Hi, I've taken delivery of an Xtrons PB76M211AP
http://xtrons.co.uk/pb76m211ap-7-hd-...edes-benz.html

My car does NOT (to my knowledge) have Harmon Kardon so does not have a separate amp. It has Command 2.0

I got the Xtrons unit all wired up from a diagram I found online and went to remove the Command Unit and was very suprised to find very little wiring back there. There is an optical connection and what I think is a small connector to the CANBUS. Thats it.

I think I needed to order the unit which has the optical connection or an adaptor.

I think this is what I need (FOBB03);
http://xtrons.co.uk/fobb03-optical-f...edes-benz.html

This is my old unit along with the Xtrons all wired up



Here are the fibre connections along with the CANBUS I think



The reason I'm confused is Xtrons Bundle a different fibre connection with this head unit FOBB01 but I think thats for Command 1 cars.

The connectors are not cheap so I'd like to be sure. I've emailed Xtrons but I think a few on here have already done this.

How can I be sure my car does not have an amp? There are no speakers on the rear shelf, and no harmon kardon branding anywhere.

Many thanks. Car is in bits and I'm new to this type of project but won't be beaten

 

What year is your car?

If there's no HK branding on the speaker grills there's a good chance you don't have. The HK setup also has a sub on the rear shelf, which you can definitely hear.

The FOBB03 is for 2009-2012 models according to their site. FOBB01 is for 2005-2008.

 

Hi Strigoi, the car is a 2004. Many thanks, that would explain why they bundle that cable with my head unit.

 

yes that is the canbus for your steering wheel controls and also the optic cable to your amp that powers the speakers.

you can use the 6ft extension cable to power the speakers using the XTRONS outputs or use an optic converter.

 

thanks. I ordered the optic cable from xtrons. However are you saying you can run RCA cable to the amp instead?

at some point I might upgrade an all but I was under the impression my car did not have an amp at all but clearly there is no power running to the command unit so something must be driving the sound.

If I have options for optical or RCA which is better?

 

Rca only needed for optical convertor

Or

You use 6ft ext from headunit speaker outputs to the original amp speaker plug

 

You do have the HK system if you have the command with the larger screen. You will definitely need the optic adapter that Xtrons sells.

http://xtrons.com/fobb01-optical-fiber-decoder-box-for-mercedes-benz.html

 

Thanks - I'm struggling to figure this all out to be honest. I noticed there is at least a speaker grill on the rear shelf, but I pulled it up and there is nothing below it. I thought if there was HK there were speakers on the rear deck but perhaps it's different for AMG cars?

I've stripped out the entire boot area and I can see what looks to be signal cables in a loom running on the left hand side forward into the cabin behind the rear seats. I've removed the rear seat base but I can't remove the actual rear seats as it's raining now so need to stop for the night.

I've ordered the cable now which should arrive on Monday.

I'm pretty much using the internet, youtube and logic to try to install this unit. The best help I can find is this page

https://exclusivecarauto.com/android...ml?language=en

I'm thinking at a minimum my head unit will need;

1) Optical signal In/out (taken car of with optical adapter
2) CANBUS cable (which is already available to the head unit
3) Permanent live 12v (from cigarette lighter or 'add a circuit'
4) Ground to chassis or ground wire

is there something I'm missing here, I know about all the accessory wires like DAB, GPS etc but they are straightforward.

I'm reading the GPS controller can be mounted inside the dash provided it attached to a metal part of the frame. I'm hoping that will work as I really can't live with units externally on the dashboard. However the DAB Ariel I'm not sure if this can work beneath a centre console. If thats the case I might have to run it to the back window. Any advise welcome on this point.

I'll also add a reversing camera which I'm assuming will take it's signal from the CANBUS rather than having to be wired to the reversing circuit.

I'm learning a lot here but I'm getting impatient to put the car back together.

 

Doesn't look like there are sets of speaker wires in there so you must have an amp. If you have an amp then it must be bose or HK (I have had two AMG's without either and also no amp). I think HK has 4ohm speakers, surround sound and usually the logo on the grills. Bose has 2ohm speakers and I didn't think the fibre adapter works with this but I don't know for sure. There should be a slim sub in the rear deck- this was handy to check the resistance in my previous cars with an ohmmeter

 

I got this message from xtrons;

I made these connections and ran to a permanent live in the fusepanel. I've run the ground to a bolt int the fuse panel. I've plugged back in the CD changer again to complete the fibre circuit but I cannot get the unit to power up.

I'm unsure of the canbus connection but I'm thinking even still the unit should power up?

the fibre circuit is complete I think though as I have the optical lead now. I'm pretty confident everything is plugged back in but it's dark, late and raining so I've had to give up for now.

any ideas welcome.