Latest COMAND sat nav DVD

[Marque]

How can the Royal Mail justify charging those sort of fees for putting postcodes onto a disk? Thats nothing short of robbery.

They can charge what they like because they have a monopoly. It's the only part of Royal Mail that makes a healthy profit!

 

[Alfie]

How can the Royal Mail justify charging those sort of fees for putting postcodes onto a disk? Thats nothing short of robbery.
Typical of this countries mindset though and I shouldnt really be surprised.

However, dont other satnav makers put full postcodes onto their systems?
Surely if they can, then why not Mercedes?

I hardly ever use postcodes to program my COMAND anyway, I nearly always just use the map display pointer to mark my destination.

The disks are not made by Mercedes. They use teleatlas (not NAVTEQ) data and are either made by blaupunkt (CD's) or Becker (DVD's). It is not Mercedes who dictate what goes on the disks. However, I'm sure if they exerted some pressure on Blaupunkt and Becker that may well change.

 

[Marque]

If you buy V8.0 from comandonline.co.uk and it doesnt work, then i'll ensure you get lent an update disk to do the update .. If it does work then you can post here and we'll all know.

I received and installed version 8.0 today. There is an update procedure that has to be followed, which I think first installs some new navigation software. The whole update took five minutes. Everything seems to be working fine now. (I haven't actually used it to navigate anywhere yet.)

The instructions on the back of the case say:

"*COMAND Software-Update 30/06 (W/S211, C219, R171) and SW 22/06 (W/V220, C215, R230) is required. Please consult your Mercedes-Benz retailer."

However, the asterisk may mean it is needed for TMC coverage in France only (because there is also an asterisk next to the F symbol in the TMC coverage list). Presumably, anyone who wants to use TMC in France should get the update.

 

[richard]

Yes, that was a requirement for TMC in France. No idea why France was different to everywhere else, probably some licencing issue

R

 

[Soltan]

Bought v8 from the dealers this afternoon, got the servicing dept to bung it in while they were trying to sort out my servicing interval. It updated in just a few minutes apparently, no other updates required.

Used it to navigate home, apart from a TMC symbol in the bottom right corner, couldn't actually see any difference from my original v4.0.

Will have a play with it when I get a chance, might be taking a run down to London tomorrow, so might see it in action then.

 

[DieselE]

Used it to navigate home, apart from a TMC symbol in the bottom right corner, couldn't actually see any difference from my original v4.0.

Did you have the Distance to Destination and ETA showing on the bottom of the screen?

If V8 has the software updates others have referred to I would expect you to see this. I installed those updates some time ago so installing V8 didn't produce a change in display (apart from improved graphics compared to V5.1).

 

[television]

Surely the population density must influence the price, I have the Sweden,Norway and Denmark maps that was not expensive. If you mix all 3 coutries together you still have network of only 25% the size of the UK

 

[TomTanderson]

There is an update procedure that has to be followed, which I think first installs some new navigation software.

I missed that - is there something specific you have to do? I just bunged the disk in.

 

[WJR]

Bought v8 from the dealers this afternoon, got the servicing dept to bung it in while they were trying to sort out my servicing interval. It updated in just a few minutes apparently, no other updates required.

Used it to navigate home, apart from a TMC symbol in the bottom right corner, couldn't actually see any difference from my original v4.0.

Will have a play with it when I get a chance, might be taking a run down to London tomorrow, so might see it in action then.

One difference I've noticed is that in certain traffic jams the road on the screen has lots of little red cars on it, presumably to indicate congestion.

I'd be interested to know how you get ETA & Distance to Destination at bottom of screen.

 

[masqueraid]

I'd be interested to know how you get ETA & Distance to Destination at bottom of screen.

Soft buttons from Map
Press Display
Then MAP
Then select what you want to see displayed at the bottom of the screen.

Edit:
You wont see ETA as an option unless you have the service update (W211 589 13 22 00) installed

 

[richard]

Did you have the Distance to Destination and ETA showing on the bottom of the screen?

If V8 has the software updates others have referred to I would expect you to see this. I installed those updates some time ago so installing V8 didn't produce a change in display (apart from improved graphics compared to V5.1).

DieselE - the head unit updates are different to the Navigation processor updates - the map disks can only contain nav processor updates.

Head unit updates are done with a disk in the main Comand DVD drive.

- and its the head unit update that gives the ETA on mainscree option which was introduced in MY07 cars. The A/B/C/CLK series of units had that for a while before.

There was an issue with going straight from V3 to V6 and missing out the intermediate versions (although I also thought there was an issue from going straight from V4 to V7) with the navigation processor which required a nav processor update. Sounded to me like a 'mess up' because they never tested it and the new map V8 is apparently fixed. (sorry if repeating earlier comments on this thread)

Cheers

Richard

 

[Marque]

I missed that - is there something specific you have to do? I just bunged the disk in.

According to the insert I found in my DVD case, you should first switch on COMAND and press the NAV button. Then remove the old navigation DVD and insert the new DVD. The COMAND display will show software update progress bars. When the basic navigation menu reappears, the software update is complete. Now, to reinitialise COMAND, remove the ignition key, lock the car and wait for two minutes. That's it.

Edit: I don't have ETA, so it looks like I need the head unit service upgrade to get this.

 

[w124coupe]

Marque, as your car is pre-facelift, the dealers will not apply the ETA update FOC and some parts depts will insist the update disk is "not for your car".

Its part number 211 589 13 22 00 "SW-Rel 21.090 SW 30/06" and about a tenner. 10 mins to install yourself.

Or some say its small enough to be emailed as a zip file and works from a CD-R....

 

[glojo]

According to the insert I found in my DVD case, you should first switch on COMAND and press the NAV button. Then remove the old navigation DVD and insert the new DVD. The COMAND display will show software update progress bars. When the basic navigation menu reappears, the software update is complete. Now, to reinitialise COMAND, remove the ignition key, lock the car and wait for two minutes. That's it.

Edit: I don't have ETA, so it looks like I need the head unit service upgrade to get this.

Your right

You need the update CD and the install is NOT done from the Navigational Player

Regards
John

 

[corned]

Confused of Nottingham says...

Hi all. My 2005 E320CDI has COMAND with V5.1 in the boot. I have no access to the nav menus via the head unit. I don't have ETA on the display but I do have TMC.

If I were to purchase the V8 disc, what should I expect? I know the sellers on Ebay usually state that they will also provide a firmware upgrade disc as part of the deal, but is this necessary in my case (if I choose to go down this route)?

Would I get ETA displayed with only the mapping disc updated, or is this part of the separate firmware upgrade?

I'm thoroughly confused.

As an aside, what are the chances of getting the service dept to facilitate multi-region playback on the DVD player, being as how I can't get in there myself?

Cheers,


Corned

 

[television]

Do take care on Ebay disc as so many do not work as they are not original

 

[glojo]

DieselE - the head unit updates are different to the Navigation processor updates - the map disks can only contain nav processor updates.

Head unit updates are done with a disk in the main Comand DVD drive.

- and its the head unit update that gives the ETA on mainscree option which was introduced in MY07 cars. The A/B/C/CLK series of units had that for a while before.

Hi Richard,
Thanks very much for clarifying as when I read a few posts it was giving the impression that the COMAND update was somehow built into version 8 It could well have been me but at least folks will now realise that ETA in screen on older screens of this model COMAND will need this upgrade. On newish vehicles the ETA will be there by default and no need for any upgrading.

Is there anyone that knows the exact date that the ETA was displayed by default on this version of COMAND?

It's blooming frustrating when we read about the different variants For example why is the R-class different from the E??

regards
John

 

[DieselE]

Hi all. My 2005 E320CDI has COMAND with V5.1 in the boot. I have no access to the nav menus via the head unit. I don't have ETA on the display but I do have TMC.

If I were to purchase the V8 disc, what should I expect? I know the sellers on Ebay usually state that they will also provide a firmware upgrade disc as part of the deal, but is this necessary in my case (if I choose to go down this route)?

Would I get ETA displayed with only the mapping disc updated, or is this part of the separate firmware upgrade?

I'm thoroughly confused.

As an aside, what are the chances of getting the service dept to facilitate multi-region playback on the DVD player, being as how I can't get in there myself?

Cheers,


Corned

See the clarification given by Richard in post #51. The firmware upgrade disc only costs £10-12 and the instructions that come with it are easy to follow.

 

[mas66]

Hi Guys

Im picking up a new ML this week from the stealer and just wondered if someone could give me a definative on what version disc I should expect with it and should I be looking for any particular version of firmware/software on the Comand unit itself ? I ask this as I know that they have had the vehicle in group stock for at least a couple of months.

thanks in advance

Mark

 

[richard]

Hi Guys

Im picking up a new ML this week from the stealer and just wondered if someone could give me a definative on what version disc I should expect with it and should I be looking for any particular version of firmware/software on the Comand unit itself ? I ask this as I know that they have had the vehicle in group stock for at least a couple of months.

thanks in advance

Mark

My guess you'll get 9.0 or if your lucky 9.1. If the dealer has been really diligent he may have swopped the 9.0 for 8.0 - but personally i'd hope he hasnt.
Dont worry about the firmware on the Comand itself - you can't see what will have changed, and nothing much as for a while on the ML.

Enjoy the ML !!

Richard