Fitting a Reversing Camera (and Digital TV)
 

Since my analogue TV tuner wasn't doing anything now, I decided to fit a reversing camera to the car, using the AV1 input on the TV tuner. The following is a guide on how I did it.

NOTE: This guide is based on having TV tuner B. Thanks to IT for identifying these in another post (http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/showthrea...ighlight=tuner).

First thing to do is move the CD autochanger/TV tuner so that you can access it better. There are four 10mm bolts holding it in place. The one at the back right is the most awkward one to remove unless you have a knuckle joint in your socket set. Once these are removed, carefully move the unit out and back to get access to the cable. You are almost rotating it about the front right bolt.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/picture.p...&pictureid=479

To get better access, use needle nose pliers and squeeze the base of the plastic cable tie holding the cable in place. You should then be able to push it up out of the metal chassis. This will allow you to move the unit further into the boot area.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/picture.p...&pictureid=480

Looking directly at the back, you now need to release the large rectangular block connector. You can either cut the cable tie or using a fine screwdriver inserted at the front and undo it. You then need to move the white locking bracket to the right. As it does so, the connector will come out towards you.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/picture.p...&pictureid=560

With the block connector removed, you have to separate the parts of the connector. To do this, you first need to prise the small black tabs away from the blue parts. I used very fine screwdrivers.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/picture.p...&pictureid=561

At the other end of the connector, you now need to push the blue part out. This is a snug fit, so some pressure is needed.

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Now that the wiring is separated, you need to remove the blank blue section. This is done by just sliding it away from the wiring.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/picture.p...&pictureid=563

We now have the new accessory cable to attach. I purchased mine off eBay (from here). The leads are 90cm long and consist of two sets of RCA connectors.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/picture.p...&pictureid=564

The new loom is attached in the reverse of the above. First ensure that the ridge on the side of the new blue connector mates with the original connector. Then just slide the new one into place.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/picture.p...&pictureid=565

So far it's been easy. Now comes probably the hardest part. You now need to feed the old and new loom back into the original black connector. Because of the two sets of RCA leads, this is a very tight fit. Just perservere until you hear the small black tabs click.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/picture.p...&pictureid=566

Once done, you just need to connect it into the TV tuner. Set the connector in place and then move the white locking bracket from the right to the left, locking it in place. You can then secure it again with a cable tie.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/picture.p...&pictureid=567

Now to fitting of the camera itself. Again, I purchased this from eBay (from here). As well as the camera, it comes with a power lead, video lead and hole saw. You will note the red wire attached to the video lead. This is the signal wire, but since the RNS-D never had an option for reversing camera, I doubt it would have an input for this signal wire.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/picture.p...&pictureid=568

The next part is deciding where to place the reversing camera itself. I chose to put it just above the passenger side reversing light, similar to the way the boot button is located on the drivers side.

----- End of Part One -----

To remove the light lense, remove the small bulb access flap. The bulbs are removed by turning them through 90 degrees and there is also another connector which just pulls off. The lense is held in place by four small bolts, three of which are easy to access. I chose to do it this way rather than removing the entire boot lid liner. Once the bolts have been removed, the lense will have to be pushed out. If it has never been out before, it will be very tight, just with the rubber seal around it being stuck to the metal.

Decide on where the centre of the camera will be, and then place a strip of masking tape or similar over it to protect it when drilling. Get it right and it looks like this:

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/picture.p...&pictureid=599

To get the wires from the camera, I just used the same holesaw and drilled a hole at the back of the lense unit near the top of the reversing light section, again covering it with masking tape before drilling (and covering when done to keep light in).

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/picture.p...&pictureid=600

Feed the wires from the camera through the front of the lense and then through the back. When fitting the camera into the hole, I only pushed it in halfway, so that I could first get the image straight on the screen.

At this stage, you can refit the lense to the car, ensuring you don't push the camera all the way in. Once secured, the camera needs power. I just took the black and red lead (on the right of the picture of all the pieces) and put them through the hole in the spade connector for the reversing light. Once that was done, I just taped them to the reversing wires and reconnected all the bulbs.

This only left the video lead to connect. To feed the lead up from the boot area, I removed three of the screws holding the boot lid liner in place.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/picture.p...&pictureid=591

Using a flexible rod (blue in pic), I fed the cable up inside the boot.

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When the rod reaches the top, I just used some needle nose pliers to grab it and pull it out.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/picture.p...&pictureid=601

The lead simply plugs into the power lead coming from the reversing light, and just needs taping and tucked out of sight.

Now to test it. Closing the lid of the boot, I switched on the ignition, the RNS-D and selected AV1 input.

I then put it in reverse and got an image, along with parking lines.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/picture.p...&pictureid=594

Putting it in park, I then moved the camera and rechecked until I was happy that it was aligned properly.

Once I was happy, I just gently pushed the camera all the way into the lense.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/picture.p...&pictureid=595

Now I was happy with all that, I could screw down the boot lid liner and replace the bulb access cover.

Since I had the CD changer cage out to fit the cabling, and the cabling provided two RCA inputs, I decided to fit a digital TV box as well. Using the wiring instructions from this 'post' and in particular post 17 (thanks to HPsauce and notorious), I wired in the power leads and then taped it all up.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/picture.p...&pictureid=596

The TV box was again a cheap unit off 'eBay' and was placed using double sided tape to the top of the stack. The wire rising to the right is the video lead going to the camera.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/picture.p...&pictureid=598

I fed the aerial and IR receiver in through the rear armrest, with the aerial sitting on the rear parcel shelf and the IR receiver and remote in the rear armrest until such time as I get around to taking the wiring to the front (weather, patience and other wiring jobs that need done - fog light switches and radio clock module already ones to do). I'm in a lousy location for digital TV reception, so had to test it when I was doing taxi service and waiting for someone and it worked fine.

The only remaining thing left to do is to put the stack back in place and secure.

That's neat. I'm still playing around with mine, trying to install it in a 'hollow' boot lock. But this camera is nicer, with the 'grid lines', so I think I'll swap mine for one like this.

Because of curved line of the boot lid the rear lens is not exactly perpendicular to reversing direction. So camera doesn't look exactly rearwards if mounted flush with the lens. Deviation angle will be around 10 degrees. How is this compensated to achieve precise positionig of parking lines?

My camera was sold with a special ring that compensates that angle, but it doesn't have parking lines. It does have night vision LEDs though.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1389693110

Very neat. One thing though (and perhaps I missed something). You stated that the signal wire would not be used as RNS-D didnt have a reversing camera option but you later said that you engaged reverse and got a picture? I assumed that it was not going to be automatic but required you to select TV?

I read on one of the Audi forums (possibly this one) of someone doing this as it would mean both rear lenses would look identical, but decided on the easier option.

I still tend to rely on the sensors warning me when I get to close, so don't rely on the parking lines that much. With what you said, I must go out on a dry day and mark out with obstacles where exactly those lines relate to because of the offset. Would be a pity to have parking sensors AND a camera and still dent the rear end :)

You did. There was a line about switching on the ignition, the RNS-D and selecting AV1. That was OK for testing purposes. With the TV tuner currently set to AV1, if the RNS-D is on, I just need to press the Radio/CD/TV button until the TV is selected (either one or two presses). It's not ideal, but if I approach a parking space that I know is tight, it's just a quick press of the button as I align the car. Hope that makes sense.

An excellent write up with very clear and detailed instructions.

Another one to add to the list and with the cost of the camera and tuner well worth the effort.

Thanks +++

Can one of the mods sticky this please if you haven't already.

Ta

done! +++

Great write up mate +++
Joy to read ;)
Skill and perfection

A point of detail that I've been mulling, and isn't covered in the write-up, is routing of the video lead from boot lid to inside the body.

I can see where it would go initially (I've done similar before to solve GPS aerial issues) to get around the boot lid and even down one of the struts.

But which strut is best, what is the entry point into the body and how is it sealed?