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MIKBOX Get your Mercedes hands-free kit to work |
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The Problem
For quite a few years now, all Mercedes Benz vehicles that are equipped with the phone option, can only be used with a Motorola phone. For 1999 - 2004 model year cars, only three choices were available in the US market: -StarTac -Timeport -V60
Only the handsets that were purchased from the dealership can fully integrate with the car, since their firmware is different from their off the shelve counterparts. Those phones, especially the V60, are sold for several hundred dollars, even on E-Bay.
The Solution The Mik-Box is an ongoing project that has set the goal to fully integrate any phone with Mercedes Benz vehicles. This is not another aftermarket solution that makes use of just the built in microphone and loudspeakers. Full integration means, using the COMAND Navigation head unit, radio or steering wheel controls to dial, accept/reject calls, toggle call waiting, read SMS messages, browse the cell phone's directory, etc... in other words, everything that the original MB phone can do. Since cellular phones have a shorter planned life span than automobiles, you will most likely switch phones one or more times while owning your vehicle. The Mik-Box comes with a programming port, so that its software can be updated via a connected laptop (special cable required), or over the air, using the connected phone (if the provider has data calls enabled). Therefore new cell-phone generations can easily be integrated without buying expensive new parts (like a new PSE) every time.
How it Works Below, you can see a typical setup of an integrated phone system. The green parts are factory installed in most MBs, the brown parts are required for the integration: The PSE is the central unit that controls audio and data. It has DSP functionality as well as logic to control the phone, and communicate with the head unit, using the fiber optical link. There are different versions of the PSE that work with the different cell phones. The Compensator is used to compensate for the signal loss of the RF path inside the vehicle. The Antenna-Switch is only necessary if the car is equipped with an emergency system (Tele-Aid). The "Cell Phone" box represents the actual handset plus the cradle and coil cord that it used to connect it with the car.
As you can see, the Mik-Box is hooked up to the PSE, it will translate the information received from the phone to the PSE and vice versa.
Please verify which components your car has already installed. For more details on where the components are located in your car, I recommend downloading the installation bulletin for your vehicle here. Also, read the part-number that is written on the label of the PSE. The format is something like "Q682-0845". If you email me a question, it helps when you are able to provide me that number.
Currently Supported As mentioned earlier, the Mik-Box will be constantly updated with new generation cell-phone support. Currently the following phones are supported: - All V60 phones except v60v (tested: V60t, V60s, V60p, V60x, V60c), and of course all the MB versions will still work - V66 (tested) - V80 (tested) - V260 (tested) - V262 (tested) - V265 (tested) - V300 (tested) - V400 (tested) - V500 (tested) - V505 (tested) - V525 (tested) - V551 (tested) - V600 (tested) - V620 (tested) - V710 (tested) - E815 (tested)
- Other Motorola P2K series phones (not yet tested): V70, V71, V330, V635, C330, C331, C332, C333, C336, C359, C350, C550, C450, E380, E390, E398, C370, C350L, C353, C250, V150, V810
Following PSEs are currently supported: - Q682-0460 (StarTac) - Q682-9460 (StarTac) - Q682-0648 (Timeport) - Q682-9648 (Timeport) - Q682-0754 (V60 & Timeport "auto sense") - Q682-0845 (V60) - Q682-0886 (V60)
Following cars are supported: 1999 E (W210) 1999 SL (R129) 1999 CLK (W208) 1999 SLK (R170) 1999 C (W202) 2000 All cars 2001 All cars 2002 All cars 2003 All cars except E (W211) 2004 All cars except E (W211), S (W220), CL (W215) 2005 M (W163), G (W463), SLR Functions that are currently supported by the Mik-Box 100 Future Development - Nextel Integration - Sony Ericsson Integration - Integration of Bluetooth enabled phones
Links BenzWorld.ORG Audio & Telematics Forum
MBWorld.ORG Audio & Electronics Forum
Paul's MB Info Website (very informative site about MB audio/phone/navigation and DIY) MBenzNL (retrofitting OEM products from Europe) Wolfgang's ML Page (lots of useful infos about MB, radios, navi, phones, etc...)
Note to Audi, BMW, Jaguar drivers: This might just work in your car as well. I know that the BMW CPT7000 CPT800 CPT9000 are nothing but the "special" StarTac, Timeport, and V60 phones. It technically works the same way. However, the Mikbox has yet to be tested in any of these vehicles. So if you are interested, drop me a mail.
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