Aftermarket reversing camera.

[Droverunner]

Has anyone fitted an aftermarket stand alone reverse camera/monitor setup?

I've looked into... and had a thread on here a few months back when I bought the vehicle... adding a camera to my Command NTG 2.5 unit in the Viano. It seems that could cost £250-£450 and maybe involve dealer coding or adding some sort of dongle left plugged into the OBD socket to enable the camera function... neither of which appeals. On the thread I was given advice buying a generic aftermarket stereo would mean dealer/coding wasn't needed and add functions but I don't want to change the stereo/media unit... happy with its functions.

There seem to be loads of stand alone reverse camera outfit units on Ebay for £35-£100 and I wondered if they were any good. Some wi-fi too which would make fitting easy but can they really make that work well at these low prices?

 

[mioba]

Commandonline @Alfie

 

[Droverunner]

Thanks but sadly their kit for the Viano is £605 and they warn it will need dealer coding to work after fitting. I really can't justify that compared to a generic stand alone setup costing £500+ less.

 

[mioba]

Mercedes Benz

Every model in our range of reversing cameras for Mercedes Benz vehicles is designed with one key aim in mind; to make it easier, safer and less stressful to manoeuvre your Mercedes in everyday driving. Mercedes Benz rear view cameras and kits are par

www.carcommunications.co.uk

these do like a bolt on package - 130 notes

 

[Nigel Hewitt]

It was an option on my E300 but not fitted.
I paid some guys to do mine. They fitted a camera in the cutout, routed wires through the body and hooked it up.
Been working fine ever since.

 

[Droverunner]

>>>these do like a bolt on package - 130 notes

Thanks. I've spoken to those guys about the kit specific to my model they do for £254 inc post which uses the head unit display and to get round a dealer visit they include a "coding dongle". I did enquire of them re the dongle as I was worried what if it was badly configured and adversely affected the vehicle software. This setup is still on my possibles list but their response was a bit take it or leave it re the dongle operation concerns.

I may email them and ask more questions.

 

[axelcls]

Hi, are the reverse cameras pre wired on the cars, even if are not installed, added like an option ?
I just find a reverse camera on eBay, is just plug and play ? Thank you

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mioba]

I very much doubt it since wire costs money to the manufacturer and if the buyer didnt buy the option its sunk costs for the manufacturer. Bean counters wouldnt have it.

That said the connection wire is pretty short so if you whip off the internal boot lining you will soon see if you have the corresponding connection on your existing loom.

 

[axelcls]

Thank you


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[axelcls]

You’ve been right, I’ve checked today, no connection on existing loom. Thank you


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[ajlsl600]

I looked into this ref camera and, folding mirrors Benz, and others go out of their way to confound owners here, and generally there are no wiring connections for anything not a factory fit. That policy must and a cost to each car produced, but guess wot, we pay for that.! Clever marketing, and never explained.

 

[Misterdog]

Clever marketing, and never explained.

The whole point of clever marketing is that it needs no explanation.
Mercedes are not in business to tell people how to fit £ 50 Chinese reversing cameras to their cars.

 

[AMGeed]

 

[Frontstep]

I had a wifi model from Costco worked well enough until camera developed a black spot.

 

[ajlsl600]

The whole point of clever marketing is that it needs no explanation.
Mercedes are not in business to tell people how to fit £ 50 Chinese reversing cameras to their cars.

They make or organize to make plenty of shxxx sensors that prob cost 10 quid but come to us for 100.,s more than likely arriving on same Chinese boat delivering the 50 quid reversing camera. Unfortunatly buyin a product with a prior reputation for quality no longer means that's what yr getting and that's, in, my view not clever marketing. It's an eventual reputation killer.

 

[Misterdog]

Go to aftermarket then the choice is yurs

Or by a Chinese car if yur think it bedder.

 

[Droverunner]

So a couple of months on still not purchased a camera setup but after a few different town calls this afternoon after dark thought I really must get round to getting one. As I was reversing into the drive I looked at where a stand-alone monitor would be out of the way but easily to see... and with that distraction and the radio on promptly reversed into the corner of the garage. What an idiot.

 

[Droverunner]

I've slightly straddled two threads with this having asked about a relay here...

Adding a basic relay for add on device not wanting to upset canbus?

Finally getting round to sorting out an aftermarket stand-alone reversing camera/monitor. Seems the best way to wire it is to take a feed from the reverse light one side for both camera and monitor but I'm assuming that will play up the bulb warning and annoy me. So I'd wondered about putting a...

forums.mercedesclub.org.uk

Anyway after that bump pictured above got to get on with the camera job. For £15 I've bought a Chinese camera, front to back wiring and a Fakra adaptor. This is just to check against a million to one chance that my unit hasn't been camera enabled in the past.

Assuming not all I have left to buy is a £25 monitor which despite not being as neat as an image on the Command unit is not too bad an option in the Viano which has a huge dash and windscreen to tuck a monitor away but still line of sight.

As a matter of interest I did ask Command online who were helpful. They can't code my unit out of the vehicle so posting not an option. Their on-site charges are £199 to code for the reverse camera plus £150 if the Command is due update which is 99% likely. So £350 plus the cost and hassle of going down there and the fact I'd be doing much of the hard work fitting the camera and wiring through the length of the vehicle myself. Not worth it to me but others may judge differently**... so I'll just get a generic monitor and hook it all up.

Having said that I'm still slightly attracted to coding dongles like this but nervous if they messed up any other aspect of the car to which the suppliers would no doubt shrug their shoulders.

To Fit Mercedes Viano 2003-2014 Reversing Camera Add On Car Interface CAM-MB4-AD | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for To Fit Mercedes Viano 2003-2014 Reversing Camera Add On Car Interface CAM-MB4-AD at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

**We all have a price in mind for this or that and sometimes it isn't rational to others... like the guy two houses away who will happily spend close to half a million on a combine yet reckons anything more than £50 on a sim free mobile is a waste of money.

 

[LostKiwi]

I've slightly straddled two threads with this having asked about a relay here...

Adding a basic relay for add on device not wanting to upset canbus?

Finally getting round to sorting out an aftermarket stand-alone reversing camera/monitor. Seems the best way to wire it is to take a feed from the reverse light one side for both camera and monitor but I'm assuming that will play up the bulb warning and annoy me. So I'd wondered about putting a...

forums.mercedesclub.org.uk

Anyway after that bump pictured above got to get on with the camera job. For £15 I've bought a Chinese camera, front to back wiring and a Fakra adaptor. This is just to check against a million to one chance that my unit hasn't been camera enabled in the past.

Assuming not all I have left to buy is a £25 monitor which despite not being as neat as an image on the Command unit is not too bad an option in the Viano which has a huge dash and windscreen to tuck a monitor away but still line of sight.

As a matter of interest I did ask Command online who were helpful. They can't code my unit out of the vehicle so posting not an option. Their on-site charges are £199 to code for the reverse camera plus £150 if the Command is due update which is 99% likely. So £350 plus the cost and hassle of going down there and the fact I'd be doing much of the hard work fitting the camera and wiring through the length of the vehicle myself. Not worth it to me but others may judge differently**... so I'll just get a generic monitor and hook it all up.

Having said that I'm still slightly attracted to coding dongles like this but nervous if they messed up any other aspect of the car to which the suppliers would no doubt shrug their shoulders.

To Fit Mercedes Viano 2003-2014 Reversing Camera Add On Car Interface CAM-MB4-AD | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for To Fit Mercedes Viano 2003-2014 Reversing Camera Add On Car Interface CAM-MB4-AD at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

**We all have a price in mind for this or that and sometimes it isn't rational to others... like the guy two houses away who will happily spend close to half a million on a combine yet reckons anything more than £50 on a sim free mobile is a waste of money.

Pretty sure I have a screen or two sitting in the shed.
You can have one for cost of postage if you want (and don't mind waiting till Wednesday for me to post it).

 

[M80]

Buy a Chinese HU, all the complications are gone.