For those of you that are interested, I'm just starting my project on ICC integration.

History: I had a bit of an incident during the summer break, when the Caravan I was towing 'popped' off the ball whilst I was reversing, and took a bit of a chunk out of my rear 'bar. So it was either going to cost me for repair/respray out of pocket, or the excess on insurance was going to hit me $500. I thought rather than spend money to get back where I was, I would take the opportunity to spend the money and get something out of it. It was much easier getting this past the 'financial controller' now that I had to spend money anyway.

So what to do. Well, I figured a reverse camera would do most of the trick, but I needed to find a camera that would do what I want - namely fill the damaged area. It turns out I found a camera that would do just that, and would also do the image-reversal and have Infra-Red for night-time use. Brilliant.

I picked this unit for $85 including shipping. I'll place an order for it this week and will take snaps of the bits I find relevant. Of course I have yet to engineer a mounting solution behind the bumper, so when I have that figured I'll pass it on.

I have chosen a local Video Converter to do the reverse Camera and an internal camera. At first I was just going to use this $169 unit and do the switching manually. The vendor advised me it should work with a BA. However, I ended up choosing the more advanced multi-input unit that auto detects PAL/NTSC input and converts it to an NTSC RGB Output. Simplifies my job installing it, and also gives me the option to use PAL devices in the future. $292.. Since I'm a local, I'll be hoping to get away from work tomorrow a get one.

For power filtering I'll be getting an Aerpro AP300 12V Power Filter from Supercheap auto down the road. Not sure of the price yet.

Thanks to another thread here, I got an Aerpro 711761 connector from Supercheap Auto for about $18, and have taken some snaps for you to see.

(edit) Image of Aerpro Connectors are below (edit)

I will be getting power from the Mobile-Phone 4-prong plug behind the fuse box, so the only splicing I'll have to do is of the reverse lights, which may also be used to power a set of cheap reverse sensors.


So here we go......



Lukeyson

Last edited by Lukeyson on Thu Jun 19, 2008 9:06 pm, edited 4 times in total.

Ok so your hooking up a reversing camera and using hte BA ICC screen? SOunds like a funky project.

I got my new TV the other day, with dual RCA. My goal is to run the DVD off one RCA input/output ports and a rversing camera I got off Ebay, same guy, off hte seocnd set of ports.

Cant wait to see it using the ICC screen though.

Just toying with the attachments stuff below.


Lukeyson

 

 

Attachments:

File comment: Aerpro 711761 plugs - front view 100_0728.jpg [ 73.21 KiB | Viewed 264 times ]

File comment: Aerpro 711761 in packaging 100_0720.jpg [ 102.71 KiB | Viewed 275 times ]

And, for those wanting to either cringe or have a laugh at my expense, here's the damage done to the rear.

You'll note that I am just trying to cover the larger section to the right of the towball. I have no solution for the smaller scratch above the ball, except for maybe a 'bump' strip to cover this and to protect the reverse camera from smaller incidents in the future (I use a trailer quite a lot).

 

 

Attachments:

File comment: Damage done to 2003 BA Falcon XR8 rear bumper after a caravan 'popped' off the ball when reversing. 100_0730.jpg [ 119.34 KiB | Viewed 219 times ]

You mounting the camera in the big mark?

How are you going to kepe the camera safe? I was thinking of mounting it 1-2mm behind a fibreglass wall or perspex shield of some sort.

Well, as that part of it is still up for adjustment, I was going to take a closer look at the camera once I have it to see what I might be able to do. From the image below, it looks like the iris and ir leds are covered by a clear glass/perspex section already. The unit is weatherproff as well. But mounting it so it looks professional is key, so I'll take my time and plan what I'm going to do once I know the exact dimensions of the unit and what I am dealing with.

 

 

Attachments:

File comment: Reverse Camera - optional image reversal, Infra-red night image. Has audio as well. Can be NTSC or PAL. Revers5.jpg [ 15.77 KiB | Viewed 178 times ]

I've just noticed now that I've blown up the image that the plastic 'roof' on that image looks like it could be rotated to cover the lense. I can't imagine I'll be using that bit.....


Lukeyson

Last edited by Lukeyson on Tue Feb 21, 2006 10:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Have you seen the new Territory's reverse camera? Its integrated into the rear garnish wear the number plate sits, just inbetween the license plate lights.

Very neat and you wouldn't notice it if you didn't take another look. BUt it has a wide viewing anlge plus already integrated into the fords ICC unit.

Just a lil info, so you might be able to chase up the wiring harness from ford spares.

Well, had circumstances been different, I might have opted for the more discrete solution.

I'll admit I haven't tried to investigate that path. The Ford Solution, however, won't give me an additional Video-In that I'm after.

I've been avidly researching what's available with the ZoomPC in-car PC and the new ELM327 OBD-II to RS232 converters, so I'd like the added Video In to run Windows Media Centre edition, and some sort of real-time car-stats utility, all on the ICC as I chose.

While I have some resistance to the cost of a CarPC, I'll be pushing for the ODB-II unit, as I can run much of this on my office laptop with a $50 KMart power adapter for the moment.

And all that started because I was researching what it would take to do a Manual to Auto Climate Control upgrade (see other thread on this forum), which required reprogramming opf all sorts of things - BEM, HIM, PCM.....

I'm in for some fun times ahead!


Lukeyson

A quick update: I have the plugs now for the Power/Audio connectors behind the fusebox, and the 12V Power Filter. Will upload images this evening.


Lukeyson

Mate, that's going to look like s**t if you try and mount the camera in that ding. It's off centre, it'll stick out like dogs balls and you'll still be able to see the damage. It's also fairly low on the car, and if you do a fair bit of towing all you're going to see on the screen is the front of your trailer.


Does it have to go on the outside ?
What about mounted on top of the parcel shelf brake right up against the back window ? It'll be safe from damage, rain and being pinched and won't stick out.

Another option, (I assuming it's an XR) is to paint the housing blue or better still make a new one and mount it like a centre leg under the spoiler.

Or you could drill a small hole in the garnish above the number plate and mount the camera behind that (doing away with the LEDs, but they'll do SFA anyway of a night compared to your reverse lights)

I'd shop at other spray painters and wreckers for a better quote to get the bar fixed/replaced, but if you really don't want to fix it you could get one of those metal L shaped bracket/barrier things that go on your tow ball and stop the above damage occuring. If you get a big one it'll cover up the damage and give you somewhere less obtrusive to mount the camera.

I dunno if the BA's have boot locks, but that's where I'm putting my camera (haven't gotten around to fitting yet). It's going to go behind the boot lock so it still has the metal surround but on closer inspection the centre of the lock is actually a camera lens

camera is too big, piff it out before you have any other ballsish ideas with it.i have a camera waiting to go into mine, but its useless when you have parking sensors.

Ill post up a few pics of my almost complete ICC it s**t all over the stock icc, with loads more features.

and dont look at the gallery pics and get scared, they are a few months and too much money out of date..... red interior..... what was i thinking!!!!

Captain Bling out!

I just picked up the Video-RGB converter, will post pics this evening.

Hyena, thanks for the suggestions.

It doesn't make sense to me to spend money on fixing the damage AND installing a camera. Well, it doesn't make sense to miss financial controller anyway. So things are in motion.

As for on the Parcel Shelf, it's not much different to me turning around and looking. Under the Spoiler is not a bad idea. I had toyed with the idea of getting the casing sprayed, yes. Do any companies sell cans of pressure-pack Blueprint yet do you know? I haven't found any, but then I haven't looked real hard.



Lukeyson

any paint company can put the colour into a pressure pack, just make sure its primed, then coat, light sand, another coat (till your happy) then clear coat it and give it a 2000 grit sand and polish the s**t out of it

Images of new components as promised:

 

 

Attachments:

File comment: Carconverters Model 236 Video Converter size comparison to Standard Blank DVD. 100_0736.jpg [ 122.71 KiB | Viewed 201 times ]

File comment: Carconverters.com.au model 236 PAL/NTSC/SECAM dual-input to PAL/NTSC RGB Converter ($292) 100_0735.jpg [ 137.72 KiB | Viewed 260 times ]

File comment: All of these items are from Super Cheap Auto. Aerpro AP300 12V Power Filter - $7.00 Standard 4-pin Socket and Plug: $4.30 (Fit for BA Falcon Mobile Phone Connector behind Fuse Box - +12V, Ignition +12V, Gnd, mute) Standard 2-pin Socket and Plug 100_0738.jpg [ 151.99 KiB | Viewed 216 times ]