Retrofit Linguatronic

- 1 - cesarillo d’España – may 2007

ORIGINAL MERCEDES-BENZ OPTIONS RETROFIT ON W209 CLK 350

-- SOME COMMENTS AND PICTURES --

386 – UHI Phone 394 – Spanish Linguatronic 231 – Garage door opener 863 – Digital and analogue television

Ciudad Real, Spain, May 2007


Installation of the TV antenna amplifier. The roof covering is dismantled to gain access to the old RADIO antenna amplifier. It will be replaced by the new TV plus RADIO amplifier. The demister windscreen and its wires are the antenna itself, both for radio (AM, FM) and TV. It has 4 antennas for the system to choose which one has the best reception. Now that the roof covering was dismantled, I took advantage to install the cable from the microphones in the rear view mirror to the UHI module in the trunk.

You can see the new amplifier in this picture. They are those black bars on the top of the demister. The old radio-only amplifier was glued to the screen. I could have unglued it and glue the new radio+tv one, but I rather prefered dismantling the amplifier itself, leaving its base still glued to the screen and replacing the old electronic circuit board with the new one. This is the easiest and safest way.


The trunk before anything was installed yet. Rear cover dismantled. This cover must be replaced by another MB reference, so the E-NET compensator and Linguatronic modules fit under it. A tray, which will carry these modules, must be installed as well.

Another picture of the trunk, without the side coverings, before anything was installed yet. In this free room, a special MB metal support will be screwed to a prefitted holes in the trunk. Due to the extra room needed for the TV and UHI phone modules, the right side covering must then be replaced as well.


Back right side covering dismantled, just before any new cable was installed. The upper part of the side covering is dismantled with the help of a homemade hook, and pulling out from the front. Then a zip-like plastic piece will unlock and let the upper part loose so it can be dismantled. I mention this because if you just pull up the covering, the zip will be irremediably broken. Most of the covering plastic supports to the metal chassis do break, so they will have to be replaceable so vibrations won’t appear afterwards.

Back right side while installing cables for: - UHI phone central console. - Mains power taken from the fuse comparment on the driver’s side. - Antenna TV signal for Comand. - Wiring for future installation of DVD on glove compartment. - MOST fiber optic bus.


First steps for the wiring on the trunk. Linguatronic (left) and E-NET compensator (right) modules can be seen already installed and almost wired..

The wiring for the future installation of the DVD in glove compartment and other video input (blue wires), the MOST fiber and phone stuff, can be seen in this picture. The cable duct is opened for the new wires to be installed. The fiber optic WakeUp connection point is within this area as well. I would like to comment about how the voice is catched by the microphones on the rear mirror and sent to the UHI module. Then the fiber is used for the voice to travel through it and feedback the Linguatronic module. So the only connection between the UHI module and Linguatronic is fiber optics.


Central console totally dismantled, for the wiring of the cradle support. I took advantage and guided the power cable to the other part of the wiring duct, under the driver’s seat, not needing to dismantle this.

Another picture from the central console dismantled and comand connections. CD changer was already installed so the fiber connection with Comand was replaced by the new loop which sticks the TV, UHI, Linguatronic and CD changer together with Comand. I protected the Comand screen with a cardboard so it didn’t get scratched, which is very easy indeed.


Everything back to its original position. The side wiring duct can be seen already closed, and the blue video signal wiring for DVD and other video input (Play Station or similar) is installed up to the glove compartment.

Back side wiring is already finished and attached. Once the wiring is connected to the front items, the remaining is kept on the trunk. Anyway, the original wiring is very well fitted and there won’t be much remaining.


Mains power installation. A new fuse and support must be placed in the fuse box. Left side duct can be seen, opened. A wire guide is used to head the cable up to the fuse box.

Trunk installation. The TV (right) and UHI phone module are already installed. Fibers are already connected to the modules. The phone antenna to be installed, can be seen on this picture. It is that green coloured piece on the left lower corner. I dislike “seen” antennas, so I decided installing the Cabrio CLK antenna. The metal sheet must be cut off a little bit, and the whole thing will be placed inside a foam-like protective case. The phone signal strenght has been checked, and even being inside the trunk lid, is better by far compared to a mobile phone inside the vehicle.


Trunk lid without its coverings. Although the picture is not very clear, the phone antenna is installed over the area marked with a white dot. There is room there, close to the linear brake light, a perfect place to be. A very good signal is achieved, without the antenna being seen, which is something I was after right from the start. I can’t understand why car manufactures keep placing the antennas on top of the roof and even some manufactures give that shark fin look. I guess is fashion, or maybe signal improvement, but I just don’t happen to like it.

Complete installation of devices in the trunk. The RCA connectors for both input signals (DVD and another) are plugged to the TV tuner. Extreme care was taken with the fibers, making soft loops as can be seen.


This is what we call “Da weather guy” in spanish “El tio del tiempo”. All these images are taken with the vehicle parked in the garage, situated in a basement. The signal reception is not good, but considering being in a basement, they are great! The receiver is both analogue and digital, however digital is catched depending on the situation of the car in the town. I don’t really use it, although the sound and image quality is excellent. When on the road, I tune to a TV program and through Teletext the tuner itself chooses the right channel for the same station, like RDS does on radio. I did not install any TV-free gadget. That means that from 6 km/h on, the image goes off. The image is still there on traffic lights or while waiting for someone. I rather think I will keep it that way for my own safety. But, anyway, if I ever find the way to soft-unlock it, I will. The TV has Teletext and the screen can be ajusted to several formats of 4:3, 16:9 and zoom. Brightness, contrast and color can be adjusted. Stations can be memorized. You can both visualize the Navigation Map and listen to the TV sound, which is something I particularly like. Although I didn’t happen to think about it before, listening to TV sound is warm and pleasant while driving. Just by placing the two fuses needed (one in the driver’s fuse box, another one in the trunk’s fuse box), the system starts to work and everything is detected by Comand, including Linguatronic. Linguatronic was detected but I couldn’t make it work until the new wheel lever was activated.


Spanish “Antena 3”

Another spanish station “La 2”


SERV menu, with new Linguatronic option available.

TV commands. Interference can be seen in the reception. Bear in mind that the vehicle was in a basement. The phone signal level was maximum. My mobile phone inside the car had a signal of 3 of 7. The E-Net compensator probably helps the amplification of the signals, compensating the losses due to the RG58 cable, unsuitable for these frequencies, from the cradle to the antenna.


New Linguatronic lever (right), activated at the dealership. The wheel buttons for phone were also activated.

Second hand Nokia 6320i phone installed in its cradle. The installation was done on the lower tray, not on the above, because I wanted to leave that one for keys and things to have at hand. I never used the lower compartment, but it is very useful now!!


To finished, I include a picture of the front pannel, with the indication of the TV station TELE5 on the display. What really surprised me was that Comand recognized everything just by turning it on.

I had to change the rear view mirror, so to install a new one with microphones. I wanted to make the most of it and order a reference with both the microphones and a garage door opener, to complete my needs and totally empty my pocket… Well, this has been my first and little contribution to the forum. HOPE YOU LIKED IT!!!

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Retrofit Linguatronic