Is it possible to fit a second Rear View Camera?

[steliosh]

Hi!

I am quite often adding a trailer to my MK5 VW Golf. I have installed the AS0374B (Autopumpkin Android 7.1, 8-inch screen) radio in my car and also a rear view camera which works successfully. I have also added a front camera on the front grille VW emblem which works with the AVIN app (no recording of course).


Trailer towing duties!!!


Rear camera view...


Front camera installed.

What I would like to know is this: I want to mount another RVC on the back of my trailer, so that it makes it easier for me to park it when backing into somehow narrow spaces.

So, is there a way to alternate the RVC viewing from car bumper to trailer, when the trailer is hitched? Or maybe I should install some kind of switch to alternate the views?
Is it possible to have a split screen with both cameras?

My car towing wiring is original from VW, which means I have added all original VW cabling, modules etc, and it shows as a part of the Can Gateway. (I did the correct coding on the Can gateway and trailer module, of course. No errors showing, either).

Maybe the update on the radio would do THAT?! (I asked for an update recently, which I didn't use anyway, believing that "if it works don't fix it"!).



One other option I was thinking about!
I can remove my front camera and mount it on the back of the trailer (I can do the wiring etc. No big deal).

Is there a way to "disable" the RVC when towing with a "one click" and not going into the menus every time, so that I could view the "front" camera, in case I would mount the front camera at the back of the trailer? I know that even when I have the AVIN app running and showing, when I select reverse in the gearbox, the RVC app takes over and shows the rear of the car...

Just ideas... thanks for watching!

[Jammy]

Hi,

It is a good idea. But we have not tried it and we usually do not need to use it.
But it is really a good idea.

Thank you
Jammy

[steliosh]

Well... I did it! I mounted a second camera on the back of the trailer!

Here's my complete (not-so-DIY!) story...

http://steliosh.net/golf/trailer/camera/index.html

(I know it may seem Greek to you. It actually IS Greek, but it's easily translated to your language!)



the trailer complete with camera. It is located on the license plate border. (Yes, I like stickers! hehe!)



I had to remove the rear bumper to access the car's camera cables.



The connections done!



what the car camera shows when the trailer is attached. Not much really!!!



What the trailer camera shows!

I mounted a switch in the trunk...



Seen here, on the top right.
Actually it's a switch which alternates between two ON's...
What I did with the cables was this:
We know the camera needs two cables for power (12V+ and 12V-).
Also there are two more cables running inside the RCA plug.
So, I bought waterproof plugs, with four pins each and actually replaced all the cables and connectors from the camera to the car.



Then the wiring was as simple as finding the Pos and Neg of the car's camera and also connecting the RCA cables to the RCA plug of the car camera.

The strange thing is that since for the car camera I have takes both power (12V+) AND trigger from the same cable, from behind the radio, the cables needed finally are actually three... The POS for the camera and the two RCA cables. It seems the NEG of the camera combines with the NEG of the RCA! (This one I found the hard way, and is correct for both my cameras. Check your own for safety, though!).

So, I cut the POS of the RCA feed and spliced some thin cables up to the switch so I can alternate the feed to the radio. I am always using soldering iron and heatshrink cables to cover the solders.

I could have mounted the switch to the passenger compartment of the car, somewhere, maybe on the ashtray, where there are other buttons, like the ESP, TPMS, USB etc, but It would require about 8 meters of extra cables to reach that area, not to mention disassembling quite a lot of plastics, sills, carpets, etc.

However, having the switch in the back, it is helpful, because before mounting the trailer, I have to bolt the ball on the towbar (two 19mm bolts and nuts), which I keep under the floor, with the spare wheel and tools, so I will have to open the rear hatch before mounting the trailer.

So, in the end, it is just so easy:
Bolt the ball on the towbar
Plug the trailer to the car
Plug the camera
Drive.
Reverse the procedure when back home!
Not bad!!!

[Jammy]

Hi Steliosh，

You are so great. After installing to the second rear view camera, everything is ok as before, right?

Best Regards,
Jammy

[steliosh]

Hi! Yes, I can switch from "front" to "trailer" view, with a click, while I have the car with engine switched on (no engine running!) and the gearbox in reverse. And the view alternates!

However, the last two days, I find that without the trailer, some times the car's rear view camera will not start showing. I switch the radio off and on, and then it shows. One time, I had to press the reset button, on the radio to make it show the rear view... Maybe it's time for that update, I wonder?! (Otherwise the radio works perfectly!).

Maybe it's because the car has been through some VERY heavy rain (while driving), and something somewhere got some water...

Hmm.. speaking of which, I have the camera's power and RCA plugs hanging inside the rear bumper, but out of the car, practically open to the elements... Maybe there's something done? I will check it out, soon...

[Jammy]

Hi,

If you have any update, pls tell us.
Thank you so much.

Jammy

[steliosh]

Well... coming back to the issue, I washed the car today (sunny!) and I made sure I threw a lot (A LOT!!!!) of water under the bumper, where the plugs of the camera are... I turned on the key, engaged reverse, no show on the radio! I went under the car, dried the cables, voila it shows again!
I might try to make them waterproof somehow, but honestly I am too bored to remove the bumper to do this! Some other time!

Anyway, it seems this happens when the road is resembling a river really, so the plugs need time to dry somewhat...

So, no firmware update yet! It works!!!

[steliosh]

Well... the idea of putting a camera on the trailer, best shows here:


this is how it shows on the radio, when reversing with the trailer...


this is how close the above is!!!


this is what I was doing... a small spot to park both car and trailer!

[Jammy]

Hi,

That's great!
The plugs need to be waterproof, so it can work well.

Jammy

[roscored]

Great idea and build.
I wonder if it is possible to have both images on screen at same time, split screen etc. I want to add a side view camera, on in reverse mode. Any tips please contact thanks for the inspiration.