Anyone install a Back-Up Camera on a 1st Gen?

If you're asking me then no, once you open the tailgate a few times you know where to reach / grab. It's really no big deal.

 

What headunit do you have yours connected to? I have the same handle and camera but I can’t seem to get the display to work well. I tapped into aux and ground wires on the trailer wiring but the display is super grainy and can’t really see anything, even after getting a new camera sent out.

 

I’ve got a JVC touch screen but I’ve got the RCA cable running to the rear view mirror display. Only the power and ground is tied to the head unit.

 

Almost forgot to upload the image from my camera setup. Nice wide angle high up view. Bottom right corner you can just make out the edge of the bumper. I can back into my garage right up against the wall if I need to.

 

After 21 years of owning, I decided to make the first upgrade, added an Alpine with backup cam. Works well, have front facing camera too that allows me to hook up to my RV w/o needing to get the wife involved. Oh, and I had a drive-shaft disconnect put in so I could flat-tow it.

Regarding the camera from Tailgate Masters, it looks like it only points at the hitch in the pictures. Can it be adjusted to be a typical rear view / back-up camera?

 

Did you happen to do the install yourself? I have that same Alpine headunit and I'm trying to figure out why my camera view isn't working. Clean truck by the way. Looks great.

 

Yes, I installed it myself, only a couple weeks ago. I bought it from Crutchfield along with their 'Ready Harness' which actually made things really simple. I also bought the Micro Bypass Switch for Alpine from Amz to handle the ebrake stuff. For the rear camera it just needs positive voltage on the trigger wire - from the trailer harness or reverse light.

 

Thanks. Ya I got the ready harness also. I seem to keep having issues with it working. I just need to investigate more.

 

What kind of issues....these guys have a world of knowledge and willing to help.

Disregard, I see where you have commented in a number of your posts what your situation is. Keep us abreast of what you find !

 

Do the colors look right on your camera or is everything washed out? Your head unit could be doing light level "corrections" to let you have more visibility in the dark but it sacrifices quality and color accuracy during the day. Since you said that you are on camera #2 now I would doubt that it is a camera issue.

 

There are some lines across the screen, but it mostly looks like a bad signal or connection. I'm suspecting a bad RCA cable connection, a bad ground, or maybe a setting that is messing it up.
- I originally had it wired to the taillight but have since re-wired (splice/solder) into the trailer harness. Followed ED and write-up by @MrDirtjumper
- I am going to pull the dash and try the front RCA cable to see if that works any better, and possibly try getting a new pre-out harness for the receiver just in case.
- I've tried messing with the setting to see if for some reason the parking guide lines are screwing up the signal, or something along those lines, but no luck yet.
- Last step is to re-do the ground to the trailer hitch receiver and see if that is a better ground than spliced into the ground wire on the harness.

I haven't been able to make time lately to do anything.

 

I did have a loose ground that caused the interior lights to flicker. It went away after I tightened that ground wire.

Throughout the install, I checked the RCA feed at every step to ensure I had a good connection. I was concerned about damaging the cable while running it under the truck so I insulated it with flex tubing. I didn’t experience any issues but could see how the cable could easily get damaged.

 

My install is done, here: https://www.tundras.com/posts/3199439/

Tossing in a couple more threads I had referenced when looking to install my camera.

This one: And also: https://www.tundras.com/threads/wha...t-gen-tundra-today.2558/page-533#post-1629631
And lastly: https://www.tundras.com/threads/how...-from-receiver-to-camera-on-tail-light.68282/

 

For those of you using the Master Tailgaters back up camera, do you mind posting a photo of what the camera captures? I know the quality will depend on the head unit but, trying to gauge the cameras field of vision

 

It’s in my rear view but you can see the angle and view.

 

Have my

$98 Pioneer ND-BC8 NTSC Universal Camera, Mirror-Image - Rearview Camera - Backup Camera

Pioneer ND-BC8 mounted in a used tailgate handle and considering this Master tailgater. Mine is adjustable and I have it just at the outside edge of bumper which puts trailer ball in a good view. Is that camera adjustable ?

 

No, this particular camera is not adjustable. It is installed in a fixed position in the handle.

 

Thanks....bummer !

 

I haven't ordered my reverse camera yet, but I am a little confused still.

I have the crutchfield ready harness and there is a green wire that is connected to nothing that says "reverse". So I just wanted to know, if I connect that to a reverse signal in the cab, the reverse camera its self to the reverse light, and the RCA cable to the headunit? I cant just do the reverse light 12v from the camera and the RCA, I need to connect the green wire off the crutchfield harness correct?

I would assume that the wire from the harness is to let the screen know I am now in reverse, but I didn't know if it would just automatically switch when power to the RCA came on.

 

Are you running the RCA cable to your head unit or a review mirror display?

 

So strange thing happened. I've had my backup camera installed for about a month now and it hasn't worked for 3 weeks and because of too much stuff going on I haven't had a chance to look at it.
Fast forward to last Friday, I'm leaving work, throw the truck in reverse, and the camera works fine...
I thought it was a fluke, but it has since been working just fine the last 3 days. And for @jImmegart here is the long anticipated camera view.

 

Ah hell ya, Now I just need to order one!

 

Do it. I'm a big fan of it already. I'll work on a write-up for install, but I can help locate the reverse trigger wire for the headunit because Crutchfield has it wrong. Also, I recommend going the @MrDirtjumper route and wiring to the tow harness and specifically the aux wire so that you can use it even when not in reverse.

 

There should be a wire that is running along the RCA cable from the backup camera to the head unit, and that is the wire you connect to that trigger wire to let the unit know that you are in reverse, and then it will automatically switch. Unfortunately, simply connecting an RCA will not automatically allow the unit to change on its own.

 

I decided to roll the dice on a dash cam/ mirror cam off of Amazon. Install was pretty straight forward and I’m happy with the results so far.

 

need more info on this

 

Hey that looks pretty good for what I think I want. Got a link to the product?

And, after a couple of months, do you still like it? Are you someplace where it gets really hot (I'm in Phoenix...118 this week) and have you had issues related to temperature?

Edit: looks like it's either the Carchet T12 or VanTop H612 (which...look like the same exact product?) They seem pretty great for the price.

If it is either of those, though, they are only rated to function up to 140F, and I'm pretty sure our cabs get hotter than that if it's already 115+ outside. I don't want the thing to cook itself – or the battery blowing up and burning down my truck.

Edit 2: I went ahead and bought the Carchet T12 (I had some scheduling issues that I used to rationalize my impatience) and sho nuff, whoever plagiarized the User Manual forgot to do a global search and replace for "VanTop" - at least one instance of that snuck in, so yeah, I think they are the same product.

Edit 3: First impression: everything seems pretty good so far. Haven't been able to route the wiring to the actual backup camera, but the forward facing, mounting, recording seems ok. Don't have anything to compare it to, and I wish things like license plates were clearer, but I guess it's ok? Anyone else with direct experience with these?

Also, all the stuff above it around your dome light – outside temp, compass, etc. – is that OEM for your model / year, or is that aftermarket? I've got a 2003 SR5 AC and don't have any of that.

 

Master tailgaters sold out...

 

It appears they are back in stock now.

 

https://tailgatecamera.com/collecti...6-toyota-tundra-tailgate-handle-backup-camera

I did, last year it works great with my Kenwood head unit!