All you wanted to know about Comand APS NTG 2.5

[J4CKO]

NTG 2.5 uses its own internal amplifier unless HK is fitted in which case it uses an external HK amplifier.

Cheers Alfie !

So, looks like it should be fairly easy to swap one for the other, I was being told that for sure I had a separate amp but couldnt find it and was being told I was looking in the wrong place, even I am not that daft !

Will see how the Android unit goes, if it works and I gel with it I will sell the NTG 2.5 (6 changer model), someone said dont as it may well devalue the car, my thinking is that as long as it has working systems, which are probably more functional than OEM and I get £400 upwards for it (works perfectly) then on a car I didn't get much interest on and 7 grand then I am not overly worried !

They do seem to sell for good money, is that people wanting to keep originality, OEMness as realistically they are pretty old now and most of the features can be replicated with aftermarket units ?

 

[Alfie]

Cheers Alfie !

So, looks like it should be fairly easy to swap one for the other, I was being told that for sure I had a separate amp but couldnt find it and was being told I was looking in the wrong place, even I am not that daft !

Will see how the Android unit goes, if it works and I gel with it I will sell the NTG 2.5 (6 changer model), someone said dont as it may well devalue the car, my thinking is that as long as it has working systems, which are probably more functional than OEM and I get £400 upwards for it (works perfectly) then on a car I didn't get much interest on and 7 grand then I am not overly worried !

They do seem to sell for good money, is that people wanting to keep originality, OEMness as realistically they are pretty old now and most of the features can be replicated with aftermarket units ?

Before you sell the NTG 2.5 you need to get the anti theft pin for it. Your local dealer may well help you there. You'll need to wander in with proof of ownership. Selling the comand with the pin code makes it a lot more saleable/valuable ;-)

 

[markjay]

....They do seem to sell for good money, is that people wanting to keep originality, OEMness....

Yes.

That, and the integration with the instrument cluster display and steering wheels buttons.

But mostly the original OEM look. I had one retrofitted to my previous W203 and although I have been using mostly Waze for navigation in recent years the NTG2.5 is still a great unit that fits very well into the car.

 

[J4CKO]

Cheers, will find out about the pin, it came with all the books, I checked the main manual pack, nothing in there, will have a look with the rest of the docs, or is it something you can only get on request ?

I believe the can bus adaptor works the steering wheel buttons but you lose the track display, at least some of it like the track name and also the sat nav info on the display, can live with that, will see if it looks crap, by and large it is designed for the 211/219 so fits the aperture, depends how cheap it looks in the flesh, nth 2.5 works ok but is like £180 to get a map update, same price as the whole unit in the case of this one I have bought, I can the run Waze for navigation and access Spotify which is my main reason, with nth 2.5 I have to plug the phone in and it works but can be hit and miss, but guess a cheap chinese head unit can be as well.

Got a reversing camera coming as well, very cheap but should do the trick.

Not 100 percent convinced and may put the old unit back in but if it works, doesn't sound horrific (nth 2.5 plus non HK sounds pretty good to be fair) and looks ok, I will stick with it, boot time us a concern, that my be the clincher.

 

[J4CKO]

Actually, based on the info at the start of the thread, not sure my unit has the theft protection, my car was registered May 2008 and is a 2009 model year spec, I.e facelift, so will have been built perhaps during the first quarter before it came in, is there a way to tell withou hooking it into another car ?

 

[J4CKO]

Got the unit in and working, pretty pleased, got it connected to my home wifi and installed Spotify. have ordered a Fakra to SMA lead to connect it to the cars Sat Nav aerial rather than using the supplied one.

Just nee to get it to fit properly, seem to be some lugs in the slot that stop it slotting home perfectly, might have to remove them, will spend some time to get it to fit correctly as otherwise it will annoy me for all eternity.

Got it hooked up to google Playstore, will get Waze on it later.

I heard they didnt boot quick enough but it seems to be around 10 to 15 seconds similar to the NTG 2.5, but then the OEM unit is 9 years old, perfectly acceptable, sound quality seems pretty much the same, radio reception seems ok.

Need to route the USB connectors somewhere and then it is just getting it set up with phones, apps, music etc, will see if I can get my SKY Q set up on it so I can watch telly whilst waiting in the car.

Overall, so far, for £180 (got a refurb 4.4) it is good.

Can feel the weight and quality in the NTG 2.5 though.

 

[joeysnowey]

I have NTG2.5. I just had the firmware upgraded by merc dealer so I can install Merc maps upgrade DVD which I already had, before realising firmware needed upgrading. I put DVD 1 in and it says already installed. Maybe the dealer did it for me?! I am in engineering mode looking for maps version to try and confirm. While in there I noticed a screen called "DVD-A Engineering Mode" and the option under is called "VCAP". Anyone know what that means/does?
thanks

 

[joeysnowey]

Anyone know why NTG2.5 won't play RANDOM properly? I have a 32GB SD card installed with my itunes on, its all formatted correctly (took hours to find the right formatting process to make it readable). It has thousands of songs on from a wide variety of artists, but it constantly plays the same 5-10 songs over and over and over. Doing my head in! Has anyone else experienced this and have any tips for why it's doing it? Obviously I have random/shuffle selected. Thanks

 

[M0HAO]

New 2013 Viano owner here.
I think my unit is NTG2.5, but I don´t have the reversing camera from factory.
there are many kits on ebay but... just connecting the camera kit to the NTG unit is enough?
Do I need to "activate" somehow that feature ?
Can I do that with an ODBII interface?
Thanks

 

[Larkone]

AIUI it needs activating using STAR

 

[markjay]

AIUI it needs activating using STAR

On COMAND models that support reverse camera, there's an option in the Engineering Menu to enable Reverse Camera, but I am not sure if it's sufficient to do it from there or perhpas STAR is still needed.

Enabling Reverse Camera means that the COMAND screen will automatically switch to camera view when reverse gear is selected.

I am not sure if NTG2.5 supported reverse camera but it's worth checking the Engineering Menu to see if the option is there.

 

[M0HAO]

it's worth checking the Engineering Menu to see if the option is there.

Sure, I'll check that later today.

will automatically switch to camera view when reverse gear is selected.

I've read somewhere about a yellow cable located underneath the dashboard-passenger side. That cable has the reverse signal (12V).

AIUI it needs activating using STAR

But, as far as I know, there are many different diagnosis devices, from the original MB Star up to a cheap ODBII dongle. If I have to pay hundred quid to someone else to active it... I prefer to pay hundred quid and buy a small diagnosis device for myself.

 

[markjay]

If it does require STAR activation, then it won't be possible to do this using low-cost alternatives.

The sub-£200 OBDII scanners won't have this option for sure. It might be possible to do this with a STAR clone but they are more expensive.

 

[Larkone]

STAR costs significantly more than £100 and you need STAR in Developer Mode to enable the camera. You would be better of going to someone who has STAR and the knowledge to enable this.

More info here
Reversing camera NTG2.5 Comand step by step

 

[M0HAO]

Then...
If I can't find that option in Engineering Menu...
Anyone has a Star device around?
Thanks

 

[markjay]

Then...
If I can't find that option in Engineering Menu...
Anyone has a Star device around?
Thanks

Any MB dealer, or Comand UK

 

[markjay]

Incidentally, Comand UK also sell complete reverse camera kits including all wiring etc.

 

[M0HAO]

Any MB dealer, or Comand UK

Well, not sure if the official MB dealer will be happy doing that...
Comand UK seems more adequate, and it seems they are based in Woking, which is a short distance to Reading, where I am.
Any idea how much is fair to charge for 5min Star activation?

markjay, by the way, I noticed your Quijote avatar. ¿Español?

 

[Larkone]

Best would be to contact Comand UK and ask them. Bear in mind you are not paying just for '5min Star activation'. The cost will include the amount that indies need to charge for the investment they have made in STAR equipment so as to be able to do the job and then there is the all important knowledge on how to do the job. £5 to hit something with a hammer, £995 for knowing what to hit with a hammer.

 

[markjay]

...markjay, by the way, I noticed your Quijote avatar. ¿Español?

No... but this is my favourite Picasso