Ntuck

Does anyone know if you can have 2 different movies going on with the rear and the front DVD players on the rear screens? The dealer told me yes before I ordered, then said he wasn't sure when I got it in. Of course if you put a DVD in the front, you can't watch it on the front while the car is driving, but didn't know if you can see it in the back.

reddcer

Yes. You can play and watch DVD at the rear monitors with the disc loaded in the COMAND DVD player. You can also watch DVD simultaneously using the AUX DVD drive. Just check the appropriate DVD source from either of the two rear displays. It is also possible to view 3 different videos at the same time using the AUX Display e.g. Netflix app from iPhone.

fabbrisd1

There are (2) MB systems - the factory installed Rear Seat Entertainment - or with factory P-re-Wiring you can have the dealer accessory rear entertainment system installed.

The factory system - either rear screen can choose from either front or rear-center-console DVD source - but front source has to be switched to output to the rear screens for the rear screens to use that front source for that to happen.

On the dealer accessory system - each side has it's own DVD slot - no rear cental console source - or either side can use front source - again if at the front source it is outputted to the rear.

Factory system is covered under 5yr/50K mile new car warranty - accessory system is covered by MB 2yr accessory warranty.

Dealer accessory installed system - including dealer installation - is roughly 50% more than factory installed system.

Keep the beat !

Ntuck

Reddcer - when using a 3rd video from an iphone with Netflix or whatever, does the system need to be on AUX? I tried using it and it was just a blank screen. I hooked it up through the actual cord in the center console and nothing happened. Can you do it through bluetooth? Or do you have any other suggestions? I was able to get 2 DVD's going from the front command and from the rear dvd player. Thanks for your help on those.

reddcer

I take it that you already have the iPhone "cable" connected to the AUX DVD composite ports and that the DISC DRIVE AUX is selected on either rear monitors.

I actually use my loudspeakers via bluetooth connection.

Ntuck

Yes, that is what I did, but couldn't get it to work. I'm assuming by composite ports you are talking about the ones in the center console that it came with to plug the iphone into? I did that and put the AUX on the rear and blank screen. Will try toying with it again once this rain stops. Thanks!

reddcer

If you're going to connect the iPhone thru the CD/DVD AUX drive (the one in the center console) then you must select DISC DRIVE AUX from the rear monitor. Whereas, if you're going to connect the iPhone via the the display monitor input, then you must select DISPLAY AUX from the rear monitor as the source.

Ntuck

I feel like I've tried all of these options but the rear screen just shows up with options on the screen and won't show a picture. I was finally able to get the sound from Netflix, but no picture. There is another cable that came in the middle console that almost looks like you could stick headphones into it. Meaning the hole to it is really small. I have no idea what that cable is for. I'm only connecting the iphone cable at the bottom of my iphone. It is an iphone 5, so I have the converter attached. I can't imagine that would have any problem with it showing a movie. (using the converter for the 5)

reddcer

You must be referring to the integrated Media Interface for the iPhone/iPod inside the center console compartment. Try to check the jack connection because sometimes it tends to get loose. The Media Interface should output both A/V from an iPod video source and you should be able to view it in the COMAND screen or rear monitors. Just activate AUX under VIDEO (for COMAND view) or Rear A/V if you want to distribute the video to the rear monitors.

If it doesn't work for you then just use an iPhone RCA A/V cable and plug it in the CD/DVD AUX drive behind the center console or either one of the rear display inputs. That means you have to activate either AUX drive or AUX display AV source from the rear monitor.

Ntuck

Just found some website on some FAQ's from MB and looks like the iphone 5 does not support the video function through the car. I guess that's why it isn't working. Disappointed...

reddcer

My thoughts exactly. I think the lightning to 30-pin adapter you have can only support audio. There is a way to make the AV work however. This setup requires 1. lightning digital AV adapter 2. an HDMI to AV composite converter and 3. iPhone composite AV cable. Tedious, expensive but doable.

Ntuck

Ah, ok. Now that makes sense. I have 1 out of 3 things you've listed. The lightning converter I had was just the small one. I need to get the AV adapter one and need to get the HDMI to AV. Thanks so much for your help. Maybe I'll get this thing to work one day. One would think with a 2014, that they would be equipped to work an iPhone 5, considering the next gen iPhone is probably about to come out next month.

reddcer

My mistake. Actually you don't need #3. Any composite AV cable will work. But remember, this will only work using the CD/DVD AUX drive behind the center console (not the integrated Media Interface inside the center compartment) or the rear display inputs.

Ntuck

Alright, have one more question for you...I just thought of an idea to solve my iphone 5 problem. I hooked up my old iPhone 4 to the media interface cable in the center console. Then I used my ipad mini for a hotspot for Netflix to play on the iphone 4. I got it to work and show video in the front, but no sound...any idea how to get the sound working? I thought this might solve my problems vs using all of those cables etc.

Ntuck

Also just found this article. This would help those of us with an iphone 5 to have a new media interface cable. http://daveknowscars.com/2012/10/06/...pin-connector/

South Ocean1

Ntuck:

Any luck on your efforts to figure this out yet? I tried to play video using an IPhone 4S connect through the center console and, like you, I could play video on the front monitor and through the rear seat DVDs but couldn't get any sound. I could get sound changing the Command from video to audio, but then no video. There has got to be a way to get both but HOW?

fabbrisd1

I understand the frustration here - but please understand Apple's conversion to Lightning did not support and pre-panning with the car manufactuers (including MB) and frankly Apple still has not been that forthcoming to car manufacturer support on video - as evide3nced that the official Lightning adapter itself does not support video in car applications whereas the original 30 pin did

Ntuck

South Ocean1,

No luck with the sound. Reddcer got his to work but haven't heard back on how he got the sound to work. Same thing happened with mine too if I switched it the other way I could get audio but not video. This is on the iphone 4 that I could get this...not the 5. I couldn't get anything with the 5 because it's not supported. I think it could work how Reddcer mentioned in the previous posts for the 5 though.

South Ocean1

Ntuck:

Some good news on connectivity. I purchased the Apple AV Cable for the IPhone 4S/IPad and, with the IPad connected to the Rear DVD behind the center console, was able to play the movie on both of the Rear DVDs and have the sound play through the head phones. So I can confirm that it is at least possible to play a movie from an IPhone/IPad with the original 30 prong connector on the Rear DVDs.

I was not able, however, to send that same movie to the front Command screen. I was also not able to have the sound play through the car speakers - only through the headphones.

Reddcer, are you still out there? Have you been able to get the movie to play on the Command screen and play sound through the speakers? How did you do that????

Anyone have any success here???

Thanks,

sraza

this is really interesting- with my iphone5 i can play sound from the movie on the phone through the car audio but just cant get the movie to play on the screens!

reddcer

Unless the integrated Media Interface is used, external video source from the rear DVD drive AUX will not be transmitted to the COMAND screen. You can however play the audio through the vehicle's loudspeaker (as opposed to headphones) by activating REAR AUDIO from the AUDIO menu in the COMAND screen.

reddcer

If you have a hard copy of the COMAND manual, go to page 232.



Alternatively, you can download the PDF copy here, http://www.mbusa.com/vcm/MB/DigitalA...13_B_small.pdf

South Ocean1

Reddcer:

Thanks again very much for your very helpful responses. I have read the Command manual and think I follow you. I should be able to get sound through the main car speakers for a movie connected using the AV cable through the rear single DVD using the Audio function as you suggested - I will try that tonight. It also sounds like I cannot get an AUX source connected to the rear single DVD (or rear DVD Monitors) to play in the front Command screen. That is only possible if I connect the auxiliary device (i.e. IPhone) to the Media Interface in the center console between the front seats.

My last question for you (for now) is whether you have been able to get both video and sound to play through the front Command screen using an older (i.e., 30 prong connector) IPhone/Ipad? If so, how? Again, I can get the Video to play and the Audio to play but not both at the same time - which is really frustrating. I can't seem to figure that one out - assuming it is possible.

Many thanks again for your assistance!

Kind regards

reddcer

Finally solved the mysterious iPhone AV input in the center console. All this time I thought the integrated Media Interface would work as Video AUX. It doesn't. The integrated Media Interface is specifically designed for the native iPhone Video App which means only those movies or videos purchased or downloaded from iTunes will be played correctly in the COMAND screen. The 1/8 inch socket is the actual Video AUX input. Since I already had an iPhone AV cable, the only things I needed were a set of RCA coupler and a mini-jack adapter. It also appears that the AUX socket is proprietary, hence standard 3.5mm jack will not work. Fortunately, my Roku AV cable, which is smaller than standard 3.5mm jack, works with the AUX socket.

Again, sorry for the confusion I've made.

reddcer

Correct. You could also try Bluetooth audio.



As I've explained above, Video AUX will only work in the COMAND screen if you happen to connect your device via the 1/8 inch AUX socket in the center console because it supports AV unlike the Media Interface.