reverse camera connection

[hobson]

Can anyone give me a clue as to how to get my reverse camera working?!
it was already installed (and working!) when we got the RV but had a huge glass screen moniter hanging over the dash, so i've taken the old one off and installed a lovely new lcd screen from Halfords.
problem is, i can't get a signal from the camera!
i've got the power hooked up and the screen comes on fine with the ignition, but i cannot get a signal from the camera.
the only lead going to the camera is an S-Video lead (picture below) but no power leads, a friend who's good with tv's and dvd's has had a look and is puzzled as he says he's never seen an S-Video lead carry power.
the original fittings had black, red and blue wire's going into a plastic box type clip connector, and the S-Video lead, thats it.
the black and red are the power but i have no idea what the blue wire does.
i know this might be hard to answer but please, any clues?

 

[Jim]

It may well be a special lead that carries power as well. Bog standard S video lead has four pins and no power. Is there a local supply to the camera you've missed maybe?

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[dave newell]

Plenty of reversing camera systems use what some might mistake for an "S video" cable. What it is in reality is a multicore cable with mini din plug and sockets on either end either four or six pin depending on the make. The power, return, video and audio signals are all carried in that one cable (some that use six core cable also have a power supply to a lens heater and a reverse image switching feed). There is no set standard for which pin does what but your TV friend should be able to work it out from the original monitor which will probably have supplied the power for the camera.

D.

 

[scotjimland]

Hi hobson

this may help, this is how my camera is connected using the S video plug..

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The blue wire is sometimes used to switch the monitor on when reversing.. don't need to use.. if you want the monitor on all the time.

 

[hobson]

Re

Wow,

thanks everyone, glad someone knows what they're doing! that makes more sense, i was arguing that the lead to the camera (s-video or not) must be carrying power as there are no other leads going into what is a sealed unit camera!
so i'm glad about that, but i'm still unsure how to connect them together, i've now done a diagram of what i have to work with, would have done it last night but was up verrrry late trying to make it work! :shout:

so here's the parts i have:

S-Video to female phono adaptor
phono to phono lead

these were sold me by Maplins who told me 'thats what i need'

and here's the diagram:

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[hobson]

Oh, and theres a seven pin S-video connector which connects the monitor to the monitor leads.

 

[hobson]

help again!

Regarding this thread, i've been told that the camera might be NTSC format rather than PAL, and it might not work even if i sort the wiring as the screen is british and thus PAL.
does anyone know if the camera (standard on a Tiffin Allegro) would be in NTSC format?

 

[pappajohn]

on my cheapy setup the BLUE wire connects to the reverse light switch on the g/box.....which automaticaly turns on reverse image when reverse gear is selected....which, in my opinion, is a stupid setup....how many of you look over your shoulder when reversing a motorhome/RV which, in effect, is what it does....left of screen becomes right of van...as if you where looking out the rear window.
mine is used as a rear view mirror in place of the standard mirror(disconnected blue wire) but with a much bigger field of view than the normal screen mounted mirror.

i still use the normal mirror but only to see which cupboard has just pucked its contents onto the floor....oh:

 

[dave newell]

Regarding this thread, i've been told that the camera might be NTSC format rather than PAL, and it might not work even if i sort the wiring as the screen is british and thus PAL.
does anyone know if the camera (standard on a Tiffin Allegro) would be in NTSC format?

As its a yankee job the camera is almost certainly going to be NTSC (Never The Same Colour (twice)) but most LCD screens are now multi standard so should be able to cope with it.

As for wiring it up, until you know which pin of the lead should be carrying +12V and which pin -12V and which are the audio and video signals respectively you're playing a risky game, get the + and - ones the wrong way round and you could fry the camera, likewise if you put +12volts into the video signal connection it could goose the sensor chip in the camera. If you still have the old monitor you can check for which pins carry the + and - feeds then trial and error will give you the video and audio connections.

D.

 

[hobson]

Re

Thanks a lot Dave, unfortunately a threw the old monitor away thinking it's be a straight swap! how wrong i was....:Blush:

spoke to Halfords and they confirmed that the screen is multi format, so thats ok, just need to find out how to get power to the screen and camera from one source, and how to connect the video feed! not much then!

i wish i could get the Rv to Telford and get it done properly, but i can't move it anywhere at present.

i'm thinking about using the mirrors!

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[pappajohn]

have you checked the monitor menu to see if video input is set NTSC or Auto ?
with it being a UK monitor it could be set to PAL by default.

 

[hobson]

Re

i'm told the monitor switches automatically between formats.
the problem is getting power to the camera lead and monitor, then connecting the video feed....
i put a diagram of the wiring on the thread, but i can't work out how to connect it up, i know it's do-able, i just lack the knowledge!

 

[pappajohn]

on my setup there is a connection box inline with the cam/monitor wire.
from this there is red/black/blue wires. red=batt+, black=earth, blue=reverse switch and the main cable to cam and monitor.
the main wire is a 4 core....1 power, 1 earth, 1 video, 1 audio. (video and audio using the same common earth as the power.
these all connect through the box to both cam and monitor so powering both.

the audio is a waste of time....cable shielding quality is very poor and picks up all kinds of RF interference so i dont use audio.
i'd sooner 'see' what im gonna hit than 'hear' what i have hit.

 

[hobson]

Re

Thanks Papa!

I agree, i need some kind of box to split the power and connect the video, i'm going to pop into Maplins today with the wiring and camera and see if they have a connection box to connect it all together, clearly the old monitor had that built in! (live and learn!)
hopefully now, with the advice from you all i'll get it working!

 

[hobson]

Oh dear...

Unfortunately it's all gone pear shaped, after my optimistic expedition to Maplins, it seems they have even less idea than me how to join it all up!
there's one other person who might have an idea, but after that i think i'll 'fix' it with my old favourite -the lump hammer!

grrrr

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[pappajohn]

have you considered buying a camera suited to the monitor and renew the wiring.
yes, a lot of work routing the wires, but worth it in the end.

i wouldnt even consider a wireless system.....too unreliable over that sort of distance and you need power to the camera anyway.

 

[dave newell]

There is another way to establish which wires do what but it means removing the camera and opening it up to see which wires go where. you do need to know what you're looking at though.

D.