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Rear camera on while regular driving?

44K views 39 replies 23 participants last post by  RIT333 
#1 ·
Is it possible? That'd be cool, being able to see the cars behind you. It would also help us when changing lanes...
 
#11 ·
The speed of light > the speed of the backup camera.

Try this test, turn on your digital camera, and watch TV via the display.
You will notice a lag. Also, the camera could possibly stick.

For these reasons alone I think until technology is fast enough and tested so it had almost ZERO lag from the time the video camera takes the pic and it appears on the screen I would stick with the mirror. I am not saying it can't be done, but I would want something designed for that use.

As for backing up at 1-5 mph, I think the camera works fine. Just don't think I would trust it at 70 mph.
 
#12 ·
ObNOXious said:
The speed of light > the speed of the backup camera.

Try this test, turn on your digital camera, and watch TV via the display.
You will notice a lag. Also, the camera could possibly stick.

For these reasons alone I think until technology is fast enough and tested that is is almost ZERO lag from the time the video camera takes the pic and it appears on the screen I would stick with the mirror. I am not saying it can't be done, but I would want something designed for that use.

As for backing up at 1-5 mph, I think the camera works fine. Just don't think I would trust it at 70 mph.

The speed of light is 186,000 miles per second. Watching thru the display on your digital camera, the "lag" is due to the picture processing of the camera, not the view itself. The rear view camera is not scaling the info up to 7 or 8 or 12 megapixels and adjusting for light as well as focus. IE there is not nearly the image processing. It is simply a pre focused lense feeding info to a lcd screen.
Have your wife stand behind the vehicle and wave, it is real time. IF you could get the view to the Nav system, I'd feel quite safe with it.
 
#13 ·
I think it's a great idea as well.
GTPprix are you reading this?
;)
GM should have offered a setting in the config screen for "rear camera on", even toggle split-screen view, for those with the 7" display.

When I park in a lot somewhere, I put the vehicle into "R" for a couple seconds to see how well I've lined the vehicle up.
As far as real time, as InPhoenix stated above (read the last part in the quote) it is fairly "real time".

I was backing into the garage yesterday to unload groceries.
The wife just happened to be coming out to dump some trash and I could see her pretty well "real time".
 
#14 ·
chracatoa said:
Nice, though it is ~300.00...

Anyway, does it have any legal (state/federal) or warranty consequences?
I would hazard a guess and say it would void the warranty.
Looking at the installation instructions, you have to splice a wire and add a diode:

If you wish to enable the reverse camera unlock feature you must power up
the factory reverse camera. To do this a wire must be ran from the NU-GM3’s
red camera turn on wire to the factory power wire for the reverse camera.

~~~

3. Connect the red camera turn on wire from the NU-GM3 to the lt. green wire using a diode (Fig E). The diode is needed to prevent the reverse
lights from coming on when the reverse camera is activated.
4. Verify that the reverse lights do not come on when the reverse camera unlock feature is being used.
Not a big deal in the relative sense, but you are modifying the wiring.
If it's just for NAV unlock, maybe it's not as risky, warranty wise, as it's merely a connector.
 
#15 ·
i currently have a radar detector hard wired off the rearview mirror. hot to pin 13 pink, ground to pin 8 blk/wh. the camera could be turned on by using a switch from pin 13 to pin 9 grn/wh. for safety concerns for the circuits, i would put diodes in as well.
_____
------grn/wh----diode-->|------------------------- |16|8|
(unplugged from pin 9) - |15|7|
--------pin 9 |14|6|--
- |13|5| | conn pinout
------pin 13 pink--switch---diode->|--------------- pass side |12|4| | driver side
|11|3|--
|10|2|
|9 |1|
these colors are for 2011 terrain slt2, nox is probably the same ------
 
#16 ·
Hi darren, can you help me ? i need to find a hot wire in the upper console that become a ground when the car turned of...

darrell said:
i currently have a radar detector hard wired off the rearview mirror. hot to pin 13 pink, ground to pin 8 blk/wh. the camera could be turned on by using a switch from pin 13 to pin 9 grn/wh. for safety concerns for the circuits, i would put diodes in as well.
_____
------grn/wh----diode-->|------------------------- |16|8|
(unplugged from pin 9) - |15|7|
--------pin 9 |14|6|--
- |13|5| | conn pinout
------pin 13 pink--switch---diode->|--------------- pass side |12|4| | driver side
|11|3|--
|10|2|
|9 |1|
these colors are for 2011 terrain slt2, nox is probably the same ------
 
#18 ·
SuperMat, you could make your own switchable wire using a relay. take an ign hot wire to run the coil.


switching wire hot/gnd pin 30----o----pin 87 gnd normal key off position
o----pin 87a hot (from fuse panel for example) key on position

ign hot from 12v acc power conn pin 86----coil----pin 85 gnd

key off 30 shorts to 87 gnd, key on 30 shorts to 87a hot
verfiy 30 shoting to correct pins before wiring 87 and 87a
 
#19 ·
Z_Ghost said:
Probably yes to both.
I can see how it would void the warranty but what would the legal problems be? In Illinois you can't have a TV in the front seat, but that applies to DVD or broadcast. It would be no more a distraction than the rearview mirror already is. And the rearview is a requirement. Our Rules of the Road urge drivers to check the rearview when going forward periodically anyway.
 
#20 ·
You can have the rearview camera on while driving, just grab the shifter and slam it into reverse when you are going 40 MPH, ;D
 
#22 ·
One thing that has not been mentioned here about the rear cam. When backing up to a trailer your ball hitch is visible on the screen you can align it to the trailer. The reason I searched for a way to turn the camera on while driving is to check the trailer and what I hope is still on it as I drive down the road. If you have somthing low on a trailer you cannot see it in your mirrors. It could become loose and shift or blow off. The cam is a perfect view for this.
 
#23 ·
I believe it is the BCM or ECM which monitors the shift location and then send out a message to the modules that need it. You would have to find a way to send a message to the radio to make it think that the shifter is in Reverse. GTPrix might be able to do this, but I'm not sure that it would be very easy.
 
#25 ·
Ruger48 said:
Anyone have any updates to this old post.
I took a look at this circuit and it looks fairly simple.
What turns the rear camera on is a battery voltage source from two places.
The first is from the iginition when the key is in the run position, no problem there.
The second is from the BCM when the shifter is put in Reverse.

The second is the same wire that powers the back up lights and interior rear view mirror.
I'm thinking a 12 volt jumper wire, not from the the back up lights wire would test this theory.
If it works you could run a wire on a switch from the drivers seat.
You would want to use a separate wire to keep away from the BCM and not turn on the back up lights.

You would also need a diode to split the power from the factory wire and the new wire from the switch, where they meet at the camera.
Do you feel lucky??
 
#26 ·
OR, pick up a blue tooth camera and pair it with your phone.

It would be easy to do using the existing 12 volt outlet in the rear for a power source and you would not risk screwing up your auto's electrical system

Here are a couple of sources and a couple of UTube videos. The are a little pricey but may be better than what you are trying to do.

http://www.4ucam.com/

http://www.topdawgelectronics.com/wifi-license-plate-backup-camera-for-iphone-android-phones-tablets/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTkuROhSzNU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zG2QQ0fg_4
 
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