mCar UMI

[SavMan]

I had difficulty with my blackberry but this was via a visseo as I only use my mCar for my music, I finally worked out that it was a comand issue in that the NTG1 does not like the + sign if you use this for international dialling or using while roaming not sure if this is the case on other comand versions.

 

[richard]

I had difficulty with my blackberry but this was via a visseo as I only use my mCar for my music, I finally worked out that it was a comand issue in that the NTG1 does not like the + sign if you use this for international dialling or using while roaming not sure if this is the case on other comand versions.

There are updates for early Mercedes UHI phone controllers, and for the W211/W219 COMAND itself (from Mid 2006), and for the Audio Gateway (from Early 2006). All of these updates could help with that '+' sign issue.

Richard

 

[SchwarzesAMG]

I am having issues while on ipod player mode, Music reproduction is often glitchy and it has some lag going through menus and songs which in the end makes the use of the unit quite unpleasant!
Bluetooth connectivity range is very limited ( if i move my phone out of the drivers window music reproduction gets glitchy!)

Do you know if there is any update on the schedule?

 

[richard]

I am having issues while on ipod player mode, Music reproduction is often glitchy and it has some lag going through menus and songs which in the end makes the use of the unit quite unpleasant!
Bluetooth connectivity range is very limited ( if i move my phone out of the drivers window music reproduction gets glitchy!)

Do you know if there is any update on the schedule?

This actually sounds like something different )rather than a software one (as everyone would have this issue otherwise)).

What iPod cable are you using ? Does it happen if the iPod cable is plugged into the UMI rather than using the (supplied) extension cable ?

I see it happens with BT above. Is this an iPhone ? If so, try rebooting the iPhone (power it off and power it on again) - I have seen very slow iPhones (from too many processes) fail to deliver a decent music stream

Also, where is the unit. On one side you can see part of the PCB - this is the bluetooth antenna - if that has ended up against a metal bar then that could be destroying the bluetooth reception ?

Which head unit are you using it with Audio 20 or Audio 50 or COMAND ?

Thanks

Richard

 

[SchwarzesAMG]

I am using an original one attached directly to the unit!
I have an iphone 4s updated to 5.0.1 and i have tried closing all apps but this also happens to an ipod nano i have! A2DP works just fine when the phone is close to the glovebox!
The unit is placed directly above the passenger feet on the cover!

The thing is that also the phone function is not working good! i always get echo from what peaople are telling, actually the tell me that i sound "deep" and distorted like i am having an open window

 

[richard]

Hi

Did you try reducing the microphone gain with the config file ?

What age is the W209 ? Do you happen to know if it had the mid 2006 firmware update on the AGW ?

Cheers
Richard

[edit, where did you put the microphone?]

 

[SchwarzesAMG]

I tried all settings in mic gain, the result is always the same!
AGW has the latest firmware (i did the update with DAS 07/11)
The car is MY2006 facelift and the mic is placed above the mirror facing the drivers seat!

 

[deen-paula]

The mCar device connects to your car's fibre optic audio network and provides a fully integrated Bluetooth Phone system (with address book access for most phones) and a digital iPod connection emulating the CD changer for your Mercedes with Audio-20, Audio-50 or COMAND (before Model Year 2009 facelift).

If the vehicle has a CD changer, the CD changer must be disconnected as the system pretends to be a CD changer (or alternatively, the iPod and Bluetooth Audio streaming functions will not be supported).

On cars with COMAND (colour satnav) the track names, playlist names etc are displayed on the COMAND's screen.

The iPod music connection is fully digital (i.e, digitally decoded from the music file and transmitted over the digital fibre optic network) so the sound quality is very good. Most other solutions use the analogue output from the iPod.

It also provides Bluetooth Audio streaming from the paired phone, so you can have an iPod in the glovebox but still access new music on your telephone.

Designed for: -

W169 A Class (pre model year 2009), W245 B class (pre model year 2009), W203 C MY2005 onward, W203 CLC MY2005 - MY2009, W209 CLK, W164 ML & GL, R251 R class, R171 SLK ,R230 SL with COMAND, W211 E class before Model Year 2009, W219 CLS class before Model Year 2009.

Please note that some very early E class with the Cassette based Audio-20 system do not work with phone systems.

The user can perform Software updates using a USB stick when new software is released to add functionality or support new phones.

 

[richard]

SchwarzesAMG,

Can you try dropping the mCar down into the footwell and checking the bluetooth range ? It should be further than you are seeing apparently.

I just wonder whether the motor for the air-con is providing interferences/shielding to bluetooth and the microphone

Richard

 

[SchwarzesAMG]

I will do but i am thinking already of a better place to put the device!
In all other cars that i have a bluetooth equiped audio system the range is superb, most of the times i have my phone in my house and when i start the car at the parking lot i see that they do connect, with mcar if i stand outside from the car i get no connection!

There were various problems! At first uppon inserting the mic jack on the device the plug from the mcars board fell off! I had to open the device and resolder it, cut the metal properly so the jack has space to fit in the plug, same thing with the dip switch (next to the most connection plug) which i could not change no1 switch to the desired position!

Also this device comes incomplete in case someone has no most connections in his car! mCar was the first one for my car and in the end i had only one MOST connector to fit the plug on the quadlock! Where can i get one more of these?

Then there are the software bugs! For example if i have the phone connected and the comand turned off, when i receive a call, comand wakes up, i get the call and when the call is ended i cant turn off the head unit!

I will get back for more!

 

[richard]

Hi

I have never seen the software bug you see, it sounds like a s/w bug in the head unit if it is that that won't turn off.

I can send you a MOST connector, yes, the device comes with a joiner for inserting in the MOST loop as it assumes that the car comes with some fibre. I guess we (comand online) should start asking the customer if they want the joiner or the fibre MOST plug.

The end-plates are now cut properly for the switches. The bluetooth range should be longer, and thats why I wanted to know if it became (much) longer in another position

I have never heard of the mic jack coming off, we have sold/installed about 60 of these now.

Did you update the firmware to latest version on the mCar (i'm sure you did)

Richard

 

[SchwarzesAMG]

i did not update the firmware cause i assumed that purchasing the unit on late december '11 it would already be flashed with the latest firnware (july 11) but i will check it out!

As for the connector it would be really helpfull cause as far as i have seen mb sells only d2b connectors and i could find it wherever i have searched at the local market! I will pm you!

As for the cutouts i will post pics cause i think there is sn issue at the place where the bt antenna has one (again i think its not properly cutted)

 

[SchwarzesAMG]

And as i have stated my comand unit has the latest AGW firmware and is loaded with a v12 maps dvd

 

[steven_tyler]

The mCar device connects to your car's fibre optic audio network and provides a fully integrated Bluetooth Phone system (with address book access for most phones) and a digital iPod connection emulating the CD changer for your Mercedes with Audio-20, Audio-50 or COMAND (before Model Year 2009 facelift).

If the vehicle has a CD changer, the CD changer must be disconnected as the system pretends to be a CD changer (or alternatively, the iPod and Bluetooth Audio streaming functions will not be supported).

On cars with COMAND (colour satnav) the track names, playlist names etc are displayed on the COMAND's screen.

The iPod music connection is fully digital (i.e, digitally decoded from the music file and transmitted over the digital fibre optic network) so the sound quality is very good. Most other solutions use the analogue output from the iPod.

It also provides Bluetooth Audio streaming from the paired phone, so you can have an iPod in the glovebox but still access new music on your telephone.

Designed for: -

W169 A Class (pre model year 2009), W245 B class (pre model year 2009), W203 C MY2005 onward, W203 CLC MY2005 - MY2009, W209 CLK, W164 ML & GL, R251 R class, R171 SLK ,R230 SL with COMAND, W211 E class before Model Year 2009, W219 CLS class before Model Year 2009.

Please note that some very early E class with the Cassette based Audio-20 system do not work with phone systems.

The user can perform Software updates using a USB stick when new software is released to add functionality or support new phones.

 

[richard]

Why are people copying info from comand online website and posting it as inappropriate answers here ????

PM me your address and i'll get a connector off to you

R

 

[SchwarzesAMG]

So just to be sure, are there any more users with iOS 5.0.1 on their apple devices?

 

[Alfie]

So just to be sure, are there any more users with iOS 5.0.1 on their apple devices?

I've tested a number of mCar installations that i've done, with my iphone which is on IOS 5.0.1

 

[SchwarzesAMG]

Its been some time but i had a lot of work and could not make it for my early review!
So ill get first things first and go on with the product!

As i have stated in my first post of the thread, i was between MoBridge and mCar! I did know that mCar is a recently realeased product but i did make the move on this one only because Mark and Richard are behind the product and their support was always superior to any other shop i have dealt with!

I did order the product and after a super fast shipping i got it in my hands!
It came in a white box, no fancy packaging, no brands, no logos, no nothing
There is no manual in the box and to be honest the one which is online is pretty basic (i will come later more specific on that), Richard was kind enough to let me know about some steps considering the installation and both with Mark they helped me on various questions i had on mCar but also on other things considering the cars electronics!

One shall really study and ask if he wants to have mCar installed by himself! Its pretty simple but prior to connecting 1-2 things should be taken care off!

The actual unit!
I was disappointed by the metal casing and later on even more because it caused me some troubles! The cutouts of the metal casing were not 100% correct! The dip switch had no1 switch stuck due to improper form of the casing, same was for the usb socket and unfortunately for the mic socket!
In fact i took care of the first two with my dremel and left the mic for a tight fit, which resulted in a broken plug, i had to open the unit, resolder the mic plug on the units board and use the dremel to widen the hole! Pics can do the talking!












Someone would say wow, thats a really disappointed customer, but it would not be true!
The only bad thing for me is the value, cause mCar is nowhere near the asking price! And this is not because of all these i mentioned till now but for these i am gonna mention in my post to come and have to do with the function of the device!

PS Someone would say why didnt you return the unit by the time you had problems and wasnt happy with your purchase!
Well, i really needed bluetooth connectivity, i was for years on the market for one combining music playback capab. and i do know that comandonline will support the product and offer it as good and complete solution! I am in no hurry, i can work some things by myself and i am sending the unit back only in case its bricked


Video coming!

 

[Troon]

In fact i took care of the first two with my dremel and left the mic for a tight fit, which resulted in a broken plug, i had to open the unit, resolder the mic plug on the units board and use the dremel to widen the hole!

and i am sending the unit back only in case its bricked

That's optimistic...

 

[richard]

Hi,

The mCar's faceplate now has the correct size holes - i'm not quite sure why some units were wrong and gave problems with (particularly) the number 1 switch not being in the correct position, but they definetly all have no 'hole' issues any more.

The reason for no brands/logos is in USA various companies sell it as 'their own'. We in UK chose to use the mCar name which is the logo that comes on them. (Others call it the <blah-blah> mCar, we just call it the mCar

Cheers

Richard