Member Since: 29 Dec 2009
Location: London. Scotland. The Alps.
Posts: 131
Auto Switching Reversing Cameras...
I've doing quite a bit of research into fitting a reversing camera to a Disco 3. Its possible for sure, and have seen some interesting threads such as this one which makes use of the Disco 4 Tailgate Handle & integrated camera:
But for me the missing link is autoswitching the camera so it is displayed on the Nav screen when reverse is selected (or even better, having a single button override to use it as an always on rear view camera). This this is a big problem, and something to do with the software in the Nav unit. (I have a camper van with a reversing camera that is always on).
But I just had a thought. The Nav unit is simply a video source that is connected to the screen. Now if you could disconnect the Nav unit from the screen and insert a special Y cable with a switch, you could easily select which video source you wanted - Nav or camera or even DVD etc.
So, is it possible to disconnect the video feed from the Nav unit to the Display? If you can, then this auto-switching problem is solved ! Bingo.
(I get my Disco 3 hopfully on Sat, then I need to contact Wiggs to get some hidden options enabled, and work out how to remove the screen to have a looksy. So totally reliant on this fourm for now!!
Last edited by mikeyp on 31st Dec 2009 4:43 pm. Edited 3 times in total
31st Dec 2009 4:34 pm
Tawny Owl
Member Since: 22 Oct 2008
Location: Here and there
Posts: 1645
Aint gotta clue tbh , PM simoniz cos I know he's doing this project and he's most helpful
@Mikeyp - that's exactly the principle (Y switching) that the QDIS GVIF unit here uses: http://www.qdis.co.kr/data/ftp/GVIF5.pdf - it steals the video from the Nav DVD or lets the original through as required.
Mine was about £150 when I bought it (also has a reverse detect wire to auto switch to a reverse camera input when reversing).
It fits nicely under the passenger seat next to the Nav DVD player
hope this is helpful ...
Rob.Rob aka gringle
D3 07 TDV6 HSE Stornaway Grey [X100 ***], Mantec Plate, Black badges, disco3.co.uk sticker on the tailgate.
31st Dec 2009 5:06 pm
mikeyp
Member Since: 29 Dec 2009
Location: London. Scotland. The Alps.
Posts: 131
So i nose around under the seat, find the DVD player video and audio output, disconnect, insert the GVIF (or other input multiplier) and then Bingo, job done right?
Seems a lot cleaner and easier than messing around removing the LR Screen etc.
Persume the LR DVD player are standard phono composite video + audio L & R outputs??
Unforunately there's no easy audio/video output from the Nav DVD. It's a Gigabit Video Interface (GVI) which has a different type of plug (no audio) and isn't compatible with composite video. This is really the point of the GVIF box - it converts a composite input to GVI. (If you look on the back of the front screen you can actually input composite video direct into the screen via a Fakra plug, but can only view this using a diagnostic mode: http://www.disco3.co.uk/forum/topic475.html or search "+fakra +wiggs")
You disconnect the GVI cable from the Nav DVD, and plug it into the GVIF box "In" port, then plug the provided GVI cable from the GVIF "out" port into the Nav DVD GVI - so the GVIF box is intercepting the signal path for the GVIF in the car.
Now it can either allow the existing Land Rover Nav signal through to the front screen, or replace it with any composite input (or reversing camera) that you've connected to the GVIF box.
If you want Audio too - you'll need to take the audio output from the GVIF box and connect it to any of the AUX in cables around the car (lots of other posts cover this!).
Cheers,
Rob.Rob aka gringle
D3 07 TDV6 HSE Stornaway Grey [X100 ***], Mantec Plate, Black badges, disco3.co.uk sticker on the tailgate.
1st Jan 2010 10:25 am
mikeyp
Member Since: 29 Dec 2009
Location: London. Scotland. The Alps.
Posts: 131
- Aha - I get it now. GVIF is all new to me, but makes sense; will read up on this.
- I think I'll give the aux inputs on the back of the screen a miss as these sources are not easy to select. Cannot be arsed with having to go to diagnostic modes just for a rear view camera !
- So this pushes me down the GVIF box route for an easily switched on reversing / rear view camera.
Many thanks !
1st Jan 2010 10:43 am
mikeyp
Member Since: 29 Dec 2009
Location: London. Scotland. The Alps.
Posts: 131
gringle wrote:
@Mikeyp - that's exactly the principle (Y switching) that the QDIS GVIF unit here uses: http://www.qdis.co.kr/data/ftp/GVIF5.pdf - it steals the video from the Nav DVD or lets the original through as required.
Mine was about £150 when I bought it (also has a reverse detect wire to auto switch to a reverse camera input when reversing).
It fits nicely under the passenger seat next to the Nav DVD player
hope this is helpful ...
Rob.
OK - read all this; looks good. A couple of Q's:
- Cant make out what the CAN(L) and CAN(H) connections are for. Any ideas?
- Wheres a good place to buy these units from in the UK - somewhere that has some good technical knowledge of them too?
The CAN connections (CAN Bus is two wires - typically called high (H) and low (L) which acts as a digital data transmission bus around the car) allow you to use the left hand side hard button to switch between inputs instead of a separate switch.
This would be neater, but I didn't connect this as I didn't want to get confused (I wasn't sure how the car would handle the input switching and the normal button function at the same time).
So in short - you don't have to connect it if you don't want to - you can use a separate button for the switching instead (comes with the product too).
As to an ICE installer with knowledge of this - I'm not sure - but if you can't find someone locally, perhaps 10forCash or Wiggs could help
Cheers
Rob.Rob aka gringle
D3 07 TDV6 HSE Stornaway Grey [X100 ***], Mantec Plate, Black badges, disco3.co.uk sticker on the tailgate.
1st Jan 2010 11:01 am
mikeyp
Member Since: 29 Dec 2009
Location: London. Scotland. The Alps.
Posts: 131
Thx for that Gringle. All making sense now, am aware of CanBus and all that. But the intructions for the GVIF unit dont make any mention of the left hand hard button etc., which doesn't help. Never mind, getting there, thx to your posts.
The next thing that is puzzling me is the reverse switch input on the GVIF unit. Cant make that out from the insructions. Taking a +ve tap off the reverse light is easy - but where does that feed into ont the GVIF box?
Where did you buy your unit from?
1st Jan 2010 11:19 am
wiggs
Member Since: 03 Sep 2006
Location: Manchester
Posts: 14368
The reverse VE wire goes to a dedicated wire on the GVIF interface ..all the rest have connectors ready for the camera / av source etc
This place has one listed with the latest software version
- Seems these guys are in Hong Kong/Brazil/Mexico. Do you know of a UK source for these units?
Thx !
1st Jan 2010 3:48 pm
wiggs
Member Since: 03 Sep 2006
Location: Manchester
Posts: 14368
There proberly all going to have different colour wires for the different manufactures ..but on the link i posted its the gray wire ..pin 3 on the multiplug .
+VE is a 12v supply ..you would take that from the positive side of the reversing light ..or easier still from the reversing light fuse in the fuse box ....basically a 12 v supply that switches live to tell the interface to switch it over to reversing camera
Will look for a Uk supplierG4 Gone ...but not forgotten
1st Jan 2010 4:04 pm
mikeyp
Member Since: 29 Dec 2009
Location: London. Scotland. The Alps.
Posts: 131
Cool. Thx. Instructions aren't very clear at all, and in fact wrong as the pinout on Page 11 contradicts that on Page 10. Page 11 has the Acc and Gnd labels the wrong way around !
So just want to check all the pins on the power connector. I copied the pinout from P10, pasted below, and have added a comment which is my take on what each of the pins do. Does this tally with your take?
1 ACC (Red) - Presume 12V Power for the unit
2 GND (Black) - Self explanatory !
3 REAR-C (Grey) - Supply 12V to select the rear camera, i.e. feed from reverse light.
4 SAFE (Violet) - No idea what this is
5 CAN(H) (White) - To CANBUS, optional fit so that press and hold left hard key on LR SatNav selects the camera.
6 CAN(L) (Yellow) - As per pin 5
7 NAVI SEL (Blue) - Supply 12V to select this source
8 AV1-SEL (Green) - Supply 12V to select this source
9 AV2-SEL (Brown) - Supply 12V to select this source
10 AV3-SEL (Orange) - Supply 12V to select this source
1st Jan 2010 4:21 pm
wiggs
Member Since: 03 Sep 2006
Location: Manchester
Posts: 14368
I have just looked at 3 different instructions and there all diffrent wiring pins ..you would have to wait till you got the unit . There is a little shroud on each wire telling you what each one is for .
From above
pin 4 ..its supposed to be connected to a handbrake signal so it cant be used while driving ...just connected it to the ground wire ..it works all the time then
All the rest are correct ..the acc on pin 1 is a 12volt feed from ignition ( position 1 ) not a constant supply .
Here is a little video of what it does ...i was only testing so ignore the wires lying around and the button is only placed there for video purposes
Member Since: 03 Sep 2006
Location: Manchester
Posts: 14368
Oh forgot to add ..the latest ones of these units have an FM modulator built in aswell so you can just tune the radio in and listen through there ..supprisingly good sound too G4 Gone ...but not forgotten
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, PM simoniz cos I know he's doing this project and he's most helpful 
