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I am looking at replacing the Comand system with one of the Android based head units that are designed to fit into the W220 such as:
PA77M220P 7" HD Digital Touch Screen Android 7.1 Quad-Core 16GB ROM + 2G RAM HDMI Car DVD Player Custom Fit for Mercedes-Benz
I know there are a couple of threads on fitting these type of units into other MB models in the past, but wondering if anyone has put one into a W220, and if so how well does the canbus integration work for steering wheel remote control, dash display etc?
The installation doesn't worry me as I have an electronics engineering background and plan to also install new amps etc.
Yes, I fitted one a year ago. It works fine. You do need to trim the console around the top of the unit to fit. It is plug and play, I didn't have the amp in the trunk. The steering wheel controls work. The dash clock will keep the time until you disconnect the battery and then it's lost. The radio stations don't show in the dash display. If you have the trunk amp you need a LONG cable, I have this available.
KJ in Oz
Yes, I fitted one a year ago. It works fine. You do need to trim the console around the top of the unit to fit. It is plug and play, I didn't have the amp in the trunk. The steering wheel controls work. The dash clock will keep the time until you disconnect the battery and then it's lost. The radio stations don't show in the dash display. If you have the trunk amp you need a LONG cable, I have this available.
KJ in Oz
Thanks for the feedback, shame the display isnt properly supported but I can live with that if the controls still work ok. Yes I do have the amp in the boot, if you have a cable spare I'd be interested in buying that from you to use until I get around to installing new aftermarket amps, I am on Oz to in WA so shipping $ shouldnt be to bad, please let me know what you want for it. Is yours a 98-03 or 03-05 facelift model?
My car is '99. You can have the cable (lists around $100) for $50 plus $10 post. paypal kevin@gc123.com and email all your details for shipping! Happy new year.
KJ in Oz
My car is '99. You can have the cable (lists around $100) for $50 plus $10 post. paypal kevin@gc123.com and email all your details for shipping! Happy new year.
KJ in Oz
Will this unit plug and play into 2004 S430 or do you need amps, wiring, adapters, etc?
It may depend on your car, I have a >2004 facelift model with standard (non Bose) amp, so all the wiring for the speakers etc is in the boot (trunk for those of you in the US), and the amp is linked to the Comand system via a fiber optic network.
You can get a cable like the one I linked to previously that uses the amplifier built in the new head unit and runs to the boot to connect directly to the speaker wires there thus bypassing the factory amp (for standard amps, I am not sure what would be needed if you have the Bose amp option as that has different connectors, you may be able to get a different extension cable to fit that). If you still want to use the factory amp in the boot then you can also get a get an audio out to MOST fibre optic adapter (for 2003 and onwards facelift cars only, pre 2003 had a different fiber network system for which I dont believe there is an adapter available) that will put the line level audio signal from the new head unit directly onto the fiber network so it goes thru the amp like the Comand unit does, but those adapters are only two channel so you loose the ability to balance between forward and rear speakers, and they are also a few hundred $, personally I dont see the point, I'd rather spend the money on a new aftermarket amp and put that in instead.
Note that the extension cable also provides some power and canbus connections to the new head unit as well so you may want to get that even if you use the fiber network adapter for the audio, otherwise you will be left wiring them up manually.
Personally I am not that impressed with the factory amp and speakers (maybe the Bose option is different), so I am planning on using the extension cable to connect the new head units built in amp directly to the speakers in the first instance, but Ill also run some additional phono cables from the line level pre outs at the same time from the head unit to the boot so I can also install regular aftermarket amps when I have time (I also plan on upgrading all the speakers).
I dont have the extension cable yet but I dont believe it includes a Fakra extension cable. This is a problem because the FM aerial plug into the 'amp' in the boot (clearly it is more than just an amp, it must have the radio tuner in it too, controlled over the fiber network by the Comand head unit), where as the new head unit is like all other regular head units in that it has the radio built into it, thus the FM aerial needs to be connected to it up[ at the dash not the boot. Thus it seems that you also need to obtain and Fakra male to female extension cable to extend the FM antenna from the boot to the dash, I am just measuring it up now but something like this http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Fakra-C-Female-to-Male-Cable-6m-for-Vehicle-GPS-Antenna-Adapter-Extension-Cable/391852687767?hash=item5b3c3d8197:g:n2kAAOSwl9RZ~9d G ,
I am not sure if the pre 2003 facelift cars were setup the same (i.e. all the real work done by the amp with connections in the boot), or if they had more in the head unit and thus had speaker / power / cabnus / antenna connections available in the dash without needing the extension cable/s, perhaps Autounion could clarify from his install?
I have the head unit now and had a quick play with it just powered up on the workbench and it seems pretty good. My phone connects to it ok to stream music and make calls and sync contacts (although it doesnt sync my call history list from the phone the way some head units do which is a shame). I put it on my wifi network and downloaded google maps offline so I can use it without having an internet connection in the car (although google maps needs to get an update every 30 days otherwise it will disable the offline maps so either need a wifi connection that reaches to where you park yourt car or use your phone as a hotspot every month to allow it to update), The apps that come with the device are ok and the physical buttons link well to the apps for changing source etc. It has a slight 'made cheap in China' feel to it but not as bad as I feared, just when compared to expensive branded head units. I also got the optional DAB+ adapter and have taped the supplied antenna to the window on my house and it found the stations, I am not yet convinced that it will maintain a strong signal when moving around in the car, have to wait and see. I did notice if I have a DAB station playing and then switch to google maps and zoom / pan around the map DAB audio cuts in and out, I suspect that it doesnt have the processing power to both generate the maps and process the signal from the DAB adapter at the same time so the DAB cuts out which is a shame, hopefully it wont be as bad when the map is just moving a little at a time when drive rather than manually scrolling about.
Just awaiting the delivery of the extension cable now then I'll get it installed and let you know how well it works in practice and if I have any other installation issues.
Oh also the unit comes with a GPS antenna that you can stick up under the dask (or maybe rear shelf would be better), but I have found that the sharkfin antenna (which houses the GPS antenna for the Comand system) leads down to a connection to the Navigation DVD unit in the boot, thus theoretically it maybe possible to use that same antenna for the new head unit GPS by again using a Fakra extention cable to extend that connection to the dash. That said the GPS antenna that came with the new head unti works pretty well on my desk in my house and I know a few people have had the sharkfin antenna fail over time if water gets in to them so there may not much advatnage with doing that. I might just try the supplied antenna inside the dash somewhere for now and if I find it looses GPS signal then I might try to use the external unit with an extension cable, but GPS technology has come a long way in the 15 years sinds the W220 was designed so I suspect that the new antenna put in the dash may work as well as the factory external antenna.
I am not sure if the pre 2003 facelift cars were setup the same (i.e. all the real work done by the amp with connections in the boot), or if they had more in the head unit and thus had speaker / power / cabnus / antenna connections available in the dash without needing the extension cable/s, perhaps Autounion could clarify from his install? This was just plug and play on my 99 model without the boot amp. All antenna, speaker, power and canbus connections are at the console.
I did try the GPS antenna above the unit inside the dash but it wasn't keen to pick up the signal so it went onto the A pillar. No worries there.
By the way, I have a complete non ABC Airmatic rebuild set available - 4 struts, ( 2 with 2000 km on them, 2 with 100 km on them,) distribution valve (Genuine MB, $900 worth) and done 100 km, compressor done 2000 km + rebuild kit. $1300 the lot.
I am not sure if the pre 2003 facelift cars were setup the same (i.e. all the real work done by the amp with connections in the boot), or if they had more in the head unit and thus had speaker / power / cabnus / antenna connections available in the dash without needing the extension cable/s, perhaps Autounion could clarify from his install? This was just plug and play on my 99 model without the boot amp. All antenna, speaker, power and canbus connections are at the console.
OK the pre 2003 facelift must have a different system then, the post facelift has nothing at the back of the head unit other than 12v and fibre optic, all other connections go to the 'amp' in the boot.
Quick update: ran unit in car for a few days and it started rebooting itself, got more and more frequent now it reboots every few - 15 mins, does the same thing on the workbench connected just to a power supply with nothing else connected and factory reset to default settings so appears to be a hardware fault. Contacted Xtrons, they told me I should end the ebay issue before they will replace it, and ignored all the info I gave them about how I tested it and they just told me to try disconnecting other wires.
I know its going to cost a lot to ship back (postage in Australia) but I guess the the risk of buying from China.
OK the pre 2003 facelift must have a different system then, the post facelift has nothing at the back of the head unit other than 12v and fibre optic, all other connections go to the 'amp' in the boot.
Quick update: ran unit in car for a few days and it started rebooting itself, got more and more frequent now it reboots every few - 15 mins, does the same thing on the workbench connected just to a power supply with nothing else connected and factory reset to default settings so appears to be a hardware fault. Contacted Xtrons, they told me I should end the ebay issue before they will replace it, and ignored all the info I gave them about how I tested it and they just told me to try disconnecting other wires.
I know its going to cost a lot to ship back (postage in Australia) but I guess the the risk of buying from China.
Anthony
if you've filed an eBay dispute Ebay will cover shipping - don't cancel the dispute
12-31-2017, 08:20 AM
