Microphone function

[MBManInKen]

Mind you Linguatronic is a very worthwhile option. Really surprised more don't have it.

Go on, put the knife into the poor fellow a bit more...

 

[ackee911]

How much would that be? And how do I know it hasn't already been installed? Is there a "module" or something which I can look for?

 

[whitenemesis]

If you PM me your VIN I can check the datacard on the MB database to see if it was fitted at the factory.

Cost to retrofit? Give these guys a call.

 

[MBManInKen]

see if it was fitted at the factory.

See post 6 - no code 390...

 

[whitenemesis]

It's late and I've just got back from STR...

 

[Diesel Benz]

Diesel Benz, do you know where they put that separate button on other models? The eight ones on my steering wheel are all in use.

This is how the W221 steering wheel looks like. The voice control button is number five. This approach too allows browsing menus back and forth. Two way browsing is essential for me, I would anyway always go one too far, instead of going one back, I would not want to step trough all menus and try to hit the right one next time.

Interesting if this W220 approach has been used for some cars only, specifically if it is not the first ones, neither the latest ones.

 

[MBManInKen]

This is the steering wheel on my S500:

As you can see, there are 8 buttons, grouped in clusters of 2. I don't think I have ever seen a W220 with a separate button as per the W221 picture above.

As Diesel Benz says, being able to reverse browse through the systems is quite useful and something I often use. In addition, the lever setup is ergonomically better IMHO, it requires no looking at the steering wheel to locate the button.

In similar vein, I strongly prefer the Mercedes stalk operated cruise control/speedtronic over the button based systems you find on other cars. It works just that much more intuitively.

 

[ackee911]

This is the steering wheel on my S500:

As you can see, there are 8 buttons, grouped in clusters of 2. I don't think I have ever seen a W220 with a separate button as per the W221 picture above.

As Diesel Benz says, being able to reverse browse through the systems is quite useful and something I often use. In addition, the lever setup is ergonomically better IMHO, it requires no looking at the steering wheel to locate the button.

In similar vein, I strongly prefer the Mercedes stalk operated cruise control/speedtronic over the button based systems you find on other cars. It works just that much more intuitively.

OK, your car is better than mine....we get it!

 

[MBManInKen]

OK, your car is better than mine....we get it!

You need to be a little less thin skinned.

It's a discussion forum and this was an interesting discussion on implementation differences of the linguatronic function on the W220. The best way to avoid public discussion over aspects of your car is not to post on the Internet.

 

[Diesel Benz]

OK, your car is better than mine....we get it!

I don't think anyone tried to prove their car being better than yours, perhaps the discussion made you feel like that but it should be taken as "why did MB do it this way on one model and MY while it was done differently elsewhere and what are the pros and cons". Nothing you could do to make it different on your car.

I'm not sure if the retrofit question was answered, like miro explaine, the meaning of that button is to remind you that you have to figure out how to retrofit the voice control feature.

Paul's web site has phone and VCM retrofit instructions for US cars. This should give a good idea about the parts and how they should be installed:
http://phdwebsite.powerpulse.cc/Phone Install Bulletins/S 03.pdf
http://home.earthlink.net/~phdwebsite/phone_bulletins.htm
http://home.earthlink.net/~phdwebsite/vcm.htm

 

[whitenemesis]

I don't think anyone tried to prove their car being better than yours, perhaps the discussion made you feel like that but it should be taken as "why did MB do it this way on one model and MY while it was done differently elsewhere and what are the pros and cons". Nothing you could do to make it different on your car.

I'm not sure if the retrofit question was answered, like miro explaine, the meaning of that button is to remind you that you have to figure out how to retrofit the voice control feature.

Paul's web site has phone and VCM retrofit instructions for US cars. This should give a good idea about the parts and how they should be installed:
http://phdwebsite.powerpulse.cc/Phone Install Bulletins/S 03.pdf
http://home.earthlink.net/~phdwebsite/phone_bulletins.htm
http://home.earthlink.net/~phdwebsite/vcm.htm

Or just follow my link in post # 23

 

[MBManInKen]

This issue of a non-functional button in an s-class is interesting. Historically, the s-class does not do blank or non working buttons. After all, if you buy the flagship, you don't want to particularly be reminded that there is stuff missing .

I can see why with the steering wheel button for linguatronic it would have been easy to get into this situation, but it still looks a bit funny on an s-class.

We know that other models lower down in the line do have blank buttons or cover plates where switches are, I guess for cost saving reasons?

For example, this is a W220 interior from the web, which does not have parktronic or the rear blind. You can see that the button line on the wood trim just under the central ventilation contains 6 black buttons (+ indicators triangle):

This is the line up on my dash, where those functions are present - you have 8 buttons (+ indicators triangle):

The same principle was true in my earlier cars, the W140 and the W126 - I can't remember what the W116 exactly looked like.

 

[ackee911]

You need to be a little less thin skinned.

It's a discussion forum and this was an interesting discussion on implementation differences of the linguatronic function on the W220. The best way to avoid public discussion over aspects of your car is not to post on the Internet.

I don't think anyone tried to prove their car being better than yours, perhaps the discussion made you feel like that but it should be taken as "why did MB do it this way on one model and MY while it was done differently elsewhere and what are the pros and cons". Nothing you could do to make it different on your car.

I'm not sure if the retrofit question was answered, like miro explaine, the meaning of that button is to remind you that you have to figure out how to retrofit the voice control feature.

Paul's web site has phone and VCM retrofit instructions for US cars. This should give a good idea about the parts and how they should be installed:
http://phdwebsite.powerpulse.cc/Phone%20Install%20Bulletins/S%2003.pdf
http://home.earthlink.net/~phdwebsite/phone_bulletins.htm
http://home.earthlink.net/~phdwebsite/vcm.htm

Chill out everyone, was just havin a joke. Sheesh!:bannana:

 

[MBManInKen]

Or just follow my link in post # 23

Are you sure you're not just posting on this thread to remind us that your car is better than ours in that it does 60mpg?

 

[whitenemesis]

Are you sure you're not just posting on this thread to remind us that your car is better than ours in that it does 60mpg?

Funny you should mention that, only the other day I got.....

I would swap mine for yours in a flash!

 

[Diesel Benz]

Or just follow my link in post # 23

I see, I was too lazy to browse posts backwards enough.

 

[richard]

Paul's web site has phone and VCM retrofit instructions for US cars.

Lift up the back seat behind the driver if your S has 2 seperate seats (on RHD cars), there are hidden catches at the front corner of each seat, under there is where the phone controller lives and thus where i would think the linguatronic controller would be.

Look for a 15 way D-Type with a black shell with 2 metal latches not connected to anything. If you find that then you have the wiring in for linguatronic and the retrofit would involve a couple of pieces of fibre and a control unit and 2 screws! (control unit is expensive best part of £500) but its a nice option.

I suspect you can change the switches on your steering wheel to ones without that linguatronic button. There have been 3 sets on the W220
A220 820 78 10 upto 30/6/2000 except MY01)
A220 821 53 51 30/6/2000->1/9/2002
A220 821 06 79 30/9/2002 ->
(+ 4 digit colour code)

Note the date ranges are not consecutive so EPC is not quite consistant

Cheers

Richard

 

[jamesmc]

Linguatronic .................. Unless you are saying that you did have voice control and now you don't of course.

Based on the above information my girlfriend must have had the Linguatronic option fitted when new and working 100%

Now she is my wife and I believe the option has since disappeared. The voice control option has most definitely failed!

 

[V12]

based on the above information my girlfriend must have had the linguatronic option fitted when new and working 100%

now she is my wife and i believe the option has since disappeared. The voice control option has most definitely failed!

ha