sdnelson11

WAIT! Don't rip up your MOST system! We have help on the way.

Hello all with MOST vehicles. I am with a company that will later this year release a line of MOST plug-in accessories that are compatible with Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Porsche, Volvo, Jaguar and some other misc. MOST vehicles.

You will NOT likely find anything on the market right now to plug into the MOST optical ring bus because it is a highly technical bus with specialized hardware and software -- definitely not easily tapped into without some serious expertise and connections in the industry.

The very first product launch to launch, designed and now in final assembly stages, is an iPod integration kit for MOST vehicles. BMW has announced one for the MOST cars, but it's an Alpine made kit, but let's just say, "it has it's drawbacks".

The product we introduce will have an expansion port for additional daughter boards. So, besides iPod integration, there will be accessories available, starting with what will launch first to what will launch later:

-Card slots and basic codecs
-Pre-amp out connections to allow audiophiles to install better amplifiers.
-Basic aux in to put audio from external devices into the bus using factory audio system
-Satellite radio integration. e.g., BMW offers only Sirius -- we will integrate an XM receiver.
-Bluetooth telephone system
-Bluetooth streaming audio and control
-Stream video from iPod or aux source to rear entertainment systems on those vehicles
that support (implemented, tested, and working!)

The iPod circuit also supports USB charging and full access to playlists and controls.

I'm happy to report:
-Fully-tested integration with every major model Mercedes-Benz MOST head unit.
-Fully-tested integration with every major model Porsche MOST head unit.
-Fully-tested integrations the BMW MOST cars (3/5/6/7)
-Volvo, Audi, Jaguar, and Saab integrations and testing are in-progress

The retail pricing will be at a cost SIGNIFICANTLY lower than the dealer kits, with better functionality and flexibility. Kits and instructions will be offered for easy installation.

And, no, we are not Dension or the other likely suspects.

Stay tuned, as we are working on our U.S. incorporation, eCommerce system, and you will likely see our ads on MP3car and other sites.


UPDATE: as any electronics venture goes, things slip a little bit, but the hardware and software are developed. Having some supply issues on connectors for the device cables but that should be resolved shortly. The first units will go to a European car OEM in a market other than the USA or EU but after that, I will have some for public sale in about two months. We haven't set a retail price, but it will be VERY reasonable compared to the various stealer kits/options and has a lot more functionality. PM me if you are interested and I will put you on the priority queue. The good part, too, is that the software is updateable by SD card from releases off of our site.

ImInSanDiego

It's been 7 months since you posted. Where's your magical product for us to buy?

sdnelson11

Good question. Every electronics launch is not without it's problems or delays. But it's not a fundamental problem with the technology or skills, as is the case with others trying to get into this market. The hardware and software are built but some delays with the assembler of the unit in Asia AND getting cables (actually one of the connectors of the iPod cable). Sorting through those at the moment and, actually, adding more vehicle head units, in the meantime. You're lucky, as Mercedes is a nice install because there is almost no configuration. Just plug-and-go.

This month the first early units will go to a Euro car OEM for a market that is not USA or EU. After that I will probably have a few for sale in the US for the consumer market for the first time even before we get our ecommerce site running. PM me if you are really interested and I will make it a priority that you get an early one. The software is upgradeable by SD card, from releases off our site, so no worries there in case of software issues. Also will make sure you get a discount or optimum trade-in then on later hardware releases, if you want, which, by daughter card, will support BOTH Sirius and XM (switch between the two), and retain the factory CD changer (if that's an issue for you).

nickthegreek

hey iminsandiego, i have a '03 e320 that i put a capruter in. the only achilles heel is that I'm using a fm mod to transmit my audio. but it can do a whole lot of things. i got usb, bluetooth, gps and a web cam with motion detection for security reasons. the MOST network is an SOB because it uses it's own unique protocols and each company makes their own protocols. I hope somebody comes up with an optical/electrical interface that will let your computer fool the network into thinking it's the head unit, but in order to do that you need to get the commands from mercedes and i don't think they would do that voluntarily. there is a developer's kit at oasis which was the company that came up with the MOST system, they sell a pci card that can analyze and send or receive signals but it costs a lot. I think the hardware interface wouldn't be tricky to figure out, it would just be getting the software to exactly mimick the headunit.... directed audio is supposed to be coming out with a pre-amp that you can hook into any MOST system, allowing you to add audio equipment on, but it costs almost $700 so I;m gonna wait till it goes down, until then i'll settle for crappy fm quality

sdnelson11

Yeah, that Directed piece is a load of money for not a whole lot of functionality. Our unit has pre-amp outs and iPod and SD and pops into almost all MOST bus vehicles on the market and self-configures. PM me if you are interested. Like I said above, haven't set the price, but want to make sure the MP3car members are taken care of.

nickthegreek

Guess what, i decided to do some digging at the website of the developer of MOST and look what I dug up... this might be the answer if it's affordable and doesn't require too much expertise. www.oasis.com and go to the audio interface. it will at least let you have an auxiliary input

nickthegreek

nickthegreek

I found the answer to having an aux input with functionality and quality audio in a mercedes (mine was an 03 e320 with the APS50 head unit). it's called the dension gateway 500. it let's you use an aux input, a usb thumb drive, and an ipod. it fools your head unit into thinking it's a cd changer. if you use the thumb drive or the ipod, you can scroll and control the tracks with the steering wheel. it splices into the MOST network with some equipment it comes with.... it took me about two hours to install cause i had never done it before, but it'd prolly take me about 45 minutes if i did it again. it costed $499 but will prolly go down in price. definitely worth payin over buying a command head unit

isamu

That is FANTASTIC NEWS!

OK here's the TRILLION dollar question. Will it accept an Optical S/PDIF TosLink connection from a PC's soundcard like say, SoundBlaster? This is what I'm really interested in doing!

sdnelson11 will your product do this?

sdnelson11

Sorry it's been a few months ... more specifics.


OK, not really a trillion $ question. For development and build investment, probably more like a $10K question. ... meaning, I'm sorry but no TOSLINK input support at this time. It's possible this could be offered on a commercial level if there is enough interest to recoup the investment, but I doubt that's the case. The Dension gateway also does not support, as it's a pretty simple equasion. The pro developer tools (SMSC/Oasis) may support optical S/PDIF, however, but again you're talking thousands of $ and then it's still not pretty (development time making your own software).


Wish it were that easy. That SMSC stuff (formerly OASIS Silicon Systems) is low-production-run, developer-only. Basically they're the ones that also own all the I.P. and a lot of the proprietary aspects of the system which make it so cost-prohibitive (not to mention technically super-difficult) to interface with it.

jgsx

So it looks like sd's product is vaporware. It's very frustrating when companies start promoting a product that they do not even have.

slavi0512

Hi guys.
I just bought a 2004 C230K and wanned to put a carpc. I've been fallowing your posts for a while but has anyone done any more progress? I have no experience with these kinds of things so i can't really help but i'm really interested in puting a car pc so i wanned to see if u got something.
Thanks.

slavi0512

Is it possible to connect a second head unit(carPC) to the stock one and have it controlled by so the steering wheel controls work? I might sound really stupid cause I don't know much about electronics but what i was thinking it would be fine if the stock head unit had another imput just like CD, Tape, Phone... and add a pc.

sdnelson11

Nice of you to join in and pipe negative comments with zero knowledge or having done your research in the marketplace.

Check out other web boards specific to German makes and I'm sure you can figure out the product. Sorry for being absent on here for a while. Too many boards and applications have prevented specific responses on every one.

scottgs

Planning, when I get back home, to figureout the Canbus for both a 2000 model G and the 2004 230/240. I've got the skills and equipment, and a little documentation, just not the time. Let's not give up yet.