COMAND for dummies...

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Subyland

Active Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2004
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576
Location
Norfolk, UK
Car
E320T; E270T CDI; A170L CDI auto; Land Rover Defender 110
Hello all,

I am going to view tomorrow a w211 with COMAND in it. Having not had COMAND before I have a few questions:

- How, in a w211, do you differentiate between a COMAND unit and a radio?
- When you have COMAND, does it mean that you automatically have a phone function (hence the number keypad)?
- I assume you have to put your sim card somewhere?
- Can you navigate and listen to music at the same time or is the DVD slot taken by the nav disc?
- Can you plug in another screen to the DVD player for the kiddies in the back?

Many thanks in avance for your replies.
 
Hello all,

I am going to view tomorrow a w211 with COMAND in it. Having not had COMAND before I have a few questions:

- How, in a w211, do you differentiate between a COMAND unit and a radio?
- When you have COMAND, does it mean that you automatically have a phone function (hence the number keypad)?
- I assume you have to put your sim card somewhere?
- Can you navigate and listen to music at the same time or is the DVD slot taken by the nav disc?
- Can you plug in another screen to the DVD player for the kiddies in the back?

Many thanks in avance for your replies.

Comand has a widescreen colour monitor, and a DVD drive behind the little door on the left in t h eboot
Phone is optional, look in the center aremrest, there will be a little connector there (or a phone cradle) if you have phone (in the top section, or if very very new, against the back of the centre armrest glovebox
No SIM slot, you plug a cradle in for your phone, and plug that in. Of course there is a bluetooth cradle which bluetooths to the phone in your pocket. Older W211 have a fixed Nokia 6310i cradle (it will have a curly cord). If you want bluetooth you add a special non MB adapter called a Viseeo (google for it)
Yes, the nav DVD is in its own drive in the boot.
Not easy to add an additional rear screen, but if your COMAND has the video output (only way to tell is remove it), then it can be done (single screen in rear between front seats)

R
 
I have seen somewhere (in a accessory catalogue I think) a rear screen that mounts over the centre console but it doesn't look that easy to connect I see.

Do you know if it is easy to retrofit Linguatronic??
 
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I have seen somewhere (in a accessory catalogue I think) a rear screen that mounts over the centre console but it doesn't look that easy to connect I see.

Do you know if it is easy to retrofit Linguatronic??

Yes, it requires a bit of cutting etc to install - but its not meant to be too hard.

The early W211 with comand all had video inputs, later on they only put them in if you ordered video stuff (tv for instance)

Linguatronc retrofit, about £700-£800 at a guess

R
 
I have seen somewhere (in a accessory catalogue I think) a rear screen that mounts over the centre console but it doesn't look that easy to connect I see.

Do you know if it is easy to retrofit Linguatronic??

Linguatronic isnt too difficult to fit. Richard has it about right on the pricing.

Have to say that linguatronic works great (ask WhiteNemises). It is so useful for truely hands free use of the navigation and phone. I can enter a destination and make phone calls without taking either hand off the steering wheel:cool:
 
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Linguatronic isnt too difficult to fit. richard has it about right on the pricing.

Have to say that linguatronic works great (ask WhiteNemises). It is so useful for truely hands free use of the navigation and phone. I can enter a destination and make phone calls without taking either hand off the steering wheel:cool:


i didnt realise you could use it to enter destinations.:cool:

I often hear people slating lingutronic but i used it for my phone without problem although inputting number is best done when stationary as road noise can confuse it

Since retrofitting comand i use it all the time to select CD's etc
 
thank you Richard

Could I for one give my thanks to Richard who writes the answers out,,It can be very time consuming and he is a very clever guy when it comes to these things.

Thank you Richard for the exact advice :)
 
i didnt realise you could use it to enter destinations.:cool:

I often hear people slating lingutronic but i used it for my phone without problem although inputting number is best done when stationary as road noise can confuse it

Since retrofitting comand i use it all the time to select CD's etc

After having my telephone pre-wire and Linguatronic fitted (thanks Alfie & Richard :rock: ) I set off home down the M4. I telephoned my wife to ask her how the call quality was. She answered I should call back when I was actually driving!! Quality or what?

Linguatronic has been faultless. I haven't had to train the system, so "straight out of the box" it understands every legitimate command I give. So no matter what is on the COMAND screen I just flip the control lever, say (in a perfectly normal voice) "Call home" and the very nice lady responds "Home, personal, dialing" :D Class! Impresses the hell out of my passengers...
 
After having my telephone pre-wire and Linguatronic fitted (thanks Alfie & Richard :rock: ) I set off home down the M4. I telephoned my wife to ask her how the call quality was. She answered I should call back when I was actually driving!! Quality or what?

Linguatronic has been faultless. I haven't had to train the system, so "straight out of the box" it understands every legitimate command I give. So no matter what is on the COMAND screen I just flip the control lever, say (in a perfectly normal voice) "Call home" and the very nice lady responds "Home, personal, dialing" :D Class! Impresses the hell out of my passengers...


I can find two flaws in your post

1 = With the roof down on mine its harder to get her to do things.

2 = As I live alone there is no point in me calling that number, so I cant say" call home"

;)
 
I can find two flaws in your post

1 = With the roof down on mine its harder to get her to do things.

2 = As I live alone there is no point in me calling that number, so I cant say" call home"

;)

Answers;

1 = Keep the roof up, she's obviously shy! Just what are you asking her to do? :eek:

2 = Buy youself an answering machine :D
 
Linguatronic has been faultless. I haven't had to train the system, so "straight out of the box" it understands every legitimate command I give. So no matter what is on the COMAND screen I just flip the control lever, say (in a perfectly normal voice) "Call home" and the very nice lady responds "Home, personal, dialing" :D Class! Impresses the hell out of my passengers...

Would looooove Linguatronic but not sure I could justify it at the moment. :D

Just out of curiosity, I see you have upgraded to Thermatronic Climate control.... What difference does that actaully give you... apart from the digital control? :confused:
 
Found a potential car; it is a 04/04 w211 with COMAND from the factory but no tel pre-wiring. Is it something that is easy to retrofit ?
 
Found a potential car; it is a 04/04 w211 with COMAND from the factory but no tel pre-wiring. Is it something that is easy to retrofit ?

On the car front the 04-04 will have the Nano paint and a very nice car.

Do talk to Alfie or Richard on the phone bit
 
Ahhhh haaa I have an aftermarket Parrot and I dont have to flcik a switch - I simply say dial home and it does. It constantly listens.


HOWEVER... you can imagine that it also listens to the radio!! and now and gain tries to dial spurious numbers.
I can also get it to dial numbers.. ie I say "dial number" and then say the numbers... however this bit is quite funny because I have never ever got it to work first time ( or any time if Im honest!)
 
Ahhhh haaa I have an aftermarket Parrot and I dont have to flcik a switch - I simply say dial home and it does. It constantly listens.


HOWEVER... you can imagine that it also listens to the radio!! and now and gain tries to dial spurious numbers.
I can also get it to dial numbers.. ie I say "dial number" and then say the numbers... however this bit is quite funny because I have never ever got it to work first time ( or any time if Im honest!)

We have a parrot kit in another car its the 3200ls but we still need to press a button on it

Its all on display though, lingutronic is much more discrete and does so much more when connected to comand
 
We have a parrot kit in another car its the 3200ls but we still need to press a button on it

Its all on display though, lingutronic is much more discrete and does so much more when connected to comand
I still get annoyed when I read posts regarding Linguatronic :eek: :) Yes it does far more than work the telephone and I'm told it offers more accuracy regarding Post Code input (on the 211).

Don't forget you have asked specifically about the earlish 211 and this has a completely different COMAND when compared to most other equivalent models. I will be controversial and say the system is superior to the other offerings :eek: :eek: Good luck with the choice and might I suggest you hold out for the best spec possible as retro fitting is not cheap and the right car will be out there.

Regards
John
 
Would looooove Linguatronic but not sure I could justify it at the moment. :D

Just out of curiosity, I see you have upgraded to Thermatronic Climate control.... What difference does that actaully give you... apart from the digital control? :confused:

Sorry for not responding earlier, jadefox, missed this post :eek:

Switching to the Thermatronic control unit has given better response to changes in temperature. It reacts much more quickly than the old unit.

I have also noticed when the a/c is blowing cold to reduce cabin temp it also fades in a little warm air to the feet to stop them from freezing (something I found with the old unit, it just chilled so well and as cold air sinks my feet were very cold!)

What you don't get is true dual zone air control, the number of control flaps doesn't allow for that.

But all in all I'm very happy I did the swap. Looks better, responds quicker and is more "intelligent" :bannana:
 
Found a potential car; it is a 04/04 w211 with COMAND from the factory but no tel pre-wiring. Is it something that is easy to retrofit ?

Its easy if you know what you are doing;) Takes about 2 hours again if you know what you are doing. You will need coding to get it working properly.

There are two options we always tell people to get when buying a car. Phone pre-wire and parktronic as these both cost significantly more to retrofit than they cost on the options list;)
 
There are two options we always tell people to get when buying a car. Phone pre-wire and parktronic as these both cost significantly more to retrofit than they cost on the options list;)

I wished you'd told me that yesterday...:crazy:
 

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