Backup Camera Not Displaying
 

I purchased an AVIN4 BMW headunit. I have installed a front camera (Avin product) works perfectly. Backup camera (Avin product) will not display image.

I purchased the wireless transmitter/receiver ... both illuminate but no image. I tried with just the cable/wire ... still no image.

Here is the setup

1. Factory setting "Prohibit Reverse" enabled
2. Wireless transmitter connected to reverse positive (blue yellow wire) and reverse negative (brown wire); plugged into backup camera and connected to the "Red" and "Yellow" RCAs that bridge between the backup camera and the wireless transmitter; since it is illuminated when vehicle is placed in reverse, I conclude all is appropriate
3. Wireless receiver "blue" wire connected to "pink" "Brake-IN" wire and "red" wire connected to "orange" "Reverse-In" (Note: me vehicle does not have a wire labeled "Camera +12V" as shown AVIN instructions; after conversing via chat with AVIN they state the I should use "Reverse-IN" for power; interestingly, they had me disconnect the "blue wire" to see if the image would display... it did not.

4. Using the wire/cable ... I plugged in the backup camera lead to cable that runs to the headunit; connected the backup camera "black" ground wire to ground and the "red" wire to reverse positive wire (blue/yellow); at the headunit, i plug in the RCA "yellow" cable to the "Rear Camera In" RCA; note AVIN told me to ignore the "red" wire which branches off the "yellow" RCA; I tried connecting the "red" wire to the "orange" "Reverse-In" ... no image displayed with or without the "red" wire connected

To further troubleshoot ... I though possibly the backup camera is not receiving a steady 12+, so I connected a wire from the battery directly tyo the backup camera ... same result ... no image

I am at a loss of what to do. The Avin customer service sent me two additional backup cameras ... same result no image.

Any suggestions ...

I swapped the front AVIN camera (which is operating properly) RCA male to the "Rear Camera-IN" female ... no image output, just a "yellow triangle". I spoke with a Crutchfield technical representative and he stated that since the AVIN headunit configuration is unknown, a valid conclusion could not be reached.

I also attached the two different rear AVIN cameras to a TV and a car battery ... same result ... no image broadcast on the TV.

Is there another method to test rear cameras?

I went for a walk and realized that I did not change the TV output to display a video feed. I changed the TV output and the same result ... no image displayed.

It seems near impossible that both of these "new" AVIN cameras would malfunction.

Is there another way to test the cameras? Where can I buy a four pin license plate light assembly rear camera that I can depend on?

That may be an incorrect conclusion - the reverse positive on some X5s (all X5s?) is a pulse-width modulated signal from the LCM module and not a good source of power for reverse cameras (or transmitters). You need a steady +12v source and a relay triggered by the reverse positive PWM signal to power the camera/transmitter.

But... that may be only one of your issues - the camera testing methods you describe indicate both a faulty input on the Avin unit plus multiple dead cameras - which seems rather unlikely. :confused:

Since the bench test, TV and battery, provided a steady 12V current that would not be the cause of this output problem.

Multiple AVIN rear camera failures logically seems unreasonable ... can't rule it out but unlikely.

Who manufacturers a reliable rear license plate assembly rear camera?

Kinda what I was saying - I just didn't say it well. :D

I finally received an email from AVIN. (Seemed to be trigger by a website inquiry form). A discussion with their Level II tech will occur at 1:00PM.

In the email, AVIN changed the wire connections for the wireless receiver. Will wait until the discussion with the tech before changing anything.

I further tested the replacement backup cameras with the front camera setup ... no image displayed. This is consistent with the (a) bench test (b) vehicle wireless and hard wired setups and (c) backup camera connection swap with front camera.

An AVIN Level II tech representative contacted me today. It was discovered that the wire connections that had been communicated to me By AVIN "Live Chat" were inaccurate for the wireless backup camera setup and the hard wire backup camera setup. Once I corrected the connections for each setup, the cameras functioned properly. The tech rep could not determine why the cameras did not display an image on my bench test with a TV and car battery.

An AVIN Level II tech representative contacted me today. It was discovered that the wire connections that had been communicated to me By AVIN "Live Chat" were inaccurate for the wireless backup camera setup and the hard wire backup camera setup. Once I corrected the connections for each setup, the cameras functioned properly. The tech rep could not determine why the cameras did not display an image on my bench test with a TV and car battery.