When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
It’s the best deal I could find, albeit no iPod wire included, all other offers were $200+ with the T harness included with iPod wire. I suspect iPod wire will cost another $30-60. any for sale here ?
u can add aux in via a $15 cable, (with the issues you mention) they probably did that, unless u have TV and its a way to get round video in motion...
that's why I asked how many RCA sockets in the glove box
ok thank you! I have 3 RCA sockets in the glove box and TV enabled. Sounds like I need to find the factory iPod integration kit and then a Bluetooth module unfortunately.
if you see the picture in a post just above.... that's the early audio only box of tricks it brings a 30 pin connector that can allow you to plug in an old iPhone or iPod, You can then buy (genuine is more likely to work correctly) a lightening adaptor and use a later phone...
the early box only does the wrong voltage to charge early apple stuff (forget which but there's 5v and 12v) allegedly a later cable (the network cheap one) with a black plug (original is white) does either voltage out of the same black box of tricks. I have one, and my iPod works and charges but if I remember correctly an old iPhone did nothing using that cable, no sound, and no charging
I have the later device coming ( well another one, this time allegedly with the correct loom... its a video ipod interface 2 and far more rare...) both the loom to the car and the cable to the apple device are different
there are bugs on the early box (too quiet and causes issues to the car but not sure which). I remember one owner had car in workshop for 3 days before Merc disconnected the early interface and realise that resolved it and then fitted the later one.
With the interface you can then add a BT device to stream.... but remember nothing comes on the comand screen and the knob does nothing.... only steering wheel and the cluster display
Please post pictures when you get newer "box of tricks" and newer loom and ipod cable
Originally Posted by BOTUS
if you see the picture in a post just above.... that's the early audio only box of tricks it brings a 30 pin connector that can allow you to plug in an old iPhone or iPod, You can then buy (genuine is more likely to work correctly) a lightening adaptor and use a later phone...
the early box only does the wrong voltage to charge early apple stuff (forget which but there's 5v and 12v) allegedly a later cable (the network cheap one) with a black plug (original is white) does either voltage out of the same black box of tricks. I have one, and my iPod works and charges but if I remember correctly an old iPhone did nothing using that cable, no sound, and no charging
I have the later device coming ( well another one, this time allegedly with the correct loom... its a video ipod interface 2 and far more rare...) both the loom to the car and the cable to the apple device are different
there are bugs on the early box (too quiet and causes issues to the car but not sure which). I remember one owner had car in workshop for 3 days before Merc disconnected the early interface and realise that resolved it and then fitted the later one.
With the interface you can then add a BT device to stream.... but remember nothing comes on the comand screen and the knob does nothing.... only steering wheel and the cluster display
Please post pictures when you get newer "box of tricks" and newer loom and ipod cable
looks identical but the main multiplug going to the black box is blue as is the female part on the box and the other end the network cable has an extra lug , I adapted both the box and the looms so I could fit everything, turned it on comand does nothing (blank screen no nothing) and rear ac control do nothing - unplugged and put the old one in - all working as well as it ever did
later one its called a ipod interface 2 - I'm waiting on a loom to see what happens - I could only locate 1 worldwide
Merc Europe said go swivel
later one its called a ipod interface 2 - I'm waiting on a loom to see what happens - I could only locate 1 worldwide, Merc Europe said go swivel
So I ended up with a new interface 2 box (that if you modify the original harness multiplug and plug into the black box it crashes the comand and Rear AC controls).
Located another box with later loom and ipod cable.... fitted yesterday and car not happy.
Loom looks brand new, the box is a bit beaten up (I was going to try and work out what was different as its a very similar loom., but noticed the loom to the black box has so many more wires I didn't bother)
Fitted it all, key on all seemed good, but nothing I plug in to the 30 pin connection works. Without plugging things in, I get "connect ipod message" on cluster, nothing new on comand screen (which is pathetic as the world had really moved on by the time this box came out).
Plugged an old iPhone 3 in, I get error message, plugged in tune to air, I get error message. My ipod is buried out of sight from the thieves rather than allowing them easy access in the glove box and where I was parked couldn't get the passenger door open, so yet to check that device. Disconnected the 12 v feed to the later 30 pin lead (to ipod), no change just error on cluster, but now found outside temp sensor going mental at 60C and counting down... till stopped about right. Very odd
Swapped to the other interface 2 box, and exactly same issues. Got annoyed and locked the car.
So, either
A) The loom has a fault (doubt it)
B) Two boxes are dead (unlikely),
C) Wrong stuff (doubt it, its a unique set up on the S and this is the same type of loom and UK specialist recognised what it was and didn't flag its for another model) they should know.
D) The change to allow either 5 or 12V is messed up and causing issues (possible).
E) Needs some other software (would be surprised if it was originally released like this )
F) Maybe the idiots (Mercedes Benz) having pushed the wrong software on the rear SAM means they now have a set up that can't work (probably)
later loom (note 12V connector that's not on the earlier one)
further down the black plug is the old loom - blue the new one lugs in a different place (cut back on the black one) and loom thickness is tottaly different with about 6 more wires going in (and they aren't the new power ones)
it seems to go round menus a bit quicker, has a menu for videos in the cluster, goes louder and never noticed before but if fast forwarding a track the word ipod in bottom right of cluster, changes to a % of where you are in the current track
Entering Diagnostic Mode:
Plug in your iPod, select AUX input and select the Audio iPod display on the cluster.
Now hold down the 'telephone hangup' and 'down arrow' buttons for about 8 seconds. The display will change to the diagnostic display and show the software version of the iPod controller
After a few seconds it will change to show the hardware version
If lucky... after a few seconds it will switch to showing the current volume setting.
If you now press the up arrow the volume setting will increase and the display will change to show the higher volume setting: (this feature is now on the later version)
Pressing the down arrow will set it back to the low volume settings.
If you don't touch any buttons for a few seconds the system will then switch back to the normal audio display.
With just my iPod connected it all does what the old one did (as in work) Why the tune2 air hates life I have no idea, and I believe the iPhone 3 was supposed to work too. However other fun ensues..
one reason I was keen to try the later ipod kit 2 was to see what happens to a bug Mercedes gave me with an update. That being the Sat Nav no longer mutes the other sound sources as it always did beautifully.
That behaviour has not changed.. There is no mute of sources like its did perfectly for the first 5 years I owned it. After lots of money and many spare parts swapped out, .... I believe this fault is related to the SAM update. And all because the f*ckwits that are Benz either have no idea facelift software interacts differently on the earlier cars, OR pedal this rubbish with a warning you need to update it just to make you mess up the car (quite possibly to introduce bugs so you replace the car).
Now whilst trying to resolve that bug we flashed many other modules (each time the car had more odd little peculiarities that generally did a worse job than the version it had before). Each update was applied using latest Xenrty online to Germany, flashing files that they say are suitable. And there are no errors on the car (that diagnostics throw up)
With the new "bug free iPod interface 2" after a short drive the speedo cluster illumination that went all odd with full brightness during the day and no user adjustment (which it had before one of the updates) seems back to a normal level and even more perversely....my car has always sat lopsided and dealer levelling, software updates or new parts couldn't get it to sit level, the left rear was always down. Now I'll follow up with more if this seems to be the case, but today the rear is now level both sides with the right rear magically dropping by an inch ????
One thing I have not seen mentioned in this thread and I a assuming that it is normal - and that is the iPod will not get power without the engine running? That is how my factory integration kit works. If the ignition is on, you can play any source, however the iPod will not play. As soon as the engine is started, it functions. This is with the Tune2Air adapter.
found another odd side effect of the later integration kit. early 221 has a hideously complex and very expensive 1000 dollar rear camera (superseded by ones on the e class that are 1/3 of the cost and better). I was sure it did some form of night assisted brightness on mine originally but hasn't worked for 4 years (since the first ipod kit went in).
I had a clue something changed last weekend when first fitted the ipod 2, I'd asked my passenger to wipe the camera clean whilst I had it in reverse and as she covered it totally suddenly flashed up a dark enhancing mode. Then yesterday reversing for the first time in the dark since ipod 2 kit fitted, low an behold night assisted camera.
I'm not yet sure about the suspension (might be my imagination), but the other bit I noticed about speedo brightness is not jacking up needlessly to full brightness during the day is definitely better.
found another odd side effect of the later integration kit. early 221 has a hideously complex and very expensive 1000 dollar rear camera (superseded by ones on the e class that are 1/3 of the cost and better). I was sure it did some form of night assisted brightness on mine originally but hasn't worked for 4 years (since the first ipod kit went in).
I had a clue something changed last weekend when first fitted the ipod 2, I'd asked my passenger to wipe the camera clean whilst I had it in reverse and as she covered it totally suddenly flashed up a dark enhancing mode. Then yesterday reversing for the first time in the dark since ipod 2 kit fitted, low an behold night assisted camera.
I'm not yet sure about the suspension (might be my imagination), but the other bit I noticed about speedo brightness is not jacking up needlessly to full brightness during the day is definitely better.
Do you have a 2007 with the RDK module in the trunk that draws the trajectory lines over the image?
Do you have a 2007 with the RDK module in the trunk that draws the trajectory lines over the image?
RFK, yes with active guidelines... another hideously expensive module by asin or something ($2000 and made from unobtatinum these days)
218 REAR-VIEW CAMERA
229 PARK ASSIST
we updated the central gateway once upon a time and the camera went mad. Staying on screen going forward and off when reversing. It needed an update to go with CGW update (the RFK needed to go from SW 05.26 to 05.43) although the diagnosis version ended up the same, it then flashed up the camera had a wire fault (which it didn't). However these early expensive cameras are screwed together.... I opened it up and the aluminum casing was all white and furry inside. Cleaned it up, left in the airing cupboard for 3 days and put ACF 50 everywhere (except the lens) its got two circuit boards and all sorts of manual adjustment bits in there. Its been right as rain ever since but was totally usless at night.... until ipod 2 fitted
before I cleaned up the camera we tried the later one, have to swap pin assignments but its plug and play and the night assistance on the later one is perfect.
later one is $300 with wrong e class bracket or $400 with the right 3 dollar mount
early one is A221 820 0397
what I remember about the original camera was it took out the distortion and gave a square image of the bumper, the later one cut off the edges of the image showing black bottom corners, had a curve on the bumper and was a bit grainy. But my original aluminum one changed and now the image looks the same (with mild distortion), after my mother slammed the boot like a crazed idiot one day, its remained like this ever since!
As I said above I was sure mine used to do a bit of night assistance (pretty useless but something), but was summer when I did the ipod kit years ago and I don't do much at night (so forgot it had any). But I do recall asking another owner with same camera as mine and he was confident it worked at night.... but then again he definitely didn't have any ipod kit on his !
Pretty sure its a post on this site 5 or 6 years ago that highlighted a known fault with early ipod kit. Some guy had his car in main dealer workshop for 3 days trying to diagnose odd fault.... It was Merc technical in Germany that worked it out in the end. Then the dealer ripped out the ipod kit and it was back to normal. Then they fitted the later one and all OK. Bet his bill for a few silly glitches was expensive !!!
The point above and end of this paragraph will give an idea why night assistance could be working again. Do you know if you disconnect the rear battery if the camera defaults to off ? Had the battery off last weekend and had reversed twice yet didn't notice it was off ??? Only when going in to my driveway when dark did I see it was off. Seems odd hadn't spotted before. So either (and can't believe) it now has an off in the day and off at night mode) or I was only using the mirrors. The wire for the camera signal to comand does go through the iPod kit's loom
the hidden vol feature is in the later box... (with iPod menu in cluster and a device connected) hold down the 'telephone hangup' and 'down arrow' buttons for about 8 seconds.
Had the rear battery off again this weekend. RFK was still enabled. And worked next two drives without having to select on the menu. So I think it likely disconnection the comand unit flipped it to off in he instrument cluster last round.
Thanks @BOTUS for your great effort on ipod iterface for W221.
Earlier I planned to order ipod inline amplifier A204 870 3994 to boot volume when music play via ipod because I feel that when music played via ipod interface, the volume is lower compare to CD or Radio. However thanks to what you did then I understanding that it will not compatibe and useless for W221 then therefore your effort and sharing help me to save my time and money.
one reason I was keen to try the later ipod kit 2 was to see what happens to a bug Mercedes gave me with an update. That being the Sat Nav no longer mutes the other sound sources as it always did beautifully.
I thought I heard the source mute feature the other day - then later remembered it was probably whilst using the later iPod kit. So I did a bit of testing over the weekend.
Mercedes have no idea what they are doing or are just a sick twisted bunch pushing faulty software on earlier cars. With the current SCN Rear SAM release pushing a 2010 facelift software version on to early cars and a number of features that were perfect, become a little bit worse. And more irritatingly it also removes the original source muting allowing a Navigation comand to be heard clearly.
On the original SAM software this feature was beautifully judged and it worked to perfection all the time. Now they load incompatable software to any car that gets this module updated.... which Xentry states to do if the Front SAM is replaced or updated. After this incompatible software is flashed, on anything up to 80% volume there is no source muting whether using Radio, DAB, CD, Memory Card, the early iPod kit or TV. Thus for all sources the Nav clashes at the same level. Above 80% source vol there is a slight reduction of maybe 20%.
I have tried to resolve by testing other components and software versions in various modules without success. Lastly trying a Rear SAM that should have been on software to suit the later Front SAM software (but well before the idiots issued a wrong update), however the incompetent garage couldn't manually code the right features, leaving the cruise off... and we swapped back to the original SAM before I remembered to test this mute bug.
I have discovered a temporary combination of steering wheel vol position and the COU vol position does give a slight vol reduction. But as soon as the readings in diagnostics don't tally this mute action disappears. Also found when the Nav is broadcasting a voice comand, if you depress the comand knob there is a left to right 1 to 4 position adjustment. This is more interesting and I think is an undocumented feature of the car that is supposed to be how much source vol mute the user wants. If anyone has souce vol feature working, perhaps they could have a play and let us know?
When checking this in diagnostics it does instigate a change you can see in software, (and service documentation refers to a) the rear SAM as taking interior microphone readings and passing to the comand for SDV, b) the rear SAM as taking interior microphone readings and passing to the comand for automatic Nav instruction vol change, c) nav mute level adjustment- using the COU) but I believe these feature are broken with the current Rear SAM software release. With NTG3.5 car's, which the software release was actually intended for, the Nav mute gets a new user selectable menu choice allowing you to select the nav mute feature with a tick box.
And the point of this post here.... with the later iPod kit and all the extra wires, it seems that this one music source is providing some of the original Nav mute features at lower volumes.... which is quite strange... but so are these iPod devices so who knows
.
EDIT Jan 1 2020 - It was my imagination there are THREE separate ideas to Mute the sound source and allow TMC or NAV voice overlay.
TMC remains unbroken as its within itself created and played back inside the TTU (the AMP, mostly called the AGW on early cars but is a TTU on official Merc documentation on the w221). But the Nav overlay starts life in the Comand and gets killed with a software update. And it happens because Mercedes don't actually understand how they built the cars. Here's why?
Type 1: User instigated adjustment of the source mute differential for voice overlay. Never knew the car had this vital feature. The user Menus to adjust are NOT part of the car. Nor are they documented or described in the User owners manual. But it is referred to in the official workshop documentation. Here it wrongly states this user choice is on the Comand unit (it is NOT). However remnants of this feature can be found by the user and the effect detected in diagnostics but with NO change in volume level.
To test the obsolete/missing feature: When a Nav overlay message is playing. Press the Comand knob down and you find haptic feedback limiting your options to 5 positions (left or right). However it always reverts to the centre position regardless of operator choice. Complete the same operation without Nav overlay and there is NO restriction to the knob's movement. If you complete this test when connected to the COU in diagnostics you can see this action is registered by the vehicle in volume control signals. Whether its broken with the same SCN software update that kills the Source mute for voice overlay, I'm not sure. I suspect it was a feature considered during the vehicle's development and then forgotten as they moved to a more sophisticated idea (with signals from the ABS, OCP, SAM-H and TTU). And remains part baked in buggy software from build. However with Mercedes still believing this feature is there and working it could be why a SCN instigated Rear SAM update they force, breaks all the early cars they put it on. As it's actually an update for facelift NTG3.5 vehicles they believe is compatible with early cars but definitely isn't.
Type 2: Automatic very well judged source mute for voice overlay at ANY volume level with no user adjustment. My car had this and it worked exceptionally well for 4 years. I believe regardless of road speed or ambient noise inside the car the level of Mute was almost perfectly judged. As was SDVC. Had this feature been in conjunction with Type 1 any user could find exactly what they wanted . I wonder if a Comand update during the vehicles lifecycle, removed Type 1 to replace exclusively with a newly developed Type 2 ? If it was in the manual and no longer on the car this makes sense. But as its in workshop data and not on the car or the user manual, I suspect they created two methods during development and forgot to remove one of them. And as I state above, I think Mercedes believe the user still has that choice (and or the user menu option to have voice fade within Comand options that you get with NTG3.5 Nav functions) and thus still don't realise NTG3.5 software on an early car breaks them !!!
Type 3: Very high Vol setting, source die back for voice overlay (I believe always worked before or after any software updates). But as Type 2 should work you never knew the car had this feature. It seems to come in to play over 80% vol and mutes the source by about 40%. Where if Type 2 wasn't broken it would die back nicely to about 20%. Thus Type 3 can still leave the source at 60% Vol when a TMC or Nav overlay cuts in, which is insufficient to be effective. But is a noticeable change.
The level of the source or the TMC or the NAV remains user adjustable when the action is in play. Before or after Mercedes vandalise the car with a faulty software update
I just test ipod with W221 facelifted (MY2009 onward), it's amazing because we can full control ipod via command screen instead of button on steering wheel and instrument Cluster. Perhaps W221 facelift equipped with NTG3.5 and it support ipod control via knob and command. Song and album is displayed on main screen, which is very convenience
I'd like to retrofit from NTG3.0 to NTG3.5 to get such advantage, however the hardness of the command seem completely difference and the screen display is difference too (screen equipped with NTG3.0 rotary is supported while screen of NTG3.5 is fixed).
Is there any one know how to retrofit command from NTG3.0 to NTG3.5
I just test ipod with W221 facelifted (MY2009 onward), it's amazing because we can full control ipod via command screen instead of button on steering wheel and instrument Cluster. Perhaps W221 facelift equipped with NTG3.5 and it support ipod control via knob and command. Song and album is displayed on main screen, which is very convenience
I'd like to retrofit from NTG3.0 to NTG3.5 to get such advantage, however the hardness of the command seem completely difference and the screen display is difference too (screen equipped with NTG3.0 rotary is supported while screen of NTG3.5 is fixed).
Is there any one know how to retrofit command from NTG3.0 to NTG3.5
yes NTG3.5 is a major leap towards the modern world and media input works on the big screen with all the menu navigation via the COU you'd expect. Split view so a passenger can watch a movie whilst you drive and see the nav screen, Phone bluetooth out of the box (but I guess need the later module?) and in Europe the very last 221s got the Speed limits displayed on the Nav screen too
if keen its not that big a piece of work to update... but be aware that's where the good news comes crashing to an end...
the later comand is very unreliable (fails at 4 times the rate of the NTG3 unit)
its maps stop at 2015
the speed limits in many European countries changed on 50% of the roads in the last few years so the speed display is completely useless
the unit is hideously expensive
you need the screen, the command and the wiring loom, plus I believe a specialist with a later facelift CGW to code things (think 2000 US$ for secondhand stuff), for 700 you can swap the lot for a super wide android system (but it'll only work for 3 to 18 months)
Hi @BOTUS , using Ipod on my car (W221 with NTG3.0) I realize that volume is a bit lower compare to CD or Radio, tried to access Hidden ipod volume menu but it not available (only HW and SW version showed up), from info exchanged earlier seem ipod inline ampifier is not compatible for W221, is there any way to boot car volume when using ipod?
Hi @BOTUS , using Ipod on my car (W221 with NTG3.0) I realize that volume is a bit lower compare to CD or Radio, tried to access Hidden ipod volume menu but it not available (only HW and SW version showed up), from info exchanged earlier seem ipod inline ampifier is not compatible for W221, is there any way to boot car volume when using ipod?
yes as its all digital just wind up the vol in the actual file, using any of the many available programs out there
it goes loud enough to damage your hearing as is..... what we really find with digital rubbish is they left out half the Music and with the big transient changes that are now missing we no longer drive speakers in to melt down. So now they can run huge vol on modern compressed trash, rather than needing a much more powerful amp to control things.
All part of a marketing exercise - we can now get ads at twice the vol of the programme your interested in because the attenuated db scale see's it as the same vol even though to anyone normal its clearly twice as loud
this is dodgy but it works https://free-audio-editor.com/ don't upgrade its a scam, but u have to do each track one by one
One thing I have not seen mentioned in this thread and I a assuming that it is normal - and that is the iPod will not get power without the engine running? That is how my factory integration kit works. If the ignition is on, you can play any source, however the iPod will not play. As soon as the engine is started, it functions. This is with the Tune2Air adapter.
Everyone else have this experience?
this later interface does bring back night vision support to the pre 2008 rear camera (RFK) that goes walkabout if you fit the original ipod interface, although it lags a fraction longer switching the comand screen over (a few miliseconds)
it goes as loud as every other source
and today I tried the Tune2Air WMA1000 again, (only tried to look after the engine was running) using the ipod 2 interface, and it behaves with my iPhone 6S running iOS 13.4.1 and viseeo firmware v325 no error messages this time, cluster didn't play ball until "mobile data for music" was enabled
and something I hadn't seen confirmed by anybody.... the cluster and steering wheel all do the same as if its wired in so menu navigation and whats palying all turn uo on the car (but as expected not on the comand or COU)
this was via BT....
FYI viseeo tune2air firmware is an experience to update needs a code from china and a win 7 PC
WMA1000 V322 Fixed Kenwood player but need an adapter to convert the data
WMA1000 V323 solves no sound issue in Audi Dension Gateway 500 with Android phones.
WMA1000 V325 solves "can't play YouTube" issue.
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Slideshow: A one-of-one U.S.-spec Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster became even rarer after a factory-backed transformation at McLaren's headquarters.
