After ten years with an occasionally troublesome and decaying W210 E200 and a short interlude with a remarkably trouble-free Toyota, I have recently acquired a 2007 E220 CDI with Audio 20, but no Comand, phone pre-wire or CD changer. I would like now to gain Ipod and possibly phone functionality through the car's audio system.
I've ruled out upgrading to Comand partly due to the cost and also because I've already got a perfectly good sat-nav.
Having trawled the web it seems that mobridge may be the way to go because it integrates with the car's existing steering wheel controls and displays and, apart from a small noise-cancelling microphone, there are no other items to be accommodated on the dashboard - such as are required with the Parrot MKi 9200. The Dension Gateway seems to have mixed reviews regarding reliability and technical support.
Since the Audio 20 does not have CD text support, I've just contacted mobridge to establish what track/artist and phonebook information will be available on the instrument cluster to enable me to select tracks and view phonebook entries. I assume that there will be nothing on the head unit. My Audio 20 will play MP3 files but only the track number is displayed on the head unit and instrument cluster.
There are numerous threads on the American M-B forums, but everything I've seen relates to vehicles with Comand and not the poverty spec Audio 20 in my car. I've also asked mobridge to confirm whether detailed installation instructions are available. The ipod kit only is £325 or £495 installed and the ipod and bluetooth kit only is £535 or £895 installed.
Does anyone have experience with either the installation or operation of the mobridge ipod and phone systems?
Any comments appreciated.
I've ruled out upgrading to Comand partly due to the cost and also because I've already got a perfectly good sat-nav.
Having trawled the web it seems that mobridge may be the way to go because it integrates with the car's existing steering wheel controls and displays and, apart from a small noise-cancelling microphone, there are no other items to be accommodated on the dashboard - such as are required with the Parrot MKi 9200. The Dension Gateway seems to have mixed reviews regarding reliability and technical support.
Since the Audio 20 does not have CD text support, I've just contacted mobridge to establish what track/artist and phonebook information will be available on the instrument cluster to enable me to select tracks and view phonebook entries. I assume that there will be nothing on the head unit. My Audio 20 will play MP3 files but only the track number is displayed on the head unit and instrument cluster.
There are numerous threads on the American M-B forums, but everything I've seen relates to vehicles with Comand and not the poverty spec Audio 20 in my car. I've also asked mobridge to confirm whether detailed installation instructions are available. The ipod kit only is £325 or £495 installed and the ipod and bluetooth kit only is £535 or £895 installed.
Does anyone have experience with either the installation or operation of the mobridge ipod and phone systems?
Any comments appreciated.
