gtownalum81

I purchased the ML350 earlier today. The ride/handling (7-speed is great) is definitely excellent considering it’s an SUV. Also, the interior is absolutely beautiful. However, I am really disappointed with the iPod integration kit. I spent an extra $399 for what? Granted, you can search through songs with the steering wheel controls (call/hang up buttons switch to/from menu screens). Yet, there is nothing that shows up in the COMAND screen itself. It simply says “Aux.” In fact, you can’t even switch songs, playlists, albums, or artists on the COMAND in the center console.

One other minor annoyance, it is unable to read Eastern languages though the iPod itself can read/organize Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.

Does anyone else have the iPod integration kit?

scorchie

You should have read in these forums that the iPod kit has nothing to do with the COMAND (and your car doesn't even have a COMAND, it has an MCS2). That was reported maybe five-six months ago and confirmed in April.

However, that's a good tip about the lack of Eastern languages, but I wonder if it supports Western European extended characters.

-s-

Paul Le Corre

A member here has a white ML 500 with the ipod kit. Perhaps he'll give his feedback here.

Juaser

I have the Ipod kit on mine. I don't mind that its not on the main screen. I'm mostly looking at the map anyway. Its pretty cool. Stuff like this is going to make CD players obsolete. I hardly use my 6 disc changer. I'm busy trying to find a way to circumvent MB's hold on the phone system. It probably won't be bluetooth, but if I can find a way to get a connector for a sony ercisson I will be in business.

scorchie

Depends which Sony Ericsson. You might want to do a little searching on "UHI" in the forums or on the internet.



-s-

Juaser

p910a. Wouldn't it just depend on the connector? any sony ericsson could fit in the connector if it was the right one. Cradles aside of course.

gtownalum81

Opps. It's not called COMAND anymore. I haven't kept up with Mercedes new technology since I purchased my S-Class an C-Class.

GregW / Oregon

Well, we're getting down to technicalities, but "MCS" stands for "Modular COMAND System" (p. 504 of Owner's Manual), so it does have COMAND.

Teg

I first was disappointed about it not showing up on the Command center but its quicker to look staight down then looking over to the center dash. It works and sounds great compared to my BMW Aux connection.

scorchie

If you are quoting page numbers, you need to quote the version and date of your manual... they change quite frequently.

Secondly, MCS2 is a follow-on to MCS ... MCS is "modular control system". The change to "COMAND" was at the last minute and a decision by MBUSA marketing (mine actually says "Modular COMAND Cöckpit Management and Data system" ... which is a change for COMAND as well). The MCS2 is definitely not a COMAND as defined by Mercedes-Benz. MCS2 is currently NA-market-only for the M-, C-, CLK-, and R-classes; whereas COMAND is only available in the US on G-, E-, CLS-, S-, SL-, and CL-classes. COMAND is available for the other classes outside of North America.

Try this: use a COMAND DVD navigation disc in your MCS2. Weird how it doesn't work?

-s-

edit: had to add an umlaut to the O so it would not get needlessly censored

GregW / Oregon

I was speaking of the W164 manual, which has not been out long enough to change, has it?

I have no doubt you are correct from the perspective of the evolution of the systems, but if M-B chooses to call it COMAND, that is how it will come to be known. Are you saying it has a totally different operating approach than the original COMAND system, or is the software just not backwards compatible?

Wolfgang

scorchie, they look different to me? The M-class doesn't have the slot at the top, but two slots inside when the face plate flips down.


2006 M-Class (MCS2 COMAND)


2005 C-Class and CLK (NTG-2 COMAND)

naidd

The COMAND on my 05 C230WZ looks exactly like the MCS2 in that picture. The buttons are exactly the same and there is no external slot. When it opens, there are two slots.

I'm pretty sure all 05's are like that.

I have the HK system if that matters.

Wolfgang

Great, welcome to Alpine DVD NAV!

MBUSA's build your own section has the wrong picture then. Here's a manual for the 2005 C, CLK and 2006 M-class W164 and R-class W251 COMANDs from Paul's site:

http://phdwebsite.powerpulse.cc/COMA...K%20COMAND.pdf

Realster

--------------------
Hi gtownalum81!

Sorry to hear that, but did you know the ML CD changer can play MP3 CDs???? Forget the iPod if you have the Entertainment Package. 6 CDs of MP3 should give you plenty of music for the road. Plus you'll get to see the song names on the Nav screen display.

GregW / Oregon

But only the first 99 tracks, I understand.

Chi500

I also heard it can play mp3s from DVD-R's

DCdriver

Just got a new 06 ML350 with entertainment pkg and ipod kit. my thoughts:

1. having the ipod hard wired in is a great feature - can't believe more mfgrs/models don't have this yet.
2. ability to integrate ipod into the new 06 ML was a real plus when we compared new suvs
3. having said that, I am a bit disappointed in the ineroperability of the ipod kit. If I just plugged a wire from the ipod to the jack, it's my understanding that I could have then controlled the song/playlist from the ipod itself and had it come through the stereo AUX. With the integration kit, the ipod (although it does charge), is stuck in the glove box and is locked up and can only be controlled through the steering wheel. On that score, the steering wheel controls aren't very intutitive and making changes on the go is a bit of a recipe for a wreck. Once it is running, it is great, but making DJ adjustments on the go is difficult -- and the passenger is left out. The passenger can't really see the screen and definitely can't pick the music. I don't understand why they can't make the dash screen info and steering controls show up on the COMAND (or whatever its new technical name is -- pretty sure i saw it called that somewhere in brochure or manual) unit for either person to access and see.

Considering that is the biggest complaint we have so far with our new 06 ML350, I can't complain. but it seems so obvious that barring a technical impossibility, i can't believe MB didn't make it work through the "COMAND".

GregW / Oregon

[QUOTE=DCdriver]Just got a new 06 ML350 with entertainment pkg and ipod kit. my thoughts:

I don't understand why they can't make the dash screen info and steering controls show up on the COMAND (or whatever its new technical name is -- pretty sure i saw it called that somewhere in brochure or manual)
[QUOTE]

P 504 of Owner's Manual - MCS = Modular COMAND System

AutoSaurus

DCdriver I couldn't agree more with your opinion. I actually had to get out the iPod manual in order to firgure out how to switch playlist, etc. It wasn't very intuative at first and can be a recipe for a wreck as you mentioned.

Sparky

My ML 500 is finally here. I'm having an after-market rear DVD player installed, so I won't pick the car up until Tuesday. I had planned to have the IPOD integration kit installed. However, based on the feedback in this thread, I told my salesperson that I had changed my mind. My salesperson is saying that the kit, when installed properly, is fully integrated into the steering wheel and the nav screen. I explained that I had heard differently, but he is adamant that he is correct. Can anyone shed further light on this?

DCdriver

My dealer (who I believe is a pretty honest guy) also thought that it would show on the main NAV screen. While I may show it to him on my next visit, both the manual that came with the integration kit and the flash animation demo on mb's website show it only on the mini-screen in the center of the gauges -- not on the big nav screen.

In my ML350, when you plug in the ipod, you have to hit audio twice to get to source selection screen, then choose aux. from that point, there are no commands via the nav screen or buttons, only through the steering wheel controls, with playlist and song showing up only on the mini screen. Scrolling songs and volume are easy, it is getting to a playlist that is a recipe for a wreck due to complex button combinations on steering wheel -- not very intuitive.

uscmscott

For people with Ipod Integration Kits Installed. How how is the user interface? Is is just song title display? Can you browse the ipod menus, to search for music by Playlists, Artists, Albums, etc. or can you just browse Playlists? Also is it possible to make song titles scroll? Any first hand info would be appreciated. I am hearing that the controls are difficult to master but I am wondering about if all music related capabilities are present; albeit awkward to navigate.

I almost always just run my iPod using Artists / Album search and not playlists. Not having that functionality would be a major bummer. Also does music pick up where you left off automatically or do you have to access ipod and turn it on when staring car?

Thanks

MendozaPhoto

A few observations about the iPod kit.
Firstly, It’s great to have it out of the way and in the glove box, but it’s also a pain if you are on a long trip and your wife is not digging what you are playing.
Second, if you get a call on the cell phone (not the MB cell phone just the regular phone) the Mute button on Comand should stop the playing of the song instead of just muting it. You guessed it there is no stop function. My work around is to press the SAT button on Comand, then after the call, go back to Audio.
Third, the play-lists are fine, and after turning off the car and starting back, you don’t lose your place.
I miss how fast the scroll wheel is to get where you want to be, tabbing down on the steering wheel takes forever, if you are going through song lists, for Artist lists it’s much much faster.
Sound quality is vastly superior to just the AUX input.
The cool factor is pretty high.
Overall, if you can swing it get it. It’s a guilty pleasure, but in this car that’s not saying much.

moomber

I was wondering if anyone knows, if at all possible, ways to tweak
the COMAND system that came with 2006 models (mine's a ML350).
Tweaks like supporting Unicode display (Japanese language ..etc.),
changing of backgrounds ..etc.

Thanks!