Organization and Summary of significant accounting policies (Policies)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of MRV and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated. MRV consolidates the financial results of less than majority-owned subsidiaries when it has effective control, voting control, or has provided the entity's working capital. When investment by others in these enterprises reduces the Company's voting control below 50%, MRV discontinues consolidation and uses the cost or equity method of accounting for these investments, unless otherwise required. The condensed consolidated financial statements included herein have been prepared by MRV, and are unaudited, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations, although management believes that the disclosures are adequate to make the information presented not misleading. The information included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2015, (this “Form 10-Q”) should be read in conjunction with the Financial Statements and Notes thereto included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, (the “2014 Form 10-K”) filed with the SEC. In the opinion of MRV's management, the unaudited interim financial information contained herein includes all normal recurring adjustments, necessary to present fairly the financial position of MRV as of September 30, 2015, and the results of its operations and comprehensive income (loss) for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014, and its cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014. The results reported in these condensed consolidated financial statements should not be regarded as necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for the full year or any future periods.
Recently Issued Accounting Standards	In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, "Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606)," ("ASU 2014-09"). ASU 2014-09 outlines a new, single comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers and supersedes current revenue recognition guidance, including industry-specific guidance. This new revenue recognition model provides a five-step analysis in determining when and how revenue is recognized. The new model will require revenue recognition to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration a company expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. The amendments may be applied retrospectively to each prior period presented or retrospectively with the cumulative effect recognized as of the date of initial application. ASU 2014-09 was originally effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016. In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-14, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) – Deferral of the Effective Date, which defers the effective date to annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. Early application is permitted after December 15, 2016. Management is currently evaluating the potential impact that adopting ASU 2014-09 and ASU 2015-14 will have on its consolidated financial statements and footnote disclosures. In June 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-12, “Accounting for Share-Based Payments When the Terms of an Award Provide That a Performance Target Could Be Achieved after the Requisite Service Period” (“ASU 2014-12”). The amendments in ASU 2014-12 require that a performance target that affects vesting and that could be achieved after the requisite service period be treated as a performance condition. A reporting entity should apply existing guidance in Accounting Standards Codification Topic No. 718, “Compensation - Stock Compensation” (“ASC 718”), as it relates to awards with performance conditions that affect vesting to account for such awards. The amendments in ASU 2014-12 are effective for annual periods and interim periods within those annual periods beginning after December 15, 2015. Early adoption is permitted. Entities may apply the amendments in ASU 2014-12 either: (i) prospectively to all awards granted or modified after the effective date; or (ii) retrospectively to all awards with performance targets that are outstanding as of the beginning of the earliest annual period presented in the financial statements and to all new or modified awards thereafter. Management is currently evaluating the potential impact of that adopting ASU 2014-12 will have on its consolidated financial statements and footnote disclosures. In August 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-15, "Disclosure of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern" ("ASU 2014-15"). ASU 2014-15 provides guidance on management’s responsibility in evaluating whether there is substantial doubt about an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern and to provide related footnote disclosures. ASU 2014-15 is effective for the Company in its fourth quarter of fiscal 2017 with early adoption permitted. Management is currently evaluating the potential impact that adopting ASU 2014-15 will have on its consolidated financial statements and footnote disclosures. In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-11, "Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory" (“ASU 2015-11”). ASU 2015-11 simplifies the guidance on the subsequent measurement if inventory, excluding inventory measured using the last-in, first out of the retail inventory method. Under the new standard, inventory should be at the lower of cost and net realizable value. ASU 2015-11 will be effective for the Company in the first quarter of fiscal 2017 with early adoption permitted.
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts Policy	Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk primarily consist of cash and cash equivalents placed with financial institutions and accounts receivable due from customers. Management believes that the financial institutions holding our cash and cash equivalents have high credit quality. Management evaluates the collectability of accounts receivable based on a combination of factors. If management becomes aware of a customer's inability to meet its financial obligations after a sale has occurred, the Company records an allowance to reduce the net receivable to the amount that it reasonably believes to be collectable from the customer. If the financial conditions of MRV's customers were to deteriorate or if economic conditions worsen, additional allowances may be required in the future. Accounts receivable are charged off at the point they are considered uncollectible.

Disclosure of accounting policy for trade and other accounts receivables. This disclosure may include the basis at which such receivables are carried in the entity's statements of financial position (for example, net realizable value), how the entity determines the level of its allowance for doubtful accounts, when impairments, charge-offs or recoveries are recognized, and the entity's income recognition policies for such receivables, including its treatment of related fees and costs, its treatment of premiums, discounts or unearned income, when accrual of interest is discontinued, how the entity records payments received on nonaccrual receivables and its policy for resuming accrual of interest on such receivables. If the enterprise holds a large number of similar loans, disclosure may include the accounting policy for the anticipation of prepayments and significant assumptions underlying prepayment estimates for amortization of premiums, discounts, and nonrefundable fees and costs.