Dension DAB+A or M

crippo2

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Although there has been lots of info over the years about installing DAB into older cars, I wonder if anyone has tried the new generation of Dension (or other makes) of DAB Module, which have a hidden installation, controlled by bluetooth from your phone, and using either an AUX input or FM rebroadcasting to get the signal to your ears.
Obviously no control or information other than on the phone screen, but @ £130 (incl antenna) or so seems a potentially good buy.
See: https://www.dension.co.uk/dab-digit...ab-receiver-with-wireless-remote-control.html
Any thoughts/experience/advice
 
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crippo2

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I think this all depends on what toys it has

if it has MOST and you need Bluetooth phone and would like other media inputs then this is the wrong set up
a dual fot BT 500 gateway is the best, but pricey then you can add DAB G in to the systems and get everything

https://www.dension.co.uk/dension-c...ar-ipod-iphone-usb-bt-adapter-1898629692.html
I agree about the starting point. I have MOST & the phone pre-wire. I believe that no-one has modified the NTG1 s/w to interpret/accept other than the original connected kit, so to use the Dension Gateway means sacrificing the CD player - which in my case I am unwilling to do; it holds about 18 hours of music - and cost @ a bit under £500 just for the kit is, as you say, significant.
In my case FM reception is not good & although I can get all the Freeview Radio channels they are only for local use,
The suggested DAB alternative, with an easy install, might be a cheap way to get unobtrusive DAB, particularly if you can cast the smartphone to the inbuilt display.
Still early days - have just ordered the kit - so will see and report back on how it goes.
 
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crippo2

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Personally I'd rather not use a phone for control of the radio.
If you want DAB and gave AV inputs I'd be tempted with something like this.
https://www.dabonwheels.co.uk/product/ck-o-dab2011-v2-ts-stealth-dab-car-radio/
I was too hasty. Having ordered the kit, I see it comes with a remote control. It has the capability for 9 presets and displays information (what exactly?) via RDS on the Radio display - hopefully that includes COMAND.
I agree completely with you about not using a phone to control the gizmo, but touch screen Infotainment and an increasing tendency to install ASAD, but non legal kit, seems increasingly a modern reality & just as bad. How often do drivers use their phones for navigation, taking & answering calls/txts etc whilst on the move?.
I looked at the dabonwheels offering, but the TV display is PAL and I use NTSC. The Dension with its display through RDS may well be sufficient.
So I have ordered the A version & will report back on its efficaciousness
 

Botus

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I agree about the starting point. I have MOST & the phone pre-wire. I believe that no-one has modified the NTG1 s/w to interpret/accept other than the original connected kit, so to use the Dension Gateway means sacrificing the CD player - which in my case I am unwilling to do; it holds about 18 hours of music - and cost @ a bit under £500 just for the kit is, as you say, significant.
In my case FM reception is not good & although I can get all the Freeview Radio channels they are only for local use,
The suggested DAB alternative, with an easy install, might be a cheap way to get unobtrusive DAB, particularly if you can cast the smartphone to the inbuilt display.
Still early days - have just ordered the kit - so will see and report back on how it goes.


yes they did, there's a budget one that will do USB, phone and music. No idea if any good (you come across them on ebay) fiscon does a phone system that works as if its the Mercedes original but with Bluetooth connection, phone signal and phone book. Call quality is excellent (parrot chipset), if you have the cd multichanger under the command, you can disconnect it and use its MOST connector for BT Music streaming, again quality if fantastic but the navigation of your phone's music via steering wheel buttons is some what odd / random and even more bizarre via the headunit

a dual fot BT500 leaves you with a CD multichanger and a secondary connection I believe …. but as per the fiscon instructions they are misleading / confusing. The NTG 1 built in CD player stays and works as it always did, the CD multichanger can be either left in using the fiscon with no music streaming just a BT phone or disconnected/removed giving BT phone and streaming.

You could do DAB via your phone I guess
 
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crippo2

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yes they did, there's a budget one that will do USB, phone and music. No idea if any good (you come across them on ebay) fiscon does a phone system that works as if its the Mercedes original but with Bluetooth connection, phone signal and phone book. Call quality is excellent (parrot chipset), if you have the cd multichanger under the command, you can disconnect it and use its MOST connector for BT Music streaming, again quality if fantastic but the navigation of your phone's music via steering wheel buttons is some what odd / random and even more bizarre via the headunit

a dual fot BT500 leaves you with a CD multichanger and a secondary connection I believe …. but as per the fiscon instructions they are misleading / confusing. The NTG 1 built in CD player stays and works as it always did, the CD multichanger can be either left in using the fiscon with no music streaming just a BT phone or disconnected/removed giving BT phone and streaming.


Hi. I have looked @ the Fiscon for Mercedes. As you say, for a phone it works like the Viseeo, and for music you have to give up your Multi CD player. The Dension Gateway emulates the CD changer, which has to be disconnected, so I still believe that the HU s/w has not been hacked to allow additional or properly labelled substitutions.
So, for example I do not see any aftermarket kit which modifies the NTG1 etc display to change the 'Radio' selection from 'shortwave' to 'DAB' , with all the appropriate frequencies and demodulation requirements then selected or if the CD multi changer has been substituted by something else, to say what it now is. These addons seem to do their own thing and squirt data into the HU/AGW, rather than the HU/AGW controlling them. It would be nice to be wrong!
You could do DAB via your phone I guess
Although my phone will happily send music over bluetooth, the Viseeo MB4 will not pass it on to the HU. I am asking the Viseeo guys if there is an upgrade which might allow this. Failure might just be a limitation of the Mercedes phone pre-wiring.

The DAB kit has arrived and I am looking at decent aerial installs
 

Botus

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the issue with merc phone system was it was only built to pass mono signals (like most did back then) so its not the addon kit that lets the side down.

I guess you are right about the menu structure of addon devices, the fiscon one uses the multichanger menus for playing back your phone.... in a haphazard manner (via Bluetooth) I guess dension will be similar
 
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crippo2

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the issue with merc phone system was it was only built to pass mono signals (like most did back then) so its not the addon kit that lets the side down.
Thanks I did not know that it was an MB feature!

I guess you are right about the menu structure of addon devices, the fiscon one uses the multichanger menus for playing back your phone.... in a haphazard manner (via Bluetooth) I guess dension will be similar
To take this further you might want to look at the work done by a chap John Parsons from California.
His 2014 version: https://www.slkworld.com/slk-r171-class-diy/146969-carplay-comand-ntg1.html

and his 2016 one:
He is clearly adept at pushing the phone display onto the COMAND NTG1 screen, something I am working on as well and also to controlling the display from a single multi function switch and, I believe this: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/etx/canbus-triple-the-car-hacking-platform?ref=nav_search
makes interesting reading!
 

LostKiwi

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Thanks I did not know that it was an MB feature!


To take this further you might want to look at the work done by a chap John Parsons from California.
His 2014 version: https://www.slkworld.com/slk-r171-class-diy/146969-carplay-comand-ntg1.html

and his 2016 one:
He is clearly adept at pushing the phone display onto the COMAND NTG1 screen, something I am working on as well and also to controlling the display from a single multi function switch and, I believe this: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/etx/canbus-triple-the-car-hacking-platform?ref=nav_search
makes interesting reading!

That pretty darned cool!
 

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