New Camera install

ctgoldwing · Oct 31, 2020

mikester said:
how viewable is it in the daylight?

Excellent question. It's 30 degrees here but took the tractor out to get some short videos. Not sure how they will show up here but I can say the implement camera is fine for what I want.

The 1st one is just after pulling it out of the garage. Sun is at 4 O'Clock position (right rear)
Tractor camera - sun from rear right - YouTube

This second video is with the sun directly behind and in the images on the second camera (straight back view)
Sun directly behind tractor - YouTube

The last one is up on the driveway with the implement camera. Not in direct sun but very bright day.
in bright daylight but out of direct sun - YouTube

workinonit · Nov 1, 2020

Mine compensates for the direct sunlight. Pretty amazing how well it works.

Tinhack · Nov 1, 2020

I got mine in yesterday. That was quick--One day. Took everything out and looked it over. The one-page instruction sheet was a shocker. I hope everything else is covered in a "Menu" or something. The 5-meter and 15-meter camera cables came in a separate box taped to the side of the camera box. Sort of like an after thought. I didn't look too closely at the cables but I wonder if they can be shortened. I'll look into that later.

I didn't power it up yet to test it. I'm wondering why all the separate power lines. It has a "battery" connection as well as two "ignition" connections. (Plus a ground.) I suspect the battery connection is to retain some memory for option selections but that's not covered in the instruction sheet.

It says one of the ignition lines is a "trigger line". I guess for use as a backup camera. It talks about a grid-line option. What happens if you don't use that trigger line? One camera doesn't work? The sheet says it's not required. Maybe it's used to turn on the optional grid lines. I don't know yet.

I still think it's worth the price of admission but won't know for sure until I power it up and run some tests. Can't wait to put it to use. :dance1:

ctgoldwing · Nov 2, 2020

Tinhack said:
I got mine in yesterday. That was quick--One day. Took everything out and looked it over. The one-page instruction sheet was a shocker. I hope everything else is covered in a "Menu" or something. The 5-meter and 15-meter camera cables came in a separate box taped to the side of the camera box. Sort of like an after thought. I didn't look too closely at the cables but I wonder if they can be shortened. I'll look into that later.

I didn't power it up yet to test it. I'm wondering why all the separate power lines. It has a "battery" connection as well as two "ignition" connections. (Plus a ground.) I suspect the battery connection is to retain some memory for option selections but that's not covered in the instruction sheet. It says one of the ignition lines is a "trigger line". I guess for use as a backup camera. It talks about a grid-line option. What happens if you don't use that trigger line? One camera doesn't work? The sheet says it's not required. Maybe it's used to turn on the optional grid lines. I don't know yet.

I still think it's worth the price of admission but won't know for sure until I power it up and run some tests. Can't wait to put it to use. :dance1:

I ordered 2 3m cables after - the included ones are waaay to long
Amazon.com: Hxchen 3M/1FT Car 4-Pin Aviation Video Extension Cable for CCTV Rearview Camera Truck Trailer Camper Bus Motorhome Vehicle Backup Monitor Waterproof Shockproof System

On the power cable - one is unused (I just taped it back), one is ground and the other two get wired together to +12V

I picked up power in the left fender, the work light plug. iirc its on a 10 amp fuse. I used that to power my little 6 position fuse block as the camera system draws very little and my LED rear lights I'm going to add draw only 4.5 amps.

workinonit · Nov 2, 2020

If this system is similar to mine the trigger lead is used to wire to a switch so that you can use the switch instead of having to fiddle with the monitor to switch between cameras when you are in full screen mode.

Tinhack · Nov 2, 2020

I played around and tested all the features. At first I thought mine was defective. I connected all the power wires together for B+ then connected the black ground (B-). I could only get one camera to work and couldn't get into the menu. Duh. The "trigger" wire is for REVERSE. Do not connect the Green Wire unless you have backup lights (reverse switch). It forces the unit into one camera mode. And get this; For backing up!

After looking around to make sure no one saw me do that, I separated the three "power" wires. I tested each with the ground connected and took note of the function.

The Red Wire should be connected to a BATTERY (B+) source. This wire provides power to the internal CLOCK. It should remain connected if you want to use date/time to keep track of videos or images. If you disconnect the red wire, the date/time reverts to a factory default. (April 18, 2020 in my case) I didn't check all the system settings but the ones I did check remained as I set them. So it does have some internal memory. Or it may record them to the SD card. (I'll have to check that to be sure.)

The Yellow Wire should be connected to an IGNITION (B+) source. This is the primary power for the unit. The unit/camera(s) will not function without this wire being energized.

The Green Wire, as mention earlier, is the B+ source to trigger the backup mode. It should be connected to a backup light circuit or switch. Power to this wire will force the unit into a camera two view with guide lines (if turned on in system settings). This view uses the entire screen and locks out camera one no matter what view option is set. This mode also locks out the menu and console settings/buttons.

The Black Wire is the unit ground (B-). This wire should remain connected as it provides ground for the CLOCK circuit as well as the display/camera system.

My unit worked great. I was able to record video in time segments as selected in the settings. This can be set to 1, 3, 5 or 10 minute segments. This is the same way my auto dash cams function. It will record continuously but the file(s) are broken into time segments. You can elect to record from either or both cameras. Or not at all. I decided to mount my console in a fixed location with power and make a weatherproof cover for it. I don't want to keep setting the date and time every time I use the tractor. It doesn't draw much power to keep the clock going.

mcfarmall · Nov 4, 2020

The back up camera on my 2011 F150 recently failed...not surprising for a Ford. A new camera is $555 and the short harness that runs from the camera to the vehicle inside the tailgate is $48. Might pick up one of these and mount it with a magnetic base for hooking up the trailer then stow it in the vehicle between uses. Maybe power it up through a cigrit lighter plug.