Hello everyone,
just bought a 2010 S63 with rear entertainment system, which came with 2 headphones and a remote. Try the remote control with turn-knob "Left.." or "Right.." with fresh battery, nothing happen on either left or right screen. Did put in a DVD into the DVD player under rear arm-rest. Not sure what's wrong? Could the remote control defective? Is the remote control universal to all S-class, ie, if I use a remote control from another S-class to try on mine, would it turn on?

The car should have come with a spare remote. Have you tried it?

The remote on mine didn't work for some reason (although I've changed the batteries) but the spare one does.

I personally don't know if another remote control from another car would work. Maybe someone else here can chime in.

Thanks for the reply. Here's some update. I was at a MB dealer for wheel alignment and asked the SA to help out. First thing he thought the remote is dead, but then he remembered something, the 2 AAA batteries need to be opposite to each other although the battery bay has both springs at the bottom (which most people will think that must be negative). Once he switched the battery, we can turn on the left rear screen and start playing DVD from rear armrest. Still no luck on right rear screen.

No spare remote (maybe lost with previous owners). I did check with MB parts dept, the shorter remote (spare?) is around $95 and the regular remote is around $350.

Yeah, I too had that aha moment of battery orientation - the correct layout is shown in battery bay though.

You might want to find out if the issue is with the remote or the display unit. The remote has four modes (Rear Right, Rear Left, Command, Split view). If all other 3 modes are working, then it is likely the display has a problem.

I wish they had given a physical button to switch on the display. Or an option inside command. I am forced to use the remote to merely switch on the display. I control everything else from the command for my young passengers (I don't use rear DVD player but use front-dvd as source for rear).

$350 for remote is crazy. I would probably find a programmable remote just to power that display and manage everything else from the command.

Quick questions - do the rear screens have their video source from the rear DVD player? do both rear screens play the same video source or they can be different (eg, left screen watch DVD from rear DVD player while right screen watch DVD from the front Command DVD player)?
I think the remotes for W221 are the same, so eBay have used ones for less than $100.

Yes each rear display has the following options (recalling from my memory):
Rear DVD, Command (front DVD), Rear DVD drive AUX, Display AUX.
Each display can select the desired source using the remote independently.

For Command source to work at the rear, you must select "Use as source for rear" (or something like that) from the Command. Of course, you will have to use headphones when the source is different. Not very intuitive interface but if you play with the on-screen menu options you will figure it out. In my car there is also AUX in the front glovebox which can be another source for video/audio,

Should the rear screens turn on automatically if Command is on? Got the car that didn’t come with the remote.

is there any menus to control from the front

most other stuff is - as the rich guy in the back might be to important to press buttons themselves - they do this thing called an owner's manual - it explains stuff - and can easily be found online if the original owner to stupid to look after it