APS 50 sat nav and ipod on a W211 Estate

[tpt]

SO, i've collected a July 05 E220CDi (W211) Estate with APS 50 sat nav and no cd changer. CD changers and pretty useless these days now that I can bring 15000 tracks with me on my ipod. But the i need to connect my ipod (a 30gb video ipod ...)

I have been searching these forums for the *definitive* answer on connecting my ipod to my radio. Could someone confirm these assertions I have made ...

(1) The W211 has a fiber optic coms ring - a bit like a LAN - with all the ICE connected to it.
(2) As I have a sat nav unit, I could well have some box in the boot that would take an aux input for the ipod - if so where is it ? - and can i control the ipod from my screen? What extra bits would i need?
(3) Failing this, i need another box - either from mb or a company called 'denison' - both arround the 250 GBP mark - excluding fitting - but would give me everything I want, ie track display on the radio and steering wheel comands, ipod charging....
(4) Can someone recomend a fitter in the london area (or a MB dealer) who you trust, who can supply and fit either the denison or mb ipod connectors.

Many Thanks in advance

TPT

 

[shakeapaw]

the e series does indeed run fibre optics,there is no "aux connection" avaible for the aps 50,there is a mb adapter avaible for the ipod which will display info on the dash,i once overheard a customer being served in front of me ask about it and it was well over £750 fully fitted.failing that go the other route and install a full comand system,i did it for just over £1000,it adds value to your car and the comand head unit also comes with an "aux in " on the back of the unit,although this will not display on the dash.
you cant even use a fm modulator for the ipod cos you have no access to the fm areial.
cheaper still. just go back to the good old cd's.

 

[Alfie]

SO, i've collected a July 05 E220CDi (W211) Estate with APS 50 sat nav and no cd changer. CD changers and pretty useless these days now that I can bring 15000 tracks with me on my ipod. But the i need to connect my ipod (a 30gb video ipod ...)

I have been searching these forums for the *definitive* answer on connecting my ipod to my radio. Could someone confirm these assertions I have made ...

(1) The W211 has a fiber optic coms ring - a bit like a LAN - with all the ICE connected to it.
(2) As I have a sat nav unit, I could well have some box in the boot that would take an aux input for the ipod - if so where is it ? - and can i control the ipod from my screen? What extra bits would i need?
(3) Failing this, i need another box - either from mb or a company called 'denison' - both arround the 250 GBP mark - excluding fitting - but would give me everything I want, ie track display on the radio and steering wheel comands, ipod charging....
(4) Can someone recomend a fitter in the london area (or a MB dealer) who you trust, who can supply and fit either the denison or mb ipod connectors.

Many Thanks in advance

TPT

According to the literature I picked up yesterday in my local dealer the factory ipod connection is only available on the W211 with COMAND. Now whether this includes comand APS 50 or not,is unclear.

Whatever the situation, the track names etc will not appear on the head unit screen. They will only appear in the cluster if you have phone pre-wire. If you dont have phone pre-wire, then some coding will be required.

 

[tpt]

Thanks for the info, shakepaw, how do i go about adding a command system for approx 1000 gbp? all of the other forums talk about this retro fit costing 2000k +?!! (I belive Alfie will back this up?)

 

[jberks]

You should be able to do this for less that £1k in theory.
They come up on ebay all the time and as you already have the audio gateway, it's a simple swap out for the APS50 AFAIK.
It's a bit dramatic just to get your ipod working though. I take it you are aware that the later 211 cd changers are MP3 compatible?

 

[Alfie]

Thanks for the info, shakepaw, how do i go about adding a command system for approx 1000 gbp? all of the other forums talk about this retro fit costing 2000k +?!! (I belive Alfie will back this up?)

You can do it for a lot less as you have the AG already which means the wiring etc is all there. It should be just a swap of the head unit.

Check out Richards site at http://www.mercupgrades.com for the latest part number for your car. Avoid early comand system part numbers as there were lots of problems with them.

 

[rf065]

I'm not sure about an E class, but the CD changer for a 2005 CLK will play MP3 CD's as well as normal CD's, might be a cheaper option if it works for yours.

Russ

 

[tpt]

APS 50 Sat Nav is quite good actually ...

Hmm, having lived with the APS 50 system for the last week, I'm quite impressed with the sat nav .. ok so we dont get a moving map, but the voice and graphic instructions are clear, and repeated on the dashboard, what else woulf the comand add..?

I'm going to investigate fitting a 'dension gateway 500 most' which according to the blurb will let my ipod mimic a cd changer AND give me artist / track names on my display units ... I'll let you know how I get on...

tpt

 

[Swampy_B]

Or failing all the above you could opt for my option.

buy a cassette adaptor and use that, Save £700 and spend that on a nice holiday, if you dont use the cd changer then you can run the wire behind the face and into the ashtray, simple & cheap, Just dont have your ipod full volume or you will have to replace your sub like me.

 

[jberks]

buy a cassette adaptor and use that, .

Except that they changed the cassette to a CD in 04 so no cassette player anymore.

 

[tpt]

I bid and won the following on ebay from a UK seller :

the part number: A 211 820 41 97

model 7039

and

Car navigation DVD -Rom

The part number : A220 820 35 89

model 6059

and

DVD navigation Europe

and

GPS antena

I will be installing this over the next few weeks - I plan to take photos and update this site. I have found a friendly MB dealer who will let me use his star machine if so needed. At the very worst I can go back to my APS50....

... so watch this space!

 

[tpt]

Just to add, I belive I do have the audio gateway, there is a whole bunch of stuff on the left hand side in the boot of my car - lots of wires and units .. what else could that be?

Also, how do I remove my exisitng head unit? I cant see where I would start ...

And finaly, this does solve my ipod problem as there is an aux line in feed on the back of the unit ...

 

[shakeapaw]

your best bet is to search this site,ive already explained how to go from a aps50 upto a comand./how to remove the head unit etc.its take about an 2 hours.contact/pm me if you get stuck.

 

[tpt]

Thanks for the offer shakeapaw, i could find your instructions on this site so i have sent you a pm. I plan to do the instalation thiss weekend.

 

[Gordon R]

Ref - Upgrade to Command

I am doing the same as you. I have a 2003 Late E320 Cdi with Harmon Karden. So far I have had the Command head unit put in but of course need to link up the DVD. I have bought 2 Fibre Optic Cables from local MB dealer approx £16 to link to and from the Audio Gateway. I have bought a loom from a USA MB trader - about £80 all in. This plugs into the back of the DVD Rom, Powers in to the fuse box and I think 3 wires go into the A/G. I hope to have it all sorted within the next couple of weeks. I aim to link my other Alpine DVD into it and freeview TV, plus bluetooth phone and iPod conection. It may well need a little software tweak or the Star to snd the right pulses. Good luck

 

[tpt]

Hi Gordon R

Is yours a 210 or 211? I ask because i am bit concerned that you have bought a load of optic cable and connectors - I was on the understanding that on the W211s it is all there ... (ie I hope not to buy any cable, but just swap the units over / install the sat nav unit in the boot)

Also, DOES anyone know how to remove an APS50 headunit. Ive removed all the gubbings arround it and loosened the screws under the base of the unit but it wont come out. Do i need a removal tool?

Cheers

tpt

 

[tpt]

APS 50 -> COMAND , So far so good

So far so good, The dvd head unit is in and detected the audio gateway - very easy job. I have radio and DVD and a new AUX input for my ipod (which started the whole upgrade thing off in the first place!)

I need some more wires which I am waiting on MB to provide, but it looks straightforward enough. I just need to connect the Nav unit in the boot to the MOST fibre optic ring, plug in the electrics and the GPS signal from the splitter which is already there and I'm done. It could need a visit to the star machine but I will cross taht bridge.

So if you have an APS 50 on an E class, you have almost alll the wiring for a comand unit and a relatively straight forward upgrade to comand...

 

[tpt]

CANT SOURCE PARTS

I'm being frustrated by MB dealers - I need 4 parts top complete my build, namely a short bit of MOST fibre optic cable, a fibre optic cable connector, a small wiring loom to power the DVD NAV unit from the rear SAM and an aux input lead for the comand unit. But the MB dealers I have approached just give me a lecture on why i shouldnt retro fit a Comand to my W211 - Do any of you have any advice on sourcing these parts?

 

[rpalmeida]

CANT SOURCE PARTS

I'm being frustrated by MB dealers - I need 4 parts top complete my build, namely a short bit of MOST fibre optic cable, a fibre optic cable connector, a small wiring loom to power the DVD NAV unit from the rear SAM and an aux input lead for the comand unit. But the MB dealers I have approached just give me a lecture on why i shouldnt retro fit a Comand to my W211 - Do any of you have any advice on sourcing these parts?

Thats normal of them, they want you to have them to it - but that is where they make their money..

A211 540 31 32 Short MOST fibre
A000 545 44 84 MOST joiner
A211 540 99 10 Aux cable
A211 540 51 09 - wiring harness, navigation processor & antenna line, up to ident A303555
A211 540 51 09 98 - wiring harness, navigation processor & antenna line, from ident A303556

I've only ever ordered the 1st two, so don't blame me if the next 2 are wrong, but I found hem on EPC

R

 

[tpt]

Great , Thanks for that!