Audio 20 on S204 2012/2013 C220Cdi

[IanMSpencer]

Just got hold of my S/H C220 Estate and am a bit confused on the Audio 20 system which does not seem to match the manual. It is A 2013 model, registered Dec 2012.

Specifically, if I attach a supported iPod it stays in USB and although the iPod says it is connected, the Audio 20 does not have a multi-media option, just the standard USB, so playlists etc aren't supported and the track file names are iPod gobbledegook.

All under warranty, is this something I just need to get MB to update the software?

Bit traumatised as my dear old 1999 C240 which I owned from new supported it (well, I lied, I switched to a newer Sony which supported iPods about 5 years ago).

 

[Alfie]

Just got hold of my S/H C220 Estate and am a bit confused on the Audio 20 system which does not seem to match the manual. It is A 2013 model, registered Dec 2012.

Specifically, if I attach a supported iPod it stays in USB and although the iPod says it is connected, the Audio 20 does not have a multi-media option, just the standard USB, so playlists etc aren't supported and the track file names are iPod gobbledegook.

All under warranty, is this something I just need to get MB to update the software?

Bit traumatised as my dear old 1999 C240 which I owned from new supported it (well, I lied, I switched to a newer Sony which supported iPods about 5 years ago).

This will depend on whether your car has media interface fitted or not. email me the VIN to [email protected] and i'll advise.

 

[Kilham5]

I have just bought a facelift C220 estate.

I was initially disappointed the standard Audio20 did not support my iPod

However, what it actually does do is IMO much better.
Why fiddle with an iPod and have it sat in your car?

Fill a cheap USB stick with your chosen playlist
My 16Bb stick holds over a 100 albums.
(I bought a cheap MB replica key one off amazon for £5 cos I'm a tart)

Make sure the music is all mp3's with album art embedded, plug it in and leave it.

Works superb, navigate all your albums with the command dial, and it displays album art in the screen.
Superb and seamless

It will play other formats, but if not mp3 with embedded artwork, the album art will not display consistently on the screen.
If your collection is in other formats use a basic downloadable mp3 converter and/or use mp3tag if your album art is not consistent.
Sounds like a faff but is quite easy

Hope that helps.

 

[c63chris]

Just got hold of my S/H C220 Estate and am a bit confused on the Audio 20 system which does not seem to match the manual. It is A 2013 model, registered Dec 2012. Specifically, if I attach a supported iPod it stays in USB and although the iPod says it is connected, the Audio 20 does not have a multi-media option, just the standard USB, so playlists etc aren't supported and the track file names are iPod gobbledegook. All under warranty, is this something I just need to get MB to update the software? Bit traumatised as my dear old 1999 C240 which I owned from new supported it (well, I lied, I switched to a newer Sony which supported iPods about 5 years ago).

Are you using the USB socket? If so you will get the results you say. If it has a media interface as Alfie has asked there are 2 sockets, one USB and one you need a bespoke cable, one end to the car, the other to the iPod. My last car came without this and had to get the dealer to give me the right one and then it worked fine.

 

[IanMSpencer]

Are you using the USB socket? If so you will get the results you say. If it has a media interface as Alfie has asked there are 2 sockets, one USB and one you need a bespoke cable, one end to the car, the other to the iPod. My last car came without this and had to get the dealer to give me the right one and then it worked fine.

I spoke with Merc customer services today after a call from the sales guy who didn't understand the problem. Nice lady over in Holland checked through and explained that it was a media interface option and not only did I not have it, I could not have it retrofitted.

After a bit of sulking I think I'll settle for sticking a stick in and then Bluetooth off the phone for play lists. It's a pity as I have about 95gig of mp3s so I'll still have to trim it down. I'll see if a 64g stick will work.

Bit annoyed that a) mp3 player support is an extra option when my Sony £100 radio CD player worked easily enough, 5 years old. b) that it is an option seems to be buried. All the manuals I read didn't hint it was an option, so it wasn't something I asked about. Still it seems that iPods are becoming a bit passé, but a Nexus 10 + bt doesn't make a good in car system.

 

[richard]

Media Interface can be retrofitted. However for the NTG4.5 cars (post late 2011 (Model Year 2012) facelift), it requires you have a head-unit with the fibre optic port, or that needs to be replaced with one that has it.

The basic Audio-20 with no CD changer internally does NOT have fibre optic port. The others do.

So whereas they say it can not be retrofitted, it means that it is expensive to retrofit (i.e north of £1K by the time you add the head unit)

Talk to Mercedes Retrofit Specialist - Comand.co.uk !

Cheers

Richard