Mercedes 2005 C230 Kompressor CAN bus Questions - Page 2

ImInSanDiego · 05-31-2006, 12:44 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by joeyoravec

There's tons of hardware available. My company sells Mongoose ISO/CAN for $195 which is a great choice. When you're shopping look for something that has a standard (J2534) device driver. Also make sure that it implements ISO15765 in hardware; otherwise your life will be difficult.

As long as you have your car there, just hookup and sniff the bus. Watch what your headunit does, reverse engineer the messages, and replicate them yourself.

This actually looks like a great option. I see that a DLL is provided and I would be able to write my own stuff easily as I'm a Labview programmer. Do you know if any Labview code has been done that already interfaces with the DLL?

ImInSanDiego · 05-31-2006, 12:46 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Puffanug

I found this hardware interface. It comes with a can-bus scanner and claims that you can send and receive all types of can-bus data. Think it may work?

http://www.canusb.com/

This also provides an ActiveX interface and source code for Labview which would get me started quickly. Looks like there are a lot of options for CAN. Now if I could find a list of all codes and messages for my mercedes.

ImInSanDiego · 05-31-2006, 12:52 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by jac1502

i have had no problms when i removed my headunit but it is the standard cd player but i assume all teh others would be the same except the ones with a fiber optic amp connection

What year/model is your mercedes?

ImInSanDiego · 05-31-2006, 12:55 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by jac1502

I know this is old but i have just finished my car computer and i want to get my steering volume controls working, have any luck?

Any pictures of your install?

joeyoravec · 05-31-2006, 01:03 PM

That CanUSB looks like a creepy-little-box with a proprietary serial protocol. If it's using an ASCII protocol and a virtual COM port driver, I doubt it can keep up with full bandwidth CAN. Also it doesn't seem to implement ISO15765 in hardware. How would you ever implement that in software and get sub-millisecond turnaround??

You'd be better off buying a Mongoose or some other standard (SAE J2534) interface. If you start off with that CanUSB you'll spend a ton of time writing software to their half-baked serial protocol, and can't reuse your work with another vendor's equipment. In contrast a J2534 device provides a standard driver DLL with functions to connect, read, write, send periodic messages, etc so you can link against any driver. It's as easy as switching printers.

Too bad you're not in the Detroit area. I'm giving a presentation tomorrow at the Detroit LabVIEW Users Group on vehicle communication with LabVIEW. I developed a (free) LabVIEW driver for PassThru vehicle networking. It works great with Mongoose.

jac1502 · 05-31-2006, 01:05 PM

I am not a programmer by any means but would love to figure out the interface. Probably not something a novice like my self could do huh?

The trunk is some what a mess right now so I'm a little embarrassed to show it till its done. But its basically just a black media PC case and a 10inch sub box and amp

ImInSanDiego · 05-31-2006, 01:11 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by joeyoravec

That CanUSB looks like a creepy-little-box with a proprietary serial protocol. If it's using an ASCII protocol and a virtual COM port driver, I doubt it can keep up with full bandwidth CAN. Also it doesn't seem to implement ISO15765 in hardware. How would you ever implement that in software and get sub-millisecond turnaround??

You'd be better off buying a Mongoose or some other standard (SAE J2534) interface. If you start off with that CanUSB you'll spend a ton of time writing software to their half-baked serial protocol, and can't reuse your work with another vendor's equipment. In contrast a J2534 device provides a standard driver DLL with functions to connect, read, write, send periodic messages, etc so you can link against any driver. It's as easy as switching printers.

Too bad you're not in the Detroit area. I'm giving a presentation tomorrow at the Detroit LabVIEW Users Group on vehicle communication with LabVIEW. I developed a (free) LabVIEW driver for PassThru vehicle networking. It works great with Mongoose.

Wow! This would be exactly what I need. Looks like you've done all the legwork and all I would have to do is snoop on the bus and find out the exact messages that my steering wheel uses. I could then write software to listen for these messages and implement the features into RoadRunner.

I wish I could go to your user group meeting. That would be awesome to see what you have done. Do you have any more examples of what you've done for your car and with this software?

Puffanug · 05-31-2006, 01:24 PM

So it looks like it would be possible to pass information to my driver info panel (2x20 LCD, i think). I am hoping to have it so it will display what function of RoadRunner is currently running. Also, maybe have track name, or next turn info from GPS nav program, or PhoCo info. I know nothing of programming though...

ImInSanDiego · 05-31-2006, 01:39 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Puffanug

So it looks like it would be possible to pass information to my driver info panel (2x20 LCD, i think). I am hoping to have it so it will display what function of RoadRunner is currently running. Also, maybe have track name, or next turn info from GPS nav program, or PhoCo info. I know nothing of programming though...

Yes, it looks very possible. However, I'm starting to wonder if the audio system in my Mercedes communicates on the same bus as all other car devices. I believe I read before that the audio/nav/phone system communicates on a very high speed optical network. Maybe my head unit is what interfaces to this optical network and the CAN bus. I'm not sure, but I bet I could get all the information I need for my car from here: http://www.startekinfo.com/StarTek/preview.jsp

ImInSanDiego · 05-31-2006, 01:41 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by jac1502

I am not a programmer by any means but would love to figure out the interface. Probably not something a novice like my self could do huh?

The trunk is some what a mess right now so I'm a little embarrassed to show it till its done. But its basically just a black media PC case and a 10inch sub box and amp

Very simple, clean install in the dash. It appears you have the exact same dash as me. Good work!

jac1502 · 05-31-2006, 01:50 PM

Thanks. I am not to thrilled with the flip out screen though i want a stock look so i think i will try to mold in screen or have a mount made from fiberglass.

Puffanug · 05-31-2006, 01:50 PM

I did some research on my factory stereo and how it talks to my can-bus. It uses two cables (Can-H and Can-L) that link into the can-bus network. I found this info at www.nsxjr.com/downloads.html

That site didn't tell me much on what kind of data is passed, but it is a start I guess...

jac1502 · 05-31-2006, 01:58 PM

My car is an 06 but it had no odd connections.

One optical not connected to anything (I think for the cd changer option)
4 pair of speaker wires in one harness
Another harness that had a 12v constant and not sure what the other wires did
2 antenna one xm one standard

Would it connect via standard harness wires like that?

ImInSanDiego · 05-31-2006, 02:04 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by jac1502

My car is an 06 but it had no odd connections.

One optical not connected to anything (I think for the cd changer option)
4 pair of speaker wires in one harness
Another harness that had a 12v constant and not sure what the other wires did
2 antenna one xm one standard

Would it connect via standard harness wires like that?

Yeah, the optical is likely how the changer is hooked up. I have one in my car, but I've never looked to see how it all works yet. There has to be a way for my devices to plug into the system though. Not sure where they hook up. Cause my head unit can also handle the phone option without upgrading to the full comand nav system.

Tarheelvolvo · 06-04-2006, 12:10 AM

Hate to burst the proverbial bubble but if your MB is anything like my car and has the Fiber-optic connections to the amp and so forth then it has the MOST system controlling all "infotainment" functions. I have yet to see a way to interface with that system but maybe Dension of Pac-Audio will come up with some aux-in stuff so we can get moving in the right direction. If it is a MOST network and you find some info about tapping into it then please share as I have just about lost all hope for my CarPC project except ripping out the entire system and starting from sratch (not likely to do). Take Care.