awiner

Today I received the Dension Ice>Link Plus from Dension USA. The Ice>Link Plus allows integration of an Ipod into the Mercedes fiber loop which means you can control your Ipod from your radio head unit and retain steering wheel button control as well. The Ice>Link Plus will also charge your Ipod while in use which is a nice feature. The downside is you lose your CD changer as the CD Changer button on your Radio/COMAND becomes the button for the Ice>Link Plus Ipod interface. Additionally the power and fiber cable that goes to the CD Changer is used for the Ice>Link Plus interface.

I am looking into the possibility of adding a fiber optic A/B switch to retain CD Changer capibility, however, honestly with a 40GB Ipod, I doubt I will ever use the CD changer again espicially since I can play a CD in the COMAND headunit if need be.

The first picture shows the Box, which incidentally is the same size as an Ipod Box.

The second picture shows the contents of the box.

The first row are the manuals left to right (Quick Start Guide, User Manual and the Mercedes Install Manual).

The second row left to right are Adapter Side Cable, Ice>Link adapter, fiber optic wire couplings, and the Dension Mercedes Adapter itself.

The third row left ot right are the Vehicle side cable which is long enough to route from the trunk to the glove compartment, a fiber optic cable for the couplings to splice, and a 4th generation Ipod dock cable.

I decided to go with a dock cable vs. a dock because I am planning on installing the Ipod in my center console hidden from view.

Stay tuned for a full install guide and review. I have the unit working in my trunk via a crude install as of now and the sound is just as good as a CD. I will be hard installing all the pieces and cleaning up the mess soon.

Stay tuned.

mbman002

To make things clear: you have a facelift CL with CD-Comand and 16/9 screen ?

We have a W220 facelift with 16/9 CD-comand but we didn't take the CD-changer option . Can we install this Dension kit without major problems ?

Thanks for answering

awiner

What year is your vehicle ?

RajS

Adam -- I just ordered the IceLink for my 2003 SL500. Tom @ Denison mentioned your name when I spoke about where I had heard about there product from.

Quick question for you -- how long did it take you to do the install and also do you know if there is any way to A/B the thing eventually so both CD player and iPod can work ? (That type of work I would have someone do)

Also I will assume the install wasn't too difficult and a technical retard like myself should be able to handle it ... or should I go to a reputable local installer for just hooking the iPod up.

Regards,

- rajs

awiner

On Monday I need to visit some industrial electronic stores and see if I can find a 3 pin connector that will interface with the factory 3 pin power that goes into the CD changer. My thought is that I want to keep all vehicle wiring stock and unmodified. I may have to slightly modify the connector to make it work, but I do not want to modify the vehicle side plug not cut into it.

Here is what the factory 3 pin power connector looks like:

awiner

The install is all plug and play other than the power connector which I mention above. As I keep updating this thread it will show the entire process. If you have basic understanding of audio/electronics it takes about 5 minutes. You have to disassemble the fiber end and re configure it, however, that is about a 1 minute process. The longest part is disassembling the necessary panels/covers to access the CD changer fiber and power cable. Also getting the dock and cable to where you want to mount it will take a little time too.

As for the A/B switch this will be a work in progress. I first need to find out if any such product exists. I have a basic idea on how to make one, but not on how to integrate it into a one flip of a switch solution as of yet.

BTW, Tom at Dension used to work for EvoSport and as such is very familiar with this forum.

SUNILP

Adam,

Finding a mating 3 pin connector for that cd changer plug will be nearly impossible at any hardware shop. Mercedes is the only place to go. I have a mating 2 pin on hand but I don't have a part number for the 3 pin. Those are MQS pins in that connector. You can pop the pins out and use two 2 pin connectors and leave one pin blank. Let me know if you want to do that and I can give the part numbers to you. Also, can you change the songs with your steering wheel controls and will it display the song on the instrument cluster?

awiner

Sunil, please give me the part #'s here or in Email. Anything to alleviate destroying the factory connector is a big plus !

Your idea about removing the MQS spring clips is a good idea. All I need is two 2 pin connectors (Both Sides) and I can reinsert the wires into the new connector.

Additionally if I could find a 3 or 4 pin set at a electronics store with the same size MQS pins I can go that route as well. The easisest route is getting the part #'s from you however since we know that will work.

Yes, you can change songs with the steering wheel control as well as on COMAND. As of the current firmware version ID3 TEXT is not transmitted to COMAND or the Dash display (At least on my COMAND), however, Dension is working on that feature for future firmware releases.

SUNILP

Adam,

You will need two 033-545-6728 and two of 030-545-2828. Email me your address and I will send you precrimped wire ends for the connector. I have some spare.

awiner

Thanks Sunil, an email is on its way.

mbman002

It's a S 320 CDI facelift delivered february 2003

This is the comand:

awiner

Yes you can install the kit, however, since you do not have a CD changer currently installed, you would need your dealer to version code the fiber system via the DAS computer. This is done so that your COMAND system knows a CD changer (or pseudo CD changer in the case of the Ice>Link) is presant in the fiber loop.

mbman002

Ah, ok.

Tnx

Now I just have to find a dension-retailer in Belgium

Skylaw

I installed mine yesterday as well. The hard part was snaking the long cable that runs between the D2B interface unit in the trunk and the IceLink board itself, which I installed in the panel at the back of the center console. I chose to mount the iPod in the console because I wanted it out of sight. One has to be careful of clearance, however, so there is room to close the console.

The first picture below shows the electronics bay on the left side of my trunk; I installed the D2B interface next to the Voice Control Module after shortening a bolt that was there.

The second picture shows the vacuum tubing and existing cables that run from the trunk to the passenger compartment - although I snaked the long cable from the passenger compartment and into the trunk, not the other way around. Had to be careful that the right connector went to the right place - the cable is properly installed in only one direction!

The third picture shows the far end of the cable terminating at the rear of the console. Snaking the cable under the carpeting was a major hassle because of tiny clearances; and it required removing molding on both sides of the car to be able to lift the carpet and its heavy rubber molding, and to follow the vacuum lines and existing cable through the tiny opening behind the back seat, near the top. I had to remove the seat portion of the back seat, and unbolt one side of the backrest.

More follows.

awiner

The mounting area you chose for your Ipod and Ice>Link adapter is the same as I will use.

As I stated above running the cable from the interface to the adapter/dock is the hardest part, which in itself isn't that hard, simply time consuming.

How is the unti working for you thus far ?

Skylaw

The next series of photos show the rest of the installation. The first photo shows the routing of the long cable following the vacuum lines and existing cable along the wheel well in the passenger compartment and into the trunk. This was one of the most difficult parts of the job.

The second photo shows where I drilled a hole at the back of the console; the location is clear of the air conditioning/heating air duct. The connector to the IceLink board that must fit through the hole is fairly large.

The next photo shows installation of the iPod cradle mount; the only trick here is to ensure you have the hole for the set screw accessible.

The fourth photo shows the iPod cradle in place, and the last shows the iPod in use. I chose the back of the center console for installation because it provided enough clearance to close the console, and minimized loss of other storage space. I plan to use a photo bag divider to allow storage of other items without damaging the iPod.

The job took me 3-1/2 hours. The actual electrical and fiber optic connections took very little time. Some of the time I spent was in figuring out where I wanted things to go; some was spent figuring out how to remove panels, seats, seat backs, and finding where to best route that long trunk-to-console cable; but two hours of the job was in actually routing the cable. I would estimate that a good installation tech, familiar with the car, and with proper equipment (i.e., something besides an unfolded coat hanger as a "fish") could do the whole job in an hour. Having assistance to lift that heavy carpet & molding to snake into the back of the console would have been useful, too.

scorchie

Before you go too far on this, may I point out that any "switch" will need to PHYSICALLY move one device out of the fibre loop and the other into the fibre loop. This is PARTIALLY because both devices look like CD changers and may share the same ID. But that's not the main problem, the main problem is that if you cut power to one device, that device will no longer be a repeater in the fibre loop, and your whole system will be dead.

Oh yeah, if you change devices in the loop without powering down, you need to do a reset on the loop (can be done from the head unit or with a Star Diagnosis, but it would be a pain to carry around the Star Diagnosis all the time just to switch between IceLink and CD changer).

-s-

scorchie

Great pics! You spent a lot of time on that, it shows.

-s-

SUNILP

I guess you can do the switch before starting your car and you shold be fine.

awiner

I am still waiting to get the MB connectors (for a plug and play power tap) this week so I have not hard installed anything yet, however, Skylaw got me enthused.

So, I went out and ripped my center console apart to mount the Ipod cable and Ice>Link adapter.

The 1st and 2nd picture show the rear ashtray removed including the ashtray housing. Behind the housing there was enough room to mount the Ice>Link adapter and associated cables.

awiner

Here is the Ipod cable pulled into the center console. There was enough space to route the cable between the center console lighting grille and the center console frame. Therefore I did not even have to make any holes for the cable run.

As you see I chose to go with the standard Ipod cable vs the Cable/Dock since this was to be a stealth installation.

awiner

Finally the rear ashtray and A/C vents are all put back together and you would never know there is an Ice>Link adapter behind there.

Next I will be running the cable from the Ice>Link adapter to the trunk in order to tie into the Fiber interface. I just need to wait for a dry day as it has been raining here all week in Southern California and the run will entail pulling back some of the carpet in the rear and removing some paneling as well.



Stay Tuned for more !

Skylaw

Really nice alternative to mine, Awiner!! In addition, your connector is the only option right now for the iPod photo.

Scorchie (or anyone else) - is there a readout anywhere for the radio anti-theft code? I do know how to get into the diagnostic mode for COMAND 2.5, if it's there - but I don't recognize a code. The IceLink instructions state clearly to remove battery power (I didn't, because I don't have my radio anti-theft code). As a result, I am having a problem synchronizing my COMAND system with the Dension menus that allow access to all playlists (instead of the first five only). Troubleshooting includes several steps that include removing the radio circuit breaker to synchronize.

Other than that self-created problem, the Icelink is working great!!

awiner

Skylaw, you shouldn't have any problems due to not removing batter power. Dension recommends that because you are splicing or at least unpluging and replugin into a 12v live power line. They have to recommend that to cover themselves from potential problems.

As long as you don't ground or cross it, no harm no foul.

Your sync problem more than likely is not related to that. However, your dealer should be able to help you with the radio theft information if you lost your code cards.

No where in the COMAND diag menu will it tell you the info.


I also wanted to inquire as to where you routed the IceLink cable accross as not to cause any bumps under the carpet. What route did you take ?

Skylaw

Awiner,

Thanks for the info. Your reasoning was exactly my guess as to why Dension said to disconnect the battery - and I didn't want to do that because of everything else that would have to be re-programmed. I also didn't pull the radio/COMAND circuit breakers to isolate power, because of the radio codes. My car was Starmark, and I never got the code card.

I appreciate the information that I'll have to go to the dealer; car is going in for some minor stuff next week, so I'll address that.

In the troubleshooting section of the Icelink manual, the problem I have is described. I can display my first 5 playlists (as CDs); however, when I press CD 6 to bring up the Dension menu (and acess the rest of the playlists), the iPod goes into the proper Dension menu mode, but the COMAND unit reverts instead to the previously selected playlist and does not display the Dension menu. Among the steps recommended is to pull the radio circuit breaker to "resynchronize" the radio (in this case, COMAND) and the iPod/IceLink. Performing the other steps alone (such as restarting the iPod OS) doesn't solve the problem.

Of course the Dension menu also has the other features such as settings (to equalize audio input to the other inputs to COMAND), to select additional playlists, and most importantly, to do firmware updates. Not being able to access that menu can be problematic.

Notwithstanding that, the sound is great; steering wheel controls work; and so does Voice Control! The current implementation only displays CD number and track information on both the COMAND LCD and the instrument cluster display - but it does go to track 99. I hope that a firmware update will allow display of Tag info, so that we'll get song names. I have been able to name my first 3 playlists using the COMAND CD naming function, so at least I can display playlist names that way, but "CDs" 4 and 5 seem to display the same name no matter what I do.

As for routing the long cable, I went from the wheel well area behind the rear seatback, along the contours of the seat deck (under the bench), to the center tunnel. In my car there is a "channel" in the heavy rubber molding under the carpet, exactly on the center of the driveshaft tunnel. It is where the two large pieces of rubber molding for the carpet join; they are not glued (and you must be careful not to pull this apart; the two sides are held together only by the carpeting at this point). I fit the cable into this channel. In addition, about halfway between the seat deck and the center console, there was a 3/4 inch wide channel - a slight depression - in the driveshaft tunnel itself, that ran all the way to the console. Use of that channel was very helpful in getting the plastic connector guided properly.

The center of the bench portion of my back seat did not have any structural metal or plastic where the cable passed to the seat deck, so it was somewhat soft and fit over the cable just fine.

I must confess, I am barely qualified as a shade tree mechanic - some would argue I'm short of that. However, I have installed my own aftermarket audio equipment for years. I'm almost embarrassed to admit that I used an unfolded (and shortened) coat hanger as a fish (or snake). When doing this, I always do two things: 1) wrap the hanger wire at least twice around the heavily insulated portion of the cable, behind the connector, and tape it - so that the hanger is pulling on the cable, not on the connector. 2) Tape the connector to the hanger wire, tapering from the bulk of the connector to the wire. The connector will go through first, but the tape "taper" helps it pass without snagging. I snake the hanger wire end without the cable through first, snagging it with pliers - then pull it through while feeding the cable. The flexible hanger wire can be bent as it is pulled through, to accommodate tight spaces (such as between the edge of your carpet and the inside of your console).

That clearance was too tight in my car; I cut an "X" shaped incsion in the carpet inside the wire storage area behind the console, where we both chose to locate our IceLink circuit boards. I did that because the hanger wire started to split the carpet at the joint between the two pieces of heavy rubber molding, and the incision shifted the stress point and allowed the connector to pass more easily. It is completely covered when the console back panel is replaced.

Good luck to you!!