16' Series Rear Cameras-Again!

[Mosue]

I've just bought a set for my 120 Prado and offroad Expanda poptop from 'Safety Daves'- they should arrive next week.
Does anyone have photos of how/where they drilled through the cupboards to fix the rear camera as there isnt a lot of room between the bed and pop top And its all curved surface????
And where was best to run the cable to get it to the drawbar? -I work well with photos!ha!

Same again with the prado, Ive got a number plate mounted camera, but the bloke on the phone was saying he doesnt mount them on there but the black panel above the plate-how the hell does that panel come off???? And do you then run the cables under the car or through all the interior panels..breaking the securing clips as I go!!

I'd appreciate anyones knowledge on these two issues please...in detail as I'm not the brightest spark ha!

 

[bigcol]

@dagree should be able to help you with the Pradoh fitting

the Van, I fitted mine on the rear bumper on the right hand side, its neat, and out of the way
you can see its on the right hand side of the spare wheel carrier

 

[dagree]

@Mosue My van's camera is mounted on the rear spare wheel carrier. I ran the cable (Enclosed in split conduit) under the van and cable tied to hoses and/or other cables with it running up inside the wheel carrier support.


Helps when you have a short assistant


With the camera on the Prado..... All cables were run along under the door sills on the passengers side and access is available to the underneath of the vehicle near the left hand tail light (Good spot to patch into the reverse wiring also). The camera is mounted on the rear bumper just above the towbar. Perfect spot for reversing up to the van or other trailers...... I have nicknamed it "The Marriage Saver"



Worst part was pulling the dash apart to get the cables from the head unit to the door sills!!!!

 

[dagree]

And do you then run the cables under the car or through all the interior panels..breaking the securing clips as I go!!

Cables can be run through the rear panels without full removal of them...... I got one of these "Cable Feeder" from Bunnings and managed to feed it through, tape the cable to it, and pull it through!

The hard part with getting a cable into the rear door is feeding it through the rubber tube between the car and door. As far as I can renenber you can get to the back of the black panel by taking the rear doors panel off!

 

[Mosue]

@dagree should be able to help you with the Pradoh fitting

the Van, I fitted mine on the rear bumper on the right hand side, its neat, and out of the way
you can see its on the right hand side of the spare wheel carrier

View attachment 47688

Thanks, I'm still liking the idea of up high for more vision- as I want it more for approaching vehicles than reversing( got a loud wife for that!

 

[Mosue]

@Mosue My van's camera is mounted on the rear spare wheel carrier. I ran the cable (Enclosed in split conduit) under the van and cable tied to hoses and/or other cables with it running up inside the wheel carrier support.
View attachment 47691
View attachment 47692
Helps when you have a short assistant


With the camera on the Prado..... All cables were run along under the door sills on the passengers side and access is available to the underneath of the vehicle near the left hand tail light (Good spot to patch into the reverse wiring also). The camera is mounted on the rear bumper just above the towbar. Perfect spot for reversing up to the van or other trailers...... I have nicknamed it "The Marriage Saver"
View attachment 47690

View attachment 47693
Worst part was pulling the dash apart to get the cables from the head unit to the door sills!!!!

Ha! Thanks for that- it's becoming clearer now what I need to do. Thankfully I haven't got a head unit in getting a dash mount monitor, so no ripping the dash apart if I can help it.- when it comes in interiors I have a habit of breaking the securing clips and bits never go back as they should!! Ha!

 

[Dobbie]

What angle of view are you getting?

I'm going through the same exercise but will put in a head unit .....I just need to sort out the camera which will go with it and looking for angle of around the 100degrees.

Most seem to be 150 plus....the ones I've had a quick look at.

@dagree ....most impressed with communication from Digoptions.....will let you know when it's finalised but they've recommended a setup which should fit our needs.

now have to save up to pay for it!

 

[bigcol]

Thanks, I'm still liking the idea of up high for more vision- as I want it more for approaching vehicles than reversing( got a loud wife for that!

mine is only ever used to keep me occupied while driving, I have SWMBO to help direct when reversing

- whoa betide not listening to her....... life's not worth living for a day or two

 

[Mosue]

Head Units-I was going to replace the stereo with a touch screen unit, but felt it would be hard to change the radio station, bluetooth etc when there is constant video feed from the road behind on the screen with all the icons?- is it something you get used to or its an issue? I like having music or audiobooks going while on a journey. At a audio store near me they recommended a Kenwood unit for the Prado, needed extra connections for the constant feed, but I wasnt convinced I'd like the result, hence the monitor. But that could change!

 

[bigcol]

I have a monitor down by the bottom of the gear sticks for the cameras (car and Van)

I have a double din unit that I have yet to fit

 

[Dobbie]

Yep.

For what it's worth....the Digoptions unit seems to be plug and play. (Plug and play by my auto electrician....not me)

with GPS..suburban and off-road (ozexplore?) double din, wifi, two camera inputs and the usual Bluetooth music iPod etc. it even comes with a hard disk and games ...they'll never be used.

One thing I'm checking out, apart from the technicals, is whether the screen display will be too colourful. I hate a busy screen so want to be able to keep it as simple as possible. It has the option to split screen (3).

I'm also hoping this enormous jump in technology by me is not going to challenge me too much.

 

[achjimmy]

I've just bought a set for my 120 Prado and offroad Expanda poptop from 'Safety Daves'- they should arrive next week.
Does anyone have photos of how/where they drilled through the cupboards to fix the rear camera as there isnt a lot of room between the bed and pop top And its all curved surface????
And where was best to run the cable to get it to the drawbar? -I work well with photos!ha!

Same again with the prado, Ive got a number plate mounted camera, but the bloke on the phone was saying he doesnt mount them on there but the black panel above the plate-how the hell does that panel come off???? And do you then run the cables under the car or through all the interior panels..breaking the securing clips as I go!!

I'd appreciate anyones knowledge on these two issues please...in detail as I'm not the brightest spark ha!

Hey mate with our expanda I took pics but seems I never posted them? Basicllay through the curved section on top along horizontally inside the top cupboard to the corner and then down inside some 25mm x 12mm rec plastic conduit stuck in the corner near the alloy frame for the opening. Through the lower cupboard under the mattress straight through the floor and either along the chassis rail or inside it. If Inside Coming out through a hole you need to make in the chassis where it meets the a frame then up inside the a frame. For the last bit follow my starcraft thread as I did the same. Good luck took about 5-6 hours.

 

[darcy305]

Hi All, I have just done this with our 2015 17.56.1 we have just traded our Pajero in on a 2012 Prado 150 series. I had the digoptions head unit installed last week it has so far been a good choice there was a few small glitches with the unit but all are now sorted with a software update. The unit is extremely easy to use, the installer managed to wire up my safety dave rear view camera into the head unit with a small modification so as when the van is attached we can either view the rear of the van or the rear of the car when reversing with the flick of a switch, the picture on the rear view camera is excellent. The only down side is that i can't have the rear view camera on the screen whilst playing music through the head unit. If that becomes a problem later on we still have the option of using the safety dave monitor attached to the windscreen. We haven't been away since the new car was purchased so will have to wait and see on that one, We can change the input from rear view camera to another input eg ipod,cd,radio via the steering wheel controls so it should be fine Hopefully!!.
As to running the cable for the camera in the van it was quite easy. I ran the cable down the inside of the draw bar along the drivers side using some yellow tongue, then ran it along the chassis using the existing cable clips for the electric brakes all the way to the last cross member then took the cable to the opposite side of the van and drilled a hole through the floor in the corner of the wardrobe, ran it up the inside of the robe drilled a hole through the back of the robe into the overhead cupboards at the rear, accross to the middle of the van and out the back. The cables aren't visible anywhere unless you open the cupboard doors.

P.S @Dobbie Matt from digoptions advised me that the split screen units are no longer available they where an older model.

 

[Dobbie]

Ok...thanks...he emailed me on Friday with the specs so I'll check.

Worth knowing.

 

[dagree]

but felt it would be hard to change the radio station, bluetooth etc when there is constant video feed from the road behind on the screen with all the icons?- is it something you get used to or its an issue?

No issue with the digoption @Mosue with the picture in picture mode! (Not much to look at as the van was parked up to the fence!!)



Full Screen


Picture in Picture

 

[dagree]

now have to save up to pay for it!

Save a few extra dollars and get the Tyre Management System as well Then you can let me know if it's worth my while getting one as well!!!!

 

[Dobbie]

I can't face the thought of having yet another piece of technology.

I thought all I had to do to manage tyres was to do a walk around, kick each one in turn and if it yelps ....add some air sometime in the future....and if farts....remove a bit more when I remember.

Gee...by the time I get hitched up with all these multiple connectors, check the GPS, see if the cameras are working, tune the radio, do the Bluetooth connectivity, I'll be exhausted.

so...thanks @dagree ... but I'll reject your kind offer to road test the tyre management system on your behalf...but it was kind of you to offer.

 

[achjimmy]

I've run a TPMS for years. They are great no idea about digital options ones. I haven't met too many that don't rate them and can see Why they are mandatory in the US. It's not about exact pressures but knowing when a tyre is deflating or overheating.

 

[Bellbirdweb]

I've run a TPMS for years. They are great no idea about digital options ones. I haven't met too many that don't rate them and can see Why they are mandatory in the US. It's not about exact pressures but knowing when a tyre is deflating or overheating.

Likewise, have been running TPMS for 15 years. I'd love to have one integrated into the head unit, but haven't found one that can monitor all 11 of my wheels yet, they usually only do 5

 

[dagree]

I can't face the thought of having yet another piece of technology.

so...thanks @dagree ... but I'll reject your kind offer to road test the tyre management system on your behalf...but it was kind of you to offer.

The plan was...... To get you to save and buy it then realise you didn't need it so I could offer you 50% of the purchase price and end up with a TPMS system for myself :barbershop_quartet_member:
"Another failed plan"