I found the information in this forum very useful and wanted to return the favor by sharing my own experience. With my 2000 ML430 installation, I am able to keep my CD changer and automaticaly switch to my iPod when in play. Sorry if this is long winded, but it's sort of the history regarding how I came to my solution and may be useful to someone.
For a long time, I've been using the iTrip FM modulator to play an iPod over my car stereo speakers. (I eventually went to a tape converter, but that wasn't all that great, either. And it didn't keep my iPod charged.) I've been waiting even longer for Dension, Inc. to make an iPod conversion kit for my vehicle. I really like the look of the
Dension iPod cradle and wanted to mount it using the ProClip center mount.
I finally called Dension, and the salesman said that they had a kit for my vehicle after all. And he recommended using the I20 MB F1 kit -- Dension Ice>Link Plus for fiber optic Mercedes. When the kit arrived, the instructions did not specifically mention supporting my particular vehicle year, but the salesman insisted the fiberoptic kit would work with the 2000 ML, so I gave it a shot. Unfortunately, after several attempts to install the kit, I ended up returning it for a refund. My stereo would not recognize the Ice>Link Plus device in place of the CD changer.
After an exhaustive search for alternate iPod conversion kits, I finally settled on the Dension Ice>Link FM modulator from a dealer in the UK. FM modulators are less than ideal, but I was hoping that this device would be better than using an iTrip because it only transmits iPod signals, cutting out any other FM transmission. Plus, I would get to use the Dension iPod cradle I like so much.
When the kit arrived, I quickly discovered why this device is only available in the UK. Apparently, the UK uses FM frequencies such as 88.0, 88.4, and 88.8 MHZ. While the US uses frequencies such as 87.9, 88.1, and 88.3 MHZ. Unfortunately, my car stereo would not allow me to select any of the switched frequencies supported by the Ice>Link FM modulator. Not to be defeated, I did some research regarding FM modulators.
I found some good information on the web that described how FM modulation works. By reading these Tech Musings, I was able to open the Ice>Link FM modulator and figure out that the BH1416F FM Modulator chip was being used to generate UK frequencies. I also discovered that the BH1417F FM Modulator chip is used to generate US requencies. I then found that Futurlec, an electronic components dealer, sells these chips on line.
After receiving the new chip, I purchased a 15 watt soldering iron and removed the old chip. I simply snipped off the pins from the chip and used the soldering iron to clean up the circuit board. Referencing the BH1417F FM Modulator spec, I also switched pins 15 and 18 to generate alternate frequencies -- 87.9, 88.3, and 88.7 MHZ. If I simply replaced the existing chip, I would only have my choice of transmitting at 106.7 107.1, or 107.5 MHZ frequencies, which came in too strong -- 87.9 was free of any FM transmission.
Now that the new chip was installed, I plugged the FM modulator into the antenna of my stereo. The new chip appears to work well and I'm able to transmit at 87.9 MHZ, but the signal kept breaking up. Strangely, I noticed when the iPod back light is on, the signal was very strong and came in crystal clear. With the back light on, the voltage drops from 13v to a steady 9.0v. However, with the back light off, the voltage fluctuates between 9.0 and 10 volts. And each time the voltage fluctuates, the signal cuts out.
The Dension Ice>Link Plus instructions showed that I can connect the device ground to the common/coax shield of the audio inputs; however, I now suspect that this was incorrect. There is a specific radio ground that I probably should have connected to, but that's a moot point now. I ended up removing the FM modulator after reading this Benzworld blog about connecting the iPod directly to the audio wires from the CD changer.
This blog specifically mentions replacing the CD changer connector with a Blaupunkt adapter, providing RCA inputs. And it also provides a link to a schematic of the Mercedes-Benz M-class MY2000 MCS pinout, which shows the connections for the CD changer audio inputs. A quick test proved that I could jump these wires and play my iPod over my car stereo speakers. As long as I'm playing a CD, the stereo will output the signal from my iPod. And to omit any signals from the CD changer, I created a blank CD containing 80 minutes of silence, played repeatedly.
This solution was on the right track, but I really don't want to lose my CD changer -- I don't always have my iPod with me. Thus, I cut the audio input wires to the CD changer connector and soldered in RCA adapters. This looks similar to the Blaupunkt adapter, but without the 10 pin connector.
That said, I still wanted to use the Dension iPod cradle that came with the FM modulator, so I searched for the pinout schematic of the cradle's 8 pin Din connector. (I figured that someone must have hacked this together, already.) During my search, I came across an iLounge blog that describes how to modify the Dension cradle to work with a Belkin car charger. This would have worked well because the Belkin car charger has an auxiliary output I could use to connect to the new RCA adapters. However, I really didn't feel like creating my own cable with an 8 pin female Din connector. I could have cut a Sun/Apple keyboard cable, but I found something better.
Although it costs about $100, the Blitzsafe Universal iPod Interface uses the same 8 pin Din connector used by the Dension iPod cradle. After testing pin compatibility, I simply removed the iPod connector that came with the Blitzsafe device and plugged in the Dension cable. No custom cables or hacking the Belkin car charger required!
Now that I have my Dension iPod cradle plugged into the Blitzsafe Universal iPod Interface, the only thing left was to hook up the new RCA adapters. For now, I'm using a $15 2-way audio switch from RadioShack. This allows me to manually switch the RCA inputs between my CD changer and iPod. However, I found something even better. The Sony Auxiliary Audio Switch has unique current-sensing circuitry that automatically switches audio from the CD changer to the iPod, as soon as it senses an audio signal present at the RCA inputs from the iPod. The CD changer audio will reconnect automatically, 10 seconds after the iPod audio source is turned off.
In all, I figure that I've spent about $200+ on the Dension Ice>Link FM modulator, Blitzsafe Universal iPod Interface, Sony Auxiliary Audio Switch, and ProClip center mount. (In addition to the two weeks figuring all this out, with help from this forum.) Although, now I have a good looking cradle that automatically charges my iPod, great sound to my car stereo speakers, and I don't have to give up my CD changer.
Although I didn't actually use the FM modulator, I still have the Blitzsafe cable I can use with it -- I may give this device to someone else later. Apparently, you cannot purchase the Dension cradle without the kit, but it still beats $499 for the Dension Ice>Link Plus kit which didn't work, anyway.
For a long time, I've been using the iTrip FM modulator to play an iPod over my car stereo speakers. (I eventually went to a tape converter, but that wasn't all that great, either. And it didn't keep my iPod charged.) I've been waiting even longer for Dension, Inc. to make an iPod conversion kit for my vehicle. I really like the look of the
Dension iPod cradle and wanted to mount it using the ProClip center mount.
I finally called Dension, and the salesman said that they had a kit for my vehicle after all. And he recommended using the I20 MB F1 kit -- Dension Ice>Link Plus for fiber optic Mercedes. When the kit arrived, the instructions did not specifically mention supporting my particular vehicle year, but the salesman insisted the fiberoptic kit would work with the 2000 ML, so I gave it a shot. Unfortunately, after several attempts to install the kit, I ended up returning it for a refund. My stereo would not recognize the Ice>Link Plus device in place of the CD changer.
After an exhaustive search for alternate iPod conversion kits, I finally settled on the Dension Ice>Link FM modulator from a dealer in the UK. FM modulators are less than ideal, but I was hoping that this device would be better than using an iTrip because it only transmits iPod signals, cutting out any other FM transmission. Plus, I would get to use the Dension iPod cradle I like so much.
When the kit arrived, I quickly discovered why this device is only available in the UK. Apparently, the UK uses FM frequencies such as 88.0, 88.4, and 88.8 MHZ. While the US uses frequencies such as 87.9, 88.1, and 88.3 MHZ. Unfortunately, my car stereo would not allow me to select any of the switched frequencies supported by the Ice>Link FM modulator. Not to be defeated, I did some research regarding FM modulators.
I found some good information on the web that described how FM modulation works. By reading these Tech Musings, I was able to open the Ice>Link FM modulator and figure out that the BH1416F FM Modulator chip was being used to generate UK frequencies. I also discovered that the BH1417F FM Modulator chip is used to generate US requencies. I then found that Futurlec, an electronic components dealer, sells these chips on line.
After receiving the new chip, I purchased a 15 watt soldering iron and removed the old chip. I simply snipped off the pins from the chip and used the soldering iron to clean up the circuit board. Referencing the BH1417F FM Modulator spec, I also switched pins 15 and 18 to generate alternate frequencies -- 87.9, 88.3, and 88.7 MHZ. If I simply replaced the existing chip, I would only have my choice of transmitting at 106.7 107.1, or 107.5 MHZ frequencies, which came in too strong -- 87.9 was free of any FM transmission.
Now that the new chip was installed, I plugged the FM modulator into the antenna of my stereo. The new chip appears to work well and I'm able to transmit at 87.9 MHZ, but the signal kept breaking up. Strangely, I noticed when the iPod back light is on, the signal was very strong and came in crystal clear. With the back light on, the voltage drops from 13v to a steady 9.0v. However, with the back light off, the voltage fluctuates between 9.0 and 10 volts. And each time the voltage fluctuates, the signal cuts out.
The Dension Ice>Link Plus instructions showed that I can connect the device ground to the common/coax shield of the audio inputs; however, I now suspect that this was incorrect. There is a specific radio ground that I probably should have connected to, but that's a moot point now. I ended up removing the FM modulator after reading this Benzworld blog about connecting the iPod directly to the audio wires from the CD changer.
This blog specifically mentions replacing the CD changer connector with a Blaupunkt adapter, providing RCA inputs. And it also provides a link to a schematic of the Mercedes-Benz M-class MY2000 MCS pinout, which shows the connections for the CD changer audio inputs. A quick test proved that I could jump these wires and play my iPod over my car stereo speakers. As long as I'm playing a CD, the stereo will output the signal from my iPod. And to omit any signals from the CD changer, I created a blank CD containing 80 minutes of silence, played repeatedly.
This solution was on the right track, but I really don't want to lose my CD changer -- I don't always have my iPod with me. Thus, I cut the audio input wires to the CD changer connector and soldered in RCA adapters. This looks similar to the Blaupunkt adapter, but without the 10 pin connector.
That said, I still wanted to use the Dension iPod cradle that came with the FM modulator, so I searched for the pinout schematic of the cradle's 8 pin Din connector. (I figured that someone must have hacked this together, already.) During my search, I came across an iLounge blog that describes how to modify the Dension cradle to work with a Belkin car charger. This would have worked well because the Belkin car charger has an auxiliary output I could use to connect to the new RCA adapters. However, I really didn't feel like creating my own cable with an 8 pin female Din connector. I could have cut a Sun/Apple keyboard cable, but I found something better.
Although it costs about $100, the Blitzsafe Universal iPod Interface uses the same 8 pin Din connector used by the Dension iPod cradle. After testing pin compatibility, I simply removed the iPod connector that came with the Blitzsafe device and plugged in the Dension cable. No custom cables or hacking the Belkin car charger required!
Now that I have my Dension iPod cradle plugged into the Blitzsafe Universal iPod Interface, the only thing left was to hook up the new RCA adapters. For now, I'm using a $15 2-way audio switch from RadioShack. This allows me to manually switch the RCA inputs between my CD changer and iPod. However, I found something even better. The Sony Auxiliary Audio Switch has unique current-sensing circuitry that automatically switches audio from the CD changer to the iPod, as soon as it senses an audio signal present at the RCA inputs from the iPod. The CD changer audio will reconnect automatically, 10 seconds after the iPod audio source is turned off.
In all, I figure that I've spent about $200+ on the Dension Ice>Link FM modulator, Blitzsafe Universal iPod Interface, Sony Auxiliary Audio Switch, and ProClip center mount. (In addition to the two weeks figuring all this out, with help from this forum.) Although, now I have a good looking cradle that automatically charges my iPod, great sound to my car stereo speakers, and I don't have to give up my CD changer.
Although I didn't actually use the FM modulator, I still have the Blitzsafe cable I can use with it -- I may give this device to someone else later. Apparently, you cannot purchase the Dension cradle without the kit, but it still beats $499 for the Dension Ice>Link Plus kit which didn't work, anyway.