I've seen a variety of posts with questions and comments about the stock phone console and using up to date phones. There are also a variety of posts listing with instructions on removing the console below the stock radio. After gaining a wealth of information from the many posts on this site, I thought I'd post this in order to assist anyone who were still trying to find a solution for using their bluetooth phones throught the stock car radio...and with a no-wire-cut solution. I apologize in advance if this has been already covered.
I had read on a post about the Parrot CK*** devices and decided to call the US rep. They in turn referred me to one of their main two resellers who they claimed might be able to provide a no-cut solution. I was able to use the Parrot CK3100 with a harness kit and MB adapter from a company called Nice Stuff (nicestuffonline dot com) http://www.nicestuffonline.com/produ...systems/ck3100.
I got the kit this past Tuesday and took all of an hour to set it up. My greatest challenges were to the address book onto the device. I use a Blackberry 7290 from T-Mobile and my software version doesn't provide the ability to synch phone contacts. So the problem was no with the Parrot necessarily, but a limitation on my BB software. The Parrot website states that version 4.15 Blackberries are able to synch phone contact. The website also provided instructions on how to load my contacts and now I'm good to go. My next step is to actually set up voice dialing through the Parrot.
Anyway, hope this helps and attached are a couple pictures of the installed device.
I don't see any prices on the web site. How much was the unit?
How does it connect to the radio?
This is straight from my invoice:
Bluetooth Voice Recognition Professional Install Hands-Free Car Kit
with LCD Display-$145 (I saw this being sold on ebay for a little less, but beware of the shipping costs. I think ebay sellers make their profits on shipping)
Drive & Talk Radio Mute ISO Harness # 69150. RETURNABLE
FOR A FULL REFUND IN A NEW CONDITION SHOULD IT NOT
FIT.-$49
Drive & Talk Carkit Cable for Parrot CK3100/CK3300 # 69839.
RETURNABLE FOR A FULL REFUND IN A NEW CONDITION
SHOULD IT NOT FIT.-$9
The mute/harness kit and drive/talk cable are connected together. The MB stock radio left and right male receptacles plug into drive/talk cable. The mute harness kit then plugs directly into the radio. With this setup, while my radio is on, when I place a call or receive a call, the the call is routed thru the front speakers, while the rear speakers are muted.
My set up has an extra wrinkle. I use the mp3 adapter for my ipod that I got from the formy merdedes dot com site. I had it already connected to the radio. I daisy chained the harnesses thru the mp3 adapter (which was already connected to the radio). The wrinkle I have is that the mp3 adapter works with the radio OFF. The Parrot works with the radio ON. If I'm listening to my ipod and I receive a call, I have to pause the ipod, turn on the radio and only then will I hear the call thru the speakers. Since I use the CK3100 model, as opposed to the 3000, the LCD screen lights up with incoming calls. So I figure it's not a bad set up.
I can take some pix of the set up if you'd like. Also if my explanation seems complicated and convoluted, it should be no reflection on how simple this set up was to install. Both the Parrot and mp3 adapters were literally plug and play setups.
That sounds freaking awesome. And less $$$ than I would have expected. Your explanation was very clear.
One more question... it looks like the Parrot unit has its own microphone. Is it using its microphone or the one that's already in the car's headliner?
You should post this in the general Mercedes-Benz forum as well. I'm sure there are lots of other owners besides W210's that are looking for a similar solution.
Thanks so much for taking the time to share all this. I appreciate it, and I'm guessing others will as well.
The microphone is the 'mouthpiece' of the unit. You can imagine by the position of the unit and the mike how far it is from my mouth, but my picky wife n kids don't complain anymore about hearing me even while I'm driving on the highway (a couple hours ago they called me wondering where I was, since I promised to take them to get ice cream). And none of the echoes you normally hear with the pesky bluetooth ear pieces.
The unit comes with volume controls and you can modulate the levels of the sound from the speakers (by default it seems to be set on deafening...scared the beez wax out of me a couple times), the mike, and the audio menus (turning the tuner takes you through a series of menus from phonebook, voice commands, settings, etc). So far (it's only been a few days) it's a great buy. I think as other people try it, it may need to be added to the DIY Procedures & FIY sticky.
BTW amac, how do I move it to the general forum. If you know how, could you please do it...I'm fairly new here...
No Clue, thanx for the suggestion. I may try that. I need to replace a bulb (the digital clock readout only displays when the lights are on) in the back of the cluster, plus I find the wires to be a bit unsightly. I was actually going to rewire it under the center shift console, and up thru the cup holder. I drove into Manhattan yesterday and actually removed the unit and placed it between the driver seat and and the center console. As it stands I don't use the base cup holder to hold liquids, but I don't know if the wires would be safe.
Placing the LCD screen and mike to the right and left of the instrument panel is a better option. I also realized that there's no way to run the lines through the center shift console to the cup holders. They are compartmentalized drilling's not an acceptable option.
I have a slight problem with the clear plastic cover over the instrument panel. It was removed once (or a few times) before and clip that secures it in was broken off. So now it doesn't fit back securely and I'm thinking I have either of two options. 1 is to find and buy a replacement. 2 is to use a clear silicone adhesive and glue it back. Any suggestions? I don't really want to glue it back on , but I'm not sure how easy it is to locate a replacement. The stealership is not an option, and I've yet to search ebay or one of the parts websites.
This forum has been very helful in the past and so any suggestion will be appreciated.
Vehicle: 2002 E320 4Matic, 101K miles as of 7/2008
Location: Boston, MA
Posts: 389
garswa - i'm interested in your ipod setup i saw in the first few pictures. i have navi in my 2000 e430. is it possible to wire something directly into the factory wiring which would allow ipod playback, if navi is already installed? I don't want to get rid of the navi.
Thanx for the suggestion 
Linear Mode
