New DVD based COMAND systems.

[Tony M]

I have just taken delivery of a new shape ML with DVD COMAND.

The system will not read DVD film discs .

When I go to find Restaurants it comes up with Happy Eaters and Mc Donalds.

I spoke to the dealer who informs me that the A,C,E,SLKand M class cars have a system that won't find decent restaurants and won't play DVDs, but the CL,S,CLS,and SL COMAND systems will play DVDs and the systems find all of the good Restaurants.

The actual discs are not interchangeable between one COMAND type and the other.

Has anyone any ideas on how to 'Upgrade' ?

 

[plgibson]

Ive got 2004 W211 E both genuine and copy dvd films play fine?

 

[Shude]

I spoke to the dealer who informs me that the A,C,E,SLKand M class cars have a system that won't find decent restaurants and won't play DVDs, but the CL,S,CLS,and SL COMAND systems will play DVDs and the systems find all of the good Restaurants.

Ive got 2004 W211 E both genuine and copy dvd films play fine?

Smart, A, C, SLK and M have one type, E, CL, S, CLS and SL have the other I think.

 

[Tony M]

Maybe the E class will play DVDs and the dealer got his info wrong.

I am just back from the dealer. The salesman got his info from chatting to the other salesmen. Dealers cannot telephone Milton Keynes for clarification of any points now, they must send emails.

I guess there is some sort of miss placed logic with MB's thinking, but with a new M class at 58K, I dont want to go to the Happy Eater for lunch. The Hotel selection is downgraded too, and Travel Lodge seems to be the place to go if you own a A,C,SLK or M class.

I discovered this class distinction when I nicked the 2005 Teleatlas CD from a VW Caddy van I bought for one of my engineers , and stuck it in my 2004 SL. The quality of the places to stay at or eat went downhill, and the Caddy driver who unknowingly got my 2004 disc has now been eating at Langshot Manor's restaurant and staying at Claridges.

Is there a hardware upgrade availble or a way to cheat the system ?

 

[fuzzer]

Maybe the E class will play DVDs and the dealer got his info wrong.

I am just back from the dealer. The salesman got his info from chatting to the other salesmen. Dealers cannot telephone Milton Keynes for clarification of any points now, they must send emails.

I guess there is some sort of miss placed logic with MB's thinking, but with a new M class at 58K, I dont want to go to the Happy Eater for lunch. The Hotel selection is downgraded too, and Travel Lodge seems to be the place to go if you own a A,C,SLK or M class.

I discovered this class distinction when I nicked the 2005 Teleatlas CD from a VW Caddy van I bought for one of my engineers , and stuck it in my 2004 SL. The quality of the places to stay at or eat went downhill, and the Caddy driver who unknowingly got my 2004 disc has now been eating at Langshot Manor's restaurant and staying at Claridges.

Is there a hardware upgrade availble or a way to cheat the system ?

The X5 suddenly leapfroged the new ML

 

[Tony M]

The X5 suddenly leapfroged the new ML

Just moved the ML into the garage as it looks like rain. When you open the door, smell the leather, feel the quality, hold the wood/leather steering wheel, there is no way it has been leapfrogged, even if we are off to Pizza Hut tonight.

 

[saorbust]

Hi Tony,

Nice purchase - sounds like you are pleased with it.

Re the DVD - I've got the 211 E Class, plays DVD's just fine. Also plays MP3 DVD's which is exceedingly useful. However as Shude points out - its not the same system.

Best wishes,
Jonathon.

 

[calum]

I spoke to the dealer who informs me that the A,C,E,SLKand M class cars have a system that won't find decent restaurants and won't play DVDs, but the CL,S,CLS,and SL COMAND systems will play DVDs and the systems find all of the good Restaurants.

The actual discs are not interchangeable between one COMAND type and the other.

Seems a little unlikely. My current 'E' DVD - v4.1, 2004 - is marked on the box as being suitable for:

CL 9/03
E 3/02
Maybach
S 9/03
SL 7/04
SLK 3/04

which contradicts your dealer. Ask him to have a look at a current 'E' DVD and see.

it doesn't mention new-ML or CLS, of course, as they came out after it was produced.

 

[Tony M]

which contradicts your dealer. .

Thanks for that information. The Salesman was not 100% sure of his facts, and being Saturday there were few others around to help him out.

From your information, I have now concluded that if you have DVD Sat Nav and Drive an A Class, B class, C class or the latest M Class, Mercedes Benz have deemed that you are too poor to eat in posh restaurants, or stay in decent hotels, so they give you a Dodgy disc and cheap hardware that won't play Videos.

There may well be other differences between the discs such as one may list Harrods as a 'shopping centre, whilst the disc for Poor people will list the 'Everything's a Pound' shops.

 

[miro]

Smart, A, C, SLK and M have one type, E, CL, S, CLS and SL have the other I think.

The SLK is the same as E-Class .... some of us are working on putting an E-Class navigation in the C-Class. Just for laughs.

In the event of that working then it would convert the M-Class by the same route.

Look on the back of the head units and notice that the M (bottom) has yellow and black connectors which are part of the audio gateway. The E does not have this (top)

Both have TV in but only the M, C, CLK, A, Smart have a direct GPS in.

 

[glojo]

I accept you are now getting advice that the systems are different, but don't forget the navigation slot is completely different from the DVD slot!!

I hope I have explained myself, the navigation disc goes into a dedicated player, and I doubt even in the E-class that it will play DVD films?? We have a seperate slot on the COMAND where we insert DVD's for entertainment. Be it films, or Mp3's.

Good luck with your enquiry,
John

 

[miro]

I accept you are now getting advice that the systems are different, but don't forget the navigation slot is completely different from the DVD slot!!

I hope I have explained myself, the navigation disc goes into a dedicated player, and I doubt even in the E-class that it will play DVD films?? We have a seperate slot on the COMAND where we insert DVD's for entertainment. Be it films, or Mp3's.

Good luck with your enquiry,
John

The European head unit plays DVD's. It also plays DVD-MP3. I dont know what all of the confusion is over. The navigation disk in M,C,CLK,A, Smart is in the head unit and that doesnt play movies.

The rest do play movies since the Map DVD drive is located elsewhere.

 

[lil.smartie]

Ihave had a letter from Smart UK this week confirming that the unit in our forfour, same as the ML unit doesn't do half the things we were told it would and we are getting a 50% refund!

It also says it will play MP3's has anyone with this unit managed that yet? none of ours will play and they all worked fine in the old Sony head unit we had in the roadster!

Kate

 

[miro]

Ihave had a letter from Smart UK this week confirming that the unit in our forfour, same as the ML unit doesn't do half the things we were told it would and we are getting a 50% refund!

It also says it will play MP3's has anyone with this unit managed that yet? none of ours will play and they all worked fine in the old Sony head unit we had in the roadster!

Kate

The low spec Harmon Becker unit is a real oddity. It really does fly in the face of trends in the E-Class models and up.

But at least it can accept the iPOD kit - hit them up for one of those. Even the SL, S and CL do not have iPOD kits at this time.

 

[scumbag]

as said before the SLK R171 with COMAND will play dvd's in the head unit, will do all regions disks if you get some nice man to unlock the code for you too.

 

[lil.smartie]

We would go for an Ipod kit but as we have already made up a lead ourselves and plugged the MP3 in it's probably not worth any more fuss! This is worth about £900 with the VAT so not bad for a few emails and a snotty letter.

The version of comand we have WON'T play DVD's it doesn't have the bits inside to enable it too, they have admitted that much to us. It will only play them if you have the version that has the nav drive in the boot not in the unit.

I hope this helps someone!

Kate

 

[Oslo]

* NTG2: Model 203/209/168 from June 2004: DVD Version 4.0 (Navigation computer integrated)
* NTG1: Model 211, 230, 220, 171: DVD Version 4.1 (separate Navigation computer)

 

[Tony M]

In an attempt to overcome the shortcomings of the 'Cheapskate' Navigation System, I have arranged for a specialist to fit an Alpine System that will output to the existing system so effectively I can have the choice of which Navigation system to use. He is also going to fit a six disc DVD player, a TV Tuner and rear Screens in the headrests.

The guy turned up yesterday to check everything would integrate, but has now hit a few problems : The Head unit does not have a facility for Video input, only Audio from the jack plug in the glove box. This can be overcome by purchasing an American interface box that is now on order.

The next problem is that the latest headrests (Which are motorised) is that they incorporate an 'Anti whiplash' sensor and you cannot substitute pattern headrests with built in screens. The Design of the new headrests does not lend itself to fitting screens larger than 5" into the back, then you have the problem of the cable which would need poking back into the seat if the headrests are raised then lowered.

I will post some pics when it all gets done, but in the meantime it is proving to be a pain in the backside.