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Rear veiw camera

69K views 82 replies 20 participants last post by  Redman 
#1 ·
Hello, guys... I am trying to install a rear view camera which is not an original Vauxhall/Opel product. It is a lot cheaper and has great definition and a wifi module so that I won't have to put cables all around the car. However thr wifi module has to be plugged into the rear of the multifunctional computer (mine is Intellilibk R4.0). Here comes the tricky part... I don't know what inputs it has on the back... anybody familiar ? What kind of video output cable should i use? The standard video in/out or some other (hdmi/lsvd)??
 
#54 ·
#56 ·
Just wondering.

With the original vauxhall camera you can install it, but as far as i have understood you still need some VCI coding to enable it in the HMI interface.

This box also connects to the HMI interface box the same way as far as i have understood, but it seems that this system will work without doing any VCI coding on the HMI unit.

Is this understood correctly.

If it is, i wonder how this unit can tell the HMI unit to switch to rear view camera, when the original one will not without coding.
 
#57 ·
^ I can't explain why, but yes, the XCarLink is plug-and-play. No coding necessary. To be honest, it seems weird that VCI coding is necessary for the OEM system. It's just a matter of switching the video source when car is in reverse.
 
#58 ·
Gunde said:
^ I can't explain why, but yes, the XCarLink is plug-and-play. No coding necessary. To be honest, it seems weird that VCI coding is necessary for the OEM system. It's just a matter of switching the video source when car is in reverse.
Maybe to make it overlay the red yellow and green overlay that shows the projected heading of the car and the distance.

Maybe to enable menu functions that make turning the red/yellow/green grid on/off or something.

It must be told somehow that it has a camera attached and need to switch to that output when reverse is selected....Right now i have no camera and it does not switch ?
 
#59 ·
astraowner said:
Gunde said:
^ I can't explain why, but yes, the XCarLink is plug-and-play. No coding necessary. To be honest, it seems weird that VCI coding is necessary for the OEM system. It's just a matter of switching the video source when car is in reverse.
Maybe to make it overlay the red yellow and green overlay that shows the projected heading of the car and the distance.

Maybe to enable menu functions that make turning the red/yellow/green grid on/off or something.

It must be told somehow that it has a camera attached and need to switch to that output when reverse is selected....Right now i have no camera and it does not switch ?
Still doesn't explain it. The XCarLink interface does all this :)
 
#60 ·
Gunde said:
astraowner said:
Gunde said:
^ I can't explain why, but yes, the XCarLink is plug-and-play. No coding necessary. To be honest, it seems weird that VCI coding is necessary for the OEM system. It's just a matter of switching the video source when car is in reverse.
Maybe to make it overlay the red yellow and green overlay that shows the projected heading of the car and the distance.

Maybe to enable menu functions that make turning the red/yellow/green grid on/off or something.

It must be told somehow that it has a camera attached and need to switch to that output when reverse is selected....Right now i have no camera and it does not switch ?
Still doesn't explain it. The XCarLink interface does all this :)
Yes, but as far as i have seen, the carlink overlay generates the overlay itself, i guess the reason you need MDI coding is to enable the settings menu and possibly the overlay, in the radio.

Am tempted to buy a reversing camera from Vauxhall and fitting it, and then just see what happens. If it does not work at all, ill just have to pop around vauxhall and pay the extortionate amount of money, they will undoubtfully ask of me for this 5 minute operation.
 
#61 ·
An excellent post, that is well presented and easy to follow.

In the near future i will also install a reverse camera.

I shal buy the one from China, which appears identical to the Xlink product. Indeed i would be suprised if the Xlink is not the same device with a suitable massive uplift applied. I suspect this is quite a common practise.

I have installed a number of aftermarket GPS systems in my previous car[Insignia} that all were purchased directly from China and all were very professional units withy reasonable aftermarket backup. These devices varied from Wince 6.0 to Android 8 and all performed properly and were fault free.

The only thing that concerns me is, these units all have extra extended wiring looms that have to be accomodated and extra hardware. Is there room to install this without squashing the wiring into place.

As a further point, i am definately against just placing wires next to other wires and wrapping with tape, to form a connection. All connections should be soldered.

However, an excellent "How to" that has been very well received by all readers.
 
#63 ·
I didn't have the guts to gamble, so I decided to go with XCarLink after finding a good deal on eBay.
No regrets. Works perfectly. Quality unit.
 
#66 ·
frank appleton said:
Those people that have installed the Xcarlink unit. Can you please tell me how you fixed the unit in place so that it is secure?

The device is supplied with no obvious means of securing it in place and it would be useful to know how you fixed it in position.
I didn't fix it at all :D
With all the wires and the harness it's secure enough as soon as you cram it all into the hole there and put the screen back up.
 
#67 ·
I have just installed this camera into my astra K Estate.

Bit more complicated than the hatchback, as there is no direct route into the boot for the wiring. I have therefore used a bumper mounted camera, which then leads the cables straight into the boot.

You have to be careful when dis assembling and removing the 900Navi. Points to watch are, removing the dash trim. It is fixed with a lot of clips that are very tight to remove. Just be careful as they take some force to remove. Also, the original screen is fixed very firmly with 2 screws and 3 clips. These clips also take some force to dis- engage.

The installation is then very easy with everything plug and play.

I found you had to stand on your head and have 3 hands to make connection to the brown wire[camera detect]. I therefore did not make this connection and the camera still worked perfectly. I suspect that if you had a front camera also connected this wire would be needed.

I also did not need to carry out any setup proceedure.

,
 
#68 ·
The Brown Camera Detect wire is only required in vehicles where the reverse signal is not being detected or is not available. In your case, the interface is switching to rear camera automatically via CAN so it is safe to leave it disconnected.

I have heard back from Xcarlink, and you do not need to connect the brown wire to the green/whit wire.

You also do not need to run a red wire from the camera +V(wire).

The little red wire sticking out each end of the vide cable is a continuous cable included in the video cable. It is then connected to the red supply wire
connected to the camera. For LED lights this should be adequate, but for filament lights a heavier cable is advised,
 
#70 ·
Hi, I am thinking of getting a reversing camera fitted to my Astra 1.4T 66 plate SRI. It doesn't have one at the moment and so I don't know if I need some sort of adaptor for it to be able to be wired into the radio for it to display through my current screen that came with the car?
Many thanks
 
#73 ·
Azza899 said:
just had an OEM camera fitted from a lad up here(newcastle area), £99 quid supplied fitted and programmed.. intellilink mods on facebook.
Long time listener, first time caller :)

Any recommendations on someone in the South East? can't really make a case for going cross country :lol:
Would rather pay a few quid extra rather than make a mess on my own...
 
#75 ·
Maciek said:
Same here, I'd like to get the camera installed but living in Cambridgeshire means I'd have to drive 4,5h to get it done. Surely there must be someone who does it around London area...
If you fit it yourself there is a chap in Alton, Hampshire, who has an MDI. Then, intellilink mods in Newcastle can remotely program it in for you. PM me if you want the info.
 
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