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I installed a VIM interface in my 2014 W212 yesterday. I bought one from Belarus via eBay from this guy. He provides a DIY video that is pretty thorough albeit it's a very simple install.
The cable arrived in 2 weeks and it works as advertised.
The cable has no control box as the surface mount circuit board is small enough to fit in heat shrink and be dangling on the cable. The cable is long enough to work with it and you still have to have a bit of finesse to massage the extra black connector behind the COMMAND unit in the dash.
I have removed the wood trim and the COMMAND unit when I installed my aux 12V and USB connection before so it was not a big deal to do it again and completed the entire install in 15 minutes.
The two clips that you have to pull from inside the glove box look like this:
To pull the trim piece you need a small flat head screwdriver to unclip the trim at the center vents, just point a flashlight to see where the clips are, they look like tongues cut into the vent outer wall that need to be folded inward. Then you have to unclip the three wires that connect it to the car:
The next step is to unscrew the Torx screws that hold the metal latches in which hold the COMMAND unit in the car. You have to unscrew the entire screw and it takes the longest in the whole install. Make sure you use the T-20 Torx bit and that you don't over tighten it on the way back.
Then you need to unclip a connector on the side of the COMMAND as you're pulling it out as it's not long enough to reach as you're pulling the unit out.
And finally you need to move the two smaller clips and the optical link from the big black connector of the car to the new black connector. The hardest one to move is the optical cable, the other two are really easy as they unclip without a problem.
Once it's all done you just have to put it all back together. Unlike the eBay instructions stated the unit was OFF by default and I had to enable it by holding down the phone hang-up button for 6 seconds and the blinkers would blink to indicate that the unit switched modes. To turn it off just hold the phone button down 6 seconds and the unit turns off and things are back to normal as if it wasn't even there.
When the unit is ON it allows video to be displayed while the car is not in Park and it also displays your text messages not just read them out aloud. It also allows you to enter address information in the GPS and unlike previous VIM solutions in previous models this one does not inhibit GPS navigation, navigation works just fine even if you have VIM on and you have a DVD playing.
I think the way the system works is that every time a video source is requested the COMMAND unit must send a verification check on the CAN bus to the instrument cluster for whether the car is in motion or not and this response gets interrupted by the VIM unit and fakes an "A-OK" signal for the COMMAND unit. Otherwise the unit simply transfers CAN signals as if it wasn't there.
Either way, the unit works as advertised and does what it claims to do. For $150 I don't think it's a bad deal.
Thx for the instructions. i am waiting for my E350 to arrive from Toronto (used 2011) and will be doing as well so it helps to have these instructions.
I did this in the W204 and imagine this to be similar but it is nice to know how to remove the airvents etc.
Perhaps you know, my vehicle doesn't have the Nav, does that make it an audio 20 and NTG4?
Can you tell me the difference on these, I have been looking at them and he offers different ones for the same car and different prices? I have a 2011 E350, which do I need to get the same functionality you have?
Send him a message with your VIN and ask which one works for your car. The only two two that are different are the $135 and the $150 and the cheaper one says it only works up to 2011. If you want to save $15 ask him otherwise the $150 one worked on my 2014 flawlessly.
Wow this would great to have! Being able to have the passenger use the nav is worth the price alone. My only issue is I don't want to install it myself,somehow I would screw it up lol. Who would be qualified to do the install?
Wow this would great to have! Being able to have the passenger use the nav is worth the price alone. My only issue is I don't want to install it myself,somehow I would screw it up lol. Who would be qualified to do the install?
I ordered mine yesterday, looks pretty straight forward to me so I plan to do mine myself. I am sure any reputable car stereo shop can do it... You can even direct them to the youtube video.
GregTR: Do you know if our system reads USB video?
It does not. But it will play video from an Ipod Classic 7th gen or Ipod Nano 4th gen both of which I verified using the media connector in the center console.
The COMMAND unit does not have video decode capabilities but it will play video from an AUX or media in source. So it will display analog video source but it will not decode digital signals hence the reason why it works with the iPod as the iPod is doing the heavy lifting and it only sends the decoded video and audio signals to the COMMAND unit.
The only caveat I found with the iPod was that you must have at least one audio file on it otherwise the browser will say "no media found". But as soon as you start browsing you can start and play videos.
My car has the 360 camera system and rear seat entertainment. The COMMAND manual says that AUX video does not work if you have a rear camera but mine works from the media connector. I haven't tested the AUX connector yet. I can send the rear DVD signal to one headrest, the front DVD to another headrest and play iPod video on the center screen or I can send the iPod to the headrest(s) and play a DVD from the changer at the same time.
The headrests can control the DVD menus but they can't control the iPod video other than switching the remote to control the COMMAND unit but in that case the COMMAND has to be set to display the iPod video while it's being controlled.
The whole system is very sophisticated and works great with my two kids who want to watch two different things at all times. Now mom can watch a 3rd thing at the same time.
It does not. But it will play video from an Ipod Classic 7th gen or Ipod Nano 4th gen both of which I verified using the media connector in the center console.
The COMMAND unit does not have video decode capabilities but it will play video from an AUX or media in source. So it will display analog video source but it will not decode digital signals hence the reason why it works with the iPod as the iPod is doing the heavy lifting and it only sends the decoded video and audio signals to the COMMAND unit.
The only caveat I found with the iPod was that you must have at least one audio file on it otherwise the browser will say "no media found". But as soon as you start browsing you can start and play videos.
My car has the 360 camera system and rear seat entertainment. The COMMAND manual says that AUX video does not work if you have a rear camera but mine works from the media connector. I haven't tested the AUX connector yet. I can send the rear DVD signal to one headrest, the front DVD to another headrest and play iPod video on the center screen or I can send the iPod to the headrest(s) and play a DVD from the changer at the same time.
The headrests can control the DVD menus but they can't control the iPod video other than switching the remote to control the COMMAND unit but in that case the COMMAND has to be set to display the iPod video while it's being controlled.
The whole system is very sophisticated and works great with my two kids who want to watch two different things at all times. Now mom can watch a 3rd thing at the same time.
Thanks! Ordering on ebay right now.
Now I have to dig up my old ipod video classic
I have an MY12 W212 and tried to play a video via media interface with ipod classic 160gb and was not able to to select a video. As soon as I plug in iPod I can only control it from the car. If I go to Video I only see two options, DVD or Aux.
How did you guys get the video to play from iPod?
BTW, nice find on the adapter, ordering one for entering nav when out of park. My wife can always use it in the event we need it as opposed to having to stop and park.
I have an MY12 W212 and tried to play a video via media interface with ipod classic 160gb and was not able to to select a video. As soon as I plug in iPod I can only control it from the car. If I go to Video I only see two options, DVD or Aux.
How did you guys get the video to play from iPod?
BTW, nice find on the adapter, ordering one for entering nav when out of park. My wife can always use it in the event we need it as opposed to having to stop and park.
I browse for a video in the music selection not under video. If I select a video file it will play both audio and video on the display. I can even fast forward and rewind.
This is great I think I will order one now. The only thing stopping me is I don't know the best way to get head rest monitors. I like the factory set up the best. My car is a 2011 E350 and I have no idea how to tell if its pre-wired or not. Do some of the VIM kits have A/V outputs? Also, what is the best way to acquire the factory set up?
Anyone else have success in installing this? For $150, it seems like a good buy...assuming it works!
I did it a while ago, no complaints here. I love it. The screw you see in the pic is a little difficult to work but I have a bendable ratchet extension that made it easy.
Anyone else have success in installing this? For $150, it seems like a good buy...assuming it works!
I bought from the same guy and installed on an X166 GL (same generation head unit as the W212-- NTG4) and it works very well. Install went smoothly and there's no complaints many months later. Buying this just so the passenger can input a nav entry with the dial is already worth it to me. I find the voice control too cumbersome.
BTW it's even cheaper when you complete the transaction outside of eBay. Just message him on eBay.
Thx for the instructions. i am waiting for my E350 to arrive from Toronto (used 2011) and will be doing as well so it helps to have these instructions.
I did this in the W204 and imagine this to be similar but it is nice to know how to remove the airvents etc.
Perhaps you know, my vehicle doesn't have the Nav, does that make it an audio 20 and NTG4?
Christy may have framed the law such that this is illegal in BC.
06-24-2015, 06:04 PM
