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New camera install (Cheap Ebay cameras)

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Audio and Electronics' started by rrolff, May 24, 2010.

  1. rrolff

    rrolff Prius Surgeon

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    Installed a random Chinese EBay camera this weekend. It's one made for a 09 Camry -but fits and locks in nicely. Cost was like $37 delivered from China - which seems to be the going price.

    Install was the same as all the other threads - except locking it in. Once the black plastic plug is removed, the cam goes in, then I took a standard #2 screw driver, and bent out the locking tabs. This sets it very securely. I added some hotmelt for good measure (love the stuff).

    Not sure if the picture does it justice - but on my Pioneer Z110 - the picture is really detailed and clear.

    The picture comes on within like 2-3 seconds - which is a very nice thing...

    As a nice add-on, they have colored lines indicating distance
     

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  2. austingreen

    austingreen Senior Member

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    nice install. I think that camera might have been a better choice for me. I did tap the bumper of the car behind me parrellel parking, when I first installed because I didn't have distance lines. Do the lines work well. I may change my install. $37 sounds cheap, and the install should be easy if I can use the existing cabling (power, ground, video). I do like the picture from my current cam.

     
  3. rrolff

    rrolff Prius Surgeon

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    You should be able to use your current cabling - this thing is no different than any other cam - power, ground, video...

    The lines are not actually parking 'sensors' - like I put in my last car (you remove the bumper, drill holes, run the wires, and video gets transposed with the actual distance in meters - cost is around ~$40 for that).

    These lines are fixed into the display. Quite bright and clear.

    It gives a nice reference as you backup. I know I used it parking this weekend, and really liked it... You can tell at a glance how much room there is. That said, you could do that by using your eyes on a regular cam. Personally I like it much better than our Lexus GX470 no line cam.

    I was going to put in the parking sensors - but now realize that this is every bit as good (and I don't have to pull off the bumper and spend a few hours dinking around on the car).
     
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  4. mblue99

    mblue99 Junior Member

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    Which seller did you use? I am seeing several versions, but not the one you have. I like the markers on the camera you bought and would like to get one like it. Thanks.
     
  5. rrolff

    rrolff Prius Surgeon

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    This one came from "factorykiss" for what it's worth - i'd just make sure whoever you buy it from has the 'distance lines' on the display. It really is a nice cam - and I think I could tell the difference between a quarter and a nickle on the ground (given lighting etc).

    I'm throwing an educated guess that there is one manufacturer, and many sellers. It seems they all go for around $40 delivered...
     
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  6. flushem

    flushem New Member

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    I got backup camera on ebay from this seller in NYC for $54. The one I ordered is made by Pyle. The model # is PLCMTOYOTA. Unfortunately, it does not fit like yours. I should have ordered the model fits into Camry, PLCMCAMRY. The picture of the camera looks the same with clips on side.

    You could get the same camera from Amazon for $36. I had plenty of Paypal money to burn so I ordered on ebay.

    I plan to hook this camera up with Clarion NX700. I will post the result as soon as installed.
     
  7. Azimuth

    Azimuth Member

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    Do you have any details on this camera that would help me find the same one to order it?
     
  8. spiderman

    spiderman wretched

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  9. rrolff

    rrolff Prius Surgeon

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    spidy has the one I bought... I hate using links, cause they go bad after a few months... The search gets you there - and the factorykiss lets you know that's the one...
     
  10. PaJa

    PaJa Senior member

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    I ordered the one (Camry09) from autodvdgps.com together with HU. It has distance lines included in the result picture. The photo from bench test is not very sharp, the reality is far more better. The wiring from the back of car will a good challenge - remove plastic panels from rear door, go through rubber pipe, partly remove the roof lining, go down aside rear/front doors, under dash to the receiver place.​
     

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  11. rrolff

    rrolff Prius Surgeon

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    That one looks like another good one...

    Just as a hint (someone else posted the idea - forgot who it was...).

    I took a sander to the yellow plastic RCA outer. Grinded it down as far as I could, yet keeping the structural integrity.

    I then used some random "personal lubricant" - which really made the job much much easier.

    Last time, I cut off the end, and re-soldered. This time I was able to get it through the boot in around 5 minutes (with a wire hanger as a guide)... You'll probably need a RCA extension for the 25 foot cable (I did)...
     
  12. whitedogone

    whitedogone New Member

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    where did you route the wiring to the head unit?
     
  13. Jeremy Harris

    Jeremy Harris New Member

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    Thanks for the heads-up on this camera. I bought the same one (from ebay seller factorykiss) and it fitted pretty easily, using the described method. I managed to get the cable and connector through the rubber sleeve at the top of the tailgate easily enough. The technique I used was to lift the tailgate end of the rubber sleeve away, then feed a length of thick nylon strimmer (weedwacker in US-speak) line through the rubber sleeve from inside the tailgate.

    I then taped the phone connector on the end of the camera lead to the length of strimmer cord, using some electrical tape. By smearing a little vaseline over the outside of this smooth taped join I was able to easily pull the connector through the rubber sleeve. I used the same technique to get the power feed from the reverse light through.

    I ran the video cable across the roof lining to the rear door aft pillar, then down to the door sill and forward under the sill plastic trim. I found the supplied video cable was long enough to get to the dash underside, but no further without an extension. This was OK for my needs, as I hooked the cable up to the video input box for a GPS, rear view camera equipped, interior mirror.

    Jeremy
     
  14. spiderman

    spiderman wretched

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    I took the install a bit further and fabricated a new insert based on the existing blank (forgive me if anyone has already posted this type of info). Adding the insert better covered the slot left by removing the blank and I thought it looked more finished.
    I used some styrene (for sale sign), traced the blank cut out a new one (see first picture). I also cut another piece to hold the backside since the clips on the camera wouldn't reliably hold it in the slot (see third picture). Last photo shows the completed install.
     

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  15. spiderman

    spiderman wretched

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    rrolff or anyone else that has installed a camera: where did you tap into a reverse signal for the HU? Did you run a wire from the rear lamps to the HU or is there a wire somewhere in the dash I can use?
    Thanks in advance.
     
  16. rrolff

    rrolff Prius Surgeon

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    I snapped on a radioshack wire splice (small wire) - it snapped onto the wire at the brake light. It was a tight fit to get it around - but worked fine - access is easy. Then run the wire to the front with the cam video....
     
  17. spiderman

    spiderman wretched

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    OK, I did the same for the camera power. I guess I also run that wire forward to the HU reverse trigger? Does that sound right?
     
  18. rrolff

    rrolff Prius Surgeon

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    It's the same wire - there's only one that points the world in reverse... If you already did it, tap that wire!
     
  19. spiderman

    spiderman wretched

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    Now I got things figured out. Since I am using the same power wire from the reverse lights for both the camera power and the HU reverse trip, I will only be able to use the camera while I am in fact in reverse. If I ran the camera power to a constant power, I could view at anytime. For simplicity I think I will stick with prior wiring scheme. It will keep me out of trouble.

    Thanks for your help.
     
  20. boniam

    boniam New Member

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    I got this camera installed with kenwood 7160 and it worked fine for a day. This morning it didn't work and then i played around with some setting and it worked again. This afternoon it again didn't work and i reset the kenwood settings and it worked again. After couple of hours i tried again and it didn't work and now it doesn't work even if i reset kenwood settings. I am going nuts. Any idea what might be going on? It might be bad camera or some loose connection. Is it easy to figure out if camera is on by looking at it?