Speed pulse generator, do i need one!?? HELP!!!

[zakh]

Hi guys,

I just purchased the follwing kit! My only questions are:

- Do I need to use a speed pulse generator? My car is a 1990 Mercedes 190E 2.5-16

- Also i heard something about pre out leads for an amp? Do i need one?

Does anyone out there have any experience of these speed pulse thingy's and if they are needed!??

Thanks guys!

Zakh

 

[bolide]

The answers are "It depends"

You need a speed pulse if the Indianapolis requires a speed pulse to operate (like the Blaupunkt TravelPilot E1 and E Exact). With some in-dash satnavs (like the Blaupunkt TravelPilot Freestyler) the speed pulse is optional and gives better accuracy when present. You may also need a reverse gear signal

The Becker will have pre-amp outs. Use them if you're using a separate amp for the front speakers and/or want to use the subwoofer out to drive a woofer amp. Don't use them if you're using the Becker built-in amp

I really rate these in-dash units - very stealthy, work well, not expensive

On a W124 (the 190 may be the same) the passenger-side carpet panel forward of the centre console comes out giving (some) access to the back of the stereo. It makes running cable much easier if you remove it. It's held on by a couple of screws but on most cars it's been out before and is only held in by one long screw near the middle of the triangular panel. Feel around in the carpet & you'll find it in a plastic guide tube. In about 2 weeks time you'll know everything there is to know about disassembling & reassembling interior trim...

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

 

[zakh]

Gee im looking forward to that Nick!!! NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!

My question is, if cruise control is present do i still thr speed pulse generator?

Reading the manual it does state something about reverse gear signal...

Im going to read the manual and let everything digest first before i attempt anything...

I wish it was inexpensive, £700 all in with the ipod adaptor too...

im seriously not a fan of those hang off your screen tom tom's...not my cup of tea...I just hate wires all over the place...

Because it has bluetooth too thats an extra wire to be concerned about!

Its all good fun though

 

[Ian B Walker]

I really think you should have researched this before purchasing a unit that costs near as much as a 190E. However I do wish you luck and would appreciate a running update as to your progress. If you have ABS brakes then there will be a pulse generator of sorts. I know on a 124 there is one. Steve_bcs fitted a sat nav into a 124 not so long ago. Why not pm him and ask where he picked up the pulse from. I have heard that behind the A pillar there is a wire that can be spliced into, I may be wrong though or possibly thinking of a 202. Good Luck.

 

[andy_k]

I've fitted a speed pulse dependent sat nav to a W124 so if this helps at all

If you have an electronic speedo then the wire which feeds that will provide a suitable speed pulse (on the W124 it's a green and yellow wire).

You can also search in the hi-fi wiring loom and look for a plain grey wire which should (if present) provide the speed pulse for you.


If none of the above applies you can always add an aftermarket hall effect sensor for very little money


HTH

Andy

 

[zakh]

Hi Andy, thats really helpful...My car has CC and ABS...will that help matters?
How will i know if i have an electronic speedo?

What about the reverse gear signal?

Ian: I did extensive research into this head unit before i bought it...and my 190E is not worth £700, had a recent valuation done...try £9000

So its all good...I hate those tom tom things...and i wanted an all in one unit that is ipod ready, bluetooth, Mp3, and sat nav...plus it has two tuners...

Ill post pics of my progress

 

[Ian B Walker]

I never stated your 190 if you read my post you will see "a" 190. £9000 for a 190 You can get a decent 380SL for that.

 

[zakh]

Im sure you could!!! but horses for courses as they say

But no offence was taken on my part...its all good, i appreciate your help

 

[GazCaff]

I'm sure the reverse gear signal can be gained from slicing into the reverse light/switch circuit.

edit: I meant "splicing", not slicing, oops!

 

[mapleleaf]

I havent actually picked up a speed pulse from a 190 but I wil do a bit of research & see if I can come up with anything. There wil be one there somewhere. Also, I have never bothered with the revese sensor with any sat navs I have fitted . I tend not to go that fast backwards .. others may beg to differ though!

Good luck with the install.

 

[andy_k]

Also, I have never bothered with the revese sensor with any sat navs I have fitted . I tend not to go that fast backwards .. others may beg to differ though!

Good luck with the install.

I didn't bother with it either and it's had no noticeable effect on the way the unit works.

Andy

 

[zakh]

Steve, Andy i'd appreciate any help you have to give me regarding this!!!

 

[Alfie]

I didn't bother with it either and it's had no noticeable effect on the way the unit works.

Andy

I do not bother with the reverse signal at all as it makes no noticeable difference to the functioning of the units.

If someone does find a speed pulse on an early A class, please let me know as i'm planning on retrofitting comand to an A class as a bit of fun!

 

[fuzzer]

I do not bother with the reverse signal at all as it makes no noticeable difference to the functioning of the units.

If someone does find a speed pulse on an early A class, please let me know as i'm planning on retrofitting comand to an A class as a bit of fun!

didnt the early A Class come with an audio 30 aps as an optional extra alfie?

 

[Howard]

Ian: I did extensive research into this head unit before i bought it...and my 190E is not worth £700, had a recent valuation done...try £9000

Wow, must be mint, i'd like to see some pictures .....

 

[zakh]

Pics up soon once i get my system done n dusted

 

[Howard]

Cool .....

 

[andy_k]

Hi Andy, thats really helpful...My car has CC and ABS...will that help matters?
How will i know if i have an electronic speedo?

What about the reverse gear signal?

you'll have a speed pulse somewhere

you can check whether or not your speedo is electronic by having a look at the back of the console - if there is a traditional speedo cable feeding it then it's mechanical, if there's a green and yellow striped wire going into the back and no cable then it's electronic

I'd forget the reverse gear signal - as others have said it seems to serve no real purpose. Mine locates itself accurately when reversing around corners.

If your Becker unit is anything like mine, the manual really overcomplicates things. Here's a much simpler set up

1, connect it all up and once all the wires are in place switch it on. Ignore all the stuff in the setup menu apart from the sensor test (you can actually ignore that as well as long as you are confident you have a speed pulse) as the unit will set all these things automatically

2, load the nav disk and do a quick calibration ride (don't expect any real accuracy) and if it takes too long to initialise the GPS just switch off and then switch back on again - basically you've tricked the unit into thinking it's calibrated

3, fiddle around positioning the GPS aerial to get the best signal (mine is on the front crossmember in front of the radiator/air con condenser) using either the sensor test menu or the "info" button when you are in "nav" mode

4, drive to a nice open road (the higher the better) where you can see at least 5 satellites and park within about 100 yards of a left turn.

5, go into the service menu and delete the current calibration (nav menu, press nav again, whilst holding down the "3" button press the "5" button as well and select delete calibration.

6, exit the service menu and go for another calibration drive - everything should be OK then.


Hope that helps

Andy

 

[zakh]

Wow Andy...thats great...i will print this off...that should be a sticky for sure
One question, is it safe to install the gps aerial near the radiator? It says you shouls install it behind the dashboard...
What Becker unit do you have? how do you find the sat nav side of things?

 

[andy_k]

I got zero reception behind the dashboard. The aerial sits in front of the rads so it doesn't get hot and I put it in the place the local stealers recommended

here's a few links to pics to help

sensor test

calibration menu

delete calibration

location

info screen

version

gps aerial

my unit is a Becker 4765 (originally fitted to a Land Rover Freelander) The only difference between that and the 4785 is that it had a Land Rover rather than Becker "spash screen" which was cured by flashing the BIOS and that if I wanted to fit a CD multi changer I would have to use the Land Rover one rather than a standard Becker one - as mine is an estate car I didn't really have anywhere to fit multi changer anyway so that wasn't a problem.

The unit is pretty accurate (I'd give it about 99%) it's only ever got lost/confused a couple of times and they were both right on the south coast when surrounded by high buildings. That could have been down to lots of things but I'm blaming the version 8 maps I was using and which I've now upgraded (at least two of the locations it couldn't recognise before are now included) so hopefully things will be better now.

Nice and easy to use, fits into the car nicely and gets us where we want to go - totally recommended

Andy