[grapedaddy]

It also points out the back glass. "The camera mounted on the inside of the rear window conveys a field of vision which is twice as wide as a conventional inside rearview mirror, which is limited due to the window area." . . .but the OE MB F84 mirror is vaporware until I see one.

The new Mercedes-Benz Metris: attractive upgrade for the Mercedes-Benz van

A proven expert for various trades, commerce and services: the success of the Mercedes-Benz Metris is based on strengths such as versatility, flexibility and a balanced price to performance ratio.

media.mbusa.com

 

[pounce]

Can't wait to see how they do it. Maybe below the wiper and with an area of no tint. Doesn't seem wise to shoot through 17% tint, but maybe it doesn't matter in practice. Don't mean to derail the thread.

While you are running cable there maybe consider if you might want a backup camera in the 3rd taillight at some point. I want to add one so I can use it for a 369 Birdseye view system and when the current camera is maybe blocked by bikes or the yakima exo boxes.

 

[grapedaddy]

Can't wait to see how they do it. Maybe below the wiper and with an area of no tint. Doesn't seem wise to shoot through 17% tint, but maybe it doesn't matter in practice.

My spring clips finally came in, so I've bench tested the mirror with the camera only tacked up in the rear hatch window with the coax dangling.

In daylight the 80% dark tint doesn't seem to degrade the image. The mirror is turning out to be awesome --working better than expected under bright city street lights, but not so much in darkness. Glass mirrors can't see in the dark either. These cameras have better night vision than we do.

It's a keeper, so I will go ahead and finish the install. It would have been even better at night if a small area of the rear hatch window had been left not-so-dark where the camera points thorough but from the F84 description in the 2022 DOG, I don't see any indication of MB doing it that way.

 

[pounce]

Ok, that's cool. Now I want. But, the link up thread looked like this thing was gray and yours looks nice and black. What's the story there?

I saw in the DOG where they show the location of the camera. It made sense where they put it from the description. High enough so the wiper clears the view.

 

[grapedaddy]

Ok, that's cool. Now I want. But, the link up thread looked like this thing was gray and yours looks nice and black. What's the story there?

I saw in the DOG where they show the location of the camera. It made sense where they put it from the description. High enough so the wiper clears the view.

View attachment 20014

The edge of the screen is a clear glass-like LCD. I'm not sure why it shows up as gray or black according to the photographer's camera angle or exposure. The mirror body of my aftermarket version of the Gentex FDM mirror is black.

Mine is mounted top center where the wiper path will also keep the view clear. I saw that picture in the 2022 DOG, and I'm puzzled why they would have put it there. Maybe I will discover the "why" when I try to fish the coax through the hatch wiring loom and then bend/loop it sharply to get it to top center. It looks doable, but I don't know yet.

 

[pounce]

The edge of the screen is a clear glass-like LCD. I'm not sure why it shows up as gray or black according to the photographer's camera angle or exposure. The mirror body of my aftermarket version of the Gentex FDM mirror is black.

Mine is mounted top center where the wiper path will also keep the view clear. I saw that picture in the 2022 DOG, and I'm puzzled why the would have put it there. Maybe I will discover the "why" when I try to fish the coax through the hatch wiring loom and then bend/loop it sharply to get it to top center. It looks doable, but I don't know yet.

I'm cursing you for showing this now. You've obviously seen the FDM model and that Gentex says it's in the Vito. Looks unobtanium aftermarket.

They probably put it on the drivers side because for some practical reasons like it will be swiped clean first (do I have this right?). Behind the driver. Camera will capture centered to drivers physical location. Above the location of the rear view camera...

Full Display Mirror

The Full Display Mirror is the industry's first hybrid intelligent rear-vision system that uses a custom camera and mirror-integrated video display to optimize a vehicle’s rearward view.

www.fulldisplaymirror.com

 

[grapedaddy]

Just from watching a lot of youtube videos and looking at pictures I have surmised/guessed that the MB digital interior mirror F84 is made by Gentex. I suspect there are many variations of the FDM as the specs are customized to each car manufacture most not quite as fancy as the one in the video above.

I got my aftermarket Gentex FDM here:

Gentex GENFDM3LN

Rear-view mirror with display for included rear-view cam

www.crutchfield.com

 

[pounce]

I have surmised/guessed that the MB digital interior mirror F84 is made by Gentex.

Likely since they list the Vito. Would love to have some of the fancy features like the DVR, Side camera alerts, pinch/zoom etc. The model you have looks good and Crutchfield for once is cheaper than the others.

 

[grapedaddy]

Thank you. The difference between knowing and believing was really nagging me. Now I know. I wish I could have found that FDM -> VITO connection sooner. It would have saved me hours of scouring youtube and google.

It is still nagging me that the stalk design of my aftermarket FDM puts the mirror a couple of inches further back into the cab than stock --just enough to interfere with my eyeglass holder in my overhead console, but otherwise perfect. So, I haven't quite duplicated MB's efforts in my quest for retrofitting the F84 option. I'm calling it a day. Good night.

 

[grapedaddy]

I saw in the DOG where they show the location of the camera. It made sense where they put it from the description. High enough so the wiper clears the view.

View attachment 20014

I've tried both mounting the camera according to the above illustration (20014) as well as top-center and found pros and cons each way.

Mounted low as shown in the 2022 DOG worked great until I turned my rear wiper on. The thick wiper arm passing back and forth over the camera lens causes a very distracting blink in the screen that sets off every motion detection event alarm in my head with every swipe. I'm afraid ignoring that distraction would train me to ignore motion in my rear view.

Mounted top-center sacrifices a small portion of window real estate up where it matters most, but the thinner wiper blade only causes a barely noticeable shimmer with every swipe.

I'll be doing the final coax cable routing through my rear hatch loom the next time the sun shines in my driveway. I'll have to route further down into the bottom of my hatch than originally thought and then back up under the plastic trim to the glass. Unless I run short by a few inches, I'm going for top-center. I'm glad I did a bench test with duct tape and dangling coax before permanently mounting the camera in my rear glass.