Secret menu in the 05's COMAND unit.

[krispykrme]

Originally Posted by Viesel I didnt say that I dont have a COMAND unit, I said that I dont have the NAV system installed, now is that the same thing? You guys are loosing me here. I dont know, I still cant get it to do anything with 357. What he meant is that 357 code would only work if Head Unit is off, and car is off for at least 3 minutes. Then you can power on the command, and when screen is still black, you hold the 357 command to get it to work. Steve, do you have the toshiba p/n on the command drive for the us spec? It should start with TC..... Does Scorchie still has the command that you took apart? When I see him this weekend to upgrade the command, I would like to see if there is any way to upgrade the drive only. The philip decoder chip is used on quiet bit of 16X DVD drive out there. Have you tried to destruct a normal DVD drive and swap the drives?

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[Viesel]

Originally Posted by krispykrme

What he meant is that 357 code would only work if Head Unit is off, and car is off for at least 3 minutes. Then you can power on the command, and when screen is still black, you hold the 357 command to get it to work.

OK I tried it just like you mentioned above and still cant get 357 to do anything.

[MBenzNL]

Originally Posted by Spartan

MBenzNL,
You should differentiate between DVD-video and DVD-audio. Some people are getting confused between the two. Some people are assuming if it can play DVD mp3’s then it should also play DVD video’s. Which is NOT true.

sorry, you are right...the US spec comand is missing out on the chips to decode the video on DVD...

Originally Posted by Viesel

OK I have tried the 357 in radio, cd, cdc, modes and can not get anything to happen. Am I doing anything wrong?

--->

Originally Posted by Spartan

Reread MBenzNL post.

--->

Originally Posted by MBenzNL

On euro comands with the latest software (MP3 compatible) the 357 trick no longer works...I don't know how that is on US spec comands

...software version...

Originally Posted by Baby Jocko

I'll say this for the millionth time. It cannot be assumed that MBUSA configured COMAND without digital decoding in an effort to save money. The savings vs. the manufacturing and inventory of a separate unit would be negligible if not negative.
It just irks me when an illogical deduction is used to pontificate an answer to even a trivial question, then repeated until it becomes an urban legend.

- Because it is illegal in the US
- Because MBUSA suits are losing it
- Because they wanted to pisss off their US customers

Knowing that the USA is the biggest MB market for DC and knowing that every single US spec W211 comes with a standard comand HU, it is safe to say that the US spec comand is a lot more common then the eurospec comand... I wouldn't be surprised that of every 10 W211 comands there are only 2-3 eurospec ones...so leaving out parts might actually safe some money...
However, I think that the chip is left out because of MBUSA not wanting to risk being sued.

greetingz,

[ThemisN]

So if we were somehow able to get our hands on the other drives, and we swapped tehm out, would we be able to get it to work???

[Spartan]

Originally Posted by ThemisN

So if we were somehow able to get our hands on the other drives, and we swapped tehm out, would we be able to get it to work???

It's not a drive depended issue. The COMAND process board is not a generic product. It's only made for Mercedes.

On a more general note......

I spoke with one Mercedes part manager and he told me that it WAS the legal issues that convinced Mercedes not to offer the video portion. It was NOT the meager cost of the chips.

[lpolo]

Duh... All I want to do is just being able to play MP3 in the car. Any idea how to do this? Personally, I don't really care if it can play DVD or not. Who's gonna watch DVD while you're driving? It's just cool, but totally unnecessary. So if anyone here able to play MP3 in the car, please advise how to do it.

[ThemisN]

Originally Posted by lpolo

Duh... All I want to do is just being able to play MP3 in the car. Any idea how to do this? Personally, I don't really care if it can play DVD or not. Who's gonna watch DVD while you're driving? It's just cool, but totally unnecessary. So if anyone here able to play MP3 in the car, please advise how to do it.

I have heard 05's can do this...dunno how that helps u though.

[Spartan]

Originally Posted by lpolo

Duh... All I want to do is just being able to play MP3 in the car. Any idea how to do this? Personally, I don't really care if it can play DVD or not. Who's gonna watch DVD while you're driving? It's just cool, but totally unnecessary. So if anyone here able to play MP3 in the car, please advise how to do it.

The 05's WILL play mp3's cd's and DVD. As far as the 03's and 04's, I believe that some people are able to play them through a software upgrades.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There has to be some way of making all this information centraly availabe so newbies can get everything in one thread.

[chemo]

2005 CDI, No nav, no phone, no sat. 357 trick not working. I have tried it in radio, cd, aux, sat, nav etc modes.

Am I just not doing it right, or am I just out of luck since i don't have nav?

Thanks,

Chemo

[etenn]

Originally Posted by bmms8

it doesnt work on my 03 nav. the menus come up, but when i select something other than US, and go to the next menu, it resets back to the US version. hopefully the 05's do work since there is a dvd player in the front.

It will work on our replacement '03s Bmms. You have to turn it off and wait for the three minutes that is talked about.

I changed mine and do now have the BritChic on the Nav. Not sure if anything else has changed. Any reason not to leave it switched? Is anything else different? (not taking into consideration the DVD/noDVd/MP3 discussion)

[bmms8]

hey, yea, we actually went somewhere today, and it changed when we got in, it was an orange color layout, and a little bit different than the US version, it had a rds option and other stuff too...i didnt want to mess with it to much, because i was actually nervous. it was hard to change because i didnt get the way it worked, but finally i figured it out, and its on US w211. what setting do you have the two menus on? thanks.

[etenn]

Originally Posted by bmms8

hey, yea, we actually went somewhere today, and it changed when we got in, it was an orange color layout, and a little bit different than the US version, it had a rds option and other stuff too...i didnt want to mess with it to much, because i was actually nervous. it was hard to change because i didnt get the way it worked, but finally i figured it out, and its on US w211. what setting do you have the two menus on? thanks.

I just switched it to the Euro 211 setting. I haven't gone anywhere so really haven't seen any difference if there is any.

What two menus are you talking about?

[bmms8]

Originally Posted by etenn

I just switched it to the Euro 211 setting. I haven't gone anywhere so really haven't seen any difference if there is any.

What two menus are you talking about?

o, thats cool, the two menus i have seen is when you do press 357, you can change to a certain country or whatever, then also, your top left soft key says "keybrd" i believe. and there is another list under there, i believe its short for keyboard, but im not to sure.

[onpaws]

Originally Posted by bmms8

hey, yea, we actually went somewhere today, and it changed when we got in, it was an orange color layout, and a little bit different than the US version, it had a rds option and other stuff too...i didnt want to mess with it to much, because i was actually nervous. it was hard to change because i didnt get the way it worked, but finally i figured it out, and its on US w211. what setting do you have the two menus on? thanks.

verrry interesting about this RDS aspect...
=)

I always wonder if the RDS aspect was cancelled in USA, in order to promote the Sirius satellite radio option (that of course has artist/song descriptions, much like RDS). hahah but that would be silly conspiracy and paranoia =)

[lpolo]

Hello, anyone has software upgrade to play MP3 on 03-04 Nav? I have 04 W211 US version and I heard from the forum that there are several people can play MP3? is this true or just rumor?

[bmms8]

Originally Posted by onpaws

verrry interesting about this RDS aspect...
=)

I always wonder if the RDS aspect was cancelled in USA, in order to promote the Sirius satellite radio option (that of course has artist/song descriptions, much like RDS). hahah but that would be silly conspiracy and paranoia =)

there is a rds option, but in my post before i believe, the way of choosing an option was dificult for me to understand, i got it a little after, but i didnt want to mess with it, so i doubt it works. i believe i was on the "ECE" option under 357 menu, and to choose something, say a house number, when you move the cursor around, so say 8, the 8 will disapear telling you your on 8, sounds simple, but i didnt get this concept on other menus, like trying to go back to the US. GL


lpolo, i believe its only on 05's, i dont think software can help, since i believe its another type of player, but im not to sure. GL

[MBenzNL]

Originally Posted by chemo

2005 CDI, No nav, no phone, no sat. 357 trick not working. I have tried it in radio, cd, aux, sat, nav etc modes.

Am I just not doing it right, or am I just out of luck since i don't have nav?

SOFTWARE - this "trick" ONLY works with a certain software version on comand...it DOES NOT work with the latest software version on comand!!!

As for all US spec comands - I bet there is a firmware upgrade available from the dealer to make the comand MP3 compatible JUST like there is a firmware upgrade available for the euro comands to make them MP3 compatible.

And for those who do actually change settings in the "secret" menu...set your comand to Maybach mode (be aware to leave the keyboard setting at 211 all the time!!!) and see what additional menus it comes up with...

greetingz,

[Spartan]

Originally Posted by MBenzNL

And for those who do actually change settings in the "secret" menu...set your comand to Maybach mode (be aware to leave the keyboard setting at 211 all the time!!!) and see what additional menus it comes up with...

greetingz,

What? What? WHAT?? What are you saying?

Don't make me get evil on You! SPILL THE BEANS! :v

[scorchie]

Originally Posted by Spartan

I spoke with one Mercedes part manager and he told me that it WAS the legal issues that convinced Mercedes not to offer the video portion. It was NOT the meager cost of the chips.

I think Mercedes parts managers are much lower on the information totem pole than say, salesmen. The parts counter people generally know more than the parts managers.

But, maybe yours has a direct line to the chairman, I shouldn't assume otherwise.

p.s. the Euro versions do have a video cutoff which complies with all US laws as well.

-s-

[Spartan]

Originally Posted by scorchie

I think Mercedes parts managers are much lower on the information totem pole than say, salesmen. The parts counter people generally know more than the parts managers.

But, maybe yours has a direct line to the chairman, I shouldn't assume otherwise.

p.s. the Euro versions do have a video cutoff which complies with all US laws as well.

-s-

From my experience the last three months or so, I doubt many people in Mercedes have ANY answers other then the common ones.

One thing one of the Benz parts guys said: "I have been working for Mercedes for 20 years and I will tell you one thing, they never give you more information then they have to."

As an engineer and a customer, I have a difficult time accepting an "don't know" answer from an organization that I hold to such a HIGH standard.

I had a problem with my Porsche and I got a phone call from an engineer in Germany in order to resolve an issue. With Mercedes, I got a lot of.....nothing. Today, I called THREE dealership service departments asking where the oil filter was and NONE of them had an answer. All their answers where "we havn't done one yet but we'll find out when we do". Thrilling.......

Did you get your hands on a '05 COMAND unit?

[scorchie]

Originally Posted by Spartan

Did you get your hands on a '05 COMAND unit?

Not yet... soon, soon. I'm gonna get a loaner unit from the local dealership to take apart... we'll see what it is.

Since many changes occur even during the model year, it's hard to definitively say "things are this way" because they change!

-s-

[Spartan]

Originally Posted by scorchie

Not yet... soon, soon. I'm gonna get a loaner unit from the local dealership to take apart... we'll see what it is.

Since many changes occur even during the model year, it's hard to definitively say "things are this way" because they change!

-s-

Scorchie,


If you take one apart, can you pass on the DVD unit number and manufacturer? I am a heavy user and I am concerned that this unit will never last the several thousand hours I will put on it.

I have a sneaking suspicion that it will cost me an arm and a leg if it ever fails.

[scorchie]

Originally Posted by Spartan

Scorchie,


If you take one apart, can you pass on the DVD unit number and manufacturer? I am a heavy user and I am concerned that this unit will never last the several thousand hours I will put on it.

I have a sneaking suspicion that it will cost me an arm and a leg if it ever fails.

OK, I'll get you numbers... not sure WHICH numbers you mean, because it's all a complete unit, so there are many different breakdowns of parts. Also keep in mind all this stuff is proprietary. You'll probably never get a separate drive.

-s-

[SGEM]

Originally Posted by Spartan

Yes it does, yes it does, yes it does..........

I went through HELL looking for solutions to play my huge collection of mp3's before I received my CDI. In the end, everything was built in.

Just to clear the air once and for all, the North American standard COMAND units in the 2005's will PLAY mp3's burned on cd's AND DVD's. Period.

Before that, I don't know.

As far as playing VIDEO DVD's, so far, no one has found out for sure if the 2005's standard COMAND units can play videos.

I have a 2004 E320 and I'm able to play burned CDs (MP3s). Just COMAND, no NAV.

[macrossvfx]

Personally, I think there's an upgrade that we can get to get MP3 going in the 04 command. (Not sure about DVD though)