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Can I reuse the factory BU camera and BT mic with aftermarket stereo?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Audio and Electronics' started by FreydNot, Aug 28, 2022.

  1. FreydNot

    FreydNot Member

    Joined:
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    2008 Prius
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    I will be installing a Pioneer DMH-2660NEX head unit into my 2008 Prius with the JBL sound system. I understand the weirdness with the factory amp which should all be okay with the parts Crutchfield sold me.

    I'm curious if I can split or reroute the backup camera wires into the Pioneer? I realize the BU camera will still work like normal on the MFD, but it might be nice to have the overlay lines the Pioneer adds and be able to view it at any time.

    I'm confident I can find the wires in the diagrams so my question is more about if it will work, not how to do it.

    I have similar thoughts about the Bluetooth microphone. It's not clear to me if the factory Bluetooth function will continue to work on the MFD, but with the steering wheel controls being moved to the Pioneer, I'll at least lose those.

    Probably best to use the Bluetooth functionality in the Pioneer. It comes with its own microphone on a long wire which I could use. But again I wonder if I could tap into (or move) the factory microphone wires to connect to the Pioneer.

    I'd love to hear from anyone who has tried this with success or failure. If nobody has tried it, maybe I'll become a pioneer.
     
  2. aembleton

    aembleton Junior Member

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    ----UK----
    Have you gone ahead with this? I've just installed an aftermarket stereo and my reverese camera no longer works! I haven't added the 68 ohm resistor yet though.
     
  3. FreydNot

    FreydNot Member

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    Location:
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    2008 Prius
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    N/A
    I finished my install and the factory backup camera works on the MFD just like it always did.

    You definitely need to install the 68 ohm resistor to get the MFD part to work.

    I made a half assed attempt to wire the factory camera into the aftermarket head unit with no success. I might not have been connecting to the right wires on the MFD or maybe my connection was just poor. Regardless, I gave up on using the factory camera on the head unit since it works on the MFD.
     
    aembleton likes this.
  4. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    May 12, 2018
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    Pennsylvania
    Vehicle:
    2018 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    The trick with factory cameras and aftermarket stereos: The factory camera is a 6 volt device, while the aftermarket head units output 12 volts to power cameras.

    There's more than one way to skin that cat, depending on other stuff. For my installation I just put in a voltage regulator, so the 12v out of my Sony gets regulated down to 6v for the Toyota camera.

    As for the microphone, I was able to get "some audio" from the stock microphone into the Sony head unit, but it was a pretty bad level mismatch. I wound up removing the factory mic from the ceiling and gutting the little pod that contained it. I installed the Sony microphone inside the pod and reinstalled it- so now it looks stock and works fine.
     
    aembleton likes this.