Reverse Camera Connector PinOut

[SVXdc]

In my previous post, I've added two new pictures clipped from the nav's service manual. I have more than a little experience reading and designing schematics and PC boards. If you don't, you'll just have to believe me on this...

 

... Most every other post shows the backup camera is hooked up as follows: use molex connector, only use pins 1 & 4 ...

 

[needless retelling of the entire procedure]

 

... Leave the other two square holes (2&3) EMPTY ...

 

But now, according to the posts above, ... 3 pins need to be used. ...

 

See post # 9 here - which says differently [link]

 

See post #314 here by 'a.spider', which concurs with what I said.

 

Read user 072's post carefully -- he acknowledges that he's connecting video shield to the detection input. Just because it worked doesn't make it right.

 

So to do it the right way (the way Kenwood intended), you need to connect your camera's shield to pin 2, and also run a short jumper wire from pin 2 to pin 4. Simple.

 

Can anyone explain exactly what wires get hooked in through the molex for back up camera use in reverse.

I think I did that in my previous post, under the section "To make your Molex plug"

[SVXdc]

Thanks for that!!

 

I'm hoping pics will still be hosted by the time I finally find a good camera. I'm looking the the best OEM like look with great vid quality (and the smaller the better).

 

So which cam did you install and how did it go?

 

You're welcome. The pictures are attached to the post, so they shouldn't disappear.

 

Haven't you been "looking" for more than 2 years? Go buy a camera already!

 

I haven't installed one -- I don't own a Legacy yet.

 

(Does that show how much I'm dedicated to this site or what?)

[SVXdc]

I have found this "wireless" camera:

[link]

Does any one think it can be connected to our GPS? As the cables coming out of receiver are missing the regular VGA cable.

 

 

Oh, I understand now. The RCA plug you've seen on other cameras is not "VGA". A VGA plug is the 15-pin type like on your computer monitor.

 

That's a 3.5mm plug on the wireless receiver. It looks like the 4-pin type used for camcorders.

 

They claim that the output of the receiver module is normal composite video, so it should still work. You would just need to cut off the 3.5mm plug (or, better yet, get a short cable with a 3.5mm jack and wire that to the Molex plug).

 

However, the receiver has another cable with what looks like a mini USB plug. Even if they're only using it for power, you would still need to rig up a way to plug that in.

 

But I'd stay away from these Chinese cameras. People on some of the other Subaru boards have had problems. Choose a domestic company with a good return/replacement policy and a camera with a decent warranty.

[SVXdc]

Here are answers to mikeyc's questions (that he posed in the 'OEM NAVI Features Hack' thread):

 

I'm trying to [install a back up camera in a Legacy 09 with nav]

 

1) Do you need to hook up both the yellow rca jack and the molex connection to the nav unit? Or can just the RCA jack be used?

 

No. To install a rear-view camera that you want to work "normally," you only need to use the Molex connector. The nav display unit will show the rear camera view whenever you shift into reverse gear.

 

2) Exactly how was the molex wired up - is that 2 wires or 4 wires?

Older posts throughout the 'Navi hack' thread incorrectly said to connect to 2 pins. To do it correctly, you will need to connect to 3 pins on the Molex. See my post #21, above.

 

3) Which wires went where?

Connections:

Molex pin 1 -- Camera video signal (center conductor of camera cable)

 

Molex pin 2 -- Camera ground/shield (outer braid wire of camera cable)

 

Molex pin 4 -- Tie this to pin 2 (so the nav unit enables rear camera capability)

Again, see my post #21, above.

 

4) Did you need to press the info button to see the screen?

No. The nav display unit brings up the rear camera view automatically as soon as you shift into reverse.

 

5) Is it necessary to do the grounding by-pass behind the nav screen?

Not for the basic rear-view camera function.

 

6) Where did you get power from?

Most people find a place to tap somewhere in the rear of the car, near the camera. Sorry, I don't have a more detailed answer, as I haven't done this myself.

 

For basic rear-view functionality (where you only want to see that camera view while you are actually in reverse), the back-up lights are a handy place to tap, since they're very near to the camera.

 

Look for the "vacation pix" posts with the wiring diagrams for your model year. To ask about or hash out the details, start a new thread for just that aspect of this mod.

 

7) Do I need to do anything with the reverse signal wire to make this work?

Nope. It's already wired into the OEM nav system. No modifications are needed for normal operation (after you have connected a camera to the Molex connector).

 

mikefoy6's video (and other posts in the larger 'hack' thread) might be a little confusing, because several people have wired things up to be able to see the rear camera even while not in reverse. That's definitely an "advanced" topic, which I'm not going to cover here. Get the basics working first. You can always go back and add enhancements later.

 

 

Some additional questions mikeyc asked:

 

If I also run a yellow video cable out of the RCA aux video jack on the rear of the nav display unit and just end it with a female end in the center console, do you know if the back up camera will still automatically switch on reverse through the molex?

Correct. The reverse camera function will still work the same, regardless of whether you have anything plugged into the display unit's aux video jack.

 

Which camera is recommended?

Sorry, I don't have any specific models to recommend. As I said to valerka, choose a camera with a good warranty and a vendor with a good policy for return/replacement. Remember this is going to be exposed to rain, snow, ice, car washes, temperature extremes, and road debris (as well as things like shopping carts and nosy kids), so you want one that's well-constructed.

 

 

Other suggestions:

 

Before drilling any holes or spending the time to bury the cable, test the camera! If there are any problems, you'll regret having wasted time installing the cable. First try it plugged into a regular TV. Then test it plugged into the nav display unit (with the camera and cable still uninstalled).

 

ADDED: If you're going to cut off the end of the camera's cable, first test with temporary connections to the display unit's Molex connector (before you cut off the plug) -- so you can return the camera if it doesn't work. However, see my next post.

 

If you have any questions, please don't quote this entire post. Just copy/paste the particular point you want to ask about. Shorter is better.

[SVXdc]

Here's another tip:

 

Instead of cutting off the end of the camera's cable, get a short cable with an RCA jack. Wire that to the Molex plug. Then you'll be able to easily connect and disconnect the camera's RCA plug -- so you can return the camera if it doesn't work, move it to another car, replace it if it gets damaged, or if you ever need to test using a regular TV or another video source.

 

The arrangement to connect the Molex to the cable with the RCA jack will be exactly the same -- center conductor to pin 1, shield to pin 2, and a short wire from pin 4 to pin 2.

 

Monoprice.com has both a Molex plug and a cable with an RCA jack that you can cannibalize (i.e., cut apart) to make your adapter:

 

http://images2.monoprice.com/productimages/1321s.jpg P4 to ATX Power Supply Adaptor

 

http://images2.monoprice.com/productimages/663s.jpg RCA Plug/2 RCA JACK cable - 6 inches

 

Both for just a little more than $3, shipped via USPS First Class from California.

[mikefoy6]

Read user 072's post carefully -- he acknowledges that he's connecting video shield to the detection input. Just because it worked doesn't make it right.

 

So to do it the right way (the way Kenwood intended), you need to connect your camera's shield to pin 2, and also run a short jumper wire from pin 2 to pin 4. Simple.

 

I get the point of doing things correctly, but shorting pins 2 & 4 is essentially shorting your ground to another ground point. (redundant, since the video can be grounded through the rear detect of pin 4)

 

It's not like there are different grounds on the car, They all end up at the same place.

 

I appreciate the clarification though, I was just posting how I got mine to work reliably.

 

@SVXdc I lol'd when i saw you credited me with that pin out picture, i didn't even notice it was one I took.

[SVXdc]

shorting pins 2 & 4 is essentially shorting your ground to another ground point. (redundant, since the video can be grounded through the rear detect of pin 4)

 

That's not how it's working. Even the little snippet of the schematic that I posted shows that the enable input goes somewhere else inside the nav display unit (not ground).

 

What you're doing is relying on the camera's shield wire being tied to chassis ground back inside the camera (by virtue of the camera's power/ground connections there).

 

You're actually doing the opposite -- sending the enable signal down the shield of your video cable. That's bad on three counts:

• It's risky to run the nav's enable line all the way to the rear of the car -- it increases the chances that you can pick up a spike and blow out part of the display unit. That enable line very quickly goes straight into the microcontroller, through a minimum amount of protection.
  

.

• As a.spider said, for the clearest signal you want the video shield connected to the proper ground point where it enters the nav unit, which is pin 2. The way you've wired it, the video ground is traveling through the chassis of the car. It's not 'going into pin 4'.
   
  This might illustrate how the signals are traveling in your current setup: If you were to jumper pin 4 to pin 2, and disconnect your video cable's shield at the Molex, your camera would actually still work. But you don't want to rely on that path through the car's chassis for the video ground.
  

.

• Your video shield is now carrying a current (from the enable line) back to the camera. That means the video signal in the center of the cable is liable to pick up any noise coming out of the nav unit. That little microcontroller is definitely spewing out some noise.
  

@SVXdc I lol'd when i saw you credited me with that pin out picture, i didn't even notice it was one I took.

 

Yours provided a great close-up, so I wanted to give credit.

[amp583]

Good thread, thanks for being thorough mikefoy

[SVXdc]

Here are step-by-step pictures showing how to build a rear camera adapter with better strain relief. Since I used a ready-made ATX adapter, I didn't have to crimp the pins onto the wires myself.

Click each thumbnail to see larger picture.

 

1) Connectors on original ATX adapter cable:

Note how far wires run back along video cable (about 3/4") -- this will provide the strain relief when the large heat shrink locks everything together. [EDITED: I recommend organizing the wires so you have about 1.4" of the RCA cord's inner leads folded back onto its jacket. Still only strip the ends approximately the same amount as pictured.]

 

 

7) Completed splice:

Using the short cable with the RCA jack allows you to plug in the camera's cable without having to cut off the end. Handy if it doesn't work and you need to return it unmodified, or want to move it to another car.

[valerka]

^

 

Great info, thank you Sir!

[underground000]

1 Video signal input (center conductor of camera's video cable)

2 Video ground (outer shield of camera's video cable)

3 "Guide" output (don't connect anything to this)

4 Rear Detect (rear camera enable input -- connect to pin 2)

 

Im planning on getting a camera that has ir for night vision. I do not plan on wiring a switch to turn on the camera to use, and since it has ir led they may burn out when fed power constantly when car is in use

 

Does anyone know if pin 4 is a switched ground?

Since some say dont combine pin 2&4 for video ground, can i use pin 4 as power ground (not video ground)?

[SVXdc]

Im planning on getting a camera that has ir for night vision. I do not plan on wiring a switch to turn on the camera to use, and since it has ir led they may burn out when fed power constantly when car is in use

Then power the camera from your reverse lights, and the IR LEDs should last a long, long time.

 

Does anyone know if pin 4 is a switched ground?

PIN 4 IS NOT A GROUND, "switched" or otherwise!!

 

Inside the nav display unit, Pin 4 is pulled up to +5 volts and feeds into an input pin on the CPU (pin 108, on page 32 of the service manual).

 

The ONLY thing you should do with pin 4 is tie it to pin 2 (ground) at the Molex socket. Period.

 

Since some say dont combine pin 2&4 for video ground,

They're wrong. They haven't read and understand the schematic.

 

can i use pin 4 as power ground (not video ground)?

Pin 4 is not a ground. All Pin 4 wants in life is to be grounded.

[underground000]

thanks for the clarification, i guess this whole thing was too long and confusing for me, i understand know

[GTurabus]

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[tubbylad]

Gents,

I wish to use a camera on the 05 navigation screen I have but it does not have the aux in or the square molex connection.

Anyone got hack for this set up?

Thanks

Martin

[SVXdc]

I wish to use a camera on the 05 navigation screen I have but it does not have the aux in or the square molex connection.

 

Can you post pictures of the back of your display unit and any label(s)? (and the front, if it looks different than the pictures earlier in this thread)

 

You may need to open up the unit to see if the PC board has unpopulated holes for the Molex socket and related components.

 

I vaguely recall someone saying in the huge 'navi hack' thread that some models don't have the aux video RCA jack, but I thought they all still had the Molex socket for the rear camera.

[cholmes1]

Great Writeup and Information! Thanks for all the pictures, info, and answers SVXdc. Do know if the nav could support/fit a splitter on the rear video input so that I can have multiple devices hooked up without interference?

[BAC5.2]

You could have one device hooked up at a time. There are people who have done just that with a switch in the console.

 

I followed SVX's writeup for this, and everything works perfectly. I have my rear camera wired off of the reverse lights, and it fires up in no time.

 

BUT, are the "guide lines" built into the screen? Or is that a camera function? I ask, because mine are terribly oriented.

[cholmes1]

I think some 'parking aids' are associated with the cameras themselves. However, in my wifes RAV4 we updated the rear camera to a higher res one and it had the same lines being that the nav has a dedicated rear camera line. Since the Legacy was already pre-wired for a rear cam and just did not have one it may be the same way.

 

Have you tried adjusting your camera to better accommodate the orientation of your lines?

[BAC5.2]

Nah, not really. It replaced one of the license plate lights, so it's relatively immobile. It's not THAT off. The side-lines just don't really match the edges of the car.

 

The red line is ~18" projected distance on the ground.

[Drew888]

I still cannot find just the right camera. Yeah I'm a bit picky.

 

I want the best that is also the smallest....Still looking

[BAC5.2]

I wouldn't worry about being the best. It's a reverse camera. You aren't going to get something that streams 1080p, with night vision.

 

I like mine. Completely unobtrusive. With the way the car sits, if you walk around you'd never even notice it was there.

[cholmes1]

Nah, not really. It replaced one of the license plate lights, so it's relatively immobile. It's not THAT off. The side-lines just don't really match the edges of the car.

 

The red line is ~18" projected distance on the ground.

 

My guess is that your lines are slightly off because your camera is not centered and is not placed 'technically' in the intended mounting position. If you can live with it, I would say your setup is fine.

 

Out of curiosity which camera did you get for your Legacy?

[Drew888]

First of all our oem Nav screens are terrible and although 1080p is impossible I need a good quality cam to not make things any worse than they already are. The smaller the better.

 

 

I wouldn't worry about being the best. It's a reverse camera. You aren't going to get something that streams 1080p, with night vision.

 

I like mine. Completely unobtrusive. With the way the car sits, if you walk around you'd never even notice it was there.

[Drew888]

Thanks for that... in searching for the Kenwood I stumbled on the Pioneer ND-BC4.

 

Check it out.

 

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-ND-BC4-Universal-Rear-Camera/dp/B0030RZBIG]Amazon.com: Pioneer ND-BC4 Universal Rear View Camera: Electronics[/ame]