This thing called Command is stupid

[MBManInKen]

IMO Garmin is way the best solution.

My personal opinion is different. Not in the least because COMAND is a lot more than just the sat-nav. It offers integration that no after-market system can provide and there is less risk of someone smashing your windows to nick it than with portable aftermarket systems (and you don't need the actual device to be in the car for that to happen, just the tell-tale markers on the windscreen of where the suction cups were attached is enough.

It's one of those things where there is not a single right answer, it depends on what specific functions and other considerations are important to people.

 

[television]

OK I have been out and re set all of it, I now have all of the menus etc.

All things relating to TMC are not highlighted this means that the unit is faulty
Part of it that is working is the turn off TMC as when I do that it turns off Classic FM

When I am in Exeter next I will try the update CD again and see if it comes to life.

The permanent fault that I have B270B is not listed anywhere

 

[glojo]

It's one of those things where there is not a single right answer, it depends on what specific functions and other considerations are important to people.

It's a bit awkward answering this members question whilst Malcolm is still resolving his issues but I wonder if it is really worth spending good money on an antiquated system that offers so little for the expenditure. As an item of furniture and I mean that in the nicest of ways, it looks very nice and no Tom Tommy thing will ever match that and I suppose it all boils down to a personal choice of what we all want?

Good luck Malcolm with your problem and it looks like your making progress.

Regards
John

 

[television]

It's a bit awkward answering this members question whilst Malcolm is still resolving his issues but I wonder if it is really worth spending good money on an antiquated system that offers so little for the expenditure. As an item of furniture and I mean that in the nicest of ways, it looks very nice and no Tom Tommy thing will ever match that and I suppose it all boils down to a personal choice of what we all want?

Good luck Malcolm with your problem and it looks like your making progress.

Regards
John

Thanks john, If it does not work when I try the CD's with MB then it can stay the way it is, she stills gets me where I want to go, and I never go anywhere where there are traffic jams.

I did try the CD's I have the Europe and Scandinavian DX disc but they were the same.

Since I have spent my life fixing these things down to component level, I hate the fact that no service info is available from anywhere

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Ive always wanted to know...

If I ever think about installing COMAND would I still be able to connect up my AMP & subs to it? or do I have to remain with my aftermarket headunit?

 

[television]

Ive always wanted to know...

If I ever think about installing COMAND would I still be able to connect up my AMP & subs to it? or do I have to remain with my aftermarket headunit?

If you just want to take the output to any amp no problem, if you want it in the circle then it must be fibre optic or MOST coupled

 

[crockers]

I would do neither. I have had COMAND, phone, TomTom and Garmin. IMO Garmin is way the best solution. COMAND involves buying update discs for £250 every year or so. Garmin I can update the software and the maps on my computer free every week if I like. And it has TMC included for life. Great for avoiding jams. I pay £29 a year for speed camera and mobile camera updates. I have found it excellent both here in England and in France and Spain when we did 3,000 miles on our two week motoring holiday. I started with TomTOm but had problems and Halfords recommended Garmin as they said about 1 in 8 TomToms have to go back.

Garmin make equipment extensively used in aircraft, shipping etc. UK offices at Southampton. I have the nuvi660.

I had Tom Tom on a pda linked to a bluetooth GPS - it was ok but what a fuss getting everthing to talk to one another. Also I don't rate the Tom Tom mapping (well that was 3 yrs + ago). I then switched to an intergrated system - a Garmin Nuvi - when they first came out. I could download POI etc and i was a nice piece of kit. I mounted it on my dash on a stuck on disc. I always told myself that a Comand system was a waste of money and that the Garmin was far better.
Well last week I saw Alfie and he fitted the latest Comand - APS in with ver 8 dvd. So now I feel qualified to comment on Comand v Garmin.
Where Comand wins is firstly pure visual elegance - secondly it is intergrated into the phone system, hifi etc etc and I rate it highly. What swayed me over was test driving a W204 with Comand for 24 hrs - no comparison to the Garmin.
The Garmin wins on cost, portability and the ability to download poi (speed camera locations for example). But I (IMHO) think that the Comand system is by far the better and I have no regrets having it installed.
One point - you can not download updated maps free from GArmin - you can download software updates but mapping has to be paid for same as comand - albeit being cheaper.
All we need is the ability to download POI to Comand and IMHO it would be perfect...........well as far as anything can be perfect.

PS I do like the positioning of the W204 Comand screen......best part of that cars interior.

 

[The Dent Guy]

All we need is the ability to download POI to Comand and IMHO it would be perfect...........well as far as anything can be perfect.

Can you add postcodes as a destination with the latest Comand v8 software?

A lot of my customers have just house names and live on a main "A" road for instance. Without postcodes I'd be stuffed!

 

[glojo]

I think it unfair to pick on Me5rcedes for the price of these updates. The price for Pioneer DVd's are comparabe and has anyone here a different make car that has an integrated DVD navigation system? No one works for nothing and a manufacturer pays a mapping company for the updates and perhaps this is where the money is going?

John

 

[MBManInKen]

I'm with John. And frankly, the cost of a new disc every year is the very small change of motoring as far as I am concerned.

 

[hawk20]

I had Tom Tom on a pda linked to a bluetooth GPS - it was ok but what a fuss getting everthing to talk to one another. Also I don't rate the Tom Tom mapping (well that was 3 yrs + ago). I then switched to an intergrated system - a Garmin Nuvi - when they first came out. I could download POI etc and i was a nice piece of kit. I mounted it on my dash on a stuck on disc. I always told myself that a Comand system was a waste of money and that the Garmin was far better.
Well last week I saw Alfie and he fitted the latest Comand - APS in with ver 8 dvd. So now I feel qualified to comment on Comand v Garmin.
Where Comand wins is firstly pure visual elegance - secondly it is intergrated into the phone system, hifi etc etc and I rate it highly. What swayed me over was test driving a W204 with Comand for 24 hrs - no comparison to the Garmin.
The Garmin wins on cost, portability and the ability to download poi (speed camera locations for example). But I (IMHO) think that the Comand system is by far the better and I have no regrets having it installed.
One point - you can not download updated maps free from GArmin - you can download software updates but mapping has to be paid for same as comand - albeit being cheaper.
All we need is the ability to download POI to Comand and IMHO it would be perfect...........well as far as anything can be perfect.

PS I do like the positioning of the W204 Comand screen......best part of that cars interior.

I agree with you and MBManinKen that having the system integrated is excellent. But what is bad with COMAND is that
a) it does not take 7 digit postcodes (because Germany and France are 5 digit) but Garmin does
b) it does not show fixed speed cameras - so useful as a reminder
c) it does not show mobile camera sites - again so useful
d) it costs £250 per year for an update DVD

What a pity the facility to integrate Garmin or TomTom is not offered yet. Some car makers are doing that (Renault for one) Merc do now offer hard wiring of Road Angel, but still a bit of a fiddle.

 

[crockers]

Can you add postcodes as a destination with the latest Comand v8 software?

A lot of my customers have just house names and live on a main "A" road for instance. Without postcodes I'd be stuffed!

not all of it - sorry that is a downside as said by Hawk20....

 

[hawk20]

By the way Garmin is now not worth stealing. It has an owner set pin code (like a credit card) and a secret location you can drive to if you forget the pin code. You drive to the secret location and it unlocks itself. Neat. Owner chooses the location that will unlock it.

 

[television]

By the way Garmin is now not worth stealing. It has an owner set pin code (like a credit card) and a secret location you can drive to if you forget the pin code. You drive to the secret location and it unlocks itself. Neat. Owner chooses the location that will unlock it.

That sounds good to me, and very neat, just pop the place into your favorites and thats it

 

[hawk20]

That sounds good to me, and very neat, just pop the place into your favorites and thats it

I cannot imagine anyone being so stupid as to call it "the place that unlocks my pin" so it wouldn't really matter if it was one of the favourites. I have forty favourites in mine so far. Perhaps a thief would drive to all of them -is that your worry? Well he couldn't read them or get into favourites until he used either the PIN or remembered where the security place was so as to unlock the Garmin.

 

[hawk20]

And if you forget the PIN and your 'place that unlocks the Garmin' you can go to Garmin and get it unlocked if it is registered with them and you can prove you are the registered owner (usual ID stuff).

 

[Ted]

I think it unfair to pick on Me5rcedes for the price of these updates. The price for Pioneer DVd's are comparabe and has anyone here a different make car that has an integrated DVD navigation system?

John

Lexus DVD satnav - Pukka DVD update earlier this year 159 euro including shipping.

 

[hawk20]

I'm with John. And frankly, the cost of a new disc every year is the very small change of motoring as far as I am concerned.

Sure it is. But it is one of the advantages of the Garmin and TomTom that the whole kaboodle costs no more than the update disc for COMAND.

 

[Diesel Benz]

By the way Garmin is now not worth stealing. It has an owner set pin code (like a credit card) and a secret location you can drive to if you forget the pin code. You drive to the secret location and it unlocks itself. Neat. Owner chooses the location that will unlock it.

Interesting, but how do you remember this location

I guess it does not unlock automatically, then you cannot use a place that you would pass every now and then?

 

[hawk20]

Interesting, but how do you remember this location

I guess it does not unlock automatically, then you cannot use a place that you would pass every now and then?

In the age of electronics and with thieves ever present, we all have to learn to remember some security information. How do you remember a PIN number for a credit card? Write it down but don't keep it with the card.

Same with Garmin. Write the PIN somewhere and keep it safe but not with the Garmin. Also if you really can't remember that your security place is outside your favourite pub, then write that down too and keep it somewhere safe. Just normal security really. But good they have introduced it, IMO.