Rydeen ZH07-150B Not working on 6V
 

For some reason my camera does not work on 6v. I tried testing it out by using 4 AA batteries and the camera did not work. I used a multimeter and checked the voltage, and it was 6v+. I had to add another AA (total 5) to get the camera to work, voltage was 8v+.


The reason why I tested it out with batteries was because it wouldn't work when I connected it to the svxdc harness first, as a test.


Can anyone with the Rydeen chime in on this?


I am using this thread as my instructions. http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32452

It's possible that Rydeen changed the design slightly. That happened with one of the TomTop cameras -- see posts starting here (around Sep 19, 2013), and my reply on Nov 13. TomTop added resistors to their voltage converter, I suspect to counter the 'blazing hot' problem some of their cameras had (when powered from 12V for a long time).

It's also possible that your Rydeen is a counterfeit. We've seen that happen with a BOYO camera (also see post #99 there). There are other Chinese cameras that look very similar to the Rydeens.

I see you posted a for-sale thread for the harness, where you said you think the camera is a knock off.

On the DUO that I bought last year, there is a sticker on the back of the camera (below the threaded stud). It has:

RYDEEN
Model:ZH07-150B
S/N 133xxxxxxxxxx

The exterior of the product box has the same S/N in two places. Rydeen's boxes have full color graphics and pictures on every side. [ADDED: see picture in sure74's thread here]

On the camera, there is also a small, round QC sticker, also on the side with the stud, with date code (indicating December 2013 on mine).

The MINy I got at the same time is similar. I can add pictures later.

Does your camera have anything like that? Did the seller claim it was a Rydeen?

If you can find a Metra 70-1761 harness or equivalent (for 1987-up Toyotas -- very common), you can easily re-pin the 6-pin portion to use on your car's Option Connector harness, to grab +12V Accessory power.

You'd still need to add a 6V relay. If you have any Radio Shacks still open there, they might have a suitable relay.

Alternatively, you could offer the camera to someone with an aftermarket HU (if you haven't already installed it), and get a real Rydeen.

I remember seeing the QC sticker. I removed it when I installed the camera. I don't remember the date. It did not come with a S/N and did not come in the original box. I am positive this must of been a knockoff. The price was too good to be true.


I installed the camera yesterday and ran all the wires to the back of the HU. I tested it out using my 12v battery pack and the picture quality looks good. I ordered the autoharnesshouse harness. Its cheaper to sell your harness and buy the other harness with the relay. I could easily splice into a 12v source but I hate splicing into any stock harness (personal preference).


http://www.ebay.com/itm/271737074714...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

I also ordered a Rydeen ZH07-150B Mobile DUO Mini Backup Camera from the same eBay vendor, a 16 pin rear camera harness, and a reverse gear wire from SVXdc. Before I purchased the camera I emailed the vendor and asked if it came with the same accessories as the boxed version. He replied yes. I received the camera today.
Like 808BRZ's camera it did not have a model#/serial# sticker on it, only QC stickers. The round QC sticker on the camera date code is 11/14. It could be that this vendor is buying them in bulk from Rydeen or their distributor.
I have not yet received the 16 pin camera harness so I purchased 4 cheap heavy duty 1.5V C cell batteries from the Dollar Tree to test it on my TV. I checked them in series with my multimeter and got 6.48V. Hooked the camera up to my TV and to the batteries and got a clear picture with the guide lines.

So hopefully it will work on 6V with SVXdc's 16 pin camera harness. I'll post back when I receive it and test the camera.

808BRZ,
If your camera will not work on 6V contact the vendor.

That's interesting. Let me know what happens when you install the harness. Maybe I'll try again this weekend.

If yours really is a knockoff, you have grounds for a chargeback through eBay.

You might try asking Rydeen if they ever sold any without serial numbers (but I'm guessing they didn't, for just this reason).

Another possibility (though remote) is that you received an authentic Rydeen camera, but a knock-off cable (with a 3.3V voltage converter that requires slightly more than 6V to work). Other manufacturers are using similar style micro sized 4-pin connectors on their cameras.

I sent an email with pics of the Rydeen camera that this eBay vendor is selling to Rydeen. I also contacted the vendor and asked if this was a genuine Rydeen camera and why it did not have a serial#/model# sticker on it. He told me that he purchased them from Rydeen in bulk.
This vendor also has a website where he sells Rydeen? cameras. http://www.backup-camera.com/
Here's the reply from Rydeen's director of sales and marketing:
"We do not sell to any On Line merchants and if a product is missing a serial number it will not have a warranty no matter what it's origin is. Unlike Costco, we do not sell "bulk" items. Sorry, I can't be of more assistance but when you buy products from ebay you are taking a risk. Good luck with your purchase."

I also received the wire harness and reverse trigger wire from SVXdc this week. I installed the reverse trigger wire and the wire harness today and hooked the camera up to it. Like yours, 808BRZ, NO PICTURE. I am getting 6.11V from the wire harness.
I again hooked the camera up to my TV and used 4 C cell batteries, 6.48V total and got a picture. Then I tried 4 AA batteries, 6.32V total, NO PICTURE.

So is this a fake Rydeen, or did the vendor buy it from another source and Rydeen changed their voltage specs??

Now I have to tap into a 12V line to get this camera to work or file a claim with eBay.

And what about other online vendors who are selling Rydeen cameras? If Rydeen does not sell to online vendors where are they getting theirs?
http://www.al-eds.com/Rydeen-Mobile-...0B-p22239.html
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Rydeen-RYD-ZH07150B-NightVision-Technology/dp/B00GQTYG3Q"]http://www.amazon.com/Rydeen-RYD-ZH07150B-NightVision-Technology/dp/B00GQTYG3Q[/ame]

Given Rydeen's reply, I now suspect that the eBay vendor found a knock-off that looks virtually the same as the Rydeen camera. He may be bundling those with actual Rydeen cables (since the stickers on the cables do look identical to Rydeen's, including the misspelled word). Perhaps he's installing or selling the real Rydeen cameras elsewhere (and charging a higher price), bundling those with an equivalent cable (perhaps the ones intended for the knock-off cameras). But this is just a theory.

At least in the case of Al & Ed's, I think they're mainly a brick & mortar chain of car stereo installation shops who happens to sell some things on the internet. Rydeen may be giving them a pass due to the volume of cameras they purchase for their own installs.

For your tests from batteries, check the voltage while the camera is connected. It's possible that your AAs weren't maintaining 6V while under load.

@SVXdc
Which wire on on which harness should I tap for 12V? I'm going to use a Posi-Tap.
Attachment 105999

Thanks,
Bob

Edit: From the pics it looks like the ACC wire on the 10 pin harness should work.

Correct. But I recommend using the Option Connector harness, especially if you can get a 70-1761 or equivalent (radio harness for recent Toyota models). Even Walmart stocks those. See my post #3, above.

If you plan to do that without a relay, first check how hot the camera's voltage converter gets (inside the plastic "nodule") when powered from 12V for several minutes.

I filed a "It's a counterfeit or fake" return request with ebay on the Rydeen?? Duo camera I purchased. The vendor issued me a full refund. He still insisted that it was not a fake, but would not tell me why it was missing the serial# / model# sticker. He also told me to keep it, not to send it back to him. If it was a real Rydeen why would he not want it back.
Caveat Emptor. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rydeen-ZH07-...item3f497ea254

SVXdc was correct about Al and Ed's AutoSound. I found out from them that they are the largest distributor and an authorized retailer of Rydeen cameras. Crutchfield will also be selling Rydeen cameras online.
http://www.al-eds.com/Rydeen-Mobile-...0B-p22239.html

Thanks SVXdc for all your help.

Well just so happens, I got my harness from autoharnesshouse today and installed it. It looks to be working good. I think I'll keep the camera even though it could be a knockoff.

I just re-read this. You got a full refund and you get to keep the camera? Maybe I should do that since I plan to keep the camera anyways. I did have to spend an extra $32 to purchase another harness that uses 12v source and a relay.