daniel3ooo

Hey guys, I've read a few threads but haven't found a concrete answer. Is it possible to retrofit the 2009 Hard Drive Based Navigation?

I'm a tech junkie when it comes to the electronics in cars and it would be sweet to have the 09 command in our cars. Anyone have any links or answers??

GregMB

If anyone would know I'd guess it would be Steve (MBenzNL)...

That guy could retrofit any option into any Mercedes.


-G

xpl0sive

i'm sure it can be done, but at what cost? you can buy a superior aftermarket HD navi like a pionner or a kenwood for less...

.trunzx

On a related note, has anyone tried the new dynavin w/ MOST? I know some people were awaiting its release:

http://www.dynavin.com/products/prod...v_mbe_most.php

Jon2007E63P30

Very interesting. Thanks for the link, did not know it existed. My 07 system is horrible.

Throught these guys the system is $799.
http://jandtdistributing.com/dynavin...d-accessories/

AMGPilot

Yes, I've done it, for me it was worth the money and the time, the sound quality is OUTSTANDING.

PACougar

If you don't mind me asking, what was required to do it? Thanks.

Cylinder Head

iTrader: (1)

Yes it is. Thanks to 220S for INSISTING that I get an '09. Now I just have to eliminate the reverberation of my center channel speaker and dynamat my rear deck.

Bullett

That thing is money... (picking up the phone to order)

thanks

AMGPilot

Other than the CD Changer drawer not opening you lose nothing.

I did not do a writeup it's very straight forward but I suggest getting a 7 day subscription to WIS and learning how to get the info you need from it.

Parts were about $4800. You need to remove anything on the most ring that is NOT NTG 2.5 (In other words EVERYTHING that is in the car stock. Radio, Audio Gateway (Amp/tuner unit in the trunk) CTEL module, SDAR module (If installed) Lignuatronic module (If installed), CD Changer, Ipod Interface (If installed) Nav Processor/DVD Drive (If installed) Bluetooth Phone interface (If installed) You replace all that with NTG 2.5 headunit (which has Nav, Linguatronic, Bluetooth and DVD Changer built in), Main Amp, Sub Amp, SDAR/HD Radio module, Media Interface (Ipod interface) and a Conversion wiring harness from Comandonline.co.uk

Install took me 8 hours going very slowly, if I did it again I can probably do it in 4 hours

daniel3ooo

Thanks for the info. Where did you source all the parts?

xpl0sive

hmm interesting. will the steering wheel controls still work the same? i just spent $699 on a moBridge unit which gives me bluetooth and Ipod. Maybe I should just buy this unit for 799 and enjoy a better navi...

Cartronics

We have written several reviews of this product, as we were hired to test a few of them. Do a search for our name and Dynavin -

In short - JUNK!!! TOTAL JUNK!

AMGPilot

Everything but the Comand and SDAR from comandonline.co.uk the headunit and the SDAR from eBay, I'll try to find the sellers info. It's Euro somthing

Cylinder Head

iTrader: (1)

Wow! Just goes to show how something that looks really shiny and nice isn't always.

.trunzx

I'm going to take this with a grain of salt. You obviously sell competing products, of course you wouldn't recommend it. Plenty of BMW guys run the dynavin and really like it. http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=793437

timeToy

Can you please point at a real review, I couldn't find anything though search here.

Cartronics

Sorry, I think we posted it in the 'other' forum. My mistake, although we have discussed it a lot here.

Here is the synopsis:

We received 3 Dynavin and 2 Haulingan radios for testing. Of the 5 radios, 4 have failed in one way or another. Both Dynavins had buttons failing on them rather quickly (both under 2 months). One Haulingan failed at the touchscreen. It stopped responding to input on about 1/2 the screen. One Haulingan is still running, although we have terminated official testing.
However, the failure rate statistically is VERY high. Normally we demand a failure rate of less than 1% (a requirement of most dealers and installers as they cannot afford to do work twice) - Obviously this failure rate exceeded 66% for one and 50% for the other.

NONE of the radios were really ready to be put in a Mercedes. They all required us to make adapters, and both companies actually supported us downloaded pirated Navigation!! They do not include sanctioned nav software, or even complete operating systems. It took two of our very seasoned product testers nearly 5 hours just to get them to a usable state. Again, not very good. We have seen some dealers including some nav software, but most of it seems to be the pirated stuff on the internet.
They do not support any instrument cluster functions, and the one unit that will work with the fiber optic amp has VERY inferior sound quality.
The Dynavin had a slight operational edge as it ran two operating systems, one for NAV (windows CE) and one for other functions. This allowed it be FAIR in changing functions (radio to cd to iPod, etc) but NAV always took about 6-10 seconds just to load. The Haulingan only runs Windows CE and is VERY VERY slow.
Curiously the BMW units do work a bit better, but in a BMW, the head unit does not do double duty as a central processor as it does in many classes of Mercedes.
The dealer cost on these units is around $400 in quantity and the manufacturers have profit built into that. It pretty obvious to us when we started that we should not expect much. Both units weigh less than 1.5lbs, where the Mercedes COMAND weighs in at about 6 pounds. A small measure of materials quality. Cars are harsh environments with lots of heat and cold and expansion and contraction, and these don't even run well on a bench, let alone in a car.

Hope that sums it up.

MB_Forever

The upgrade could definitely be done, but I've heard from multiple sources that in order to do it right, it would be very costly... most likely around $6k Steve@MBenzNL is probably the best man for the job although he himself doesn't recommend doing the upgrade because of the hassle involved.

On a separate note, I heard that the NTG2.5 (2009 models) actually has less volume due to the weaker bass. Also, some people had complained about the awkwardness of the controls since the NTG2.5 was designed with cars that have a knob/rotary controller (such as 2007 S-Class, 2008 C-Class, 2010 E-Class, etc...) and the W211 does NOT have one.

AMGPilot

WOW. Incredibly bad advice. If you would read my post you would have read a correct answer. It's $4K NOT $6K, Steve was zero help and actually had incorrect info when I talked to him about the conversion. Withe the Comandoline conversion harness it's a VERY simple job. As for your claims of weak sound and insufficient bass... Well it's obvious that you've never heard a converted car with the correct amps. The sound quality is amazing with deep tight bass

220S

If you play good media in the first place, the 2009 NTG2.5 does sound okay, I agree. It's the old crap in, crap out problem. Try a well recorded DVD-A in surround sound and play it with the Logic 7 mode on. You'll get the full capabilities from the system.

The rotary dial does help and anyway the screen is too low (rectified with the W212 by putting it higher up into the dash.) But it's no big issue using buttons. It's probably why the VC is so much better in the system; you can actually use it by VC and never really touch any buttons anyway (esp using VC and the steering wheel controls.)

AMGPilot

You are absolutely incorrect. You are not talking about the 2009 NTG 2.5. you are talking about the 2010 ntg 2.5 in the W212

220S

Huh? What am I incorrect about

I own a 2009.....

Cylinder Head

iTrader: (1)

Weak bass?? I've gotta take my car to get it dynamatted next week because the bass is shaking the entire rear deck!!

AMGPilot

It's obvious that MB_Forever has no idea what he's talking about since he claims "weak sound and no bass" and that nth 2.5 needs the rotary controller.