Rear View Camera Extension -$20 bounty on pics

Hi,
I am going to try to bring a 3rd brake light relocation kit to market for the rear view mirror camera.
I am working with a supplier of Toyota connectors but this is a new part and he needs pictures to try to match it. I dont have my truck yet unfortunately (built today). $20 on venmo for some good pictures of these connectors and the back of the 3rd brake light.
I'm sure many people are interested in this as most toppers block this camera.

pretty sure you can take off the handles a lightly pull the headliner down from the back like shown on the 2.5

 

I am working on the same thing since I am getting my GFC installed next weekend.

 

you guys are the best! I believe there will be 2
Models needed, one for the bed cam and one for the PVM system. As a topper owner with PVM I am super stoked for this development! I am out of town for the next two weeks otherwise I’d send photos today

 

This is cool! I'm interested on the final outcome after relocation. I'm wondering if the PVM will still look close to the same on the screen.

 

I'm almost positive the pvm will be messed up on the rear bed angle. Not much you can do about that really l. I'll show pics in a few weeks when I get these cables in.

 

What makes you guys think that? Unless I'm missing something, I don't think the PVM view uses the rear-view mirror camera at all. To create the PVM view it uses the grille, tailgate, and side mirror cameras. Neither of the cameras in the 3rd brake light (rear-view mirror view and bed view) are used in the PVM view that I am aware of.

 

I think it uses the bed camera also, There are two cameras that Im relocating, so i assumed one was used for PVM. I dont have my truck yet so not sure yet! Do you mind blocking the camera on the 3rd brake light and trying PVM for me?

 

I just tested it. As I suspected, it doesn't use either of the 3rd brake light cameras. The 360 PVM view is stitched together from just the grille, tailgate, and side mirror cameras.

The bed camera is just to look into the bed while driving.

 

That's great news! thank you for testing that. It is a different connector than the cameras that go into the PVM ecru, so I should have guessed. I supposed the bed cam will just be a high up view once its relocated then. Thanks again.

 

Yes, if you relocate both cams to the back of the topper, the bed view will just be a high up 45-degree down view of the road. If each camera is a separate connector, what would be ideal is to relocate the bed cam to the inside top front of the topper (to keep the bed view), and relocate the rear-view cam to the oustide top rear of the topper.

 

I believe they are both soldered to the pcb of the light, but again i dont have the truck yet. your solution would be possible if you buy another camera tailight ~$800

 

Would relocating the rear-view cam to the rear change the viewing angle? Meaning you would eliminate the little blind spot it currently covers.

 

Yes, the camera will be further back therefore giving you the same field of view but further back on the truck. The alternative would be somehow sticking it up higher than where it currently is. I can't really picture that without it looking ridiculous though

 

Moving the rear-view camera further back should not change the up-down viewing angle, but I could see it cutting off some peripheral view on the sides. It is a pretty wide angle camera/view. I'm guessing that could be adjusted/compensated for somewhat based on what @ryanwgregg said above.

 

I adjusted it once just to see how it was done, then set it right back to the way it came from the factory. If I recall correctly you could move the image up/down/left/right/tilt(rotate), but there was no stretch/compress or anything like that.

 

There is a zoom in and out function

 

Hey, this is an awesome thread. Thanks for getting it started. I have my truck and I just paid the invoice for the GFC topper yesterday so I asked this exact same question. Do you still need pictures? I was planning on buying a replacement cable (Part: 867970C360) and using it as a sacrificial part to cut then splice in 2 cable extensions. I'm more "electrically inclined" than mechanically inclined but I can try to remove my module and take pictures.

 

that would be awesome if it’s they easy, the concern I have heard is the video type cables don’t allow splicing, but fingers crossed

 

I bought that cable too, but yes if you can take pictures of the connectors that this cable plugs into that would be great. On the ECU side not the camera side

 

Hey, sorry to have vanished. Why do you guys believe we can't just splice the cable and make it longer? I got the replacement cable and was planning to splice in a 20ft extension and just test it out to see if there was an issue. Any reason not to try that?

 

You can try that. Its foil and braid insulated and LVDS signals, so signal integrity is paramount. If youre patient you can pick up a cable from my website. ggoffroad.com
Im about to launch the install page, inventory coming in 2-4 wks

 

Hey GG.Offroad,
I'm a pretty decent electrical engineer but I would ENTHUSIASTICALLY purchase a solution instead of building one. I'll pre-order on your site.
What topper is on the truck in the photos on your site? I got word that my GFC topper will be ready late January.
Can you share some more photos of your setup?

 

I have a back camera but kept my rear PVM camera on the GFC. The backup I got from Amazon

 

Hey! glad to see another EE around here! That topper is on Alibaba, there's a thread somewhere here where we discovered it. I'm having 6 made and shipped to me in CO. I don't get mine until mid next month and I'll post pics then. the other 5 would be two months out from that. Planning to sell them locally. Its probably not something I'm going to stock as a business after these 6 as it takes up a ton of space and money to hold them and install/etc. But if youre interested in one of the 5 ggoffroad toppers let me know hah!

 

Splicing may not work because existing wires are all intact and have foil shielding around them. If you start opening it up and splicing, there may be too much interference for it to work after you remove the shielding and introduce the splices. But I haven't personally tried it.

I'd just buy a pre made cable extension (assuming it was tested and works).

 

Hey @GG.Offroad - I went ahead and pre-ordered the cable from your site. I'm really looking forward to seeing your instructions.

It seems like there are two discrete steps to the install process.
1. Running the extension out of the top of the cabin to the back of the topper in a way that will be water resistant. I think this is medium difficulty but straight forward.
2. Mounting the two cameras on the topper in a way that will allow rigid mounting, good view and remaining water resistance. This is going to be a bit harder I think. The GFC I ordered doesn't have any windows (big brain me thought I wouldn't need them) so I think I'll need to drill some holes and maybe 3D print some mounting brackets with an acrylic protection like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Serounder-Pr...671214492&sprefix=acrylic+lens,aps,132&sr=8-7

Thoughts?

 

Hey @havage i appreciate your order!
as for 2. I am also working on a 3d printed enclosure for the cameras, I am using squares of acrylic that I cut, but those lenses look interesting. I'm super interested in what your 3D printed solution looks like. I'm getting my Mech-E friend involved in this so I can provide a product that doesn't look like an EE tried to use solidworks

I am also bringing a 4 cable kit to market that has a waterproof connector so you can move the camera to the back of a trailer! - but this is further down the road.

 

Keep it up GG!

We're patiently waiting on the sidelines for steps and solution for our camper camera

 

Small update: I was finally able to get to my truck again from the film installer. I pulled the headliner down, it's super easy just the two c pillar trim pieces and the two rear coat hangers allo enough droop for you to remove the tailight. 3 bolts.
Good news! the camera cables work great, and the camera modules are actually waterproof. So no need for a lense or any clear plastic. This should be a pretty easy print.

 

YES!! keep us posted