W211 Comand unlocking problem/question

[harveyn]

Hi Glojo and others!

An update for you all. I have tried different keys to try and access the 'secret menu' but still with no success, thanks for the other suggestions.

I have also put together a cdr with mp3's using nero 6, and it won't play in the car, but will in other players, so the functionality is disabled.

The car has had numerous recalls and was last serviced a few months back, when they said they were updating the comand, though I didn't notice any differences, and they obviously didn't enable mp3 playback.

Unfortunately I still seem to be at first base! Does anyone think that having updated to comand 5 (big improvement!) has any bearing on this, or does anyone else have any ideas on another way to access the 'secret menu!

All the best, Harvey

 

[portzy]

Oh how I'm tempted by this.

Over on PointedThree there is a list of TSBs one of which gives the game away from a "number sequence press" point of view.

My personal temptation is to unlock the DVD in motion but everytime I think about it I chicken out due to the inevitable consequencies of an after accident situation. Aslo, MB will not carry out warranty work to a comand unit that has had changes made which screws up some of or all of the unit itself , which is fair enough I suppose.

Portzy.

 

[glojo]

Unfortunately I still seem to be at first base! Does anyone think that having updated to comand 5 (big improvement!) has any bearing on this, or does anyone else have any ideas on another way to access the 'secret menu!

All the best, Harvey

Hi Harvey,
Your reading too much into DVD upgrades. Version 5 will DEFINITELY, 100% NOT effect whether your car can play Mp3's. I could play Mp3's before the new navigation disc was inserted, and can still play them after the new version 5 is installed.

If you wrote that CD-R in exactly the way I suggested then it should work. I take it you are inserting the DVD in the COMAND slot and NOT the DVD navigation player?

If you are certain that your vehicle has had all the relevant main dealer upgrades, then the simple test would be for me to send you some really yucky Mp3's that work on my COMAND. That way it will sort out whether it is you making the mistakes, or the COMAND.

I cannot get my head around why you want to access the secret menu?? I have heard about so many owners moaning how they have ruined certain settings when interfering with the proper installation. I have absolutely zero interest in this issue and flatly refuse to pass on any knowledge I have on the topic Sorry about that.

When trying to play Mp3's... The screen should change when the CD is inserted?

Good luck,
John

 

[glojo]

My personal temptation is to unlock the DVD in motion but every time I think about it I chicken out due to the inevitable consequences of an after accident situation.

Totally agree,
There was recently a case of a french lorry driver who wiped out a whole family when he collided with their car.

Just before the incident this driver overtook a car, the driver could clearly see the lorry driver watching a television (The french driver being on the vehicles nearside)

In court this murderer stated he was merely listening to the film and at no time did he actually watch it!!

With our judicial system, it is down to the prosecution to prove beyond any reasonable doubt that this man was WATCHING the TV!!!

I wonder how many car drivers would admit to watching a film after they have killed a four year old child, mother and father??

Oh sorry, the conversion would NOT be for them, it would be for the front seat passenger!!!

Well done Portzy and I cannot really defend the modern satellite navigation systems with all their pretty graphics.

John the ranter

 

[harveyn]

Hi glojo
Many thanks again for your input and kind offer of an mp3 disc that should work. Hunting around this morning, I did see a post that said there should be no more than 99 tracks on a cdr for it to work...I know we burnt on more than that last night, so maybe I should try that first?
Cheers

 

[Rory]

Over on PointedThree there is a list of TSBs one of which gives the game away from a "number sequence press" point of view.

Sorry if I'm missing something, but what's PointedThree? I assumed another forum, but I can't find it.

 

[jdrrco]

Hi glojo
Many thanks again for your input and kind offer of an mp3 disc that should work. Hunting around this morning, I did see a post that said there should be no more than 99 tracks on a cdr for it to work...I know we burnt on more than that last night, so maybe I should try that first?
Cheers

Having more than 99 tracks shouldn't stop it playing. I put 700+ on a DVD (before John and others kindly explained the folder system to me) and it saw the first 255 no problem, just wouldn't find the 256th and onwards.

 

[Glen]

Mmmmmmmm, been watching these threads for a while now and wanted to say something as I got a bit of a hard time when I asked this modification a while ago .

I'm still not convinced about this ranting regarding TV/DVD on all the time. I never actually had mine done in the end but at the end of the day I still break speed limits at times (never in built up areas I might add), look away if I see a pretty girl, exotic car, change a cd, drink/eat etc., so people who get on a high horse about this should firstly question what they do when behind the wheel and the consequences/legality of what they do. Unless of course these people are in the minority and drive like they have a traffic cop behind them all the time.

Not justifying TV/DVD in motion but just saying that as long as your own house is in order then I believe you have the right to question others law breaking antics irrespective of if it's a different type of thing or not. And lets not count seconds or minutes of eye diversion as we all know in the wrong circumstance a split second is all it needs.

Not a moan or pointing finger session, just an observation, but I await the moral high grounders hounding this, so let those with a clear conscience and impeccable driving standards cast the first stone and all that .

Glen
ps. And I totally disagree with the 'killed'/'I raced' threads on forums as these glorify stupidly high speeds and out and out life threatening racing on the public highway.

 

[glojo]

so let those with a clear conscience and impeccable driving standards cast the first stone and all that .
.

That's me then.

The impression you give might be mistaken for the typical driver I am referring to. (I do note you have not activated DVD in motion)

The odd casual glance at my wife walking along the footpath Is completely 100% different from looking down at a film and indeed following the plot. The fact that you cannot understand this might highlight the dangers?

In an ideal world those that exceed speed limits might be more attentive, note I did NOT say better drivers? On a different thread someone has wrote about a Mercedes driver undertaking and zig zagging through traffic at very high speed. (was it you? )

I object most strongly to those that think it right to watch films whilst driving, it is highly dangerous, selfish, and sadly it is usually not them that get killed.

Yes I have taken the moral high ground simply because it is the sensible, mature ground. I guarantee, that any driver that kills someone whilst watching a DVD will deny it and blame anything other than themselves.

Rant over.

John the stone thrower

 

[nickmann]

See http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=25607

 

[Glen]

That's me then.

Nice to chat with you on the pm

Glen

 

[KosherBenz]

I cant speak for everyone who has the video in motion activated, but mine is activated for my kids. Yesterday they were watching wallace and gormmet, curse of the ware rabbit (funny movie, I saw it in the theatre) while I was driving. I was not watching, but I was listening, like I do when I have the radio on.

 

[harveyn]

Does anyone know if my W211 comand system, installed new in August 2003, might be different, to the later models, (hence my inability to access the secret menu to enable the mp3 capability)?
kind regards
Harvey

 

[nickmann]

I know the power of video when you have kids in the car. I am very thankful that I have this facility in the back of my car - it renders my kids almost comatose, and more importantly quiet.

My wife wanted it in the front - on her sunvisor, but I installed it in the back because I am unsure of the insurance position should I be involved in an accident. I know that I probably couldn't afford to pay for hospital treatment for any serious injuries. Perhaps things are different in America?

 

[glojo]

Does anyone know if my W211 comand system, installed new in August 2003,

Your obviously obsessed with this secret menu which has nothing to do with why your car is not able to play Mp3's!

Why aren't you more concerned about whether your vehicle has had all the recalls\upgrades? That is far more important and also of course significant. If you are adamant that it has had all the upgrades then I would suggest it is operator error.

YES your August 2003 DVD COMAND is capable of playing Mp3's providing it has had the correct upgrades.

John

 

[KosherBenz]

I know the power of video when you have kids in the car. I am very thankful that I have this facility in the back of my car - it renders my kids almost comatose, and more importantly quiet.

My wife wanted it in the front - on her sunvisor, but I installed it in the back because I am unsure of the insurance position should I be involved in an accident. I know that I probably couldn't afford to pay for hospital treatment for any serious injuries. Perhaps things are different in America?

insurance will pay on anything (even if the driver was doing something stupid) less of insurance fraud here in the US. That is why its called insurance.

 

[steve.link]

Your obviously obsessed with this secret menu which has nothing to do with why your car is not able to play Mp3's!

Why aren't you more concerned about whether your vehicle has had all the recalls\upgrades? That is far more important and also of course significant. If you are adamant that it has had all the upgrades then I would suggest it is operator error.

YES your August 2003 DVD COMAND is capable of playing Mp3's providing it has had the correct upgrades.

John

John,

Based on my experience I have to disagree.

My vehicle is a few months old and when I took delivery it would not play MP3 tracks

My dealer confirmed all the updates etc were applied at the cars PDI on March 8th. I enabled the MP3 playback myself using the so called "secret codes".

Just to prove it I have just disabled it on the car (with the secret codes) and it no longer works.

For me and my specific car this is fact.

The interesting thing here, is that these codes don't appear to work on Harveys vehicle. There was also a post about them not working on a 2006 CLS.

Maybe MB has a brand new software version that inhibits these codes!

 

[Mr E]

John,

The reason harveyn probably keeps asking about the "secret menu" is that it allows for the MP3 functionality to be swtiched on/off. I would assume that if the upgrade to the firmware that allowed MP3s to be played was missing, then this menu may not be available (would seem to make sense).

harveyn - best bet is to ask your dealer (nicely) to check the firmware version of the comand unit and apply any updates that may be needed.

DVD - hmmm, currently have it available in the front. Don't find it to be any more distracting than the map/navi view. I don't have it on when driving alone, and am careful what is in there when the kids are watching (I avoid things like Ronin for obvious reasons! Sirens cause concern too...). Long journeys - have a removable DVD player/playstation/twin screen setup (gets swapped between the cars as needed) so the kids can watch/play whatever they want. Wifey sleeps, I sing along to 50-odd albums stored as MP3s on the DVD-drive.....

Agree that the driver watching the screen is a no-no - even in stop-start traffic as you still need your wits about you...

 

[glojo]

John,

Based on my experience I have to disagree.

My vehicle is a few months old and when I took delivery it would not play MP3 tracks!

Hi Steve,
I had to word my answer very carefully because newer 211's are beyond my field of knowledge. When this upgrade for COMAND was released way back in May'ish 2004, there was a clamour to have it applied to older vehicles. A good friend of mine had an August 2003 model, and it was him that put me right.

Newer vehicles like yours are by the looks of it very different, hence my hopefully carefully worded reply. There have been lots of omissions with newer 211's and hopefully one day they might re-install older options?

Meddling with the secret menu is okay providing you do not make a mistake. I was amazed to see the different options, but not so surprised to find out that DaimlerChrysler will not carry out any repairs or fixes under warranty.

Regards,
John

Edit
Mr E
I understand your point about switching off Mp3 playback and I have no knowledge about whether that can be done. I wonder why anyone would even want to switch it off? As I keep saying it was just one small part of one of the many upgrades.

I am not going to risk looking at the engineers menu, just in case I press the wrong button.

 

[harveyn]

Hi John
At your suggestion I spoke to my servicing dealer. The lady said that she did not think my car could play mp3's, after my reply that I thought it might, she said that her manager will call me.....She could not quickly find what and when the last upgarde was made to the comand, my guess it was late January.
Harvey