Rear camera

[Strenoob11]

So i installed aftermarket rear camera to the oroginal connection and now i got little bit pixels on screen. I googled that the factory cable puts out only 6 volts. I dont remember if camera was universal voltage or not. I already purchased new camera but it shows 12vdc. Would it work if i tap the new camera directly to reverse lights and the video signal to the factory connector, leaving factory connector 6volt ends unconnected!?

[Notamech]

Typically the aftermarket cameras do need 12v which can come from the reverse light. Im not sure how you plan to feed the video signal to the factory connector though. The aftermarket cameras use an RCA connector while the factory camera uses a different 6 pin system. Unless you've figured it out already. 

I plan to use an aftermarket camera with the factory screen as well but had to buy a separate 28pin loom that accepts an RCA feed and yes the camera will be powered using the reverse light. The loom i bought also came with a 6v out but the seller said i wont need to connect it if im connecting the camera to the reverse lights and that the system will automatically know when i switch to reverse to change to video input. So will try and let you know how it goes. So i assume a similar logic could apply in your case as well. 

Here is the loom i bought. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/175266910321 Mine is an executive with the Fujitsu ten head unit. 

[Strenoob11]

I had 5pin connector where 2 was power and 2 video. 

[Strenoob11]

Wired my new 12vdc camera directly to factory connector and now works fine without interference.

[Notamech]

1 hour ago, Strenoob11 said:

Wired my new 12vdc camera directly to factory connector and now works fine without interference.

Just to confirm you powered the camera from the reverse light and only connected the video cables to the factory connector? Can you please share how did you identify which 2 were the power cables vs video from the factory connector and how did you connect the RCA cable from the aftermarket one to the factory wiring? 

I am assuming your car didn't come with a camera from the factory which is why you got an aftermarket camera? Im attempting to connect an aftermarket cam with the factory screen but as explained above i got a separate loom. If there's factory wiring i can cut and use id rather do that as it will save a lot of time and i wont have to open up the stereo. 

[Strenoob11]

Actually i did splice it in the reverse camera wiring but for some reason i messed up there and then i tried the new camera to the factory connector and voila a clear picture. My car was a is300h 2013 year. I have attached pictures from another forum

[Notamech]

1 hour ago, Strenoob11 said:

Actually i did splice it in the reverse camera wiring but for some reason i messed up there and then i tried the new camera to the factory connector and voila a clear picture. My car was a is300h 2013 year. I have attached pictures from another forum

Thanks mate. Really useful. Do you know if once i strip the RCA cable do these generic Chinese cameras use a red / black wire for +/- video. Also do you remember the color of the factory wires that are +/- for video input i cant really make out from the above image. 

Mine is a 2014 executive so assume it would be the same as yours. 

[Strenoob11]

+  Camera red - Car black

-  Camera black - Car shielded black

-  Camera RCA black - Car white

+  Camera RCA yellow - Car red

Hope this helps. 

[Strenoob11]

If you strip the yellow headed RCA cable from chinese camera there will be yellow(positive) , black(negative) , red(feedback which i didnt use). The red black for power is red(positive) black(negative

[Notamech]

Awesome! Thats so much mate will give it a try this week. I assume you are not getting reversing lines? From my little research you need to connect the red feedback wire to the + reverse power as well if you want to enable reverse lines if your camera supports this. 

[Notamech]

I tried this today but it didn't work for me. My RCA cable when stripped had different colours and had 3 wires. Also realised the camera I bought is an AHD camera so not sure if the system in my car is capable of using an AHD signal. Anyway when i switch to reverse the screen didn't switch. Will buy another cheapo camera from amazon and try again. If it still doesn't work might try using the loom I bought. 

[_3rd]

3 hours ago, Notamech said:

I tried this today but it didn't work for me. My RCA cable when stripped had different colours and had 3 wires. Also realised the camera I bought is an AHD camera so not sure if the system in my car is capable of using an AHD signal. Anyway when i switch to reverse the screen didn't switch. Will buy another cheapo camera from amazon and try again. If it still doesn't work might try using the loom I bought. 

The camera must be powered up when ignition on, otherwise it won’t  be recognised by car infotainment system - this may be a root cause of the issue.

[Notamech]

25 minutes ago, _3rd said:

The camera must be powered up when ignition on, otherwise it won’t  be recognised by car infotainment system - this may be a root cause of the issue.

Hey thanks for this. I connected the camera power cable to the reverse light. I thought that should suffice given the factory loom outputs 6v whereas the Chinese cams need 12v? Can you let me know where i should power the camera from instead? 

[_3rd]

The easiest way is to use factory fitted camera wires but with 6 to 12V DC converter connected on power line (for Chinese generic cameras).

[Notamech]

12 minutes ago, _3rd said:

The easiest way is to use factory fitted camera wires but with 6 to 12V DC converter connected on power line (for Chinese generic cameras).

Thanks so much. The OP managed to do it using the factory loom so perhaps I'll try that and if that doesn't work either then il look into a 6v to 12v converter 

[Notamech]

Finally attempted this again today and woohoo it worked! So anyone with a 2013/14 Executive variant with nav can install an aftermarket backup camera without cutting any factory wires or drilling any holes. Which makes me wonder if the system actually outputs 12v or if these chinese cameras just function fine on 6v

I just pushed in the wires into the factory loom following instructions from above (thanks a ton @Strenoob11@Strenoob11) and taped it up with electrical tape. 

Rather than using the RCA connector that comes with the chinese cam, i bought this https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0B15HXGFX?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title from amazon so theres no confusion Red is + and balck is - for the RCA. But this is not necessary and you could just as easily cut the RCA cable the chinese camera comes with but it might have different color coding ans some can have 3 or 4 wires. This one was simple and had just 2.

Connected the power cable that came with the chinese camera - even that had clear colour coding red is + and black is - 

Plugged it in and it worked. The tricky part was routing the camera wire without drilling holes. But managed to pass the wire through one of the holes meant for a rivet that holds the plastic frame around the number plate light (see picture the red line shows the path the wire followed) the plastic frame is also held in by 4 10mm bolts anyway so its ok to exclude the plastic rivet. I had to cut the camera wire and re-join it after passing it through the hole  as the hole is too small to fit the power and rca connectors that the chinese camera comes with. Alternatively look for a cameras that have the thinner 4 pin connectors Instead of the big bulky rca style connector. But you will need an adapter to convert it back to rca. 

I just stuck the camera using double sided tape but plan to use the metal adjustable frame that it came with as i think it currently points too high. 

 

Here is the camera I bought. You could buy any of the many Chinese ones out there... But this one definitely works. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0C69N4BMQ?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

 

[Notamech]

On 12/16/2023 at 8:35 PM, _3rd said:

The camera must be powered up when ignition on, otherwise it won’t  be recognised by car infotainment system - this may be a root cause of the issue.

Hey mate thank you as well for the advice I think you are right the infotainment does need to be powered on with the camera receiving power as well so that the infotainment can detect it.