Front camera

[velj]

Hi guys, I want to put a front camera in, that will show up on my headunit when I flick a switch, mostly for parking so the bottom bumper doesn't scrape, I don no how to go about this, but If I go ahead what I will do is run the wires from under the bumper to inside the cabin close to the headunit, make up a panel where the smokers pack would go in with a switch for home button( touchscreen overlay) front camera button and any other things I have, does anyone no of this is possible to do? I just don't no how I would connect the camera to the headunit to run off a switch

[ZerOne]

To make this work with just a single switch might be hard to do.
(I dont know enough about the later model Series I headunits that support the Reverse Camera function), so I wont comment on that feature)..

Your best bet would be to source the Park Assist button from a Calais Model (That way it will look factory), and use that to switch the camera on and off.

The Park Assist button is a momentary button, so you would probably need a latching relay so as when you press the park assist button
the Front mounted camera will turn on, and then you could use another relay to switch your AUX video input to use this camera.

So to use the front camera, you would need to,
1) Press the AUX button on your headunit (To display the Aux video),
2) Press the park assist button to turn on your bumper cam, and switch your video input (If you are using it for something else).

Hope this helps.

[velj]

after a bit of thinking, that is what i thought of aswell, pain in the ass lol, i wouldnt have a clue what relays to get or how to connect them

[velj]

I'm confused lol

[velj]

Hey matti
Not that good with relays and stuff, what sort of relay do I need? Any idea on that because I'v got no idea, I have a tough idea on how to wire it but I'm a little confused.
I also have a auto switch from demon8designs
That I have my reverse camera hooked up to.
Am I able to connect a RCA splitter/ adaptor sort of thing to that and then have the camera connected to that? But only have it switched on when I press te park assist button that way I won't need another relay?

[jezzab]

Use your normal rev cam input for the reverse camera as you have it now and run the front camera into the aux input. No point splitting it on the rev cam input because you will have to be in reverse for it to come on

[ZerOne]

A quick 101 on relays for you.

A relay is just like a switch, only it uses power to toggle the switch, instead of someone physically jamming their finger on button to flick the switch.

With relays, these are the specs used to decide what relay is suitable for your purpose.
(Im only listing Automotive uses here, things get a little more complicated when you are talking about high voltages, actuators, and latching (flip flop) relays).

1) Trigger voltage (Volts)
This determines how many volts you need to turn the relay On.
Typically automotive relays have a trigger voltage of "around" 12V (Actually 7-8Volts, but lets not complicate things here).
Low power relays can have triggere voltages as low as 4V, and reed relays can be as low as 1.5V
For Automotive uses, 12V is the standard.

2) Current Carrying Capacity (Amps)
The higher the rating, the more current (and conversly power) the relay can handle before being fried.
For switching a camera, this is not really relevant, as a cameras composite output is around 35ma - 45ma (At 5-6Volts)
You only really need to worry about current capacity when using relays to switch high power devices such as headlights, AC compressors, Starter motors, winches, etc)
A standard Automotive relay can handle 20Amps safely. (Good Bosch relays can handle around 40Amps)

3) Number of "Poles"
A pole is very similar to a physical switch.
If you have 1 pole (Single Pole), then the relay can switch one channel or device.
If you have 2 poles (Double Pole), then the relay can switch two separate channels or devices.
E.g. If you wanted to switch a video signal on or off, you would use a single pole relay
If you wanted to switch stereo audio (either line level, or speaker outputs), then you would use double pole (2 poles),
so as the audio channels are kept separate.

4) Number of "Throws"
A Throw is like how many outputs a relay has.
A single throw (1 throw) relay will either allow the signal to pass, or not.
It has only 1 output, therefore if the relay is on, the voltage, power or signal will pass through the relay.
A double throw (2 throws) relay will either send the power, voltage, signal to one output if the relay is off,
or it will send the power, voltage, signal to the second output if the relay is on.

5) Normally Open / Normally Closed Output.
This term mainly deals with double throw relays, where it specifies if the output terminal is connected when the relay is off, or on.
Normally Closed means that the Normally closed output is connected when the relay is not powered.
Normally Open means that the Normally open output is connected when the relays is powered. (I.E. it is normally not connected (Open Circuit) when the relay is not connected to any power source.

So some examples.
A 12V SPDT relay is a relay with a 12V trigger voltage, which has a single pole (Can handle one device, channel), but has two outputs.
This relay would be suitable for your Video input for your camera.
You would connect camera 1 to one output, and camera 2 to the second output, and connect your Video Input to the relays input.
When the relay is not powered up, Camera 1 will be connected to the Video Input.
When you apply 12V to the relay, Camera 2 will now be connected to the Video Input.

I hope this helps.
(Whats the saying, you can give a man a fish, and he will eat for a day...
Or you can teach a man to fish, and he will eat for a lifetime !)

[velj]

thats true jezza
thanks matti
im currently writing up a diagram of what im trying to do, iv got a rough idea but its just confusing me because im putting in alot of relays, il work it out sooner or later
then il put up a diagram fro everyone to see, thge reason im coming up with more relays in this is because im also going to have the touchscreen over lay soon, and i am going to put in a digital tv reciever to connect to the headunit, :d i can watch sunrise on the way to work bahahahahaha

thanks alot guys.

[jezzab]

Use the Nav input and a VGA to RGBS converter

[velj]

It already has a video input stuff connected there