[seattleCRV]

Hi all,
We have a 2008 CR-V EX and we ordered and installed one of these OEM touch screen double-din DVD/Navigation units from China on eBay. It also has a reverse / back-up camera but this is where we ran into problems. The instructions that came with the unit do not clearly describe how and where to hook it up so I was hoping someone here could help me out.

Here's where we ran the A/V wire for the camera through to the hatch:


The camera has been put in the place of the old license plate light and we were able to hook up the lights without problem; but we’re not sure of a few things:

- Where do we tap in the remaining power wires for the camera? My guess is the wire for the reverse light but we are lost without a wiring diagram.


- Do we need to connect the other A/V wire (the red one) to anywhere? There was nowhere on the back of the head unit to plug it into.


- Do the other 3 wires on the back of the head unit need to be tapped in to anywhere?

Thanks!

Here are some photos to show where we're at:

You can see where we installed the camera and then tapped into the existing license plate light power:

The yellow A/V wire runs from the camera to the head unit. There's a red power wire there but I'm not sure where that goes. There was also a Red A/V wire with a Black and Red cable (I'm guessing those are what we need to use to tap into power) so we connected the A/V wire but we're not sure where the rest of the connections go.. does the other end of the A/V wire actually have to plug in anywhere or just the power?

This is where we ran the A/V cable (yellow) through from the head unit to the camera.

Close-up

These were some remaining wires at the head unit - instructions didn't mention them being connected anywhere and I'm not sure 100% what each one is for. One of them says 'Back'

There's a red power wire on both sides of the A/V cable - but not sure where that should go?

 

[toolboxjesse]

I'm planning to do this installation myself on Sunday (radio is in transit) and I am also interested in finding out the answer.
I would assume that the tailgate-side of the red wire should be connected to the backup light positive wire (so that when the transmission is shifted into reverse, the reverse bulbs should light up- you will need a multi-meter or test light to verify which wire that is if you don't have the vehicle wiring diagram).
I had assumed that the video signal voltage, as minimal as it is (maybe 1 volt), would be signaling the radio to change to backup mode when power was supplied to the red wire from the backup light in the tailgate. Now I see that it would make more sense that the voltage of the red wire travels from the tailgate, in parallel through the video cable, and out to the radio. I am not certain of this until I can test it myself.
Here's what you should do IMO- If you have a multi-meter and every other cable on the radio is connected and the radio is functioning correctly- test the voltage of the orange wire (connected to positive side to multimeter) to ground (connected to negative side of multimeter). Are you seeing voltage on the meter, perhaps 5 or 12 volts?
Yes- I need to think about this more
No- This should indicate voltage-in signal from camera. If that's the case and you connect the orange wire to 12-volt positive the display should change to camera mode, or in the case where you don't have the camera connected you should get a black screen.

Jesse in Atlanta

 

[toolboxjesse]

CORRECTION TO MY PREVIOUS POST! (Updated again)

First of all- If you are tapping power from your license plate light (as you mention above) then you will only get power to the camera when your headlights are on, since these license plate lights only come on with the headlights. I hope the camera unit you are installing has a separate power circuit for the license plate light than from the camera, otherwise you are either losing a license plate light or the camera will be on all the time with the headlights (which you don't want I'm sure). I could not see all the wiring coming from the camera/license plate light unit- can you shed some light on this?

I received my radio & camera yesterday and installed the radio but not the camera yet. I reviewed the wiring instructions for the camera (such as they are).

The one thing I am unsure about is whether the camera needs time to boot up and needs constant power while the car is running, or it boots up instantaneously and can be powered on with the backup light power switch.

If you have wiring similar to what I have, the orange wire on the back of the radio is the reverse signal wire. This is the wire that signals the radio to enter backup camera mode. There is also a CCD power wire which I am not absolutely sure is needed since you can probably tap in for power in the tailgate.

This reverse signal wire (orange) would need to be connected to 1 of 2 locations:
1) Connect orange wire directly to the reverse selector switch + in your console (I don't know what wire that is as I don't have a wiring diagram) and your camera power leads to reverse light bulb (in tailgate) + and -.
2) Connect orange wire directly to the red wire that runs through your video cable (yellow RCA ends). Connect the other end of the red wire to the reverse light bulb + wiring in your tailgate, as well as the camera power +. Connect the camera black lead (-) to the reverse light bulb -.

BTW the 2 other wires I see in your pics:
SW2 (Pink?) is part of the steering wheel button control programming system. I don't know why yours is not connected to the radio harness- mine is. Are you able to program the steering wheel control?
BRAKE (Blue/White?) is a wire that one would connect to the PARK switch (automatic transmission) or parking brake indicator switch (manual transmission) to prevent the radio from displaying videos/TV while the car is in motion. This is to be connected at your discretion- just don't let the police see you driving and watching a movie!

 

[seattleCRV]

Hey - thanks so much that's a big help. To clarify; the Camera has multiple connections to power. There's a positive/negative which goes to existing license plate lights power (so the camera lights come on when head lights are on as you identified.)

The SW2 wire I will have to identify where it goes; I was unable to program steering wheel controls and I'm guessing this is why.

Also following this video sent by the radio seller himself helped identify that the orange "Back" wire is the "Reverse" wire - so we connect the red wire that runs with the A/V to that itself
- Then I will run the other end of that red wire to Reverse Lights +
- Still need to find the + / - for the Reverse Light... and tap in the camera power; and the 'switch' (red wire that runs with the yellow A/V wire)
--- Stupid question; can I find this out by using a multimeter and putting the car into reverse and see which wire has current only in that situation? Do I have to strip the wires to find out? Never really used a DMM..

 

[toolboxjesse]

So you don't necessarily need a DMM and won't need to strip wires if you have a simple 12v test light- the type that has a probe on one end and an alligator clip on the other end (such as this: http://www.harborfreight.com/circuit-tester-30779.html )

If the reverse lights are powered on, and you solidly connect the alligator clip to the vehicle ground (SHOULD BE any bare solid metal component within the tailgate, assuming the tailgate is grounded), and you back-probe each of the 2 reverse bulb pins in the harness in turn -- if the test light illuminates then the pin you are probing is 12v+. If it's not illuminated (and assuming the ground connection is good) then that pin is 12v-. A negative-negative or positive-positive circuit would not have current flow.

Jesse in Atlanta

 

[seattleCRV]

Cool thanks.

I also wanted to share this video that the seller gave us:
http://s1086.photobucket.com/user/wowcosmos/media/videos/camerainstall.mp4.html

 

[Rickman]

I wish you guys well, as those Chinese units don't seem to last longer than 6 months to a year. Check it out on YouTube.

But I hope I'm wrong! Enjoy....

 

[toolboxjesse]

I had my radio out last night and realize I was mistaken about wire SW2- it isn't connected in this case.

Jesse

 

[seattleCRV]

Well we got it all sorted out.

Our SW2 didn't have to be connected either. The set-up for steering wheel controls was buried in a settings menu in the poor UX of the radio.

For the Reverse Light because we didn't have the wiring diagram we just removed the panel where all the actual bulbs connect and tapped in right their at the light source our 2 red wires to a Green/Black and our black to black.

 

[toolboxjesse]

SeattleCRV did you ever get the upside-down camera image sorted out?

Thanks,
Toolboxjesse

 

[vtec525]

why

I wish you guys well, as those Chinese units don't seem to last longer than 6 months to a year. Check it out on YouTube.

But I hope I'm wrong! Enjoy....

Have you experienced them fail or are you assuming because it is china made?

 

[toolboxjesse]

IIRC I installed mine June 2014. Right now it's June 2015. We drive that car practically every day...Radio has not failed yet.

Jesse