[Marchammer]

Hey all,

I recently installed a rearview / reverse / backup camera (it has a lot of different words but you all know what I'm talking about).
Just want to share how I did it!

- SCREEN:
So first of all you need a head-unit with a screen or a screen by it self. I went with the Pioneer AVIC-F9220BT which i am very much pleased with.

- CAMERA:
Regarding the camera I went for this: http://www.ebay.com/...=item23267133ef
It is cheap but it's specifications is not to be found any better anywhere. I have been using this for a month now and I am very pleased with it.
The view in the dark is remarkable good.

- WIRERING
To start with I tried the cable whick followed with the camera but it had no isolation so the picture wasn't anu good.
There fore I used this double isolated cable which realy made a difference: http://www.av-cables...abel-7-5-m.html
It is 7.5 meters long and it was almost to short. I had about 0.5 meter left!

Now. First I tried replacing one of the numberplate lights with the camera but as I feared the lightning was crap and it looked worse than ugly. So I came up with an other idea. Pictures says more than word so i ended up doing this:

I had to grind the sides of the camera off to make it fit. Also some of the cone-shaped thing where the screw goes through.

Then I began pulling the big Composite wire around the car.
All the pictures from my installation can be found here: http://www.adrive.co...era install.zip (114MB and contains about 50 pictures of the whole process)
The power to the camera comes from the reverse light.

Some of the "milestones" from my installation:

I had to to grind some of the cable down so it was able to go through. Use a lot of WD40 or silicone and have patience.

This is the OBD-II plug at the driver side. From here it should be no problem getting the cable to the radio.

This id what I used to make the square cut for the camera. The result ended up being really good.

All in all a super installation. I took me about a weekend all in all and I am more that happy with the result.

FUTURE PROJECTS/IDEAS:
- LED reverse bulbs so there will be even lighter when reversing in the dark.
- Reverse bulbs with built in IR LED's to have "hidden" nightvision
- A switch in the back so I can choose if the camera should be on all the time or only when reversing. It could be a good thing to have in on all the time it you are driving with an trailer behind you.

I hope someone can use this.
Good luck.

Regards from Denmark!

 

[malford]

Thank you for sharing this project..

 

[GingerTom]

Excellent review although I would have liked a photo of the head unit with a view from the camera on it so we could see the end result.

 

[Marchammer]

Excellent review although I would have liked a photo of the head unit with a view from the camera on it so we could see the end result.

Sure. The only picture I have is this:

It's not the best since it was taken in the night time. In daylight it looks so much clearer and sharp with better colors but I hope this will do for now...

 

[tastybites]

hi , could you give me a bit of a review on your pioneer head unit, im having no luck with a retrofit bluetooth, so was looking at this unit instead,just wanted to know if the bluetooth worked ok, satnav,and if it worked with/though converse steering wheel controls etc,ive read what pioneer have said it does but not a actual user,

cheers

 

[Marchammer]

Sure.
The bluetooth works really good. It connects automaticly 20 seconds after start up. You can browse your whole contact list through. You can even see on the head unit (once connected) the name of your mobile, battery level, signal strength, bluetooth signal strength and your provider. It is also possible to play music via the bluetooth which i'm a big fan of. Having all your music from your mobile in your car without taking it out of your pocket...

The satnav works flawless also. It has a nice looking graphic and your can get the newest updated maps for free here: http://www.avic411.com
Not saying it is leagal or straight forward but there is a lot of good guides in there too. Kinda like downloading movies. I would never do this of cause ;o) This homepage also contains a lot of "hacks" so you can change icons, remove "Cautious" screens and so on.

It doesn't work with your Convers+ speedometer but volume+, volume-, forward, backwards and "M" on the steering wheel controls works just fine and with very short responce time.

I'm having one for sale now actually. My asking price is 600 GBP. Transportation from Denmark to UK is 35 GBP. http://www.dba.dk/pioneer-avic-f9220bt-radio/id-89525644/

I don't think I can find a head unit better for my Mondeo and my needs!

 

[stevegtuk]

great idea, i never even thought of cutting a hole just for the camera so you could leave the original light in

 

[Marchammer]

Pictures of the end result and image quality in daylight.

 

[costeau]

Looks like a well-executed plan there. I have thought of doing a similar job in my saloon.
Got an Alpine head unit with direct input for reversing camera.

Out of curiosity, and a bit off-topic: I was interested in that red reflector decal at the top of the inside of the tailgate.
Is that standard on Mk4 estates? Or did you get that retrofit?

I was wondering where I can get something like that for the boot lid of my saloon.

 

[SteveyG]

Out of curiosity, and a bit off-topic: I was interested in that red reflector decal at the top of the inside of the tailgate.
Is that standard on Mk4 estates? Or did you get that retrofit?

I was wondering where I can get something like that for the boot lid of my saloon.

It's the high level brake light!

 

[Mondeo-hopeful]

No Steve, costeau means on the inside, look at the pics again and see the sticker.

As for the strip, think this might help http://www.talkford.com/topic/194531-how-to-install-a-rear-view-camera/#entry1966693

 

[SteveyG]

No Steve, costeau means on the inside, look at the pics again and see the sticker.

Ah, got you. Yes this is standard on the estates.

 

[costeau]

Ah. Maybe I could buy one of those decals at the parts shop and slap it on the bottom lip of my saloon boot lid, then…
I'm toying with the idea of doing that if it's not too expensive.

I've already ordered a CAM-FD1 from Beat Audio/Connects2, and looking forward to it arriving here.
Basically, it replaces the boot switch with one that's got a built-in camera.

 

[idbvideo]

I have replaced my boot lid switch with a cheepie from ebay, the unit works great but the only problem I had was that it does not interface directly with the switch wiring I had to modify it to solder wires onto the switch part and Skotch lock into the existing boot release wiring. I am not convinced about the soldering I did ;-) It was only £17 delivered so I have no complaints.

It works fine, CCD camera is OK and has lines to aid reversing. I would be interested to know if your CAM-FD1 has the proper connector on it costeau ;-)

 

[costeau]

It should do, as the "FD" in the model number would refer to Ford.
Some pro stereo installers have fitted them in Focuses with no issues as far as I know, so fingers crossed.
I was told it was dispatched, but no tracking number yet. We'll see when it arrives.

 

[Ryan.james]

Can this be linked up to the standard ford radio or is it just aftermarket head units?

 

[costeau]

These are made for aftermarket head units.
However, the NX has a couple of FAKRA connectors at the back, one of them for the GPS antenna, and the other one for the reversing camera.
I'm not sure whether the reverse camera connector on it accepts the standard RCA video signal (NTSC or PAL),
but if it does, connecting will only be a matter of adding a simple adaptor or crimping on a FAKRA plug at one end of the wire in place of the RCA plug.

 

[Ryan.james]

Thanks for the info mate, I have the NX so I shall pull it out and see what connections I have to use.

 

[ViperArry]

Ryan.James, can you post some pictures? This camera is on my wishlist too....

 

[costeau]

There. CAM-FD1 installed. Works a treat.

idbvideo, Ryan.James, and anyone else who wants to use it with the NX, should know that the CAM-FD1 has an RCA connector at the head unit end,
and uses NTSC video.

It'd be of general interest to the forum as to what video standards the NX accepts, whether it can be configured for NTSC or PAL by the user, and so on.
If it works straight away with NTSC, it should only be a matter of chopping off the RCA plug, and crimping on a FAKRA plug in its place.