Hi Guys
Hoping I can tap in to your collective knowledge. I have a new E Class (A207) convertible with the standard single disc Audio 20.
I'd like to change it for an OEM style navigation based device. I also need to be able to play approx 10GB of MP3 music. The Audio 20 lacks navigation and although it will play MP3 on CD's, the disc only hold approx 700mb at a time and I'm not keen on the idea of constantly changing discs. A HDD or USB port that could read MP3's would be ideal. I also need to retain the Bluetooth phone functionality I have on the Audio 20.
The Navigation 20 upgrade looks good, but I have some questions that I can't find the answers to:-
1. Where are the NAV maps stored? Are they on CD (DVD?) meaning that you can't play CD's if using NAV, or are they stored on an internal HDD or other form of internal memory?
2. I know the Navigation 20 comes with some glove box located ports that include USB/IPOD and AUX, but does it come with the necessary leads to connect to connect the devices to, or do you need to buy them seperately? Also, does the IPOD connector charge the IPOD too? I don't have an iPod, but I might get one if that's the best way to get MP3, but not if it won't charge.
3. No ability to display MP3 artwork, I assume?
4. Bluetooth phone will work as it did with the Audio 20 - No voice activation.
Anyway... cost of this is £850 inc. fitting from an MB dealership, so no issues with 2nd hand gear, warranties and worries about damage caused by poor installation by the engineer.
The other option is the COMAND retrofit which I understand to be NTG4.5. This, I understand is a HDD based nav system with a larger screen (which is a definite plus). I can get this fitted for about the same money as Navigation 20, although it is mint 2nd hand gear, but with 12 month warranty, although not fitted by a MB main dealer. It seems though, that NTG4.5 on it's own doesn't have any connections for USB/iPod. I'd apparantly need to have the UMI kit as well which would add another £400 to the bill.
Some questions:-
1. I understand MP3's can be stored on the HDD. How do you get the music there. Is it a case of inserting CD's and then waiting an age for them to rip down to the HDD, or is there a more direct way i.e. pre-load a CD with MP3's and rip them down this way, or better still a DVD pre-loaded with MP3's?
2. Is the actual Navigation bit any more or less advanced than that of Navigation 20?
3. I thought I'd read somewhere that NTG4.5 came with a PCMCIA slot, but I can't confirm, or is it part of UMI? If I could use a PCMCIA adaptor and load my music on to a 16GB SD card, that would be ideal.
4. MP3 artwork presumably works with NTG4.5, from all sources HDD, PCMCIA (if it has one), CD, DVD (if it is DVD?).
5. Bluetooth phone is the same as Navigation 20/Audio 20, or does it add voice activation? If not, is voice activation part of UMI? You see, I wouldn't spend £400 extra on UMI just to get a USB port if I could play MP3 directly from the HDD (I'm not sure how much free space is on the HDD after the maps are installed?), provided I could get the MP3's on the HDD relatively easily or if there was a PCMCIA slot with the NTG4.5. However, I might be tempted to have UMI if it would give me voice activation.
Thoughts appreciated.
Gary
Hoping I can tap in to your collective knowledge. I have a new E Class (A207) convertible with the standard single disc Audio 20.
I'd like to change it for an OEM style navigation based device. I also need to be able to play approx 10GB of MP3 music. The Audio 20 lacks navigation and although it will play MP3 on CD's, the disc only hold approx 700mb at a time and I'm not keen on the idea of constantly changing discs. A HDD or USB port that could read MP3's would be ideal. I also need to retain the Bluetooth phone functionality I have on the Audio 20.
The Navigation 20 upgrade looks good, but I have some questions that I can't find the answers to:-
1. Where are the NAV maps stored? Are they on CD (DVD?) meaning that you can't play CD's if using NAV, or are they stored on an internal HDD or other form of internal memory?
2. I know the Navigation 20 comes with some glove box located ports that include USB/IPOD and AUX, but does it come with the necessary leads to connect to connect the devices to, or do you need to buy them seperately? Also, does the IPOD connector charge the IPOD too? I don't have an iPod, but I might get one if that's the best way to get MP3, but not if it won't charge.
3. No ability to display MP3 artwork, I assume?
4. Bluetooth phone will work as it did with the Audio 20 - No voice activation.
Anyway... cost of this is £850 inc. fitting from an MB dealership, so no issues with 2nd hand gear, warranties and worries about damage caused by poor installation by the engineer.
The other option is the COMAND retrofit which I understand to be NTG4.5. This, I understand is a HDD based nav system with a larger screen (which is a definite plus). I can get this fitted for about the same money as Navigation 20, although it is mint 2nd hand gear, but with 12 month warranty, although not fitted by a MB main dealer. It seems though, that NTG4.5 on it's own doesn't have any connections for USB/iPod. I'd apparantly need to have the UMI kit as well which would add another £400 to the bill.
Some questions:-
1. I understand MP3's can be stored on the HDD. How do you get the music there. Is it a case of inserting CD's and then waiting an age for them to rip down to the HDD, or is there a more direct way i.e. pre-load a CD with MP3's and rip them down this way, or better still a DVD pre-loaded with MP3's?
2. Is the actual Navigation bit any more or less advanced than that of Navigation 20?
3. I thought I'd read somewhere that NTG4.5 came with a PCMCIA slot, but I can't confirm, or is it part of UMI? If I could use a PCMCIA adaptor and load my music on to a 16GB SD card, that would be ideal.
4. MP3 artwork presumably works with NTG4.5, from all sources HDD, PCMCIA (if it has one), CD, DVD (if it is DVD?).
5. Bluetooth phone is the same as Navigation 20/Audio 20, or does it add voice activation? If not, is voice activation part of UMI? You see, I wouldn't spend £400 extra on UMI just to get a USB port if I could play MP3 directly from the HDD (I'm not sure how much free space is on the HDD after the maps are installed?), provided I could get the MP3's on the HDD relatively easily or if there was a PCMCIA slot with the NTG4.5. However, I might be tempted to have UMI if it would give me voice activation.
Thoughts appreciated.
Gary
