Video Input into 1999 Comand 2.5 system

[JeremyTucker]

Hi Guys,

Been reading this forum a while, decided to finally register as i have a question which i have been unable to find an answer to.

I have a 1999 S430 with the comand 2.5 system, with no TV tuner (i assume, when i press TV i just get "no tv" on the screen).

I understand from a bit of research that i may be able to use one of these: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MULTIMEDIA-IN...ms=66:2|65:2|39:1|240:1318|301:0|293:1|294:50

Where my questions lie is with the fitting, and whether it will work "out of the box" as it were. All i want is the ability to connect a video (and audio) source to my comand system, and hopefully access it via the TV button.

Will the above unit work? If so, where does it connect to the system? I note that these devices appear to have 2 connectors, one DIN style and another plastic pinned connector. While i am more than happy to rip the car apart, it would be good to know what i am looking for etc before i risk the £100 on something which may not work.

If the input works the plan thereafter is to install a freeview box into the car for digital text and hopefully some entertainment when stuck endlessly on the north circ!

Many thanks,

Jeremy

 

[alanuk400]

Are you sure you don't have Comand 2.0 system.

Alan

 

[JeremyTucker]

I didnt think the Comand 2.0 was installed into the W220 S-class?

Here is a (rubbish) picture of the car, as far as i know this is comand 2.5?

 

[television]

Yes that is 2.5 in the S class, 2 was not fitted

 

[JeremyTucker]

I understand that you are the man when it comes to all things comand, television. Do you have any advice re my initial post at all?

 

[television]

Many have bought those boxes and they do work for any video source input.

Having a TV is not quite so simple as you do need an antenna, so you will need a split lead and amp to supply the TV tuner, there are some now from time to time on Ebay.

The car only has the one antenna built into the rear screen, and it is this that needs the split amp

 

[JeremyTucker]

Hi,

Can you clarify a couple of things for me before i purchase?

1) Are the connections on the rear of the comand unit itself? (i am used to BMW systems, where all interfaces plug into the looms in the boot).

2) Will the comand unit need any form of re-coding or any other jiggery pokery to work with the above unit? Ie, is this a hardware only install which will simply work when the TV button is pressed once installed?

Aerial wise i have read your guides with interest, failing that i will simply use an aftermarket powered antenna mounted in the boot or elsewhere.

Again, many many thanks for the replies

 

[JeremyTucker]

Sorry to bump the thread, but i was wondering if anyone had any input into this at all?

I have today recieved the AV box, and installed it, the connections are the standard block & DIN connectors, +12v, Gnd, and two other thin pinned connectors clearly intended to be inserted into one of the factory connections, labelled C-Bus High and C-Bus Low.

As per this diagram i have tried the c-bus connections in pins 8&9 (which were empty), and in pins 17&18 (for which i removed 2 other connections) of C2.

Via both methods the audio input is working, but the Video side of it is still displaying "No TV" on the screen. I note also that disconnecting pins 17&18 causes the satnav to malfunction, therefore i have re-connected these and put my c-bus cables back into pins 8&9.

Has anyone fitted one of these media boxes before? I am at a loss as to what to do now

 

[JeremyTucker]

As i posted on another forum where we worked it out, got it working today If anyone else is stuck on this install please just ask, as i know how frustrating it was finding information about it - doesnt help that you dont get instructions with the unit!

I am also going to have words with the ebay seller, as the very basic bit of paper listing what the cables do listed the C-Bus ones the wrong way round, the low is actually high and the high low, which has cost me dearly in labour time and frustration. ****** ebay

I took a lot of time to make sure that i shielded the cables well with some metallic shielding, after reports of noise. In the end i got scared about splicing into the satnav cables, so i just stripped off a fair bit of sheathing off of the media box's cbus cables and wedged them into the back of the C2 17&18 connections, some electrical tape to secure the cables and it seems solid enough. Works very well at all speeds. My only slight gripe is that the audio is at a lower level than the standard functions (Radio, CDC, Tape, Telephone), so switching between these results in having to adjust it.

 

[television]

I am doing exactly the dame thing, except i am attaching a car freeview box (as anologue tv is no more in the uk). My in car freeview box has basically a video phono out and L & R audio phono outs. please tell me is it simply plug them into the 3 photo outs on the back (in my heart i know its not that simple !)

If you have the old analogue TV tuner, then yes just plug the video and stereo sound into the phono RCA sockets and select AUX on the comand

 

[Orb the Impaler]

Link to car Freeview boxes please....?

 

[finchster]

I am doing exactly the dame thing, except i am attaching a car freeview box (as anologue tv is no more in the uk). My in car freeview box has basically a video phono out and L & R audio phono outs. please tell me is it simply plug them into the 3 photo outs on the back (in my heart i know its not that simple !)

 

[television]

I am doing exactly the dame thing, except i am attaching a car freeview box (as anologue tv is no more in the uk). My in car freeview box has basically a video phono out and L & R audio phono outs. please tell me is it simply plug them into the 3 photo outs on the back (in my heart i know its not that simple !)

If you have the old analogue TV tuner, then yes just plug the video and stereo sound into the phono RCA sockets and select AUX on the comand 1 or 2 and it is that simple. you can cut one of the old tuner antenna leads off and splice it on the the coax or F connector and plug this into the new digital tuner

 

[television]

Link to car Freeview boxes please....?

http://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/showthread.php?t=45993&highlight=digi+tuner

 

[finchster]

Total hero, i just wanted all the info before I took a hammer to it
Thank you very very much for your knowledge and very very speedy reply.

 

[finchster]

I presume when you say "old analogue TV tuner", is this not built into comand 2.5 or is there a seperate box hiding somewhere. To fit this do i literally take the comand screen out of the dash and wire it into the back ?

 

[television]

I presume when you say "old analogue TV tuner", is this not built into comand 2.5 or is there a seperate box hiding somewhere. To fit this do i literally take the comand screen out of the dash and wire it into the back ?

No you do not need to touch the comand head unit as the old TV tuner is in the rear, probably in the boot in a side panel, all of the details for a 220 are here on the forum for doing this conversion, do a search "digital TV"

You will need to run a power lead from the cigar lighter to the new TV tuner

 

[Orb the Impaler]

It is very simple indeed if you have the tuner - I've got an iPod attached and I can either have the video playing through the tv or have the iPod audio for music coming through the AV1/2 and have the screen showing either the map or phone display while driving. Works very well.