. The options i listed cost about half that.

SpeedLimits?

I have the Harman Kardon Drive+Play in my M3 and have been pretty happy with it while using my nano. It does not work that will with the hard drive based players because of the seek time associated with the hard drive, the drive+play really does not like having to wait on the iPod and is prone to freezing up. With that said, it is NOT an issue with the flash memory based nano. This is so far the best aftermarket solution I have seen for taking an ipod signal and playing it over an aux. input. What would of course be the ideal solution is a integration to the stock Mercedes headunit that displayed the ID3 tags of the music. I do not know if such an integration exists because I have not followed these boards much lately.