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Rear View Camera

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Audio and Electronics' started by mrbigh, Feb 21, 2006.

  1. mrbigh

    mrbigh Prius Absolutum Dominium

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    I made of this a new thread for people who may be interested in another option for this type of rear view camera .
    Originaly was an answer to a "phileFriendly" Question.

    I used a secutity camera kit wich later I modified a little for the installation.
    Here you can see some progress on the equipment and installation; the full install kit Pix 1, after painting the camera Pix 2 Pix 3 , view of the install from inside Pix 4, view from rear out side Pix 5 another close-up from inside Pix 6.
     
    #1 mrbigh, Feb 21, 2006
  2. roperld

    roperld Junior Member

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    I am very interested in getting the camera you used. I just installed CAN-View 3 and I have the video converter Norm recommends for CAN-View.

    I like not having the camera outside.

    Please tell the details of the camera you used and how you threaded the wire from under the driver's seat to the hatch. Where can one purchase the camera?

    Yours, Dave Roper
     
    #2 roperld, Mar 25, 2006
  3. mrbigh

    mrbigh Prius Absolutum Dominium

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    the installed camera is from a batch of merchandise that I bought for security purposes ( only because I have this on hand and didn't want to expend some bucks) and later I modified the wiring to be fitted into the Prius and painted black.
    This camera has also a microphone (feature that I don't use) and a proximity sensor that triggers an alarm when necessary, it is connected also to my Viper 791XV remote starter and 2 way wireless alarm system.
    You can use any small color camera, on Ebay there is a vast selection of them from $30.00 and above. HERE you have one auction as example. Be aware the power supply power must be 12Volt DC.
    My approach to have it installed inside was not only for aesthetics, but also this piece of electronic doesn't have to deal with a harsh environment ( the lens gets filthy) and you can choose a relatively inexpensive camera and serves the same purpose. Image transmission through the smoke rear glass is more than adequate to be viewed in the Prius 6" MFD.
    For the wiring I took the time to thread the wire in the inside of the hatch door and through one of the empty rubber seals (in my case I don't have a rear wiper and probably its wiring goes thru there) in the body and hatch door, pictures on the page footer, then I continue in the shortest paths thru side moldings in the driver's side, under the seat where it ends at the CANview, video adaptor and power amplifier devices. Power for this device is from the external power amplifier.
    As always, this is a "for the love of it" and not a production job, so planify your steps and take your time to do it.
    Good luck ;)
     
    #3 mrbigh, Mar 26, 2006
  4. roperld

    roperld Junior Member

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    How did you get power for the camera?

    Did you take pictures of how you threaded the wire around the hatch?

    Dave Roper
     
    #4 roperld, Mar 29, 2006
  5. mrbigh

    mrbigh Prius Absolutum Dominium

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(roperld @ Mar 29 2006, 03:55 PM) [snapback]231835[/snapback]</div>
    Power for the camera is taken from the power amplifier that I use, and this is being feed from the auxiliary battery with an 8gauge wire 50Amp protected. In your case you can use the convenience utility outlet under the arm rest or also you can tap on the harness, 12volt line that supplies power to CANview3.
    Sorry but I didn't take any pictures of the actual install, but the wire from the camera goes inside the molding of the door by itself, threaded inside the frame and through the rubber tube connecting both rubber oblong seals and later in between the roof and the roof liner towards the left hand side, down the wall behind the rear passenger side and through the door sill and ending under the drivers seat . There is some dismantling involded, but nothing to major, you put back wherever you removed before. ;)
     
    #5 mrbigh, Mar 30, 2006
  6. DocVijay

    DocVijay Active Member

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    Very interesting install. I've been thinking of this, only I'd be adding it up front. Not only would it make for interesting viewing, but it would hep me park without wrecking the front spoiler I'm going to put on.

    Sigma has a nice lipstick type camera I'm considering.
     
    #6 DocVijay, Mar 30, 2006
  7. roperld

    roperld Junior Member

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    I was lucky that I bought the prototype for Ver. 3 of CAN-View which had 12 Volts on pin 4 and ground on pin 2 of the video male DB9 port, which Norm put there for initial programming of V.3. After learning this from Norm I had the two wires of a Radio Shack Adaptaplug Socket soldered to those pins on the DB9 female end of the cable that connects to the SCART video converter box. I drilled two holes in the DB9 cover to bring out the two wires. I bought a male C pin to fit into the female power plug on the camera described below. (A female C pin would also work because the camera has both a female and a male power plug.

    I bought a $50 X10 camera whose single cable contains the video and power wires (http://www.x10.com/cameras/sc16a_s.html). At the end of the 16 foot cable is a long power cable with both female and male power plugs.

    Right now I have the camera "installed" with Velcro on the right side of the narrow tinted back window, pointed at an angle toward the center of the road in the rear. Of course, the image is reversed, but it still enables seeing what is behind the car. It is not a super image, but quite servicable for a backup image. I had to put the camera right against the glass in order to have it aimed over the bottom of the window.

    So my remaining big job is to thread the video/power cable from under the driver's seat to the narrow back tinted window. I have read your instructions for doing that, but I am unsure about exactly how you did it. Could you make a few drawings that show how to remove parts of the car that have to be removed or adjusted to place the cable?

    Once I get the cable threaded I will put screws in the camera base to make it more strongly attached.

    For those with normal Ver. 3 CAN-Views, camera power could be taken off of the gray cable on the Nav just as CAN-View does with ground connected to pin 2 of the DB9, I think.

    Dave Roper
     
    #7 roperld, Apr 6, 2006
  8. roperld

    roperld Junior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(roperld @ Apr 6 2006, 06:09 PM) [snapback]235997[/snapback]</div>
    Oops! I should have said that I have installed the camera on the LEFT side above the tinted window.
     
    #8 roperld, Apr 7, 2006
  9. mrbigh

    mrbigh Prius Absolutum Dominium

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(roperld @ Apr 6 2006, 06:09 PM) [snapback]235997[/snapback]</div>
    All moldings, shrouds and plastic panels in our car are press-on on plastic clips. If you installed CANview3 and routed the cables from the front console to under the seat, you gained the experience on how to get access to extra wiring.
    Really it is not a guide to route cables from the rear hatch door to the front, but I can suggest you to search the PC database for the installation of XM radio that is almost alike. The procedure is really very simple; the most important part is that you can handle the retrieval of the 12V from the CANview DB conn. ;)
    Horacio
     
    #9 mrbigh, Apr 7, 2006
  10. roperld

    roperld Junior Member

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    #10 roperld, Apr 13, 2006
  11. mrbigh

    mrbigh Prius Absolutum Dominium

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(roperld @ Apr 13 2006, 11:41 PM) [snapback]239550[/snapback]</div>
    :rolleyes: Congratulations David, you finaly made it. This aproach of the video camera in the inside of the hatch door is much convenient and safe than the one in the outside. Using CANview as a center device for switching the information on the MFD is a breeze. ;)
    About the plastic clips, you are not the only one, but I pick-up almost all of them.
    Horacio
     
    #11 mrbigh, Apr 14, 2006
  12. hdrygas

    hdrygas New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mrbigh @ Apr 14 2006, 07:01 PM) [snapback]239969[/snapback]</div>
    You folks get "weather" in New York. May be not as many days of rain as we get but weather. I find my lower window gets dirty is this a problem? My back up camera has a bit of problem but it is not huge. I have a roll of paper towels in the back and clean it regularly, then I clean the lower window!
     
    #12 hdrygas, Apr 14, 2006
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