OEM Backup Cam with Aftermarket Stereo

dalingrin

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Mazda CX-5
Has anyone been successful getting the factory backup cam working with an aftermarket headunit?
I definitely want to replace the headunit but I'd love to keep the OEM camera because the placement is perfectly out of the way.

My understanding is that the camera needs 6V rather than 12V which could be solved with a step down adapter. I am not sure if anyone has successfully spliced the video output as RCA though.
 
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I do not recall anyone specific however there are many plug and play h/u that do not require adapters. Most are android based too. Does your cx5 have the lcd already?
 
I would like to know the same. I have the GT with Tech, but the bluetooth lag is killing me. I would pay for an aftermarket unit just to get rid of it.
 
I do not recall anyone specific however there are many plug and play h/u that do not require adapters. Most are android based too. Does your cx5 have the lcd already?

I don't have my CX-5 yet. I will be getting a Touring with the LCD next week.
Currently thinking about getting an AppRadio 3 because I'd like to mirror my Android phone rather than buying one of the knock off Android head units.
 
I'd say make sure that you read the entire thread for ARUnchained over at XDA:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2451980

I considered the AR3 but didn't like what I read as far as the phone connecting to the vehicle properly upon starting up. It doesn't sound like it's consistent. Also, some phones and ROMs work better than others, so check your particular device. And finally, I didn't want to have to deal with GPS injector and parking brake bypass.

I admit that it does seem like a really promising solution.

I don't have my CX-5 yet. I will be getting a Touring with the LCD next week.
Currently thinking about getting an AppRadio 3 because I'd like to mirror my Android phone rather than buying one of the knock off Android head units.
 
I'd say make sure that you read the entire thread for ARUnchained over at XDA:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2451980

I considered the AR3 but didn't like what I read as far as the phone connecting to the vehicle properly upon starting up. It doesn't sound like it's consistent. Also, some phones and ROMs work better than others, so check your particular device. And finally, I didn't want to have to deal with GPS injector and parking brake bypass.

I admit that it does seem like a really promising solution.

Thanks for the warning. Most of the issues have been worked out from what I've seen. I'm a pretty experienced Android developer(I work on CyanogenMod) so I don't mind if the experience isn't perfect.
I really want to get a proper Google Maps navigation and Google Now experience. It's by far my favorite navigation that I've used.
 
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Dalingrin, Please include avrcp 1.3 in order to get metadata on the cx-5 radio for the samsung galaxy s3 on CM11
 
Dalingrin, Please include avrcp 1.3 in order to get metadata on the cx-5 radio for the samsung galaxy s3 on CM11

It *should* support 1.3 because it is now in AOSP as of 4.3. However, it might be bugged from the reports I'm seeing. If you haven't already, I would try the latest nightly because there were massive Bluetooth changes done yesterday.

I'll be able to investigate more once I get my CX-5.
 
Thank you dalingrin. I will update tonight.
I am glad to know an Android developer is going to have a CX5.
I am planning to change the scrappy headunit for an pure android based one. An Android developer is needed to give consultancy for the most reliable one and to have support.
Roadrover is producing new generation headunits based on Android with lot of features.
 
I did the update but unfortunately it didnt work. No metadata is passed to the headunit. Xposed spotify avrcp module doesnt work as well. I dont know which the problem is when samsung provides this feature on the stock rom.
 
Dalingrin! Fancy meeting you here! I remember when you were developing for the NookColor (I think). I'm with ikerg, really glad to see an Android Dev here. I just bought a 2014 CX-9 a couple weeks ago, which I believe has the same crappy radio as the CX5. I'll be interested to see what you choose and depending on budget may follow suit.
 
I was able to integrate an Alpine HU with the OEM camera. I have heard of people feeding it 12v and working fine. I found a 12v-6v converter transistor and wired it in. Then you just have video + & -. Works great on my 6 and should work the same for a CX-5.
 
It *should* support 1.3 because it is now in AOSP as of 4.3. However, it might be bugged from the reports I'm seeing. If you haven't already, I would try the latest nightly because there were massive Bluetooth changes done yesterday.

I'll be able to investigate more once I get my CX-5.
With the today's nightly (march/19th) BT shows metadata again on cx5 on my S3 I9300 under CM11 (kitkat)
 
I was able to integrate an Alpine HU with the OEM camera. I have heard of people feeding it 12v and working fine. I found a 12v-6v converter transistor and wired it in. Then you just have video + & -. Works great on my 6 and should work the same for a CX-5.

NCMazda6..could you reuse your original connector by adapting a female one or did you cut wires on the OEM part of the installation?
 
I was able to integrate an Alpine HU with the OEM camera. I have heard of people feeding it 12v and working fine. I found a 12v-6v converter transistor and wired it in. Then you just have video + & -. Works great on my 6 and should work the same for a CX-5.

Kind sir, could you please provide more details? A brief tutorial or a link to the converter transister you used? This is the number one reason why I haven't upgraded the headunit yet. If using the OEM camera is possible, I'm all over it.

Thanks!
 
Kind sir, could you please provide more details? A brief tutorial or a link to the converter transister you used? This is the number one reason why I haven't upgraded the headunit yet. If using the OEM camera is possible, I'm all over it.

Thanks!
I'm in process of doing this right now. Hopefully done by this weekend and I will write it up afterward. I will be reusing the USB/Aux under the armrest (home made adapter), and the rear-view camera (similar to NCMazda6). Plus, I'll see what I can do about the microphone - though that may come down to just reusing the wiring for the radio's mic, not the mic board itself in the headliner.

For the camera supply, I built my own converter based on an LM7806 regulator and a couple of capacitors, but you can buy a cheap LM317 linear variable regulator board on ebay and adjust it to 6V (like this: https://www.ebay.com (commissions earned)). I would not recommend getting the switching regulators that are also available, since they can give off a lot of electrical noise and interfere with the video and/or audio signals (e.g. https://www.ebay.com (commissions earned)).

Teaser... the PAC rp4-mz11 harness (left) wired into my Kenwood DDX491 radio harness (right) and the camera voltage converter (bottom):

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Did you end up buying the PAC RP4-MZ11 adapter?
Yes (per the harness in the picture) :)

As I was discussing in that other thread, I was tossing up the extra cost vs. having to supply a reversing signal wire. Since I found the RP4 for just $45 more (on eBay) than the cheaper SWC box types, I figured the $45 was worth it for the saving in time and frustration running a wire from the reversing lights back up to the front of the car. Also, the RP4 derives the backlight/dim wire from the CANbus for you. If you use the cheaper SWC box, you'll have to run another hardwire to a backlight bulb circuit somewhere.

One other thing I found too... the wiring harnesses you can get, e.g. Metra 70-7903, to use with the cheaper SWC boxes do NOT have all the pins needed for the SWC wires! You need three (audio buttons, phone buttons and common) but the Metra harness only has two of those (audio and common).

In the end it was simply easier to use the RP4-MZ11, the extra cost was more than offset by the time and effort saved. Plus I now have the '2 functions/button' feature.

For your reference, this is the Metra 70-7903 adapter harness, showing what wires are populated (or not):

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Compared to the RP4-MZ11's harness plug:

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Moving this from the end of a thread discussing the opposite scenario :)

OK an update to this... If you are replacing your Mazda head unit (due to the crap handling of the USB, or any other reason), you CAN keep your factory rear-view camera and use it with your new aftermarket head unit. Having just done this with my car today, I can tell you what works for a 2014 CX-5 Touring (at least).

Basically, you can follow this German's guys diagram to do it, here: http://www.mazda-forum.info/mazda-c...ine-incl-navi-nachruestbar-31.html#post478862. Except he shows a switching regulator as a 6V power supply, and as I said above, I would stay away from those and use a linear regulator instead.

Counter to all intuition and accepted color code usage (Huh Mazda??), the wiring to the factory connector is as follows:
  • the Red wire in the connector (6C) is the negative video signal
  • the Black wire (6D) is the positive video signal.
  • the White wire is the 6V supply to the camera
  • and the black shrink-sleeved braid wire is the ground (0V supply)

I can tell you that if you swap the video wires, such that red is positive (as I did originally), you'll get a very corrupted video signal... virtually total noise.

Anyway, here's a (hopefully) clear picture of what you have to wire to retain your factory camera for use with an aftermarket head unit, This is looking from the perspective of inserting pins into the factory harness plug behind the radio. By the way, this connector has pins on 0.1" spacing, meaning you can use common PC double-row header strips as a plug (like these: http://www.vetco.net/catalog/images/VET-HEAD-DR-8-1.jpg). Just cut off a length of 3 (by 2) pins, and remove the two center ones. The four outer ones will plug in perfectly!

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Great work RedBaron. I'm behind with my installation, I wanted to write all this down when I get there, but you are ahead of me.
Great job, it will help me and others a lot. A Kenwood camera, can be pretty expensive.
I'm just wondering how come you didn't go with a nav unit?
Monday, I will drop off the broken DNX9990HD at the Kenwood repair service. Hopefully, it won't be to expensive the repair.
Hopefully in the next couple of weeks I will install everything.
2x Infinity components, 1x JL Audio 10" shallow sub, 1x Polk Audio PA660 amp and 1x Polk Audio PA880 amp.
 
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