Backup camera vs observation camera

[Marko]

Call Jayco first. They may just send it to you.

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[Wire]

Originally Posted by nunyadamn

I have 3 cameras on my travel trailer. I also added a 4th to my Chevy. I sold the chevy last year and haven't connected the 3 cameras still mounted to the trailer to my new F250 yet - I've been lazy.

The reason I bring this up is I had to make a couple modifications to my Chevy to make it work. I will go over that first - I had to connect a wire to an ignition wire to the stereo with the monitor (Pioneer unit) so the video could come on when the truck was on instead of only when the power was applied by shifting into reverse. The other thing I had to do was modify the parking brake lockout - I had to run a wire to that as well. I can't remember if it was a ground wire or a hot wire. I believe they call that a reverse lockout modification - I ran across a few videos on youtube to make the modification and it was extremely simple. The way I worked mine was I had it go to a switch box that had the 4 cameras connected - I just pushed a button to switch between cameras. On the stereo it had a button I could push to disable the backup camera - which would turn off the video from all the cameras if I needed - we usually only did this when we were messing with the stereo for a long time which was minimal.

Now, I do have a different plan for the Ford. If you have the brand new setup Ford came out with, I don't know exactly how to connect that, but it would probably be similar. I personally have a 2015 F250 superduty with the standard one backup camera on the tailgate. The Ford has a video auxiliary input in the dash under the useless small cover they consider a secondary glove box. If you have this truck, you know what I am talking about because it is on the top of the dash. Anyway, I plan to connect a switch box to that so I can switch between cameras like I did with the Chevy. I haven't figured out what it will take to make the stereo to think it is in park so that will operate. I haven't even tested it, but usually those inputs will not work while driving so you have to send the parking brake signal to the stereo (it's a ground or a hot but I haven't looked into it yet). If the plan works, I would just switch to aux on the stereo and I would see the cameras connected to the switch box. The Ford has a ton of stuff going through the stereo so I haven't proven how to make this work.

My point with this is, you can make a camera work with the stock stereo, but you will have to make some modifications. Now with that said, the new trucks coming with the extra camera option for a trailer is a great option to get. I really think all they are doing is tying into the camera on the tailgate and switching between that and the trailer camera option but they are doing it electronically in the stereo.

The Ford with the Ultimate Camera Package runs all the cameras through the Sync3 software, and there's no way I know of to "trick" it into working. There's no hack or jailbreak that I'm aware of yet. You have to put the truck into reverse, and then you can choose between the truck or trailer backup camera (or cargo bed camera).


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[nunyadamn]

Originally Posted by Wire

The Ford with the Ultimate Camera Package runs all the cameras through the Sync3 software, and there's no way I know of to "trick" it into working. There's no hack or jailbreak that I'm aware of yet. You have to put the truck into reverse, and then you can choose between the truck or trailer backup camera (or cargo bed camera).


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If you are able to connect the video in the ford to the aux input (2015 in the small glove box on the top of the dash) then you would just have to figure out which wire going to the radio is getting the parking brake signal. The truck will still need to see that it's in park so you don't get the annoying chime, but the radio should think it's in park and let the aux play the video as you drive - which would be in input from the cameras on the trailer. It is possible that it won't work and it sounds easy typing it, but like I said I haven't worked on it yet. Moving from the chevy with the tiny mirrors to the ford with the extendable mirrors was a great change and I don't feel I need the cameras as much.

[nunyadamn]

Originally Posted by Wire

The Ford with the Ultimate Camera Package runs all the cameras through the Sync3 software, and there's no way I know of to "trick" it into working. There's no hack or jailbreak that I'm aware of yet. You have to put the truck into reverse, and then you can choose between the truck or trailer backup camera (or cargo bed camera).


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Update - It looks like my way of just tricking the stereo into thinking it's in park isn't as easy as before. You said the cameras go through the sync software - I didn't realize it sees that you are moving within that and disables features, but not by looking at the parking break signal as previous trucks did. There is a "lockpick" box you can buy that supposedly works, but its $429 and there is no way I am paying that much for a box that just tricks the truck into thinking its in park using firmware. The only good thing I see that box can do is mirror your phone.

[bansai]

Originally Posted by nunyadamn

Update - It looks like my way of just tricking the stereo into thinking it's in park isn't as easy as before. You said the cameras go through the sync software - I didn't realize it sees that you are moving within that and disables features, but not by looking at the parking break signal as previous trucks did. There is a "lockpick" box you can buy that supposedly works, but its $429 and there is no way I am paying that much for a box that just tricks the truck into thinking its in park using firmware. The only good thing I see that box can do is mirror your phone.

Costal Tech Lock Pick?

Their most advanced 'lockpick' interface is only for 2009-2012 E-150/250/350

That's the 450 dollar one.

They have a 300 dollar version for the 2016's that are for 'hard drive based' nav systems.

I've researched this a bit, lots of bugs in their product. I'd stay away from it, at any price.

[nunyadamn]

Originally Posted by bansai

Costal Tech Lock Pick?

Their most advanced 'lockpick' interface is only for 2009-2012 E-150/250/350

That's the 450 dollar one.

They have a 300 dollar version for the 2016's that are for 'hard drive based' nav systems.

I've researched this a bit, lots of bugs in their product. I'd stay away from it, at any price.

I wasn't sure which one I would need - I did run across a forum that a guy said he had a faulty unit that only worked for a few minutes and started acting crazy. https://www.coastaletech.com/fordapplications.htm

[Dave A]

Our 5th wheel was prewired for the Furrion camera and I had the dealer hook it up to the park lights and it's on all of the time when I'm towing the camper. As for being a distraction, I put the monitor just above the back seat in the truck and adjusted my inside rearview mirror so I can just glance up in the mirror and see the monitor and whatever is behind us. Works great for me!

[Big1]

Observation camera, it's more powerful.

[Larry Mac]

Originally Posted by Dave A

Our 5th wheel was prewired for the Furrion camera and I had the dealer hook it up to the park lights and it's on all of the time when I'm towing the camper. As for being a distraction, I put the monitor just above the back seat in the truck and adjusted my inside rearview mirror so I can just glance up in the mirror and see the monitor and whatever is behind us. Works great for me!

So Dave when you look in the mirror at the rear camera monitor, then in reality what's on the right as actually your left and vice versa ?



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[EFBell351]

I have the furion and wired it into my marker lights. lights on, camera on. Works great.

[ETCrockett]

My 2016 Pinnacle 38FLSA came pre-wired for a backup camera. I believe Furion was the recommended brand. I had a 3 camera system on my 35ft TT and absolutely loved it. For my FW I purchased a wireless camera from Rear View Safety (rearviewsafety.com). I have a 2009 Ford F450 that is equipped with upfitter switches. I hard wired the monitor to an upfitter switch so I can turn the monitor on and off without having to unplug it all the time. The camera comes on with the running lights which is no problem as I always run my lights when towing (safety thing my dad taught me). The only issue I had initially was the wireless signal would drop between camera and monitor due to the distance (pushing about 60ft). I contacted Rear View Safety and they sent me a booster antenna for the camera that extends the signal to peak of my FW roof. Works great now. As for the comments about not much help with depth perception, you should by a camera that has the distance markers like your car that goes from green/yellow/red as objects get closer.

One last tip to those who think the camera is a distraction. I place my monitor in the center of my dash or if window mounted, I push my rearview mirror out of the way and mount the camera as if it was the mirror. You should always use your mirrors to drive and since the monitor replaces the rearview mirror, I don't notice any distraction at all!

[Wire]

Well, I just decided to go with the camera that came with my trailer. It's a Furrion. The signal is good, have not had any interference. The suction cup bracket is oriented for the dash. To mount to the windshield, I have to mount it upside down and then go into the settings to flip the screen over. It's a little irritating to have the buttons and labels upside down.

Also, it's prewired to the running lights so I can't run the headlights in "auto".

I'll live with this for a while and see if it's helpful or distracting.


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[Dave A]

Try putting it your back window and look at it through you rear view mirror, it works great for me and it gets the monitor out of your way.

[Wire]

Hmmm... I will most definitely try that out, just to see. Thanks for the idea.


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[Wire]

There's no way to reverse the image on the Furrion camera from Jayco. I can rotate it, but can't make it a mirror image, which I would have to do to mount it on the back window like you are saying.


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