Ideas Please: In-car Audio/Telephone/Navigation - 300CE 124 Series

[rayhennig]

Hello All,

My 1991 300ce still gives good service and I intend to keep it as my normal workhorse. However, if business takes off, I shall need to be on the road and in contact with clients.

The question is:

What sort of aftermarket, integrated solutions exist?

I envisage a bluetooth phone and some radio/cd unit allowing microphone connection for the phone. So, rather like my 300e back in the 80s, I can make/receive calls hands free having linked the phone to the radio via bluetooth. The audio system is cut off during phone calls which are handled by the audio system microphone/speakers.

So, the phone needs a cradle so you can control it to make calls. Bluetooth handles communications between the phone and the microphone/speakers

for the audio side of the phone - just like back in the 80s!

Am I on the right lines so far?

Assuming so, which kit should I be looking at?

And what about satellite? Another box, I presume?

Or has someone decided that a TomTom or similar could be integrated into my theoretical radio.cd above? The screen would need to be separate, in

which case, why not a separate unit which can be used in other cars?

So, it seems that I need:

>> Radio/cd with bluetooth.

>> Microphone that connects to the radio/cd.

>> Cradle for bluetooth phone.

>> Bluetooth phone.

Is there anything else I should know.

Thanks in advance and the best to all and their wheels.

RayH

 

[R2e]

Ray, you could use a Bluetooth Handsfree such as the Parrot CK3100 (a Google will pick up details) which uses the car speakers, a Radio/CD of your choice and TomTom 910 deluxe, again which can integrate with the car radio as long as you have an aux input.

The beauty of this system is you can keep your phone in your pocket (or in the boot even), it will still connect and with voice activated dialling, you don't have to do anything illegal!

 

[psmart]

Another option if you have a double din fascia hole is the COMAND 2.0 with UHI interface. Depends on your budget, but a 2nd hand COMAND will set you back around 300 quid and the bits for UHI can be picked up on Ebay/Merc.

Look at Richards site, www.mercupgrades.com for further info on this option.

 

[Bolide]

Becker make a unit that is standard DIN size and does everything you want. Alternatively, a Blaupunkt E1 or Freestyler does everything but Bluetooth. You can use one with a Nokie CK-7W, patch the audio output to the phone in of the Blaupunkt and have hands-free Bluetooth phone via the speakers. If you have a cradle that will take your phone you can use that too

The blaupunkt is clever enough to work for hands-free when the face has been removed. So if you jump in the car and don't put the face on the stereo the phone still works

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

 

[rayhennig]

Thank you for those thoughts ...

My thanks.

On reflection, I may go for a bluetooth radio/cd (Becker/Blaupunkt/whatever) and get a portable SatNav that can be used in both our cars. Although, truthfully, we don't really NEED a SatNav - maps have been adequate and have taken us all over Europe.

I read recently in a UK newspaper that there are moves afoot to ban smoking whilst driving. One reason is the sik of burning embers - I still have a very decent pair of Daks trowsers with burn holes around the flies so maybe theyve got a point. I've just given up (again) so no problem for me.

However, my view is that some of the latest radio/cd players are a danger. What aver happened to the decent old radios with volume, tuning and little else. These days I find I need to concentrate hard to 'drive' in-car systems.

Or am I just a sad old git?

All the best.

RayH

 

[Parrot of Doom]

I have a Nokia N73. It provides phone and satnav functionality (running TomTom)

It sits in a Nokia cradle, connected to a Nokia car kit wired into the car. That provides the hands free capability. The satnav voice comes out the handsfree speaker. The microphone is positioned near the rear view mirror.

The cradle is screwed to a big bit of grey plastic thats mounted at the side of the radio, it looks like factory fit although it isn't. The passenger's leg/knee doesn't touch it.

The GPS signal is from a bluetooth GPS receiver, which sits in the armrest box. Its very sensitive. If you got a Nokia N95, it has a built in GPS so you wouldn't need the bluetooth.