Linguatronic finally installed

[Alps]

When i purchased my E55, Linguatronic was one of the 3 items that wasnt installed from factory.

over the last few months I have been researching the install and gathering the parts needed, surprisingly the w211 had 3 different types of parts depending on year of build, finally got the correct parts, and ive finally got it all working.

heres a quick summary of what needed to be done;-

parts needed
- New cruise control module (with Voice control hole)
- Voice control lever
- Steering cowel covering
- Voice control lever cover
- Wirning Harness
- MOSt fibre
- Linguatronic control module (this is the most expensive part)
- screw

install
- to install the new Cruise control module, the steering wheel has to be taken off, all the contact spring\clock spring\stalks all dissasembled, new part replaced and them put back together.

-Remove boot trim and left side rear bolster trim, secure the VC unit with screw, attach wiring, splice power, ground and wakeup to phone controller wires, run the microphone wires into rear bolster area, unplug the phone mic plug and plug in VC mic plug.

- Connect to MOST fibre ring

- coding on STAR

I was going to do a detailed how to, but as the install was done in bits and time was short i didnt - also the fact i was nervous enough taking some bits apart as it was without taking pics!

tbh, if I hadnt got the control unit cheap, it would be cheaper to go to Alfie@comand as this was a tricky install due to the delicate parts you can damage in the process, also the access to STARis essential which i borrowed off my indie (who is a good freind).

Many thanks to Richard who gave me all the missing info, and to Alfie, Miro and MbenzNL for overview on parts.

now i have to learn how to use it

 

[C43AMG]

Well done, you are a clever lad.

 

[umedc]

well done :bannana:

 

[pmcgsmurf]

Call me thick, away to google what it does.

Well done but.

 

[corned]

Well done! Not a simple job.

The only bit I don't really understand is - what is all the fuss about linguatronic? I have it in mine, and it's about the only bit I have never really used. I know people are happy to pay big money to have it retrofitted, and here's me with a fully-functioning one installed and ready to go - but I never use it.

What am I doing wrong? What am I missing?

 

[Alps]

Thanks guys, its more of the challenge of doing it, i enjoyed learning about the MOST system and exacyly how the AV in the car works.

corned, lol, i hated looking for buttons when driving and was hoping linguatronic would stop diverting my attention from the road when carrying out simple actions on comand.

Only finished the install last night and carried out the excersices for it to learn my voice, i guess this weekend will be the first time i try it out!

 

[Gridlock]

Assuming I read that right, the car has a fibre-optic data network which you had to splice into?

Why use fibre-optic? It's not like security, bandwidth or the components need it, surely it just adds cost and complexity?

Well done though, nothing as satisfying as a difficult job done right first time

 

[buccal]

Only finished the install last night and carried out the excersices for it to learn my voice, i guess this weekend will be the first time i try it out!

I need to do this too, i'm with Corned in that i have it on the 55 and haven't tried it properly yet

other than i know she doensn't like a scottish accent,

well done on the install, sounds quite an achievement

 

[Alps]

Hi, you dont splice into the fibre loop, you add into the loop by using the input fibre from the device prior to the VCS (the phone unit) using this as the input to the VCS, then the output from the VCS as the input to the phone thus completing the loop. To complicate things , the components on the loop have to be in a certain order!

Fibre optics is used to ensure a clean signal, its used in high end car audio all the time, my Alpine signal processors used Fibre in my old car from the head units.

ive done alot of car audio installs before but the MB oem methods are very computer network orientated in regards to the fibre, the wiring side is like any other car wiring with its unique colors.

Assuming I read that right, the car has a fibre-optic data network which you had to splice into?

Why use fibre-optic? It's not like security, bandwidth or the components need it, surely it just adds cost and complexity?

Well done though, nothing as satisfying as a difficult job done right first time

 

[Alps]

its fairly straigh forward, you access it via the SERV menu on comand, then press the Ling option, and follow the steps, takes about 5 mins.

I need to do this too, i'm with Corned in that i have it on the 55 and haven't tried it properly yet

other than i know she doensn't like a scottish accent,

well done on the install, sounds quite an achievement

 

[whitenemesis]

Well done Alps

I watched Richard and Alfie instal my Linguatronic, there was a lot of trim being removed

I really LOVE the system! Just say "Call Home" and it dials my home number All my main contacts have voice tags, makes phoning 'simples'

Zoom in and out in Map mode, change radio stations, enter nav destinations, brilliant!

I was very impressed how she understands first time 90% of the time. The other 10% is operator error But then she is so polite...

 

[Gridlock]

Fibre optics is used to ensure a clean signal, its used in high end car audio all the time, my Alpine signal processors used Fibre in my old car from the head units.

Cheers - I've seen fibre used in audio installs before, all the old cd changers used it, just never as a complete car data network, which seems like overkill (or is it just the audio side that's fibre?)

 

[ricky s]

Well worth the fittment Alps, this is the most used option I have on my own car, would,nt be without it

 

[AdamG]

I have recently fitted linguatronic. It was much easier in the w220 as all the wiring/optics were in place.

What suprised me is how accurate it is.

It's nice how you can do operations in a single command that normally required entering submenus which can be quite demanding whilst driving.

Cheers

Adam

 

[corned]

Maybe it's apathy on my part then. (and you too, Alex!!!)

I guess I just got a bit fed up with the young lady (I understand she is called Chloe??) only ever saying "pardon?" to everything I said! And that was after I went through the voice sampling routine too!

I thought it would be good when I got the BT kit for my phone, but although it uploads the contacts into COMAND it only recognises voice tags on address book entries, which are a different thing altogether. So I am no better off. Unless, of course, I painstakingly add each of the 250+ contacts by hand into the address book and give them a voice tag. I couldn't find any way of importing all of them in one manoeuvre from the telephone book.

And why oh why are the telephone book and address book two separate entities?

 

[cl55 amg]

Hi Alps, Just noticed on your signature it says star lowered. Is this available on all mercs and who did you get to do it?

Thanks Danny

 

[Alps]

Maybe it's apathy on my part then. (and you too, Alex!!!)

I guess I just got a bit fed up with the young lady (I understand she is called Chloe??) only ever saying "pardon?" to everything I said! And that was after I went through the voice sampling routine too!

I thought it would be good when I got the BT kit for my phone, but although it uploads the contacts into COMAND it only recognises voice tags on address book entries, which are a different thing altogether. So I am no better off. Unless, of course, I painstakingly add each of the 250+ contacts by hand into the address book and give them a voice tag. I couldn't find any way of importing all of them in one manoeuvre from the telephone book.

And why oh why are the telephone book and address book two separate entities?

corned, i`ll let you know how i get on, the voice tags are going to be a pain to setup, so i`ll probably just setup the commonly used ones, maybe its the midlands accent she doesnt understand lol

 

[Alps]

Hi Alps, Just noticed on your signature it says star lowered. Is this available on all mercs and who did you get to do it?

Thanks Danny

if you have airmatic suspension, then i cant see why not, check the E55 forum on mbworld, the guide is on there, any independent with STAR should be able to follow it. go with someon who knows STAR well though!

 

[vibesg]

I have considered retro-fitting Linguatronic but have read mixed reviews. Some say its absolute rubbish and not worth the money. Some like it.
I am aware that on my car with the D2b system (2003) it operates differently from post 2007 cars.
Anyone with an early linguatronic system who will recommend it?

 

[AdamG]

I have considered retro-fitting Linguatronic but have read mixed reviews. Some say its absolute rubbish and not worth the money. Some like it.
I am aware that on my car with the D2b system (2003) it operates differently from post 2007 cars.
Anyone with an early linguatronic system who will recommend it?

I haven't tried the d2b linguatronic but I have tried both d2b and M.O.S.T telephone systems. The d2b was absolutely awful. When talking handsfree the speech was barely understandable particularly on the motorway.
The MOST sytem works very well.....I think it uses noise cancellation and has a four microphone array. So I would of thought the d2b linguatronic may be limited.

Adam