Becker Map Pilot or Comand on W204 ?

[Petje]

Petje,

Does your audio 20 accept a DVD. If you read the price list it says it is "CD/DVD" compatible. The rest of the price list talks about just CD I was wondering if the audio 20 drive with the becker gives DVD capability or is this an MB typo.

Havent tryed a dvd, what i know is that if you put a cd on an USB stick, you see the cd cover in your screen, so i think you can also watch photo's on the screen.

I will give a DVD a try, to see what will happend.

 

[Goldfish11]

Havent tryed a dvd, what i know is that if you put a cd on an USB stick, you see the cd cover in your screen, so i think you can also watch photo's on the screen.

I will give a DVD a try, to see what will happend.

So audio 20 is also showing album art. Do you have the media interface with 6 CD included? It would be good to know if you get album art displayed when using your iPod as you do with the full Comand system?

Petje Do tell us as much as you can about the functionality of the new audio 20. If you can insert a few pictures of the screens for navigation and music on this thread it would be awesome

 

[Goldfish11]

Useful downloads on Becker

Becker brochure

http://www.mybecker.com/www_root/documents/Becker MAP PILOT english_1.pdf

Becker operating guide

http://www.mybecker.com/www_root/documents/Manual_MAP PILOT_EN_1.pdf

New C class - Dealer Product content guide

http://www.osv.ltd.uk/latestnews/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Mercedes_C_Class_Brochure.pdf

If any one can find any more useful information links do post them

 

[Petje]

So audio 20 is also showing album art. Do you have the media interface with 6 CD included? It would be good to know if you get album art displayed when using your iPod as you do with the full Comand system?

Petje Do tell us as much as you can about the functionality of the new audio 20. If you can insert a few pictures of the screens for navigation and music on this thread it would be awesome

I only have the audio20 with map pilot.
So no media interface...
But i have a USB and aux connection in the armrest.

So only tryed it with an usb stick and not with an ipod.
But he shows the mp3tag.

Wil try to make some pics soon...

 

[Goldfish11]

Just heard that all supply problems for Becker and Audio 20 are now OK. Apparently an email was sent out to dealerships this morning saying things should be fine for June deliveries on such specified vehicles apparently.

 

[738ALR]

Do you get navigation directions on the speedo cluster screen like you do when you have Comand?

YES!

I went for the Becker as it was offered free on my car (until June in the UK IIRC), and it has been faultless. You can even search for destinations via voice command by pressing a button on the steering wheel.

I paid for the historical traffic (£9.99) and on a journey I have been doing for a couple of months (Cheshire - Coventry) of about 90mins it has re-routed a couple of times and it has never taken me more than 80 mins.

I've also updated the maps - it took about 30 mins to download on a slow connection and about 25 mins to update the Becker box but this was for the whole of Europe so quite a lot of data.

After nearly 3 weeks with the Becker, I definately don't have any complaints.

One other thing - I liked the idea of the google integration with COMAND but then I realised that it's probably just as easy to do the seach on your smart phone - maybe a bit gimmicky??

I only have the basic Audio 20 (without 6 disc changer) so no media interface , but it does have a 3.5mm aux in and a USB which is working with an 8gd USB stick. You also get album art (as has previously been mentioned). Navigation through the tracks is fine - via a standard folder structure and control wheel by the gear stick. Unfortuantely no Ipod playlists, but I think I can live with that!

If anyone wants pics / vids of this in action let me know.

Andy

 

[markjay]

I have Comand in my W211 and also my excellent retro fit in our SLK (thanks to Alfie and Richard)..

Same here re excellent retrofit by Alfie and Richard....

...my main frustration is the slow updates and the inflexibility of the comand system. I love TomTom for the flexibility and ease of upgrade I do hate the wires etc...

Same here - loved my TomTom but the wires (inc. the TMC external aerial) were just too much.

I think that COMAND will always leg slightly behind the independent market leaders e.g. TomTom, Gramin, etc in this sense, and in others - lack of touch screen is one sore point - but I am very impressed with the high level of integration with the car - cluster display, steering wheel buttons etc. Not sure if the Becker can provide this functionality?

 

[738ALR]

here's acouple of videos of the sat nav etc

YouTube - becker map pilot

YouTube - becker map pilot

I'll add a video with album art and USB interface etc soon

 

[738ALR]

here's acouple of videos of the sat nav etc

YouTube - becker map pilot

YouTube - becker map pilot

Here's the audio interface with album artwork etc
YouTube - Audio 20 on Facelift C Class

Andy

 

[Mazman]

On your videos, 738ALR, I notice the traffic symbols from the TMC system. I too have a W204 with the Becker sat nav but never get any traffic warnings displayed or spoken or listed. Occasionally the symbol on the bottom of the screen lights up suggesting it is picking up messages but nothing ever comes of it. I have tried adjusting the settings from auto to manual, still nothing.

Did you have to play with any settings to get yours to work?

I have had my car about 3 weeks and it has never worked with the TMC.

 

[738ALR]

On your videos, 738ALR, I notice the traffic symbols from the TMC system. I too have a W204 with the Becker sat nav but never get any traffic warnings displayed or spoken or listed. Occasionally the symbol on the bottom of the screen lights up suggesting it is picking up messages but nothing ever comes of it. I have tried adjusting the settings from auto to manual, still nothing.

Did you have to play with any settings to get yours to work?

I have had my car about 3 weeks and it has never worked with the TMC.

Hi Mazman,

the only thing I changed was in 'main menu' > 'TMC Settings '. I changed this to update automatically, and 'read traffic annoucements'.

For quite a lot of the time the symbol is greyed out meaning there are no traffic messages, but I have also found that when the car has been left overnight it takes a little while to pick these up.

Maybe you have great traffic where you live?? If in doubt, I would get the delaer to double check everything - I'm not sure if there is a seperate TMC aerial? Maybe somewhere on the forum there is a wiring diagram?


Andy

 

[st13phil]

I have had my car about 3 weeks and it has never worked with the TMC.

Depending upon where you live you may never see TMC information locally. It covers primary routes only, and even then coverage can be patchy. Have you tried it on major trunk routes that are regularly susceptible to traffic problems?

 

[Mazman]

Depending upon where you live you may never see TMC information locally. It covers primary routes only, and even then coverage can be patchy. Have you tried it on major trunk routes that are regularly susceptible to traffic problems?

If only the roads I used on a dialy basic were actually incident free. Sadly I live within 15 mins of the M25 and use it every day. It would certainly be a rare event for the traffic to flow freely all the way around it.

 

[738ALR]

If only the roads I used on a dialy basic were actually incident free. Sadly I live within 15 mins of the M25 and use it every day. It would certainly be a rare event for the traffic to flow freely all the way around it.

If it were me I'd be having a quick trip to tthe dealer as this sounds a little strange.

It might be worth trying to manually set the radio frequency in the TMC Settings menu to something like radio 2, or a local station to see if you get anything.

I received the instructions for the Becker Map pilot via PDF from my dealer, 3 weeks after I picked up the car, but I'd already downloaded them from the Becker Download Page:
http://www.mybecker.com/www_root/documents/Manual_MAP PILOT_EN.pdf, Support isn't particularly forthcoming from Becker, so I would make Mercedes aware that there may be a probelm. Do you know aynone with local with one that does work?

Andy

 

[Goldfish11]

YES!

I went for the Becker as it was offered free on my car (until June in the UK IIRC), and it has been faultless. You can even search for destinations via voice command by pressing a button on the steering wheel.

I paid for the historical traffic (£9.99) and on a journey I have been doing for a couple of months (Cheshire - Coventry) of about 90mins it has re-routed a couple of times and it has never taken me more than 80 mins.

I've also updated the maps - it took about 30 mins to download on a slow connection and about 25 mins to update the Becker box but this was for the whole of Europe so quite a lot of data.

After nearly 3 weeks with the Becker, I definately don't have any complaints.

One other thing - I liked the idea of the google integration with COMAND but then I realised that it's probably just as easy to do the seach on your smart phone - maybe a bit gimmicky??

I only have the basic Audio 20 (without 6 disc changer) so no media interface , but it does have a 3.5mm aux in and a USB which is working with an 8gd USB stick. You also get album art (as has previously been mentioned). Navigation through the tracks is fine - via a standard folder structure and control wheel by the gear stick. Unfortuantely no Ipod playlists, but I think I can live with that!

If anyone wants pics / vids of this in action let me know.

Andy

Andy,

Yes please vids plus pics would be great. Nav pics plus audio screen (album art) would be great.

 

[Goldfish11]

Andy,

Yes please vids plus pics would be great. Nav pics plus audio screen (album art) would be great.

Andy,

Great YouTube videos just seen them. Can you do a quick video on the telephone integration screens? The we should have everything covered.

Major contribution to information on the system as most dealers don't have a clue about what it does.

 

[Mazman]

If it were me I'd be having a quick trip to tthe dealer as this sounds a little strange.

It might be worth trying to manually set the radio frequency in the TMC Settings menu to something like radio 2, or a local station to see if you get anything.

I received the instructions for the Becker Map pilot via PDF from my dealer, 3 weeks after I picked up the car, but I'd already downloaded them from the Becker Download Page:
http://www.mybecker.com/www_root/documents/Manual_MAP PILOT_EN.pdf, Support isn't particularly forthcoming from Becker, so I would make Mercedes aware that there may be a probelm. Do you know aynone with local with one that does work?

Andy

Hi Andy,

I called my local dealer yesterday who told me that he saw this system for the first time the day before and knows nothing about it! Not the kind of customer service I expected from a quaility brand.
He suggsted trying to speak direct with Becker.

 

[738ALR]

Andy,

Great YouTube videos just seen them. Can you do a quick video on the telephone integration screens? The we should have everything covered.

Major contribution to information on the system as most dealers don't have a clue about what it does.

I've taken a video, its uploading to you tube, so i'll post the like tomorrow.

 

[738ALR]

Hi Andy,

I called my local dealer yesterday who told me that he saw this system for the first time the day before and knows nothing about it! Not the kind of customer service I expected from a quaility brand.
He suggsted trying to speak direct with Becker.

I'm not sure how many others are experiencing such fantastic customer service, I suspect quite a few!

Its always difficult to diagnose whether there is a problem or not. Can you swap your Becker unit into a demo car? Or change the tmc frequency to radio 2 or a local station?

Andy

 

[Fozzie]

Just heard that all supply problems for Becker and Audio 20 are now OK. Apparently an email was sent out to dealerships this morning saying things should be fine for June deliveries on such specified vehicles apparently.

That's interesting because my dealer told me today the Audio 20 with media interface is still not available to order. He claims he's seen any e-mail to the contrary.