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MoBridge vs. Denison....again...

8K views 16 replies 11 participants last post by  mschippits 
#1 ·
Hi Guys,

There is a lot of information on this forum and other related forums regarding this topic but I was hoping to get some specific and updated feedback from others who have dealt with this same issue recently....

I have a 2007 ML63 and am looking for aftermarket iPod and Bluetooth solutions. For a bunch of reasons that I won't go into here, I'm not intereted in the MB OEM solutions. The two leading contenders are Denison Gateway 500 and MoBridge.

From what I've been able to distill from trolling through the forums, it would appear as though some people have difficulty with the gateway product that Denison offers. The MoBridge solution seems like the best bet for me but would love to get some feedback from some of you that have gone down this road.

I don't have the time or the skills to do the installation myself and as such I'm not worried about DIY issues on the install for either system...I'll make the installation someone else's problem!

Thanks much in advance.
 
#2 · (Edited)
The Dension Gateway 500 (spelling is correct) is an excellent iPod-only device that is hampered somewhat by a very poor installation manual. However, if your installer can understand your car's fiber optic loop diagrams so as to be able to place the device in the loop just ahead of the CD Changer, it is not a problem. It provides superb sound quality and is easy to use with a text-capable head unit.

The BTA 1500 Bluetooth add-on device is another story. Dension did not test the device widely enough for compatibility; it works properly only with Porsche. I don't know if the fix will be required in hardware of firmware - but FW 2.15 did not fix the problems.

EDIT: Firmware version 2.18 supposedly fixed the problems; I do not have the BTA 1500 and have not tested it.

Dension is also readying a video add-on device that will work through the Gateway 500, but I have no specifics.

I can't comment on the mObridge, except that most folks seem happy with it; or on the iTronics device marketed by InCarTronics, except to say most folks seem happy with the online installation video.
 
#3 ·
I have the mObridge installed now for about 9 months and I have to say that I am more than pleased. The iPod sound quality is excellent. The iPod menu navigation takes a little getting used to, and from what I have read of Skylaw's experience with the Dension, both products are relatively the same in this aspect.

What really works great is the bluetooth phone. In my opinion it works seamlessly with the existing system in the car. If it is in your budget, I would get the iPod/bluetooth combo from either mObridge or incartronics. They are the same just different label.
 
#15 ·
oxymoron

I have the mObridge installed now for about 9 months and I have to say that I am more than pleased. The iPod sound quality is excellent.
I'm glad you're pleased but iPODs cannot have excellent sound quality. They are convenience items only and as such are wonderful.

For consumer devices, only SACDs, DVD-As, high-quality LP records, high-rez downloads (24 bit 96kHZ,) open reel 15-30 ips analog tape and uncompressed live FM broadcasts have sufficient bandwidth and dynamic range for high quality sound.
 
#6 ·
Sounds liie about a $250.00 charge to install. I guess that's not bad. I am handy and cheap so I spent about a day all said and done to figuring out what had to be done and getting the cabling right. If your not handy or don't have a day to spend on it then it's not bad.

Do you trust the installer? That would be the only other concern I would have. The guy I bought mine from had never installed it in a Mercedes. Although I am pretty sure he would have done it right It was from from my home and more of a pain to let him do it.
 
#11 ·
I have Dension 500 on my CLK 2008, and for the bluetooth, I have Viseeo MB-2, because, like you readed before, the bluetooth kit seems to have few compatibility problems with MB.

About Dension, it is working great and the soud is wonderfull.

Y got it in Spain for arround 190 euros and 50 euros installation (add more or less 50% for US quotation).

Good price, I think, and good sound, with full compatibility with Ipod and pendrive ( i´m using a 32 GB pendrive)

About the other model, I have no idea, but I know that is a lot more expensive
 
#13 ·
AFAIK:
GT500: good iPOD interface, lower price in compare to mObridge, can work with your OEM CDCD, but very bad compatibility of BT1500 with MB(2.18 FW)

mObridge: very good BT interface, but you cant work with OEM CDC if using iPOD, and higher price in compare to GW500.
I think you can instal also NAVTV Tooki or new blue.Logic from some germany producer.

All of this an be instaled in 2 or 3 hour in W164 including some SD coding.
 
#14 ·
Installed the MoBridge Bluetooth & XM Radio on Thur. Works great. Paid $850 ea unit installed.
Only confusion is phone book. Using Blackberry and it downloaded to point (too many records) can't delete or add my entries manually. Installer to show me on Monday. Any suggestion on MoBridge BT please let me know
 
#17 ·
I have used the MoBridge M2@Pro MOST in a 2005 SL for years. Positves are that the audio quality and BT are great quality with it. Bluetooth audio has to be selected each time and will not default back to this or play on its own, even it it was the last used source, and the USB MP3 will not randomize tunes, always playing them in the same order (not very helpful if you just want to set and forget and not go through complicated menus to select a tune each time).

A call to Mobridge tech support said this issue of defaulting to sequential play is because the head unit switches it back to sequential play on each powerup, but I don't buy it, since this happens with neither the car's native CD changer unit or the original equipment in-dash mp3 player on this car without the M2.Pro equipment attached. So if you are doing it for BT or USB, there are downsides. Also, the BT will steal the connection from your phone when you least expect it, even when you're not even in the yet car - bad for business call and interviews when you basically dissappear. Also, you will not even hear your phone audio unless car audio is set to the CD changer, since this essentially takes it's place, causing lots of stress until you figure out what's happening, and then it will still create trouble each time it happens until you figure out what's up and switch the audio to the CD changer.
 
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