Botus
Senior Member
DAB was optional on the W221, its a separate module, sitting on the fibre MOST in the boot.
I never got why these were unaffected by the Feb 2016 great UK reshape of the DAB network that wiped out most C and E class models. On mine Signal drop out actually improved to never since the change (but had been petty good by 2015 anyway).
But now I realise why it all got better. Its a DAB only tuner not a DAB & DAB+ tuner. So the >99 channel list bug didn't hit these and as less where broadcasting on DAB the signals for the remaining channels picked up. But one day we'll have no broadcasts. Germany killed DAB broadcasts a few years ago and the UK is one of only 4 countries left that still dual broadcast both digital signals (out of about 50 that do DAB).
The stock DAB tuner staggered me with its the quality - its like a great FM broadcast, not some hollow compressed low bit rate embarrassment. And it sounds just the same quality as the other components like the Radio, DVD player or TV… But then the tuner is £600 to buy
Not that I need it... I just wanted to play over Christmas. I decided to look at an upgrade to DAB+. Mooching about on ebay, I came across the current tuner from a w222 for not much money and saw its connections were the same as my car. A single black multiplug with 2 MOST wires and a 4 pin connector (using 3 of the pins on the loom). With the Antenna on one Fakra (always using just the outer one, the inner antenna connection was for Band111 which everyone stopped broadcasting when DAB+ came out). However I was informed the w222 tuner won't work, the world moved on with later cars running "MOST High" (and I believe they have some anti theft chassis number issue too).
That disappointment made me remember the E class tuner is yet another module out there.... (in fact there are three part numbers for the C and E class) with the current part number being... 1669003407 (giving hardware 1668202089)
Being so cheap I thought I'd have a play.... (£50 vs aftermarket in-digi DAB+ tuner that is fully compatible at £400)
On the Merc Tuner I wanted a later one as they all need the software update as they became useless post 2016 (with all iterations running obsolete software from 2011), paid £20 more and got a 2015 part that I figured coming from a new car that still had 2 years of warranty remaining its more likely the car got the Oct 2016 DAB software update that all C and E class cars need.
It was Plug and Play fitment, turned the car on and found everything OK on Comand with FM radio playing. (I once fitted the later iPod kit using the earlier loom and the Comand was dead and the rear heater controls were both offline !). Went to DAB menus and I'm just getting the search message (as per picture below). But my house is in weird dead spot, so not sure if things will work but at least its shows the screen and the rest of the car is happy. But I had ice forming on the screen, so decided I can't be bothered to go for a drive...
Overnight I think is it
Bugger, it was never updated !!! but it is the part I expected (half a result)
Go for a drive today with the same spinning, Please wait message.... and as I get out of the dead spot on comes a DAB only station.... but no change in status on the display... 20 mins later still no change and I can only drop right down to heater controls or up to select another source. Then I park up and try the comand knob, to see if the presets to work. Nothing. About to give up when a Traffic message cuts in. I can see who's broadcasting that on the pop up (and I can hear it) and can cancel with steering wheel buttons just as before.
Then remember the phone keypad is how you set the preset memory and that works, and I can swap out different stations....
But now the bad news....
I never got why these were unaffected by the Feb 2016 great UK reshape of the DAB network that wiped out most C and E class models. On mine Signal drop out actually improved to never since the change (but had been petty good by 2015 anyway).
But now I realise why it all got better. Its a DAB only tuner not a DAB & DAB+ tuner. So the >99 channel list bug didn't hit these and as less where broadcasting on DAB the signals for the remaining channels picked up. But one day we'll have no broadcasts. Germany killed DAB broadcasts a few years ago and the UK is one of only 4 countries left that still dual broadcast both digital signals (out of about 50 that do DAB).
The stock DAB tuner staggered me with its the quality - its like a great FM broadcast, not some hollow compressed low bit rate embarrassment. And it sounds just the same quality as the other components like the Radio, DVD player or TV… But then the tuner is £600 to buy
Not that I need it... I just wanted to play over Christmas. I decided to look at an upgrade to DAB+. Mooching about on ebay, I came across the current tuner from a w222 for not much money and saw its connections were the same as my car. A single black multiplug with 2 MOST wires and a 4 pin connector (using 3 of the pins on the loom). With the Antenna on one Fakra (always using just the outer one, the inner antenna connection was for Band111 which everyone stopped broadcasting when DAB+ came out). However I was informed the w222 tuner won't work, the world moved on with later cars running "MOST High" (and I believe they have some anti theft chassis number issue too).
That disappointment made me remember the E class tuner is yet another module out there.... (in fact there are three part numbers for the C and E class) with the current part number being... 1669003407 (giving hardware 1668202089)
Being so cheap I thought I'd have a play.... (£50 vs aftermarket in-digi DAB+ tuner that is fully compatible at £400)
On the Merc Tuner I wanted a later one as they all need the software update as they became useless post 2016 (with all iterations running obsolete software from 2011), paid £20 more and got a 2015 part that I figured coming from a new car that still had 2 years of warranty remaining its more likely the car got the Oct 2016 DAB software update that all C and E class cars need.
It was Plug and Play fitment, turned the car on and found everything OK on Comand with FM radio playing. (I once fitted the later iPod kit using the earlier loom and the Comand was dead and the rear heater controls were both offline !). Went to DAB menus and I'm just getting the search message (as per picture below). But my house is in weird dead spot, so not sure if things will work but at least its shows the screen and the rest of the car is happy. But I had ice forming on the screen, so decided I can't be bothered to go for a drive...
Overnight I think is it
- the >100 channel bug killing it,
- a weak signal,
- or just not compatible,
Bugger, it was never updated !!! but it is the part I expected (half a result)
Go for a drive today with the same spinning, Please wait message.... and as I get out of the dead spot on comes a DAB only station.... but no change in status on the display... 20 mins later still no change and I can only drop right down to heater controls or up to select another source. Then I park up and try the comand knob, to see if the presets to work. Nothing. About to give up when a Traffic message cuts in. I can see who's broadcasting that on the pop up (and I can hear it) and can cancel with steering wheel buttons just as before.
Then remember the phone keypad is how you set the preset memory and that works, and I can swap out different stations....
But now the bad news....
- It never gets over the spinning please wait message
- I doubt I can flash the 2016 update as its not supposed to be in my car
- But the worst issue its is hideous. What a piece of garbage, these are £380 new and the sound is cheap and disgusting.
- Its totally at odds with the rest of the car its like you got on a base spec mk3 escort
- The Stock DAB hasn't dropped out in years, but this was dropping 4 times in a mile and now and then with additional odd background clucking and hissing noises. Then you turn up the vol and everything seemed OK but its budget cheapie not the quality tuner they are supposed to run.
- It actually sounds like I expect DAB to sound (aka compressed low bit rate trash) whereas the original one is stunningly good
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