Got the navtool. Have to pick a camera now. I want 2 cameras. One for front, and one for rear. This thing came with a nasty looking toggle switch to be able to use the second input, going to replace that with a momentary button. Supposed to be able to cycle from rear ( which is automatic) to front, the factory nav. Can't wait to get this runing.

So i'm going to get a Bosch Relay.

http://img818.imageshack.us/img818/3623/boschrelay.jpg

* Constant power PIN i will try to find a 12V ignition. (Plus a 20 or 30amp fuse)

* Negative will be anywhere on the body of the car, in the trunk.

* Reverse light positive (pulse signal) to Relay

* Pin to Trigger wire (this pin will get a constant 12v from the PIN that get constant power)

So basically once i start the car, Relay get power. The moment i engage reverse, pulse signal trigger Relay, Relay let power through and to Trigger wire.

Is this how it should be done? Also i'm not too sure if the Bosch one might draw too much power since it's 30Amp?

Thanks

I used this relay - it takes 12V DC, very little draw as the coil is tiny, even a signal 12V can hold the relay, and then the contacts apply the ground to the trigger wire of the factory TV module, which is a small draw as all it is a signal ground for internal circuitry inside the module... bosch relays are for some heavy duty equipment, and the white papers should list the amount of amperage that is needed in order to hold the coil - the relay itself might be using too little or too much power.

My relay is using fraction of power (I lost the white papers long time ago for the relay), and the contacts are able to switch up to 120V circuitry,which is more than enough for the small electronics...

Do you know how much amp do these cam handle? Also since i'm wiring my CAM just like your (hotwire to Ignition), do they get HOT?

the camera itself does not get hot, the little module with the camera electronics did not get hot either (that camera has a small box that is separate from the little bubble with optics, that box is the one handling electronic part of the camera). That camera was wired directly to hot ignition with an inline fuse, I have to look to see what the fuse was, some small tiny fuse for a quarter of an amp or something, even less... the trigger wire does not need to be on a fuse, and technically, you can tie it to any metal nut - i had mine going via the relay to the grounding point at the back of the spare tire compartment, to the back on the right side, there were several wires tied into a ground.

In my particular case, since 4,6iS did not have original Angel Eyes, and I retrofitted them, the PDC would get interference from the aftermarket AEs, so I ran a separate wire from the AEs to the same relay for the camera, and when the relay was engaged via the pin 7 of the PDC module, I had several things taking place at the same time:

Gear is in reverse
PDC activated - factory standard
Relay activated by the pin 6 from PDC
relay would provide ground to trigger wire
trigger wire will send picture from camera to the front screen
same action from relay will cut power from AEs in the front, thus no more interference with PDC in front.


Since my new ride, the 4.8iS has factory AEs, I don't need to worry about cutting power to AE.

did any of this make any sense?

OK make sense, my set up is a little bit different but i'll keep you guys post once i find a reasonable relay, something that might only need 5amp instead of Bosch 30amp.

here is the data shhets for the relay. in US Digikey should have them in stock. if you are placing an order from Digikey, I would strongly recommend ordering about a 100 of A28327-NDWill come handy in various BMW projects...

How Factory does this look ;)?

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/6...0711084800.jpg

looking good... really like a factory set up, even though I think the factory cameras are a bit too bulky than what you have - yours is slim...

is this camera fused together with the license plate light? I think I see LED light to the left on the picture... What modifications to the light opening have you made, if any? How is the image? the angle of the image? are you able to see the bumper line? My old camera could have been adjusted on all three axes, so I could have rotated image (physically rotating bubble), bent the holder, etc... can you adjust this camera?

Some people install the camera to see the towing hitch when they back up for a trailer, my concern was a boatload of little kids in the area that had nasty habits of running after their balls right under the moving car... lol...

The Led light for the cam is fused together with the license plate light.

The camera itself is fused to the trunk lock mechanism (Ignition on).

I need to cut/trim the plastic a bit for it to fit into the number plate light, lucky it was made with soft plastic. This mean i had to remove the original number plate light and it's contents.

Image is in my previous post (via AV input as i haven't had a chance to get hold of a Relay yet).

Angle of the Cam, i'm not sure yet but i don't think i will be able to see the tow hitch and the Cam is not adjust/rotatable.

Its a project i took on for the fun of it, what i might do next is to get a really good CAM (True CCD), use intelligent line module control via OBDII where the line will turn accordant to the steering wheel sensor/angle.