Reversing camera and VIM fitted - How to

[boneart]

Hi guys.

Just installed a reversing camera setup in my VE SS-V and learned a lot doing it so thought it might be useful info for others.

The Commodore has a huge blind spot at the back with the high boot and huge fin which makes it a bit dangerous backing sometimes and also quite difficult to back onto a trailer coupling.
I back into my drive which involves backing through a gate and around a blind 90 degree corner where kids often play or leave their stuff lying around.

What I wanted was:
- The camera to display on the head unit display
- The camera and display to activate automatically when put in reverse
- The head unit to automatically switch back to whatever it was set on perviously (CD, Radio, Ipod etc) after reversing
- A very clear image and ability to see towbar for backing onto trailer couplings etc.
- A very discrete camera that was not too obvious.

= The head unit display:
The SS-V has the Blaupunkt head unit with the screen so I wanted it to show the view from the reversing camera on that screen.
To do this the camera is hooked into the rear aux video port.
The big issue with doing that however is that the rear aux on the screen cuts out as soon as you go more than about 4km/hr (vehicle in motion function) which is way to slow.
To get around that you need to flash the radio to remove that function and to do that I used the VIM kit from JHP. After a lot of research I came to the conclusion that using the JHP VIM and Auto switch system was the easiest and most reliable system I could get by mail order and sent to NZ. Its a bit expensive especially when NZ customs adds GST onto it but well worth it.

Flashing the head unit and fitting the video in cable is simply a matter of removing the lower dash covers and glove box to give you access to the right hand side of the head unit and the loom connector on the left hand side behind the glove box where you plug in the appropriate cables, relay and VIM Unit etc. That part of the job took a bit under 20 mins. The main plug behind the glovebox was clipped behind a strut so you need to pop out the holding clip to get at it.

Alternatives to using the factory head unit screen and for those who don't have one, is to hook the video feed from the camera into a GPS screen with video in or purchase a screen specifically for the camera ($300 to $400 with a basic camera). You then just hit a button on the screen to view the camera feed as you reverse. Obviously if you use one of these options you don't need to install the VIM etc but you do end up with an extra screen mounted on the dash which is a magnet for thieves.

= Auto Reverse Switching:
Part of the kit is a auto reverse switching unit that automatically switches to rear aux for the camera when put in reverse and then switches back to the previous source when you go out of reverse gear. This switch means you don't have to press the aux button to see the camera every time you back up.

= The Camera:
I learned a lot about cameras for backing.
The first camera I tried was a $40 cheapie CMOS camera. Absolute rubbish.
CCD cameras give a far better image than CMOS, cope with high contrast like shadows far better and even without LEDs for night time produce a better clearer image at night.
You also need to make sure that the camera itself reverses the image so it is the right way round when looking at a front mounted screen. Some have that as an option using a small jumper to select standard or reverse orientation. Most cameras sold as "reversing cameras" have the image reversed.

The camera consists of a two wire power cable plus a video out cable. Hook the camera up to a reversing light and an earth to switch it on only when the car is in reverse. I have a towbar fitted so it was easy just to hook into the loom for the tow bar wiring. That way any voltage balancing etc was taken care of by using the auxiliary/towbar wiring.
Then you run the cable back to the new video in cable you fitted to the head unit. You need a video cable around 6 mtrs long which just follows the loom down the right hand side of the vehicle along under the sill trim.
Most trim is just held on by small white plastic clips that pull out reasonably easily. When taking off the lower dash coverings pull off the thin strip along the middle first.
The glove box is held in by several screws most of which are hidden behind the trim strip along the top and two small covers, one above the boot release and one on the opposite side.
That part of the job also took about 20 minutes to do.

When choosing a camera 120 degrees seems about right for me. Wider than 120 degrees and everything is so distorted that it's almost impossible to judge distance and objects are so small until you are right on top of them that its easy to miss an obstacle like a small child or bollard.

= Camera Position:
Most people put the camera flush in or under the bumper but thats no good to me as I needed to able to see at least part of the car as a reference point. I particularly wanted to see the towbar for backing onto a trailer coupling for a large trailer and being able to park VERY close to a wall without actually touching it.
I also don't need to see lots of sky as I can already see that out the back window and its fairly unlikely the low flying seagulls pose a huge threat when reversing.
To do that you needed a higher vantage point and the VE has the perfect place for a small or recessed camera which is under the 35mm overhang above the number plate. Its more work to fit the camera here but again it is worth the effort. The other advantage of putting it under that lip is that it shades the camera a bit giving a better image on those real harsh sunny days.
I used a recessed camera so I had to drill a hole under the lip, fit the camera at an angle of around 55 degrees so that just the tip of the towbar shows at the bottom of the displayed image along with just a hint of the bumper in the lower corners of the image. Where the camera came through inside the body of the boot lid I used a bit of body filler to fix it in place so I did not need to make any mounting brackets etc. The bodywork in the boot lid at that point has a reasonably large void so the camera does not protrude into the boot space at all and will fit neatly behind the interior boot lid trim.
It's practically impossible to see the camera from outside the car at all unless you know exactly where to look which is not bad for a black camera mounted in a silver car.

= The VIM units.
I spent a lot of money to get my V8 so the cost of this small mod is nothing. I went for the full plug and play setup with all the plugs provided as the extra cost compared to all the extra time it would have taken to manually tap into looms etc made it well worth doing and I also didn't risk blowing anything up.
Wiring is easy though there was a bit of confusion over a main plug pinout. The image in the instructions appears to show the front of the plug when in fact it is the back but a quick email to JHP cleared that up.
Another thing not in the instructions is a trick with the video in plug for the rear aux of the head unit. What they don't tell you is that there is a lever on the video connection plug that goes into the side of the head unit. This lever needs to be in the down position to install the plug then moved to the up position at the top to lock it in.
Failing to fold the lever down before trying to push the plug in could result in bending the pins on the head unit.
When I came to connect the big 16 pin plug to the main loom input behind the glovebox I found that there was already a plug in it with a couple of loop wires fitted. I just popped those wires with their spade terminals out of the existing plug and put them back into the new plug in the same positions.

The whole job took a bit over one hour and 20 mins and works a treat.
It is not a hard job at all just a bit fiddly at times. Using a stiff wire with your video or power cables taped to the end to pull wiring through tight sections like the flexible hose between the boot lid and body or the sill channels makes a huge difference.

Hope this is some help to those considering doing this little job.

Don

[1BEAST2NV]

good write up, handy to know, got any pics of where you mounted the camera??

I have a clubby and was thinking about mounting it down the bottom in the bumper with the honey comb shapes., right in the centre.

[zmr]

Well Done. Great write up. How much did it cost in NZD and where did you get the camera from please?

Also (please correct me if I am wrong) that VIM unit allows you to watch an 'inflight' DVD on the front LCD screen...once you have had the DVD Player enabled (via tech 2) I think....???

[boneart]

I had also initially planned to put it into the honey comb section under the bumper which would have been a lot easier but then I would have not have the visual reference of being able to see a bit of the car and the towbar for very close backing situations. It really depends what you need.
I need to be able to back up close to a wall and also back onto the trailer coupling for a heavy trailer that can't really be moved so this way I can get it lined up perfectly on my own.

For the full plug and play VIM setup which also included the extra aux in video and sound cables for a DVD player to connect to the rear aux plus the extra NZ Customs added took it to around the NZ$780 mark so certainly not a cheep job.

Camera from Tradme was NZ$150 for a good one though you can get them a lot cheeper if you hunt around for a bargain or go for a smaller 1/4 chip or CMOS

You can add video and audio in cables to the head unit to play DVDs etc, the trick is that the rear aux will turn off if you go faster than a lame snail. The VIM unit removes that speed restriction so you can then see any video/audio feed you put to the rear aux while in motion (obviously not a good idea to play a movie on the front screen when driving = disclaimer).
Unfortunately I believe there is no way of removing that speed limit cutout in tech mode.
Part of the installation procedure for the VIM is going into the head unit menu and activating the rear aux. I don't think you need to go near the tech modes at all for that.

I am certainly not an expert on these things but that is my understanding from the reading I have done.



Camera is not too obvious



Close up looking up at the camera which is under the lip above the number plate



The view on screen showing just a hint of the bumper and tip of towbar

[zmr]

That's so cool. I can appreciate how handy that would be for coupling a trailer.

Thanks for your explanation. It seems like a great kit that still allows you the option of having a DVD in the rear aux as well as the camera - that's turned off unless in reverse. Brilliant.

My question (to ne1) is regarding the front display. Once you have the replacement VIM I think you need a tweak from the Tech 2 device and you could watch DVD's on the front player while in motion.

Of course that's a ridiculous notion and I don't condone such activity....but I think you could, if you wanted too....now you have installed the new VIM.......????

[geo41e]

Hey buddy

Can you post up some pics of the VIM unit itself....and if possible..how it works ??

Cheers buddy !

[boneart]

Geoff asked for more details of what is involved in connecting to the head unit etc and how hard it was to do

Yes it was a pretty easy install and flash.

I got the full kit including the switch and aux in cables.
They have several kits and its best to get the one they refer to as the "Plug and play" set which has all the plugs etc included, otherwise you have to cut into wiring and solder pins etc which could cause a problem if you make a mistake.
That kit has the VIM and auto switch built into a single unit that plugs into the main loom behind the glove box. Once it was all installed and tested (there is a test LED on the unit) then you follow the instructions provided and simply turn the ignition on and cut a small orange loop of wire on the VIM unit. The radio then resets itself after about 30 seconds or so and its done.

The video and audio cables plug unto the right hand side of the head unit and are pretty easy to get at so you don't have to remove the head unit at all. All you need to do is take off the plastic side panels under the dash. Its easiest to remove the bottom dash covers on the drivers side and the glove box on the left which then gives you a good clear working space. You need to do that to get access to the main plug behind the glove box and to run the video cable anyway. The instructions that come with the kit show you which holes to plug things into.

As the VIM unit is plugged in on the left behind the glovebox and are connected to the same plug as the relay etc which go into the right hand side of the head unit you need to take off both side panels for the central consol around the head unit. When you do that there is a nice big space under the head unit to feed those cables through so its really easy.

GeoffA over on the Grrrr8 forum did a great photo illustrated write up on the process of removing the dash covers etc though he is also making Don't forget that as his is a G8 in the USA the position of the glove box etc is reversed.

This is a link to his write up
Vip only




This is an image from JHP showing the full plug and play set.




This is one of GeoffA's pic of the side of the head unit showing the plugs.

[programer]

Does anyone know of someone in australia that sells the vim flash unit to reprogram the head unit ?

[VTSS350]

Does anyone know of someone in australia that sells the vim flash unit to reprogram the head unit ?

Did you read the first post? It mentions the company that he used.

If you do a search you will find atleast 5 other threads that have the info your after!

[geo41e]

so far the ones that l've come across are all from Melbourne...

[geo41e]

hey there buddy...

one more thing

with the AUX in from JHP - is it mono (One RCA ?) or is it stereo (Left and Right)
because by the pictures..its only 2 cables..red and white..but no yellow (video) so l'm asuuiming its only mono and video ??

cheers guyz.

Geoff

[boneart]

The AUX in is stereo
The relay shown in the middle of the picture with the two red connectors are both video inputs.
One is for the camera and one is for an additional aux video input. (so you can play video which then switches to camera and back again when reversing)
The red and black connectors on the cable with the small white plug are the L/R audio inputs

[geo41e]

thankx mate !!!!

[geo41e]

hey guyz
FYI - Just spoke to JHP and did some research and went **** it.

bout the whole auto switch including VIM unit and AUX cable.

in my opinion - it cost 400 - 500 to get reverse sensors installed.
for the same price - u get a reverse camera instead + u get the ability to watch movies on the LCD screen.

will be getting it this friday and will hook it up on the weekend.

will provide pics and all if anybody needs them
wish me luck !!! dun wanna break anything now lol

[boneart]

Geoff
If you get stuck PIM or email me

[geo41e]

crap

the bastards didn't give me the connector for the VIm unit.

how dumb is that.....
thats just stupid
really stupid.

[geo41e]

ok..i sintalled it and double checked the VIM unit cables.
still not working.

the relay works fine and triggers the secondary Video input for the camera,
however the screen still turns off after 3kms.


what am i doin wrong here ***kkkkk

bone
can u call me or can i call u lol
0405138031

[geo41e]

ok

i didn't get instructions with this..but found the pdf//////will try tomorrow.

[clubby2009]

boneart
hi mate do u have the original instructions sheet ( pictures pdf files or wiring color pinouts if any that came with the kit for your install.
I have clubsport R8 09 model and removed the side panels beside HU and also Glovebox and found i have factory fitted harness already in audio and video sockets on HU. I have not got factory sat nav or dvd but obviously hsv fits the kits for future ugrade. So i am to believe all i need is the pinouts for the 16 pin plug behind glovebox and obviously vim module as well. Clubby still pulled apart awaiting any info i can find.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[geo41e]

hey clubby
FYI

that cable thats already in the audio section is for your bluetooth. when u have paired ur phone..uits normal..when u make a call...the head unit auto switches to bluetooth and thats the sound input.
the reason why i know this is because i too have fitted the VIM and auto switch but now can't find that cable and now my bluetooth has no sound...but the HU still pics up the input.

[SSV_09_Pano]

Hi geo41e (or any one else who can assist me).

Did you get your bluetooth and auto switch working?

I have recently had a VIM, reverse camera and media hub installed in my SSV (series I, which also has factory sat nav). The media hub and reverse camera both worked amazingly, but my Bluetooth would only pair. No "Voice in (with associated beeps)" would appear on my unit, nor could I hear calls. I could still control calls with the Phone button on my steering wheel. The media centre includng movies on a USB and the reverse camera both worked travelling over 3Km an hour (limited test only).

I took my vehicle to the local Holden dealership who found the "accessory patch harness connector" was missing under the glove box (looped cables, white and orange with a black stripe attached to a white connector behind the glove box). This was replaced by the dealership, who also stated that no other cables were removed from this connector. The dealer also stated the VIM module was no longer connected or located under the glovebox.

Now my bluetooth works perfectly, the reverse camera works fantastically, but my media hub is not working. I only get a Black screen when I select the AUX button on my unit.

I didn't install my reverse camera or media hub, so was hoping someone like yourself who self-installed maybe able to assist me (the installer is not contactable for the next 6 days).
Should the "accessory patch harness connector" still be connected once the VIM and auto switch is installed or how did you fix this issue?

Any assistance will be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

[boneart]

When you first open it all up you have the 16 pin connector behind the glovebox with the plug fitted and just a couple of loop wires installed unless you have other optional accessories as well.
As far as I am aware the loop wires in the large connector behind the glove box are for the bluetooth so if you just swap plugs and don't keep them bluetooth won't work.
If you got the whole kit with all plugs you may find the new plug does not have the loop wires so you not only need to connect the wires for the VIM etc but you also need to transfer over any existing connections such as the loop wires etc. The same applies for the other plugs, if there are existing connections make sure they are kept when you install the extra plugs/wiring. In most cases its just a case of pulling the pin out of one plug and putting it back into the new plug in the same spot with the new connections. Its all pretty easy to do as the instructions are reasonably clear.

Attached are some pinouts for the HU connectors and also for the dealer option plug behind the glovebox.
Also attached is a scan of the 16 pin plug and wiring supplied with the VIM unit.




Links to Pinout PDF files:

16 pin dealer options pinout


Head Unit Video Pinout


Head Unit Audio and Overall Pinout