Using aux A/V input for Front camera

[Doborder]

Based on the below discussion, I was interested in starting a thread on how to get a front camera to prevent curb rash in the front.

Short answer: Nobody has yet figured out how to turn off the HU's built-in parking guide lines.

Tricking the FT nav HU into displaying the camera image while not in reverse would be easy -- just cut the reverse wire (or extract factory wire and replace with a new pin/wire), and use a switch to connect +12V to the HU's reverse gear input.

Removing the HU's built-in guide lines is the catch. Unless there's a secret dealer menu option that we don't know about, there may not be any solution for this.

A quicker solution would be to connect your camera to the unused video portion of the aux A/V input. You'll need to do the parking brake hack (and I think the VSS hack, also) to allow viewing that video while driving. You would have to switch to your aux input to see it (so you'd no longer be able to listen to your radio, disc, USB, iPod, etc. during that time).

Anyone who wants to pursue the aux video input: Start a new thread and I'll be happy to reply there with more details.

[Doborder]

My thought are to use SVXdc's RCA cable to tap into the empty slots on the 28-pin harness (pins 13 and 14) per previous discussion by SVXdc. Then I need a external switch to turn on or off the AUX video. My question is whether this will work with the car driving? I really only need this on at <1-2 mph. Do I need to disable the VSS and parking brakes?
I have the same set up on my GTR and only disabled the parking brake, but not the VSS.
Any thoughts?
SVXdc please jump in

[Foobar]

I think you're on the right track - use the aux input (not the rear cam), you won't get the parking lines and you'll most likely need to do the VSS bypass.

[MmmDieselFumes]

Not sure about the BRZ's HU, but this is what I was working on for the FRS. Might be able to modify it to suit the pin-out on your BRZ.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31431

Afaik the gridlines were supposedly built into the camera, not the HU.

[Doborder]

I am not really savvy in wire diagram, but all I want to do to switch on the RCA output to the AUX on demand. I want to use this for a FRONT camera, not REAR. I don't care about guidelines as it will be going to AUX.
I just need to know whether I need to do the VSS switch or not to see if I can see AUX. The car will be going very slow (ie parking speed).
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31431- looks like a good start. I think I can use this info

More input please

[MmmDieselFumes]

Originally Posted by Doborder

I am not really savvy in wire diagram, but all I want to do to switch on the RCA output to the AUX on demand. I want to use this for a FRONT camera, not REAR. I don't care about guidelines as it will be going to AUX.
I just need to know whether I need to do the VSS switch or not to see if I can see AUX. The car will be going very slow (ie parking speed).
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31431- looks like a good start. I think I can use this info

More input please

I'm pretty sure that the guidelines are built into the camera module itself, so you probably won't be able to turn them off without replacing the camera. Don't think that the VSS signal has much to do with kicking the HU into "Camera Mode", just the 12v reverse-signal wire that provides signal to the HU when you're in reverse. Most of this is just speculation from what I've learned about the HU on the FRS, but what I imagine you'll need to do is:

1.) Replace rear camera with a different camera module (if you're wanting to disable the gridlines when in reverse).
2a.) Install a front camera wherever you want it.
2b.) Run RCA wires to back of HU area.
3.) Use 2x DPDT relays with a toggle to switch inputs from front or rear camera on demand (I have a diagram how to do that on my other thread).
4.) Use one more DPDT relay with toggle to switch to keep it throwing the HU into "reverse-mode" when thrown into reverse automatically, or to kick it into camera mode on demand.

All you'll need to do is identify the RCA input wires and the 12v reverse signal wire on the back of the HU.

[Foobar]

BRZ HU provides guidelines on rear (it doesn't come from the cam). If your cam has lines, you end up with both.

AUX doesn't show lines. I believe svxdc already tested this.

Perhaps he can comment on the VSS.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

[MmmDieselFumes]

Originally Posted by Foobar

BRZ HU provides guidelines on rear (it doesn't come from the cam). If your cam has lines, you end up with both.

AUX doesn't show lines. I believe svxdc already tested this.

Perhaps he can comment on the VSS.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

Ahhh ok then, NOW I see why y'all are trying to use the AUX (in which case you definitely will need to somehow inhibit the VSS signal to the HU to get the AUX to work while moving).

Depending on how hard that'll be (no idea, haven't looked into the VSS on the FRS yet, though it's on my list of to-do for enabling full phone control while moving), it might still be easier to go the tap-n-relay the rear camera route. Would having gridlines necessarily be a bad thing, especially if you're using it to prevent curb-rash?

[Foobar]

Originally Posted by MmmDieselFumes

Ahhh ok then, NOW I see why y'all are trying to use the AUX (in which case you definitely will need to somehow inhibit the VSS signal to the HU to get the AUX to work while moving).

Depending on how hard that'll be (no idea, haven't looked into the VSS on the FRS yet, though it's on my list of to-do for enabling full phone control while moving), it might still be easier to go the tap-n-relay the rear camera route. Would having gridlines necessarily be a bad thing, especially if you're using it to prevent curb-rash?

I disabled the VSS by putting in an inline STDP switch on VSS line going to the HU. I have not yet had a chance to test the AUX input though. It should be noted, however, that some firmware versions of the BRZ HU also incorporate GPS as part of its VSS test, so the switch on the VSS line won't be enough.

[MmmDieselFumes]

Originally Posted by Foobar

I disabled the VSS by putting in an inline STDP switch on VSS line going to the HU. I have not yet had a chance to test the AUX input though. It should be noted, however, that some firmware versions of the BRZ HU also incorporate GPS as part of its VSS test, so the switch on the VSS line won't be enough.

Right on, glad to hear it's a simple fix. Should be able to break the gps data wire to accomplish the same thing, though GPS navigation would be broken till continuity is restored (which shouldn't make a difference, since you wouldn't be able to use navigation while displaying a video feed anyways).