APS 30 lastest nav software CD v7 or v9?

[David Pemberton]

I'd like to update the navigation CD in my APS 30 (model 4715), v4 is now a little comical in use...

The Mercedes dealer says that latest part he has is v7 and it dates from 2004 (part number MB6 7 82 3335 price £185.06). I see v9 (set of 4 CDs) being advertised on eBay in Germany and these seem to date from 2006.

Madly, I'm even happy to pay MB UK prices for the CD, but not if it two years old and will be updated in a few months time. If MB aren't planning to make v9 available in the UK does anyone know if v9 will work with model 4715, and I'll buy on eBay.

Thanks for any advice

David

 

[robertjary]

Version 9 part number is B6782 3669. It's available in the UK, I checked with my dealer - £175 +VAT. I've ordered from Germany. It should arrive any day, I'll let you know how it performs. As well as the UK, I'll be travelling in France, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium and France over the next month or so. You never know, it might even have the M6 toll. Should be a good test.

 

[02 A160 AG]

Hi, Please could you let us know how you get on with the Version 9 disc for APS 30.

I've just acquired an APS 30 unit for our 2003 ML (it's a BE4716)

i. Does the Version 9 Disc include any firmware updates for the APS 30 units?

ii. Does Version 9 allow post code entry (or does the APS 30 unit allow that anyway?)

Thanks

 

[blacknight]

I've got comand system in my 2003 ML350 will APS 30 latest software update this do you know

 

[marnix]

APS30 software is not compatible with the Comand system.

 

[David Pemberton]

At the weekend I emailed Mercedes, Becker, and Navtech. The only reply so far has been from Mercedes who agree with robertjary (above). I quote from their email:

"Thank you for your recent correspondence requesting information on the latest sat/nav disc for the Mercedes-Benz Audio30APS.

The latest disc is part number: B67823669
Navigation-CD AUDIO 30 APS Europa Version 9.0

Thank you for contacting the DaimlerChrysler Customer Assistance Cente with your enquiry.

Should you have any further requirements, please do not hesitate to contact us."

They didn't give any info on changes in functionality for either the Nav or Audio functions of the Audio 30 APS unit.

David

 

[02 A160 AG]

At the weekend I emailed Mercedes, Becker, and Navtech. The only reply so far has been from Mercedes who agree with robertjary (above). I quote from their email:

"Thank you for your recent correspondence requesting information on the latest sat/nav disc for the Mercedes-Benz Audio30APS.

The latest disc is part number: B67823669
Navigation-CD AUDIO 30 APS Europa Version 9.0

Thank you for contacting the DaimlerChrysler Customer Assistance Cente with your enquiry.

Should you have any further requirements, please do not hesitate to contact us."

They didn't give any info on changes in functionality for either the Nav or Audio functions of the Audio 30 APS unit.

David

Thanks, now we just need to know what we get for our money. Just updated map information such as the M6 Toll and Congestion Charge zone or any added functionality?

Please keep this thread updated !

Thanks

 

[David Pemberton]

Audio 30 APS v9 disc

Hello

I installed the v9 disc (MB part 6782 3669 £205.53 inc VAT) into my Audio 30 APS today; here's a quick report:-

Upgrade installation went OK: parked in area with 4+ sat coverage, put disc 1 into system, took about 4 mins to update radio software (counter displayed)after which unit went blank, pushed "On" button and another 4 mins to complete nav update (another counter displayed).

There isn't anything by way of added functionality (e.g. no TMC for UK, and no post code destination entry). The "please turn now" announcement seems to come a little earlier (which was needed). The RDS traffic programme "TP" feature now seems to work (never got a single announcement before). So the only changes seem to be "fixes" rather than improvements. There may be others that I haven't found yet. She still says "turn left now" on roundabouts when it might be better is she said "exit now".

I don't know how current the 2006 map base is meant to be. It still doesn't know about some turn restrictions that have been in place near my house for about a year. So I have no idea if it knows about the M40 Toll or that a section of the M1 at Leeds has moved by about 100 yards and I'm really not travelling "Off Road" at 70 mph as it used to think... The POI database is much better, especially for fuel stations (though more and more of these seem to be ceasing trading these days, so the first one it tried to take me to I knew had become a hand car wash place).

All in all a rather disappointing £200 spent, but then it didn't claim to be anything more than a map update. I think that if I wasn't keen to preserve the orginality and look of the car, then spending £250 on a Tom-Tom would have been better.

If a few weeks of use reveals anything more I update the thread again.

Best wishes

David

 

[jonclancy]

That's a real shame, David.

I was hoping you'd report that UK TMC was enabled, postcode input included and the option to force a routing (ie Gatwick to Swindon via Bracknell not just around the M25!!).

Thanks for letting us know what the latest version included - if anyone knows when UK TMC is being enabled (firmware update?) I'd love to know!

All the best

Jon

 

[02 A160 AG]

Thanks for the update. Shame it hasn't enabled post code address entry.

Will keep an eye out for cheap disks on ebay...

 

[David Pemberton]

Quick update for Jon Clancy

"(ie Gatwick to Swindon via Bracknell not just around the M25!!)"

You should be able to do something like this with the "VIA" function. You enter your destination and then before you select fast/short route if your destination is far enough away one of the soft keys offers you the VIA option. If you press it a list of routing via option appears. They don't route through the town but round it using the trunk/righ roads.

And about 3 weeks on and several longer journeys done, I can say that mapping and routing are updated and better, as are the count downs and directions - but that's it. All MB promised but not more.

 

[robertjary]

I've used version 9 (4 CDs) extensively over the last 2 months. For travelling in the UK, the updates to the map are worthwhile, although if you never travel abroad then you'll only need 1 of the CDs. In Germany, it's possible to buy just a single country version, Germany, which also has major roads in Europe. This doesn't appear to be the case elsewhere.

However, I found it a pain having to swap CDs whilst travelling through mainland Europe, especially when compared with version 7 (2CDs), which overlapped eastern and western Europe. Each time a CD is swapped, it takes a short time to load the new maps (into memory, I presume). Not having France, Belgium or Holland on the same CD as the UK was annoying, as each time you change CDs, you need to re-enter the destination. The selection of countries on each CD is somewhat puzzling as adjacent countries are not always on the same CD. For example, the UK and Eire are on the same CD as Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark. Poland is on a different CD to the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

I've not yet travelled to Eire, but will probably be there in the next month or two. Hopefully, version 9 will have more detail than version 7. I've not been through the London congestion charging zone either, during it's hours of operation, so don't know if the system informs you about this.

Still no TMC in the UK, but where it's available, it works well. Perhaps TMC support for the UK will make version 10?

At least Mercedes Benz supply updates. I understand that Jaguar don't always support systems that are no longer current.

 

[jonclancy]

Thanks David. I'll give that a try on the way home tomorrow.

Cheers

Jon