Retrofitting Digi TV (W220)

[television]

On this subject, I have been considering getting MB to install the retrofit digital tuner on my COMAND. It's fairly expensive, so is there actually any difference between the retrofit tuner and a standard digibox?

Malcolm has suggested the retro fit digi box just goes in the aux connector of the analogue tuner - can someone confirm if that is the case for my car? I assume that my remote control for COMAND then no longer can operate channel changes etc, as I don't see how it would be able to signal that to the box, which in turn would mean having a second remote. With the retro-fit, do they install a control/signalling path to the digi box as well, so that it continues to work with the existing channel operations?

One of the issues I can see is that it takes an off the shelf digital tuner quite some time to scan through all the channels. The analogue tuner in my COMAND keeps continuously an eye out for channels changes as you move around and adjusts its internal channel link on the fly. Does the retro-fit digi box does the same?

The retro digi box comes with its own remote control.and cost £650 with the retro you have to select TV then aux 1 or 2 on the Command to pick up digi TV, in all a bit a nuisance and long winded, With mine I use an RF modulator and go into digi via the existing tuner on button 0, so straight to it. Yes you can use both while the old system is still in use, once it closes down, the digi signal will get a 30% boost and that will make a huge difference. It still has the same problems as anything digital, that is if you can receive it, then it is perfect, quite unlike where on analogue you can have some snow and still see the picture, the digi signal in this instance will be a No signal found blank screen

A digi box cannot search for adjacent channels, they do not work like that.
The TV UHF channels consist of channel 22 to 68

Every area has its own group say ch 23-26-29 -33 and 37 these systems need minimum of 2 ch clearance between, then the next nearest group will be 40-43-46-50. It is handy if the digi tuner has an add ch feature as this does not erase already stored ch, once you have visited every area, then every ch can been downloaded and it is full up so to speak, then thats it you have them all, do not forget the one channel has many stations on it

 

[television]

OK the tuner in your car has the MQS plug to connect the tuner. Where you can get this from i do not know, Also I have no idea what the pins are


I am still trying to get hold the lead adaptor kit, this would also solve your problems.

Your TV is a software update with a CD disc.

 

[MBManInKen]

Every area has its own group say ch 23-26-29 -33 and 37 these systems need minimum of 2 ch clearance between, then the next nearest group will be 40-43-46-50. It is handy if the digi tuner has an add ch feature as this does not erase already stored ch, once you have visited every area, then every ch can been downloaded and it is full up so to speak, then thats it you have them all, do not forget the one channel has many stations on it

Thanks for your, as always, helpful comments.

I was perhaps a bit too subtle in one aspect of my question: the process of scanning the channels and establishing what content there is on the multiplexes does take some time. And of course multiplex contents to change, so you need some way of detecting that, although I think that for that specific issue, the signalling actually carries some metadata about contents which can prompt the box to rescan.

I was just wondering if there is some extra logic or clever analysis done in the retrofit box to speed up/assist this for an environment that will move in and out zones all the time. If not, the retro-fit sounds like a bit of a rip-off and your solution of a standard digi box sounds a lot better.

I do like the idea of retaining channel allocations and multiplex information, but how would you determine which list to show to users, i.e. how would you know which geographic area you are in? I think there might be some information about the transmitter you are receiving from in the signalling, which I guess you could use to map a channel list offering to the current position...

 

[television]

Thanks for your, as always, helpful comments.

I was perhaps a bit too subtle in one aspect of my question: the process of scanning the channels and establishing what content there is on the multiplexes does take some time. And of course multiplex contents to change, so you need some way of detecting that, although I think that for that specific issue, the signalling actually carries some metadata about contents which can prompt the box to rescan.

Digi boxes cant re scan,as they do not know when in the search mode what stations are on any multiplex until it has down loaded it so it will ask for a re tune or search for channels

I was just wondering if there is some extra logic or clever analysis done in the retrofit box to speed up/assist this for an environment that will move in and out zones all the time. If not, the retro-fit sounds like a bit of a rip-off and your solution of a standard digi box sounds a lot better.
The analogue tuner in mine is like something out of the ark, and like the radio tuner way out of date in the way that things are done

I do like the idea of retaining channel allocations and multiplex information, but how would you determine which list to show to users, i.e. how would you know which geographic area you are in? I think there might be some information about the transmitter you are receiving from in the signalling, which I guess you could use to map a channel list offering to the current position...

Digi clearance between channels is 1 and not 2 as I said earlier, this is to stop cross modulation to the existing services, I do not know if the digi can use adjacent channels at this point in time. The storing of the info is done on a station basis, so with 6 stations per multiplex and all, and if all 47 channels are used eventually you will need 282 station storing positions on the unit not practical really. If for instance you stop on a road away from home and no signal comes up, you will not know if you are in a bad area,or if you are not tuned in, and I do not know if the MB boxes wipe the memory clean if no signal found comes up as you do a new search.


Watching TV in the car will never be the same with digi. It also depends on where you live and where you go. for me I am bordering 2 transmitters and I need the high end if I go east, and the low end if I go west, and in the middle if I go north. I cant go south as I would drop into the sea

 

[mr. shr]

Your TV is a software update with a CD disc.

Are you saying that my TV will need a software update once I fitted a digi tuner?

 

[television]

Are you saying that my TV will need a software update once I fitted a digi tuner?

Yes the 220 has a software update done via CD