NTG2.5 retrofitted on a w211

[fgin]

Hello guys, I hope Alfie and Richard might be able to help. I have read a of your posts prior to embarking on this journey and thanks for all the good information you have posted. Others please dont hesitate to chime in if you can help.

I have a w211 (2003 CDI) and it had the Audio 20 with CD player and changer in the car. It is phone prewired too. However the NTG 2.5 seemed a better solution to get bluetooth, Navi and DVD functions so I got one via UK ebay. It was a risky process considering Im in Australia but the item did arrive. Bought the harnesses pack (I think its the KabelDaviko one) to convert which also came with the mic, gps antenna, bluetooth antenna, splitter fakra cable for the radio antenna.
Once I had it all in the car the NTG2.5 powered on and went straight into "Anti-theft protection". Booting it up it would work again untill you stop the car and start up again. The DVD changer didnt work or accept anything. Bluetooth paired and worked. Radio worked but no AM reception.
Long story short I contacted the seller with the problems and a new one was sent over to replace this. This was installed last night and all seems to be good and well. No more "anti-theft" but 2 major issues needs sorting out as I need both these to work which was why I got the NTG2.5 in the first place.



1/ FM reception is excellent, AM and MW receptions are non existant. I tried swapping the connection to the other one on the splitter cable that came with the harness pack I got, but still the same. I read in a post that you need to power up the antenna by jumping a wire from the white connector to the main connector. Is that correct ? If so can someone please point me to DIY or give me some specific info. I would really hate to fry anything in the car without knowing exactly what to do. I cant find infomation on this at all. Am I not searching properly? Anyway please kindly point me in the right direction.


2/ THe maps installed are for Germany. As I am here in Australia I need to change the maps to Australian maps. Now, I have read that you need to set the unit to say no nav before it will take new maps. Is that correct? How would I go about doing this? Which exact map disk should I buy?
hope someone can help, driving to London to get Alfie/Richard to fix it would be ideal as they are proven to be superior to Merc techs over and over as I read post after post. But unfortunately there are atleast 2 seas in between which even my diesel w211 with a half working NTG2.5 can not cross.

So can anyone help me out here?

Just a bit of background on my knowledge I work with computers by profession (linux,sun machines) and have taken apart and installed a lot of things in my previous car e46. If you want I can elaborate via PM but will not waste space time here. Basically I will be able to carry out fairly complicated tasks like the following

The mic that came with the wire harness was good but I wanted to use the inbuild microphones in the car (should have ordered the correct harness, I know) but I removed the mic from the one I got and opened the rear view mirror and connected the other end to the inbuilt mic unit and made sure the one closest to the driver was picking up the voice. Its perfect now. Anyone who knows what you need to do to take apart the rear view mirror would know what Im taking about. If you ever need help with that then dont hesitate to contact me though. I did not break a single clip. All went back in as it came out.


Thanks in advance

 

[Alfie]

Welcome to the forum.

A well respected member here, Miro is in Sydney and he can certainly help you and sort all of this out.

For info, the splitter you have sounds wrong. There shouldnt be any spare antenna connections as the splitter should take the single black fakra and split it into two for the rear of the NTG 2.5. The loom adapter you used should have sorted out the antenna power.

To sort out the maps you will need to find someone who is good with STAR (Miro) nearer to you. The maps need to be disabled and then the Australian ones loaded up. Again Miro can help you with this. Try him on [email protected]

 

[fgin]

One more quick one; I have disconnected the orange connector with 2 fibres ( MOST ring) to the old CD changer and I have not transferred the other one from the main wire harness to the cable adaptor which goes into the NTG2.5. I can see the NTG2.5 fibre red light blinking when the unit was out and power is on. Is that ok or should I connect either of them?

 

[Alfie]

One more quick one; I have disconnected the orange connector with 2 fibres ( MOST ring) to the old CD changer and I have not transferred the other one from the main wire harness to the cable adaptor which goes into the NTG2.5. I can see the NTG2.5 fibre red light blinking when the unit was out and power is on. Is that ok or should I connect either of them?

Your CD changer is now redundant as NTG 2.5 does not support any of the pre model year 09 MOST devices. No point in connecting up the fibres.

I have a W203 with Comand and HK. I am planning on installing NTG 2.5 but as I have HK I need a new HK amp aswell

 

[fgin]

Your CD changer is now redundant as NTG 2.5 does not support any of the pre model year 09 MOST devices. No point in connecting up the fibres.

I have a W203 with Comand and HK. I am planning on installing NTG 2.5 but as I have HK I need a new HK amp aswell

Thanks ever so much. Do you know anyone in Melbourne by any chance?

I thought that was the case with the old cd changer. I am planning to take it out in anycase. But what about the fibres to the NTG2.5 it self? should they be connected to to the NTG2.5 or is it ok to leave it in the old connector which now connects to loom adaptor?

As for the splitter, it has 2 connections on both ends. One end the connectors are joind together for it to fit into the NTG2.5. On the other end they are dangling and I have connected the one antenna wire in the car to it. So not technically a splitter. So do you say I have the wrong one? Where can I get the correct on ? if you have a link it would be great.
How can I confirm that the antenna power is correctly wired in the loom adapter?

My car doesnt have HK

Thanks a lot for the help so far!

 

[Alfie]

Thanks ever so much. Do you know anyone in Melbourne by any chance?

I thought that was the case with the old cd changer. I am planning to take it out in anycase. But what about the fibres to the NTG2.5 it self? should they be connected to to the NTG2.5 or is it ok to leave it in the old connector which now connects to loom adaptor?

As for the splitter, it has 2 connections on both ends. One end the connectors are joind together for it to fit into the NTG2.5. On the other end they are dangling and I have connected the one antenna wire in the car to it. So not technically a splitter. So do you say I have the wrong one? Where can I get the correct on ? if you have a link it would be great.
How can I confirm that the antenna power is correctly wired in the loom adapter?

My car doesnt have HK

Thanks a lot for the help so far!

I dont know anyone in Melbourne i'm afraid. You can plug the fibres in if you want. It makes no difference as the devices on the fibre wont talk to the NTG 2.5. If you have FM then you have power to the antenna.

The splitter you need is this one here;
Comand Online Ltd :: Mercedes SatNav/COMAND :: COMAND Retrofit parts :: W211 last E, W219 CLS :: FM/AM Antenna splitter adapter for Hard Disk COMAND-APS (NTG2.5)

 

[fgin]

I dont know anyone in Melbourne i'm afraid. You can plug the fibres in if you want. It makes no difference as the devices on the fibre wont talk to the NTG 2.5. If you have FM then you have power to the antenna.

The splitter you need is this one here;
Comand Online Ltd :: Mercedes SatNav/COMAND :: COMAND Retrofit parts :: W211 last E, W219 CLS :: FM/AM Antenna splitter adapter for Hard Disk COMAND-APS (NTG2.5)

Thanks agaon Alfie. youre a STAR! (pun intended) The only reason I was worried about the fibre is so that when it comes to connecting the STAR i thought it might need it. Apart from that operationally it all works. As you say if it doesnt make a difference then I will leave it as it is.

Thanks for the Radio antenna splitter link it doesnt have a pic. Am I correct to assume the following pic is a correct one I need?
I wonder why I was sent the wrong one. Anyone have one to swap? The one I have looks like the following but the end 2 connectors are the same so you can plug in the antenna to either. I think the one on the pic is slightly different

 

[Alfie]

Thanks agaon Alfie. youre a STAR! (pun intended) The only reason I was worried about the fibre is so that when it comes to connecting the STAR i thought it might need it. Apart from that operationally it all works. As you say if it doesnt make a difference then I will leave it as it is.

Thanks for the Radio antenna splitter link it doesnt have a pic. Am I correct to assume the following pic is a correct one I need?
I wonder why I was sent the wrong one. Anyone have one to swap? The one I have looks like the following but the end 2 connectors are the same so you can plug in the antenna to either. I think the one on the pic is slightly different

Hi,

Neither of those are the correct antenna lead.

The one you need takes a single black fakra and splits it into two, with both ends going into the white connector.

Have a look at the link I sent again. I've added pictures.

 

[fgin]

Saw that. Excellent! I will get it. thanks a lot. Now my I have only 1 issue to resolve i.e maps. will talk to the contact you gave me and see if he can help or hook me up with someone local.

 

[npuk]

KabelDaviko do have it so ask them to swap the antenna adapter. Kabel Daviko

 

[fgin]

Thanks npuk, out of interest, what if I cut it and splice them together ? Im guessing it has to be 2 wires inside. Possibly coaxial ? Im pretty much fine with a soldering iron.

 

[ancuislean]

W211 retrofitted NTG 2.5

Hi, I have completed a retrofit of NTG 2.5 to a ' 57 ' plate 2007 E220 CDI with telephone prewire, with 6 cd changer. Bought NTG 2.5 unit plus satnav antenna from ebay seller in Lithuania, bought adapter harness, mic, bluetooth antenna, ipod lead from UK ebay seller. Ariel splitter was bought from ebay seller in portugal.
Fitted unit to car. I refitted the cd changer and it is a tight squeeze to fit harness but it will slide over to the right and clear the unit as it is pushed in.
The phone works very well, paired it with blackberry 8310 and downloaded phone book, contacts also appear in the dash / speedo clocks, phone prewired cradle still charges the phone, I bought a new mic for apparent ease of wiring. Sat Nav / DVD / CD / Ipod ( on Aux ) also working well....but the radio !, I bought the antenna splitter and was initially sent the wrong one, twin leads with twin green fakras to the double head white end ( ie 2 separate cables joined by the wite twin head ) which i plugged into the NTG 2.5, only FM available on either side when connected to the cars single antenna lead, no AM or LW. I contacted the seller and he sent me the correct lead, twin white end with 2 leads merged into 1 and connected it to car lead, but still the same reception, I pick up a few fm stations but not as many as previous Audio20 ( with CD ) no real measurable improvement. Overall impression is that unit is excellent and quite a straightforward task in fitting, well within the ability of average person to fit. I think the radio must be something to do with the power to the amp ?. I found a USA website with the ' user manual' available for download as a pdf foc, which is basically the same as my unit, it is a help with getting familiar with the workings. Overall a job well worth the cost and a hugh improvement to the car.

 

[fgin]

Hi, I have completed a retrofit of NTG 2.5 to a ' 57 ' plate 2007 E220 CDI with telephone prewire, with 6 cd changer. Bought NTG 2.5 unit plus satnav antenna from ebay seller in Lithuania, bought adapter harness, mic, bluetooth antenna, ipod lead from UK ebay seller. Ariel splitter was bought from ebay seller in portugal.
Fitted unit to car. I refitted the cd changer and it is a tight squeeze to fit harness but it will slide over to the right and clear the unit as it is pushed in.
The phone works very well, paired it with blackberry 8310 and downloaded phone book, contacts also appear in the dash / speedo clocks, phone prewired cradle still charges the phone, I bought a new mic for apparent ease of wiring. Sat Nav / DVD / CD / Ipod ( on Aux ) also working well....but the radio !, I bought the antenna splitter and was initially sent the wrong one, twin leads with twin green fakras to the double head white end ( ie 2 separate cables joined by the wite twin head ) which i plugged into the NTG 2.5, only FM available on either side when connected to the cars single antenna lead, no AM or LW. I contacted the seller and he sent me the correct lead, twin white end with 2 leads merged into 1 and connected it to car lead, but still the same reception, I pick up a few fm stations but not as many as previous Audio20 ( with CD ) no real measurable improvement. Overall impression is that unit is excellent and quite a straightforward task in fitting, well within the ability of average person to fit. I think the radio must be something to do with the power to the amp ?. I found a USA website with the ' user manual' available for download as a pdf foc, which is basically the same as my unit, it is a help with getting familiar with the workings. Overall a job well worth the cost and a hugh improvement to the car.

Hi
Can you let me know which ipod cable you got and where it connects to?
Is it just plug and play ?
thanks

 

[npuk]

Two kits available for the NTG2.5, one with video support one without.

Comand Online Ltd :: Mercedes iPod solutions :: Mercedes iPod kit for Model Year 09 cars & MY10 Sprinter/Vito/Viano, except the current C, E, S, CL, SL. SLS class.

Comand Online Ltd :: Mercedes iPod solutions :: Mercedes iPod kit with Video support for Model Year 09 cars except current C, S, CL and new E class.

 

[ancuislean]

Hi, I got it from Davidsautos on ebay, it connects into the quadlock adapter whick i also purchased from this seller, it only supports audio, no video.

 

[nubyOz]

Hi,

Embarking on a similar exercise.
Want to upgrade my NTG1 in my 2006 C219/CLS to NTG2.5.
Currently got standard (not Harman Kardon) system.
Head unit, CDC, in boot AGW, NAV Unit, AMP(? assume is in boot)

Key features I need:

• Radio (FM)
• MP3 via DVD or card
• Navigation, latest Australian maps (NTG1 does not provide map upgrades beyond 2010 here)
• Phone connectivity via bluetooth
• Reverse Camera connectivity

Don't need CD change.

What do I need for the upgrade?

• Headunit NTG2.5, found one unlocked on ebay
  How do I upgrade to Australian maps, any setttings?
• Australian Maps
• GPS Antenna
• Amp, can I use the current one?
• wire harness

I assume I can loose the CD change and AGW/NAV in boot.

Any thoughts, any contacts in Melbourne/Australia?
Sorry new and cant yet send private messages.

Cheers