I posted the following information in answer to a question from another contributor, but the subject of the string is not likely to direct one to it.
For those of us who cannot use the MB iPod kit, the options have expanded; the Dension Gateway 500 is now available from U.S. retailers (no, I'm not selling, or associated with any of them), and the MOST version of the GW 500 is here, in addition to the D2B version. Heretofore, the GW 500 has been available only through European sources, or through one site in Canada.
One U.S. source is Discount Car Stereo, a Virginia based company that also markets the NavTV iPod solution. For the D2B version, see
GW5RD200D1 - Dension Gateway 500 Mercedes Benz D2B Interface for iPod + Auxiliary input - Accessories - iPod™ Adapters - Discount Car Stereo.com - Detail. For the MOST bus version, see
GW5RMT01D1 - Dension ice>Link Gateway 500 M.O.S.T. iPod, Aux, USB Adapter - Accessories - iPod™ Adapters - Discount Car Stereo.com - Detail.
Another source is enfig.com, a New Jersey based company - see
Mercedes Benz iPod. Enfig offers a lower price, but its kit does not come standard with all of the peripheral input cables that the Discount Car Stereo kit does.
I have been in contact with a Benz engineering shop in Chicago that recently became a dealership for the GW500 and has installed a MOST bus version, but is still broadening its technical support; I won't post their contact information until they say they are ready. Rob 13572468 has posted some of their work on a MOST version installation at
http://www.benzworld.org/forums/audi...d-install.html.
For those interested, information on the NavTV OPI-M for MOST bus equipped cars is at
OPI-M - NavTV OPI-M 2003-07 Mercedes Benz M.O.S.T Interface for iPod - Accessories - iPod™ Adapters - Peripherals - Discount Car Stereo.com - Detail. However, the OPI-M is not for any D2B equipped car.
The Dension Gateway 500 and the NavTV OPI-M iPod adapters are similar in some respects - but the Gateway 500 allows you to keep your CD player connected, while the NavTV unit does not. Both say they will display song titles and so forth on a COMAND display but show only track number on non-COMAND radios (and on COMAND-equipped cars' instrument cluster display). Both permit control of the iPod through steering wheel buttons (if you have them) and through your normal radio or COMAND CD controls. The Gateway 500 offers an option to maintain control using the iPod itself, but the NavTV unit does not.
As I mentioned elsewhere, I received an e-mail last week from MBENZNL stating that the iPod unit for MOST bus that was being developed for Steve Krabbenborg (and had some interesting teasers posted by miroj), is not going to be pursued.
However, the good news is that sales and support for the Gateway 500 is finally becoming available in the U.S., and the MOST version is here.
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