Z4 Rear view camera retrofit

Originally Posted by Ron Stygar

Bimmernav sells the BMW kit with camera for $575.
http://www.bimmernav.com/store/catal...roducts_id=167
They sell a license plate camera with a voltage spec. of 6V to 35V which will work with the BMW kit for the rear or front.
What vender makes the camera you have? Would like to see what else they have.

The shop thought the problem was the module, and felt it wasn't the camera.. I hope this is true because I am sending back the modules now..

BTW here is the model of camera used. They have a lot of good reviews online..

BOYO VTL420

Originally Posted by kav

BTW here is the model of camera used. They have a lot of good reviews online..

BOYO VTL420

BimmerNAV mentions the camera in the video. Sounds like BOYO. Hard to tell.
The camera is .3 Lux.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lux

BOYO:

http://boyovta.com/index.html

Going to try the BOYO cameras.
Local audio guy has them or can get them.
Looking at VTB100, VTB200, VTE100 and VTK100.
All are less than $200.
They come with four wire cables which can match the BMW.
Will be dealing with the BMW rear 6 volts to the camera with it picking a relay to send 12 volts to the camera.

Will be getting or ordering the cameras next week.

Very suspenseful... I am waiting to see what ends up happening and how it turns out.

I can say the build quality on mine seems very good. The wiring was complete. I just need a module now!

Originally Posted by kav

I can say the build quality on mine seems very good. The wiring was complete. I just need a module now!

Lets see what happens with my retrofit.
If it works out, I will be out less than $600 with front and rear camera setup.
Many hours of research and installation.
Since it's my hobby, it's worth every penny for the few seconds rush when it works.

The second pic in the following instruction pic is backwards. Stay focused.



You don't have to remove all of the stuff that I did. Other things going on with that.

Angle drill helped. One shown is 70 degrees. Much more usable versus a right angle one.
Can also use a right angle adapter on a Dremmel tool.

Will start the temporary wiring tomorrow.

One way I use for wiring is crimps with shrink tubing.



Connecting the green reverse wire to the rear light connector X318 pin 5.
Instructions mention pin 3 and 5. 5 is correct. Blue with yellow stripe wire.







There is another green reverse wire (not mentioned) that is long enough to go to the front.
Will add a switch in the panel above the ashtray to activate the rear camera at will.
Adding diodes in both lines for back feed.



I have a connector in the control module camera connector.
Will use that to test the 6V power out to the camera when going into reverse.
Will add a 6V (coil) reed relay to switch 12V to the camera. Will also start the inside wiring.
Depending on snow mode Monday may not get much done.

This is quite a bit more work than I had imagined to install..

Since I have the camera installed already, I'm going to try the TVandNav2Go module. It will be easier to install but won't be OEM. I spoke with the owner and a group buy will be available too if it works out..

Originally Posted by kav

This is quite a bit more work than I had imagined to install..

Since I have the camera installed already, I'm going to try the TVandNav2Go module. It will be easier to install but won't be OEM. I spoke with the owner and a group buy will be available too if it works out..

You still have to do the same connections one way or another.

Got the control module cable dressed to the interior.
NAV is cabled and in place.
Control cable is cut for connection to the blue connector.
Front camera cable goes to there too.
Added a dimmed lighting wire from the NAV area to light up the two cigar sockets
added to the battery cover.
Green wire goes to the panel switch above the ashtray to turn on the reverse camera.
Another will turn on the front camera.
Violet/white wire goes to connecror X322 pin 3 for hot in accy. power.
The cut off cable piece will go to the blue connector for the front camera and sent to the drivers side underdash area.

Now all you need is the Beer can Babe with the flat Head to drive it.With paper bootys and Latex gloves and your set!

When you said the front/rear camera setup will run $600, what does that include?

Originally Posted by kav

When you said the front/rear camera setup will run $600, what does that include?

X3 kit was $297. You will probably pay more.
BOYO cameras are selling for $118.75 with a $179 retail. VTB100 and VTK100.
VTE100 retails for $189.99
VTB200 retails for $199.99
I have to talk with the company for some info. Maybe today.
Once I decide, will see what my local guy will do, discount wise.
He would do 20% for the eclipse etc. ones.

Originally Posted by Ron Stygar

X3 kit was $297. You will porbably pay more.
BOYO cameras are selling for $118.75 with a $179 retail. VTB100 and VTK100.
VTE100 retails for $189.99
VTB200 retails for $199.99
I have to talk with the company for some info. Maybe today.
Once I decide, will see what my local guy will do, discount wise.
He would do 20% for the eclipse etc. ones.

The X3 kits is made specifically for front and rear cameras?

I guess this OEM module would be a lot more integrated in the way it works. I was attracted to the aftermarket modules because video inputs just plug into them with the RCA cable. I spent another $315 today on the NavandTV2go module, not thinking the OEM module would have been roughly the same.

Keep us posted. Great work.

Originally Posted by Ron Stygar

Going to try the BOYO cameras.
Local audio guy has them or can get them.
Looking at VTB100, VTB200, VTE100 and VTK100.
All are less than $200.
They come with four wire cables which can match the BMW.
Will be dealing with the BMW rear 6 volts to the camera with it picking a relay to send 12 volts to the camera.

Will be getting or ordering the cameras next week.

I was just re-reading this post.. I don't think the install shop used a relay to send 12 volts to the camera.. Could this cause the camera to cut in/out??

Originally Posted by kav

I was just re-reading this post.. I don't think the install shop used a relay to send 12 volts to the camera.. Could this cause the camera to cut in/out??

The BMW switchbox puts out 6 volts to the rear camera and 12 volts to the front camera.
So for the rear, a 12 volt camera won't work.
BOYO says that it works from 6V, or 8V or 12 +/- 3V.
So it's 6, 8 or 9. One thing that I'll ask them.
You would have to see what the spec. is for your camera and how much voltage the module you had put out.

To solve the voltage issue, I will use the 6V coming from the switchbox to pick a relay to switch 12V to the rear camera.

Originally Posted by Ron Stygar

The BMW switchbox puts out 6 volts to the rear camera and 12 volts to the front camera.
So for the rear, a 12 volt camera won't work.
BOYO says that it works from 6V, or 8V or 12 +/- 3V.
So it's 6, 8 or 9. One thing that I'll ask them.
You would have to see what the spec. is for your camera and how much voltage the module you had put out.

To solve the voltage issue, I will use the 6V coming from the switchbox to pick a relay to switch 12V to the rear camera.

Reading the instructions for both the camera and the G-Net module and the BOYO camera they require DC 12V. I know that OEM switch module seems output at 6V for some reason but is there any reason to think that any of the power wires they hooked into would have been 6V versus 12V (does BMW routinely use 6V for some reason)?

When you say a 12V camera won't work in the rear, you mean only using the OEM switch box right?

Originally Posted by kav

Reading the instructions for both the camera and the G-Net module and the BOYO camera they require DC 12V. I know that OEM switch module seems output at 6V for some reason but is there any reason to think that any of the power wires they hooked into would have been 6V versus 12V (does BMW routinely use 6V for some reason)?

When you say a 12V camera won't work in the rear, you mean only using the OEM switch box right?

Not aware of any 6 volt stuff.
It's the control module that puts out the 6 volts.
The switchbox sends 12 volts to the control module.
When you switch to reverse the control module outputs the 6 volts to the camera.

Originally Posted by Ron Stygar

Not aware of any 6 volt stuff.
It's the control module that puts out the 6 volts.
The switchbox sends 12 volts to the control module.
When you switch to reverse the control module outputs the 6 volts to the camera.

I started second guessing the install, thinking that maybe that was the reason the camera kept cutting in and out. But since I am not using that switchbox it is unlikely that the 6V issue was the cause.. I'm eagerly awaiting your results.

The cable from the rear control module is way longer than needed.
I cut it to length once it was where it had to be at the switchbox.
This let me have a cable for the front camera with pins on one end.
Had to add pins to the rear cable that got cut.

I called BOYO and talked with Paul Kim with a bunch of questions.
He said to email him a list and he will accomodate.
They have no issue with sharing the information.

May stop by the audio place tomorrow to see what I can find out.

I broke the latch tab on the blue P1 connector.
Thought I had a replacement. The one I had was similar but a slightly different pin.
I started removing the wires from the P1 connector and realized that the one I had wouldn't work.
Put back the two wires checking it out. Two wires are plus and minus installed backwards.

Today, I started dressing the wiring in that area and the P1 cable was looped the wrong way.
Had to remove P1 to fix it and noticed the error. Thank God.

Finished the dressing in that area and decided to fire it up to see if reverse would result with 6V from the control module.
Also the second wire from a switch would do the same along with the NAV screen going black.
Put the battery ground lug back on and turned the key to accy.
Nothing happened radio or NAV wise. Rush not.

Dropped the glove box and 10A fuse 49 was lit. Thanks again Daniel for the LED fuses.
Replaced it and things came alive.
In reverse got the 6V and the NAV screen went black right away. Same with the switched line.
When you remove either it takes around 5 > 8 seconds for the screen to come back.
Rush.
Time to get some cameras.

Exciting stuff!! One of us is having some luck..

Originally Posted by kav

It took another 4 hours to figure out the box was faulty. The rear view camera would continue cutting in and out when the car was put in to reverse. We tried another camera and it did the exact same thing.

I was trying some stuff tonight.
When I put power on the the switchbox it would turn the camera lines on and then go off after a few seconds.
I put the car in reverse gear from outside.
Turns out that the shift lever was in first not reverse.
So the BMW one turns on for a few seconds when powered.
Thought of your problem if they powered the unit with reverse line instead of a line hot in accy.