tekillah

Folks,

My car is 2009 E350 w/ NAV
I have spent well over a week scanning various sites on options to enable the backup camera on my car.

Here are the parts that I have ordered

Fakra (90 degree elbow) to female RCA cable (from Midcity)
CCD-200 Camera from ebay
RCA extension cable - http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...ductId=2102944
Wire tap-in connectors - http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...uctId=2104093#


I know that the Fakra cable connects into aux video-in Green Fakra on the backside of the unit. What I am looking for is a way to enable this on my unit so that the backup camera comes on automatically when i shift to reverse.

I have tried the following

Engineering Menu - Hangup + 6 + *

This menu has no option to enable the backup camera

Dealer Menu - Hangup + 7 + 9

This menu too does not have any options for the backup camera


Can any one familiar with enabling this, tell me on how this could be enabled ? Would my dealer enable this for me ? How much do they usually charge ?

Is there an end-user way to do it via a hidden menu ? I am not interested in VIM, so that option is out (also considering how much it costs). I see the new C class folks can get this to work, I was wondering if anyone has been able to do this on a stock factory NTG 2.5 unit ?

Below is the picture of how the unit looks

logitech1474

Hei tekillah. I have a same problem as yours. did you find any solution? can you mail me back on cayokyay@hotmail.no or here. thanks

tekillah

Nope, I am still waiting for a kind soul to help me out on this.

Can anyone help, please ?

Mackhack

Where are you guys located?

logitech1474

i am from norway

tekillah

San Jose, CA

madelko

Buy the little box from Mid City Engineering - Very slick and clean install. Easy to turn on and off if you want to disable. And yes, rear camera comes on when you shift into reverse.

Mackhack

@logitech and tekillah, too far away from SD, sorry!

cupertino

To tekillah,

Did you every get it to work?
I am in San Jose as well.
I just got a 2008 E350, would like to find out if this is possible.

Let me know.

Thank you
Alan

mhass350

I know this thread is nearly a year dead but has anyone figured this out?

I currently have a 2008 C350 and was able to enable the backup camera in the engineering menu. I plan to purchase a 2009 E350 (hopefully this weekend) and I just assumed I would be able to do the same thing in the E350 as I did in my C350. From searching the forum that doesn't appear to be the case...

Thanks,

hazem96

I installed aftermarket ntsc ccd camera to my 2004 w211 with NTG2.5 retrofitted, connected the camera to the back plate light, DC taken from the reverse lamp wiring, routed the video wires to the comand and plugged it to the green farka then spent several hours trying to activate it through the engineering mode but figured out that this is a big waste of time.

I went to an independent garage with STAR, the procedure was't straight forward & slightly complicated since my VIN includes Audio20, therefore the star wasn't able to recognize the comand, moreover, the W211 has never came with a backup camera which made the situation more complicated

As far as I remember, the guy have made several trials & the last was selecting different car (other model that comes with camera & set the model to 2009) then he was able to communicate with the NTG2.5 , found the option and enable it.

I apologize for not being able to provide with a step by step procedure since I'm not familiar with the start diagnostic, but I confirm that this is feasible & my camera works fine & automatically when putting the gear on reverse.

I wish you all the best of luck

marcellen

Do you know which model did he select to make the camera work?

Mackhack

If the Indy would have known how to activate the rear view camera it would have been a 5 minute job. It doesn't matter if you had an audio20 in before or not! The camera setting has nothing to do with the audio gateway which would have controlled your audio20 device.

mank1970rr

Hei tekillah. I have a same problem as yours. did you find any solution?

jdr1000

Any updates on this? I want to install a backup camera, dealer of course is not helping.

I saw many options on Ebay but in all of them you eventually need to do somehting to the programing.

I have Euro Comand.

J

boardboy330

Interested in this as well. Might just go MCE.

Mackhack

Can easily be retrofitted and enabled via SD if one knows how

jandmtv

While this is an old thread, Ill help out since prices have come down on options other than the mid city vim unit.

If you want to enable your backup camera on your NTG2.5, you have 2 options



1.) Go to a shop that has Star Diagnostics computer or your dealer and have them enable it by coding your nav unit. This can cost you upwards of $150, if they agree to do it in the first place!



Or my favorite option,
2.) Go to ebay, buy these items


1- VIM and backup camera enabler unit CLICK HERE

2- NTG 2.5 FAKRA Video cable adapter CLICK HERE

3- Backup camera thats almost invisible once installed CLICK HERE Install on other side of trunk release latch (not the key hole side, the other side thats empty) to make it look original.


Total Cost for complete kit about $235 (mid city engineering charges $575 plus shipping for the same exact kit)



Once you install all 3 units, You press a series of buttons (instructions are sent with the unit) on your steering wheel to hard code your comand and enable the reverse camera input to turn on when your shift into reverse. You only do this once, and its hard coded into your ntg 2.5. You can even remove the VIM box once this is done and your comand will still keep the coding for the reverse camera. I have tested this and can confirm it works, because I bought 1 unit and coded 4 cars already with it. But most people want to also have VIM enabled anyway so keep the module installed.

You can take the power for the camera from either the reverse bulb (warning, some cars will trow a bulb out warning if you go this route) Or front the cig lighter wires under your navi unit which you will have to remove to get the navi out anyway.

For instructions on how to remove your navi and install this unit, just follow the mid city instructions found HERE

Hope this helps some of you out. This exact kit will work on all ntg 2.5 cars.

JayDee4711

Sorry, you lost me there. How is the VIM and backwards enabler at $170 a better deal than $150 for programming? This assumes that you will need the camera and the adapter cable either way.

The camera looks slick, tho! Didn't realize they had become this cheap.

Mackhack

I can enable the backup camera if anyone needs this being done.

Be advised, as soon as you're using the (any) VIM module, you'll lose navigation while watching DVD/TV.

Simply PM me if you're in the SoCal area!

jandmtv

Because you pretty much have to beg them to do it. Most dealers will refuse to do it unless you have them install the factory camera kit. 3 of the dealers in my area refused to do it flat out. And I couldn't find a indie shop in my area with SD.

The good deal is that you get VIM for only $20 more. If you don't care about VIM, then buy the unit, enable the camera input, then sell it off to get most of your money back. Its a better deal anyway you look at it.

jandmtv

Maybe post what area you are in so only people close to you PM you about your offer.

As for losing Navigation while using VIM, this is very true for NTG 2.5 equipped cars and pretty much ALL of the VIM modules out there. But I don't think a lot of people really use navigation while using VIM to begin with. I for one only use my iPhone for navigation, newer maps, better guidance, and way quicker address entry.

Mackhack

SoCal area or beyond if someone wants to drive to SoCal.

jandmtv

Where were you 2 weeks ago?????????? LOL J/K Do you have Star?

Mackhack

Yes, and if you're interested in more stuff for your W211, check out my website.