Adjusting Traffic Announcement Volume in Comand

[Ferg]

Hello

The instruction booklet for my Comand unit fitted to my 2003 ML270 states that I can alter the Traffic Announcement volume during a traffic bulletin by rotating the right turn/push knob. When I try this all that happens is the traffic announcement stops and the Comand unit reverts to the fm station I was originally listening to.

As always when electronics don't behave the way humans expect them to, I suspect operator error, but I can't figure out what I am doing wrong, so any help would be much appreciated.

Thank you

 

[NormanC]

In my CLK the COMAND volume control is the LEFT rotary knob!!

 

[Ferg]

In my CLK the COMAND volume control is the LEFT rotary knob!!

Likewise, but that alters the volume of the radio station and the traffic announcement. The instruction booklet suggests that the r/h knob only alters the volume of the traffic announcement, thereby enabling you to set the volume of the radio and the traffic announcements independently ?

 

[NormanC]

Perhaps this then... See Volume Difference.

 

[Ferg]

Perhaps this then... See Volume Difference.

Fantastic - if only my version of Comand had this option ! I guess if it did, they wouldn't tell you to use the right hand rotary knob ? Anyway, back to the drawing board.

 

[corned]

Usually, you adjust the volume of whatever you are hearing at that particular moment, by turning the LH knob. When it's radio output, it adjusts radio volume. When it's traffic announcements output, it adjusts that instead. If you take too long to move the knob, and the announcement has finished, you will end up adjusting the radio volume!

HTH.

 

[yachtman]

Usually, you adjust the volume of whatever you are hearing at that particular moment, by turning the LH knob. When it's radio output, it adjusts radio volume. When it's traffic announcements output, it adjusts that instead. If you take too long to move the knob, and the announcement has finished, you will end up adjusting the radio volume!

HTH.

+1 couldnt have put it better

 

[Ferg]

Usually, you adjust the volume of whatever you are hearing at that particular moment, by turning the LH knob. When it's radio output, it adjusts radio volume. When it's traffic announcements output, it adjusts that instead. If you take too long to move the knob, and the announcement has finished, you will end up adjusting the radio volume!

HTH.

That was the first thing I tried before discovering that it adjusted both the announcement whilst it was playing and the level of the radio station I had been listening to. I then decided reading the instruction manual might be my best option. I don't think it can possibly be the l/h rotary knob because (a) it adjusts the volume of the radio station and the traffic announcement equally no matter how quickly I try to adjust the volume of the latter, and (b) would the instructions say use the r/h knob if they meant the l/h knob - German precision and all that ?

 

[Diesel Benz]

That was the first thing I tried before discovering that it adjusted both the announcement whilst it was playing and the level of the radio station I had been listening to. I then decided reading the instruction manual might be my best option. I don't think it can possibly be the l/h rotary knob because (a) it adjusts the volume of the radio station and the traffic announcement equally no matter how quickly I try to adjust the volume of the latter, and (b) would the instructions say use the r/h knob if they meant the l/h knob - German precision and all that ?

Can you post a copy of the relevant section of the manual where you think Germans have made a mistake? I still believe there is some kind of a misunderstanding (although I have not even looked at my own Comand how it should behave for traffic announcements).

 

[Ferg]

Can you post a copy of the relevant section of the manual where you think Germans have made a mistake? I still believe there is some kind of a misunderstanding (although I have not even looked at my own Comand how it should behave for traffic announcements).

I don't have access to a scanner, but I have double checked the relevant page and it does say r/h rotary knob ! All I need is for someone who has a similar age car to mine to let me know how they make the adjustments. I'm still thinking the mistake is with my interpretation of the instructions rather than the instructions themselves, but I'm not certain.

 

[topdown]

If you press the L/H knob the traffic message is repeated and during it you can adjust the TA volume.

 

[NormanC]

I don't have access to a scanner.....

I'd certainly be interested in seeing what the manual says, even though I'm not doubting you in any way.

Have you thought of using a camera to photograph the page(s)? It's a technique I use frequently when books don't sit comfortably on the scanner bed.

 

[Ferg]

I'd certainly be interested in seeing what the manual says, even though I'm not doubting you in any way.

Have you thought of using a camera to photograph the page(s)? It's a technique I use frequently when books don't sit comfortably on the scanner bed.

Thanks for the suggestion, but do you really think that is necessary ? I just have the standard ML Comand instruction book that came with my 2003 270 - all I really need is someone with the same car/instruction book as mine to let me know how they adjust the traffic announcement volume whlst leaving the fm radio station volume un-altered - please !

 

[Ferg]

If you press the L/H knob the traffic message is repeated and during it you can adjust the TA volume.

Oh, I thought that was just for sat nav guidance messages ?

 

[NormanC]

Thanks for the suggestion, but do you really think that is necessary ? I just have the standard ML Comand instruction book that came with my 2003 270 - all I really need is someone with the same car/instruction book as mine to let me know how they adjust the traffic announcement volume whlst leaving the fm radio station volume un-altered - please !

It's just that everyone else seems to be coming up with other suggestions. I'm surprised that another ML owner hasn't responded to you and clarified the instructions.

As far as I am concerned it's just for my interest (withsome possibility of assisting you) so it's not necessary at all.

 

[Diesel Benz]

It's just that everyone else seems to be coming up with other suggestions. I'm surprised that another ML owner hasn't responded to you and clarified the instructions.

As far as I am concerned it's just for my interest (withsome possibility of assisting you) so it's not necessary at all.

I guess the person asking would not want to see the simple straight answer but as long as it did not appear, I thought it would have been OK to suggest solutions that may work. Also it is often useful if others can learn from the issue a thread starter has.

Meanwhile I had a look at the Star version coding options and I did find a setting that allows the audio level for traffic announcements being set. This is a range from +0dB to +9 dB (relative to the radio level). From here I would conclude that there is no option for the driver to adjust this difference. This again increases our interest to see a copy of the relevant part of the user manual.

Sorry (for the thread starter) for continuing the discussion while not providing the answer even when you defined only those comments being allowed.

 

[NormanC]

I've now got my COMAND manual in front of me. This manual makes no reference whatsoever to the car model so I would assume that it's the same for all models. Mine is an early 2004 CLK which I would guess has the same COMAND system

It states "You will hear a traffic announcement with the volume of the audio source selected". As far as I'm concerned this means that you cannot independently adjust the volume of the traffic announcement as it would then not be at "the volume of the audio source selected".

I agree that it also states that turning the right turning knob/push button will adjust the volume. Personally, I believe that this is a misprint and it should be the left knob. Certainly, it says that the same adjustment can be made with the + and - buttons on the multi-functional steering wheel and these replicate using the left knob.

Are these the same statements as appear in your COMAND manual?

 

[Ferg]

I've now got my COMAND manual in front of me. This manual makes no reference whatsoever to the car model so I would assume that it's the same for all models. Mine is an early 2004 CLK which I would guess has the same COMAND system

It states "You will hear a traffic announcement with the volume of the audio source selected". As far as I'm concerned this means that you cannot independently adjust the volume of the traffic announcement as it would then not be at "the volume of the audio source selected".

I agree that it also states that turning the right turning knob/push button will adjust the volume. Personally, I believe that this is a misprint and it should be the left knob. Certainly, it says that the same adjustment can be made with the + and - buttons on the multi-functional steering wheel and these replicate using the left knob.

Are these the same statements as appear in your COMAND manual?

Thank you NormanC and Diesel Benz for your comments. I don't have my Comand instruction booklet with me now, but am pretty sure that it says ML on the front cover. I know my instructions don't refer to using the + and - buttons, so maybe there are other differences also ? I think the best way forward is for me to transcribe the contents of the relevant page into a further post and let others see what they can make of it - I won't be able to do this until Thursday evening unfortunately.

 

[NormanC]

Thank you NormanC and Diesel Benz for your comments. I don't have my Comand instruction booklet with me now, but am pretty sure that it says ML on the front cover. I know my instructions don't refer to using the + and - buttons, so maybe there are other differences also ? I think the best way forward is for me to transcribe the contents of the relevant page into a further post and let others see what they can make of it - I won't be able to do this until Thursday evening unfortunately.

No problem!! I'll look out for your post on Thursday evening.

 

[Ferg]

No problem!! I'll look out for your post on Thursday evening.

Hi again, the front cover of my Comand instruction book is marked 'COMMAND 163 Owner's Manual'

I have managed to scan the page I was referring to (45) and here it is -

comments please !