2016 w205 DAB RADIO ISSUE

[topliner]

Hi,
I've recently bought a 2016 c250d, my question is, according to the options list the car should have DAB radio. I can not for the life in me get the DAB radio to work. The display shows FM/DAB but I can't get DAB radio stations. I was wondering if some one may have removed the DAB module but don't know the location of the module to check this. I would be grateful for any advice.

 

[Srdl]

I'm not sure you can choose DAB or FM - the car just picks up the best signal depending on coverage. The fact that yours shows FM/DAM rather than just FM suggests you have it.

Have you tried selecting a Digital only station, such as BBC Radio 6 Music? That will prove whether your DAB is working or not.


Edit - just checked my Manual. Try this:
Radio menu
Options
Station Tracking
You can then select Automatic / Digital / Analogue.
Check Analogue is not ticked because that would restrict access to Digital

 

[topliner]

Hi Steve,
thank you for your help, I'll try what you've said.

 

[Botus]

there was a UK nationwide upgrade to the DAB network requiring a retune in Jan 2016. All Mercs with DAB except the w221 couldn't cope and lost ability to tune into any DAB stations. The software was badly written, once it could see more then 99 stations it forgot how to work. Took around 9 months for merc to write a software update....

As with all cars, I expect 99% have never had the software update to fix it. Its not known to be a big issue for two big reasons.

1) most regions DAB reception is pathetic and getting worse with 5g
2) the DAB antenna on a merc is about as good at an Alba hifi from 1970 that's been run over by a road roller.... so most people never got anything and thus aren't missing anything

 

[Srdl]

I never had any problems with DAB on my 2010 Mercedes

 

[ajlsl600]

there was a UK nationwide upgrade to the DAB network requiring a retune in Jan 2016. All Mercs with DAB except the w221 couldn't cope and lost ability to tune into any DAB stations. The software was badly written, once it could see more then 99 stations it forgot how to work. Took around 9 months for merc to write a software update....

As with all cars, I expect 99% have never had the software update to fix it. Its not known to be a big issue for two big reasons.

1) most regions DAB reception is pathetic and getting worse with 5g
2) the DAB antenna on a merc is about as good at an Alba hifi from 1970 that's been run over by a road roller.... so most people never got anything and thus aren't missing anything

wt a surprise....not.

 

[Blobcat]

there was a UK nationwide upgrade to the DAB network requiring a retune in Jan 2016. All Mercs with DAB except the w221 couldn't cope and lost ability to tune into any DAB stations. The software was badly written, once it could see more then 99 stations it forgot how to work. Took around 9 months for merc to write a software update....

As with all cars, I expect 99% have never had the software update to fix it. Its not known to be a big issue for two big reasons.

1) most regions DAB reception is pathetic and getting worse with 5g
2) the DAB antenna on a merc is about as good at an Alba hifi from 1970 that's been run over by a road roller.... so most people never got anything and thus aren't missing anything

Absolute rubbish

 

[Botus]

Absolute rubbish

ABSOLUTLY TRUE …

On 29 February 2016, a new UK digital radio multiplex was switched on. Listeners can enjoy 18 national DAB stations, all licensed by Ofcom. It follows the award of a second national DAB multiplex licence by Ofcom to Sound Digital, a consortium of Arqiva, Bauer and UTV Media GB, in March 2015.


July 2016 the patch came out. so 6 months not the nine (I guessed at some 36 months later)

"For those who have NTg 4.5 DAB in their car and have suffered with the recent 'Device unavailable' messages.

We have the fix for this now. It takes between about 45 mins and 2 hours depending on whether the other Audio related control units are up-to-date (as all Audio units get brought up to same software level)

Our local MB dealer is apparently now £288 inc VAT per hour! I asked about this on my ML on extended warranty and the answer was that it was not a hardware failure and thus not covered."


https://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/...ab-device-unavailable-message-ntg-4-5.154102/

 

[Blobcat]

ABSOLUTLY TRUE …

On 29 February 2016, a new UK digital radio multiplex was switched on. Listeners can enjoy 18 national DAB stations, all licensed by Ofcom. It follows the award of a second national DAB multiplex licence by Ofcom to Sound Digital, a consortium of Arqiva, Bauer and UTV Media GB, in March 2015.


July 2016 the patch came out. so 6 months not the nine (I guessed at some 36 months later)

"For those who have NTg 4.5 DAB in their car and have suffered with the recent 'Device unavailable' messages.

We have the fix for this now. It takes between about 45 mins and 2 hours depending on whether the other Audio related control units are up-to-date (as all Audio units get brought up to same software level)

Our local MB dealer is apparently now £288 inc VAT per hour! I asked about this on my ML on extended warranty and the answer was that it was not a hardware failure and thus not covered."


https://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/...ab-device-unavailable-message-ntg-4-5.154102/

So switching on an additional multiplexer equates to worse reception according to your logic

And the antenna on a Mercedes is rubbish

Your post is still rubbish. I could go into the full details but as you’re only interested in opinions (yours specifically) I won’t bother.

 

[Botus]

re your first point, if you read my post it says

there was a UK nationwide upgrade to the DAB network requiring a retune in Jan 2016.. Mercs... couldn't cope and lost ability to tune into any DAB stations. The software was badly written, once it could see more than 99 stations it forgot how to work.

I never mentioned it causes a reception issue

second point Merc DAB antennas are renowned for being hopeless, go check the parts list for upgraded UK parts, which if you complained enough at the time thee fitted under warranty

 

[PovertySpec]

FWIW the DAB thing I bought and installed and which worked initially has now lost signal in 90% of the areas it used to get a signal.

This coincided with - seriously - leaves popping out on all the trees.

I'm fairly sure that the 1s and 0s are actually getting stuck in the trees!

As I live in leafy Hampshire this is a bit of an issue.

When I'm up high on open farmland, no problem, half decent signal.

 

[Botus]

FWIW the DAB thing I bought and installed and which worked initially has now lost signal in 90% of the areas it used to get a signal.

This coincided with - seriously - leaves popping out on all the trees.

another recent nationwide reallocation of TV channels to find space for 5G, I would fully expect it to mess up DAB

http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/operations/700mhz_clearance

What is 700MHz clearance?
In November 2014 Ofcom announced its decision to reallocate some of the airwaves used by Freeview to mobile services. A similar process is being carried out across Europe, as spectrum is reassigned to meet a predicted increase in demand for mobile data. As a result, some Freeview channels will need to move to new frequencies. This process is known as 700MHz clearance.

April - June 2019 (Q2)
Transmitter group Area served Retune date
Mendip

Bristol, parts of Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire

4 April 2019

Caradon Hill (some relays only)

parts of Plymouth, central and south Devon and east Cornwall

10 April 2019

Plympton

parts of the Plymouth area

10 April 2019

Redruth

west Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

1 May 2019

Aberdare (some relays only)

parts of Cwmaman, Fernhill, Mountain Ash and Penrhiwceiber

15 May 2019

Kilvey Hill

the Swansea area

15 May 2019

Pontypool (Usk relay only)

Usk

15 May 2019

Wenvoe

Cardiff, Newport and south east Wales

15 May 2019

Bristol Illchester Crescent

parts of Bristol

5 June 2019

Bristol Kings Weston

parts of Bristol

5 June 2019

Mendip

Bristol, parts of Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire

5 June 2019

Black Hill (some relays only)

parts of Loch Fyne, Bute, Gigha, Jura, Seil, Knapdale and Kintyre

12 June 2019

Bristol Kings Weston

parts of Bristol

19 June 2019

Caradon Hill (some relays only)

parts of Plymouth, parts of Devon and east Cornwall

19 June 2019

Huntshaw Cross

north Devon

19 June 2019

Kilvey Hill (Cilfrew and Neath Abbey HP/VP relays only)

Cilfrew and Neath Abbey

19 June 2019

Mendip

Bristol, parts of Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire

19 June 2019

Redruth (some relays only)

parts of St Austell, Penryn and Falmouth

19 June 2019

Wenvoe

Cardiff, Newport and south east Wales

19 June 2019



July - Sept 2019 (Q3)
Transmitter group Area served Retune date
Carmel

parts of south and central Wales

17 July 2019

Kilvey Hill

the Swansea area

17 July 2019

Crystal Palace (Hertford and Alexandra Palace relays only)

Hertford and parts of Ware and parts of Haringey and Barnet

24 July 2019

Caldbeck

Cumbria, south west Scotland and the south Lakes

31 July 2019

Caldbeck Scotland

parts of south west Scotland

31 July 2019

Selkirk

Scottish Borders

14 August 2019

Dover

south and east Kent, and parts of East Sussex

22 August 2019

Brougher Mountain

south west Northern Ireland

4 September 2019

Caldbeck Scotland (Portpatrick relay only)

Portpatrick

4 September 2019

Darvel (some relays only)

Dunure, Girvan and parts of Dailly and parts of Troon

4 September 2019

Divis

Belfast and the surrounding area

4 September 2019

Limavady

north west Northern Ireland

4 September 2019

Black Hill (Uplawmoor relay only)

Uplawmoor and Lugton

11 September 2019

Caldbeck (some relays only)

Workington and Threlkeld

11 September 2019

Caldbeck Scotland (Ballantrae relay only)

Ballantrae

11 September 2019

Pontop Pike

Tyne and Wear and County Durham

12 September 2019

Angus

Angus, Dundee, Perth and parts of Fife

18 September 2019

 

[Blobcat]

So clearing 700Mhz will affect 174-240Mhz DAB...

 

[PovertySpec]

another recent nationwide reallocation of TV channels to find space for 5G, I would fully expect it to mess up DAB

I don't see the connection?

 

[Botus]

I don't see the connection?

the air is full of digital signals... which I guess come over as noise to many different tuners impacting how successfully they work and lock on to the right data. If they add more and more digital signals they have to play musical chairs "and create a compromise that works" except its not actually possible, so they reduce the signal strength so tuners can't see the noise... but then they can't see the data they need either and we get TV, DAB an Mobile signal reception issues

the latest retune at CP has lost me DTT channels 106 107 and 108 for the last 3 weeks

 

[PovertySpec]

I know how it works but the DAB tuner in my office at the back of the house hasn't been retuned for the last 3 years and neither has the one in the kitchen so it isn't the multiplexer or transmitter that's changed. None of the locations or dates in your post correlate with the unit in the car losing a signal.

The only thing which does is the explosion of greenery on the trees which happened over a few days and would indicate that either the aerial is rubbish at pulling in and retaining a signal (probably - no idea how much of a buffer the unit has - if any) or the unit has suffered infant mortality.

The perils of digital. It either works or it does not.

 

[Botus]

None of the locations or dates in your post correlate with the unit in the car losing a signal.

I only posted the new stuff... and then we didn't discuss 4G updates 5G trials, or more DAB channels for your area
If the static ones inside have high quality tuners and happen to be in a good reception area, that would make life easier than a car

http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/operatio...events_in_2018/previous_clearance_events_2018

http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/operatio...events_in_2019/previous_clearance_events_2019

 

[Blobcat]

the air is full of digital signals... which I guess come over as noise to many different tuners impacting how successfully they work and lock on to the right data. If they add more and more digital signals they have to play musical chairs "and create a compromise that works" except its not actually possible, so they reduce the signal strength so tuners can't see the noise... but then they can't see the data they need either and we get TV, DAB an Mobile signal reception issues

the latest retune at CP has lost me DTT channels 106 107 and 108 for the last 3 weeks

You lose channels because the broadcaster cannot make money so stops broadcasting. You haven’t lost any because of a retune.

Free to air broadcasting “isn’t” for the broadcaster and with so many other ways for consumers to access content traditional broadcasting is way too expensive for many. This is true for TV and especially for Radio, which is why so many broadcasters have gone to the wall.

The noise you’re talking about from digital channels makes no difference to a receiver front end. They are full of filters to only allow the channels though they’re tuned to. If they were so bad that a 700Mhz channel could get into a 174Mhz front end then you’d never get any signal at all.

The 700MHz clearance is a bigger piece of work than the analogue switch over. It could all have been planned then but the government and offcom didn't think ahead so the costs for digital switchover are more than double what they should have been.

 

[Botus]

You lose channels because the broadcaster cannot make money so stops broadcasting. You haven’t lost any because of a retune.

Free to air broadcasting “isn’t” for the broadcaster and with so many other ways for consumers to access content traditional broadcasting is way too expensive for many. This is true for TV and especially for Radio, which is why so many broadcasters have gone to the wall.

The noise you’re talking about from digital channels makes no difference to a receiver front end. They are full of filters to only allow the channels though they’re tuned to. If they were so bad that a 700Mhz channel could get into a 174Mhz front end then you’d never get any signal at all.

The 700MHz clearance is a bigger piece of work than the analogue switch over. It could all have been planned then but the government and offcom didn't think ahead so the costs for digital switchover are more than double what they should have been.

if you weren't serious I'd be laughing
all those channels are broadcasting, they disappeared due to a retune... been going on for years and years every since they invented 15 channels in 99

 

[Blobcat]

if you weren't serious I'd be laughing
all those channels are broadcasting, they disappeared due to a retune... been going on for years and years every since they invented 15 channels in 99

You really have no clue at all