Version 2.17                10/19/05

Enhancements:

- For all PSEs: GSM style international numbers (leading plus) can be loaded and dialed.

Bug fixes:

- V2.15 sync problem fixed

Version 2.15                 8/31/05

Enhancements:

- Variable shut down delay time: If the automatic shutdown feature is enabled, the following code can set a delay time: **10**x (where x stands for the number of minutes to delay, with a maximum of 60). For example, if you don't want the phone to power down, when you are leaving the car for 15 minutes, you can program the Mikbox to keep the phone powered on (in that mode it will still charge and receive calls), for the set period of time.

- New diagnostic feature that can detect if the Mikbox is connected to a wrong type of PSE. This is only important for new installations, and documented in the last section of the Hardware Installation Manual.

Bug fixes:

- Mute button problem fixed

- Automatic phone code skip works now on older V60 phones

- Phone initialization slightly faster

- Call history is downloaded correctly on V710 and E815 phones: Special codes **08**50 and **09**50 need to be dialed to activate

- Call history update bug fixed for V60 PSEs

- Redial function for Voice Control works correctly on V60 PSEs

Version 2.13                 5/1/05

Enhancements:

- Call Waiting works now. A second call can be accepted by pushing the SND button or appropriate steering wheel button or voice control lever. The first call is then put on hold and can be toggled using the same button. The END button will drop the current call and switch to the one on hold. If the second call is still "ringing", and the END button is pressed, the first call is dropped and the second call accepted.

- Chain Dialing allows to preprogram DTMF strings that can be sent during the call. This function works only with the V60 PSE at this time. If your phone supports "wait" markers inside the dial strings, you can use that feature, for example to preprogram your voice mail code. For example your voicemail system has the code 1234, and after the code you need to press *5 to play messages. You would program the following number in your phonebook:

7035551212p1234w*5

When you dial this string, it will call 7035551212. After the call is connected, it will pause a few seconds and then send the code (1234). Then it will wait until you push the SEND button. If you have a message waiting, you just push your steering wheel button, or voice control lever and it will send the *5 digits.

The number of digits that can be programmed into one phonebook entry depends on the type of PSE and head unit.

- Skip Code: If you have a phone security code enabled, your phone will not sync up to the head unit, until you enter the code. With the Skip Code Feature, you can program the phone's code into the Mik-Box, so that it will automatically skip the phone code, that way you don't have to enter it when you use the phone in the car.

Bug fixes:

- On older COMAND units, the call timer does not hang anymore

- On Timeport/StarTac PSE integration with older COMAND units, the call can now be hung up correctly from the car

- Speed dial works now correctly with all phones and PSEs

- *STVERSION# creates several entries in the phonebook (StarTac/Timeport PSE only). Before it did not fit on the display.

Version 2.11                 3/6/05

Enhancements:

- Automatic Phone Power: The phone will shut down, after the head unit is turned off. On Timeport and StartTac PSE systems, this will occur just a few seconds later. On V60 PSE systems, it will take between 2 and 3 minutes. When the head unit is turned on, the phone will automatically power up again. This feature only works for Mikboxes with hardware version 94 and later. There are some mikboxes with hardware version 89, 90, 91, where it might work as well.

The Automatic Phone Power feature is by default disabled.

Dial **02**1 to enable the feature

Dial **02**0 to disable the feature (phone will always stay on. Phone will NOT be turned on by the Mikbox)

- Phonebook Offset Selection: The number of phonebook entries shown in the head unit are limited by the PSE's and head unit's memory. Usually the maximum number of records is 99 (some older radios are limited to 50 records). By default, the Mikbox will download the positions 1 through 99 from the phone's memory. With this new option, any part of the phonebook can be downloaded (but the maximum number will still be limited). For GSM phones, this enables the user to use the contact list that is stored on the SIM card, because (on most Motorola phones) the SIM phonebook entries start at position 1001.

By default, the phonebook offset is set to 0.

Dial **03**1000 to use the SIM phonebook memory (sets the offset to 1000)

Dial **03**0 to use the phone memory (sets the offset to 0)

If the offset is set to an invalid memory area, the Mikbox will temporarily change the setting to zero.

Bug fixes:

- When the head unit is turned on, and a GSM phone is put into the cradle while turned off, and is then powered up, the entire phonebook will now be loaded (before it would only load the first ten numbers in that scenario).

Version 2.10                  11/29/04

Enhancements:

- V60 PSE and mikbox will shutdown and phone will stop charging, about 2 minutes after ignition is turned off.

Bug fixes:

- All PSEs: VCM "dialing" is not cut off anymore

Version 2.09                  11/21/04

Enhancements:

- Display of called name (COLP) added for V60, Timeport, Startac PSE integration

Bug fixes:

- Phone can be be in cradle before ignition is started (Timeport, StarTac)

- Answer/Hangup command problem fixed (StarTac)

- When switching from radio/CD to phone, no phonebook upload necessary (BE6003 head unit)

- Voice control dial feature will say "dialing" and not "function not available" (Timeport, StarTac)

Version 2.08                  11/15/04

Enhancements:

-StarTac PSE support

Bug fixes:

- Speed dial and phonebook issues fixed for Timeport PSE

Version 2.07                  10/17/04

Enhancements:

-High speed firmware update mode integrated, to flash update the firmware using a serial cable.

-Caller ID and recharging works now on the Timeport PSE integration

Bug fixes:

- On the V60 PSE integration, not only DTMF-2 will turn on the DTMF audio, but all DTMF digits.

Version 2.06                  10/13/04

Enhancements:

Supports Timeport PSE (Version 2.06.1)

Bug fixes:

-Audio resumes correctly after call

-Audio activates when calling (not just when called party picks up the call)

-Better sync procedure. Before it would sometimes keep the old phonebook, when switching between two phones.

Version 2.05                  09/15/04

Enhancements:

The firmware updates (2.04 and later) can now be downloaded from this website, and downloaded over the phone from any computer. This way it is not necessary to place long distance cell phone calls for updates.

Bug fixes:

-Screen blanks after call toggling, so that it doesn't show the number that is not really associated to the call.

-Radio doesn't shut off anymore when phone is initializing (happened only on COMAND head units)

-When phone is disconnected and reconnected within one minute, it reloads the phonebook correctly

Version 2.04                  08/15/04

Enhancements:

Caller ID on call waiting is shown on screen

Bug fixes:

When phone uses MIDI ring styles, the Mikbox would reset itself under certain circumstances, this was caused by the slow data responses of the phone (due to higher CPU usage).

Version 2.03                  08/12/04

Enhancements:

DTMF tones possible during calls (for voicemail, extension dialing, etc...)

Bug fixes:

Phone doesn't need to be reconnected anymore when a call was cancelled before connection (GSM only)

Last 10 dialed / incoming numbers show up correctly

Version 2.02                  07/28/04

First public release of the full functional protocol converter. Supports the V60 PSEs and Motorola phones.

Functions (Steering wheel / head unit): dial number, answer call, display caller ID, browse phone book, dial from phonebook, display signal strength.

Mikbox commands:

*VERSION# shows version information

*SHOWDIALUP# shows update dialup number

*TESTDIALUP# puts the mikbox in a simulated update mode, to test dialing of the dialup number for 25 seconds.

**01**X              reprogram dialup number (X = new dialup number). After reprogramming, use #SHOWDIALUP* to verify

*GETUPDATE# go into update mode. Please read instructions first.

Known Issues:

- Cannot receive SMS   -   in progress

Version 2.01B                07/16/04

This beta version has access to all serial and configuration information stored in flash memory. Problems: Dismounting only works on second try sometimes, loudspeaker doesn't turn on on outgoing calls after mount, headunit freezes in dial mode sometimes. Some people have problems using the update feature.

Version 2.00B               07/14/04

First test version of the new firmware. This version has the entire protocol stack that operates the phone independent from the PSE. Limitations: mount / dismount, loudspeaker control.

Version 1.02B/1.03B          07/04/04

Get over the air updates with *GETUPDATE#. The unit will reset itself and does not need to be disconnected from the PSE anymore.

Version 1.01B                06/14/04

Here are comments about the new firmware, built 6/14/04.

All 1.xx firmware version use the "pass through and modify" method. All data is passed through from the PSE to the phone and vice versa. Certain information is modified, so that the PSE can recognize the phone as a "Mercedes Phone". This method obviously only works with P2K phones.

Not all information is transmitted over the data lines. Power mode signaling is done electrically, and P2K phones differ from each other in their behavior and response timings, so this is the biggest challenge on the P2K integration.

Basically the P2K phones that I have tested can be ordered into three groups:

1. V60 TDMA phones, older phones, phones  that have a separate power button:

    -these phones will not sync up to the PSE when turned on while connected (using the power button on the phone or head unit). They also will not synchronize to the car when the ignition is turned on while the phone was off. In order for those phones to sync to the head unit they need to be turned on, and then connected to the cable or cradle, while the ignition or radio/head unit is turned on. Shutting down (using head unit or ignition off) works fine.

2.V300/V525/V600:

    -power up and down with ignition works fine. Also the phones can be shutdown and turned on using the head unit without a problem. The phones can not be manually turned on or off using the phone's power button, while in the cradle (they will turn off, but the display shows "NO SERVICE")

3.V60s/V60p (newer V60 CDMA phones):

    -power up and down with ignition works fine. The phones can not be turned off while they are in the cradle. If this is tried, they will go into recharge mode, and then turn themselves back on.

All phones have the limitation, that not more than 100 numbers can be used, this is a limitation of the PSE. Also the GSM phones can only use the phone memory, not the SIM memory. The phonebook should not have any unusual characters stored (eg. email addresses).

This firmware has a remote loading program integrated, that can use the cell phone to dial to the Mikbox server and download an updated firmware version. To do so, the mikbox must be disconnected from the PSE and reset after the update process.

I haven't found any other limitations in Firmware 1.01 so far.

The Firmware 2.0 and higher works different and solves almost all of the above problems: It completely translates the PSE and phone protocol to one generic format, so the mikbox has complete control over the phone functions, rather then just modifying the PSE's access.