Anybody ever hook up an iPod to your Mercedes factory radio?

Here is what I have learned about connecting an iPod to a car stereo. I am not going to discuss the FM Modulator products because they suck. Big Time. Not worth your money.

The best ipod connectins are those that hook up to the CD changer port and the docking station of the ipod. This lets you use the CD changer buttons on your head unit control the ipod. It also charges the iPod at the same time because you are plugged into the docking station port of the iPod.

The problem with this is that by plugging the iPod into the CD changer port, you can no longer use a cd Changer. I have found this will not be a problem with me, as my iPod currently has about 6,000 songs on it, whereas my cd changer only holds 6 cd's. From the day I hooked up my iPod to my 300E, I never once listened to a cd again.

The companies that make these iPod cables that plug into the CD changer port only make them for factory radio's like GM, Ford, etc. as well as popular aftermarket brands like Pioneer, Sony, and Alpine.

As of yet, not one company makes an iPod cable that will plug into a Mercedes factory radio. Dension just announced that they will make a cable that will work on 2006 and newer Mercedes models.

Sooooo, without the ability to buy a cable that will work with your CD changer port, you have to buy a cable that plugs into the RCA jacks of the AUX input jacks of your car stereo, that is if your radio has them.

Many companies make a cable that has RCA jacks on one end that plug into the AUX Input jacks at the back of your car stereo, and on the other end has mini jacks (1/8" ???) that will allow you to plug into the speaker jacks at the top of the ipod. This lets you listen to your Ipod through your car speakers. However, you are using the battery of your iPod, not your car, which is a major drawback.

Dension is the only company that I've discovered after lengthy searching on the World Wide Web that makes an AUX input cable that plugs into the docking port on the bottom of the iPod.

This works great, but you can't control the iPod from the CD changer functions on the head unit.

So, one solution is to buy one of the "CD Changer to AUX input adaptors" from Soundgate or Blitzsafe. This way you can use the Dension Icelink cable to hook into this adaptor, letting you use your iPod in your car, allowing the batteries to charge at the same time, and also use your CD changer functions to control the music and also read the song info on your head unit, exactly as you would when playing a CD.

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Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

Excellent summary.

For a 95 S420 you can tap an auxiliary input into the CD changer signal if you have a working CD changer. If you use a switched jack, the CD signal comes through until you plug in the auxiliary player. Then the CD signal is cut and the auxiliary device signal goes through. A Switchcraft 35RAPC4BV4 (http://www.switchcraft.com/products/pdf_files/jack-107d_schematic.pdf) should do the trick.

As mentioned, the auxiliary device runs off its own power and controls.

Sixto
95 S420
87 300SDL

Becker of North America has just announced a adapter kit to allow connection of Sat Radio, Ipod etc to their radios , I think '93 and earlier.

Very new. They are going to cover it at Star Tech.

Steve

A company called "Neo Car" in San Diego, CA, sells a product called "NEO" on their website, www.mp3yourcar.com , and they appear to offer the product for 1999 - 2002 head units, which use the new fiber optic connections.

If this is the real deal, then this is the only one in the universe that is made for these model year cars. The only drawback I see to this product is that they want an arm and a leg for it --- $449.00 !!!!!!

It plugs into the CD Changer port at the back of the head unit, and they claim that you can not only use your CD changer controls to toggle through songs, play, pause, etc., but also view the song title and info just like when you are playing a CD. If you have a 2000 or newer car, you will also be able to use the radio control buttons on the steering wheel.

Dension has a press release saying they have a new product coming out that will interface with the cd changer ports for the fiber-optic connected cd changers in newer Mercedes (1999 and newer).

I called Dension this morning, but couldn't get anyone on the line, so I left a message. I saw their press release regarding their Icelink unit for Mercedes cars, but it appears to be made for 2005 and newer cars, not 1999-2002.

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Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

some people on the sirius forum (I think that's where I saw it) have been making their own adaptors out of old scrap computer led and power wires. You cannot use a cd changer with these, but they are just about free if you know what you are doing....this concept might apply to the mercedes radio as well. I'll look up the link later if you like.

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RT


1984 300D---Sold
1995 E420 - 106K - Brilliant Silver Metallic/Orion Gray --- Sold
1984 300SD - 151K Manganese Brown Metallic/Mostly Black --- Sold
1982 240D - 79K - Manila Beige/Palomino---Sold

Any one have any more infomation on this? I recently bought a 93 500E with the stock 1432 Becker and the OEM 6 disc Alpine changer, and I'm trying to figure out how to play my Mp3's through the Becker head. An IPOD adapter would be neat.

What about this Alpine changer, the Alpine CHA-S634? What would it take to run this in place of the OEM changer?

http://www.logjamelectronics.com/alpinechas634.html

I heard the fix is an adaptor that allows the cable to plug into the port that would allow you to hear the ipod through the "tape" button.

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Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

I just hooked up the alpine mp3 changer. sounds great, the only problem is you don't see song names. you will need to get the right adapter for your model benz.

Hey Paul,

So let me ask you this. are you able to controlt he ipod through your radio or is it only through aux input and using the ipod to control your music?

Got a buddy who wants to put an ipod in his 2001 e class wagon, and from my short research, you can only do the aux input.

I havent looked upt he denison icelink yet, but from what I remember they don;t have an adapter for older benzes...

Let me know. Shoot me a pm with the info.

Alon

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'92 300CE - Sold
2004 C240 - 744 - C7 Wheels - Android Radio
2002 C320 - 816 - Sport Wagon

I called Becker NA and was told, as suginami said, they wire an aux cable though the tape function (you need to pop a tape, any tape, in). No control over the Ipod from the radio itself. Pretty reasonable at $100 dollars and one week for them to do the mod. I went with the Alpine CHA-S634 changer for now. If the radio needs to get serviced, I'll add the aux at that point.

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MERCEDES-BENZ 1991-1997 ENGINE WIRING HARNESS DEFECT NHTSA COMPLAINTS

If you use the AUX input connection, you have to use the ipod to control the music. Why I have no idea.

I believe Dension makes cables that work with new and old Mercedes that connect to the cd changer port. I know for sure that Dension makes them for the fiber optic connected cd changers used in 1999 and newer cars.

I would recommend calling Dension direct as their website is not really complete and accurate. Or even better, I'd call the folks at mp3yourcar.com. They sell the dension products for the same price, and have better customer service. Dension rarely even answers the phone.

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Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

are you using the denison or just an aux interface?

Alon

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'92 300CE - Sold
2004 C240 - 744 - C7 Wheels - Android Radio
2002 C320 - 816 - Sport Wagon

I sold my '93 300E (3.2), so I'm no longer using it.

But, Dension makes a cable with RCA jacks to plug into an AUX input on any radio.

Their unit is not simply a cable, it has a square shaped device in the center of it that automatically changes the settings of the ipod. If you call Dension in Long Beach, a technical person can explain it to you, but there are settings in the ipod that you'd otherwise have to change manually. One of them, I believe, is bass amplification.

I do plan on buying the new cable they now make for my 2000 E430, and it plugs into the CD changer port.

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Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

but you would control the ipod fromt he radio or fromt he ipod? just want to make sure I understand it. aux input adapter or is there a full ipod control adapter?

I think that the aux input would suffice, but if he can control the ipod, I can do a cool install for him in the center console or the glovebox to hold it and charge it at the same time.

You can get a belkin car charger that has a volume control on it and a headphone jack, and you can wire that up with just the ability to jack it into the bottom of the ipod and have it charge the unit and let the sound play through.

Alon

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'92 300CE - Sold
2004 C240 - 744 - C7 Wheels - Android Radio
2002 C320 - 816 - Sport Wagon

If you buy the cable that plugs into the cd changer port (if Dension makes one for your radio), then you can control the music from your head unit using the cd changer controls, i.e. play, rewind, fast forward, etc. You can only move between songs, though, within a play list. If you want to listen to songs in a different play list, then you need to do so via the ipod.

If you buy the cable that plugs into the AUX input using rca jacks, then you'll have to use the ipod to change songs.

Via either method, you can still use the volume control on the head unit.

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Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".