Reverse Camera Option for MMCS

[JMax]

Hi guys, I read a few threads regarding MMCS and reverse cameras. I know some of you have the Lancer harness with aftermarket cameras. Problem with the OEM harness is that it provides only 6V for the camera, which are not very easy to get hold of. For those with the Lancer harness, what connections are on the camera side? Is it a simple RCA connector that can be attached to any type of camera? If it is can I connect a 12V camera to this RCA and then run the camera's power leads over to the reverse light feed, therefore powering up the camera when in reverse only?

Secondly, how does the MMCS select the video to automatically display when in reverse, does it sense video coming from the camera and switch to it or does it know reverse is selected via the OEM harness to switch to video??

Thanks in advance!!

[Cowboy Dave]

There are 4 or 5 wires with pins on the end and a plug for you to connect them to. If you get the lancer or triton mitsu cams they have the matching plug. Is not hard though, there is pos/neg, signal/shield and an earth from memory. Posted wire colours somewhere.

I can tell you though that the oem cams are clarions. Have seen near identical in autobarn stores. There are others that will cope with voltage.

On the trigger issue I think the Mmcs gets told the truck is in reverse and only then does it send power to the camera. There is also a test mode you can access to check cam is working. Can't say if wiring power separately will work in that the mmcs may be expecting a complete circuit for its 6v signal?

[Try-it-on]

My understanding is that it comes from the Reverse gear selection.
I know this because I can turn my camera on seperately via a switch at any time and so I know it isn't power going to the camera that does it, but the moment I go into reverse, it comes on automatically.
If you go into "vehicle signal" on your mmcs - not sure exactly how from memory but it's done with the button just below map and nav, you can see from there that the vehicle knows when it's in reverse because it's one of the details.

If you select audio, and then press the power off button so that it says "AUDIO OFF" on the top of the screen, you can then select another diagnostics menu by imagining that the screen you are now looking at is divided into a 3x3 square and press the screen in the middle left, middle right, middle left, middle right, middle left, middle right. If you get it correct a diagnostic screen comes up that allows you to check if the camera is being detected, which could save you some headaches putting it all back together only to find it not working, just remember that you might have to have reverse selected for that to work.

Good luck with it, because I consider it the best mod I have made to the truck so far.
This thing is SH!TE to reverse without one, because there are 3 layers of tinted glass between me and the back of the vehicle thanks to the canopy, and the butt has been lifted 40mm, which means you only see little more than just the roof of what's behind you anyway. The camera was worth every cent and more.

[JMax]

So my plan to use a good quality 12v camera which is powered via reverse light wiring (ie is only powered on when reverse is selected) connected via OEM harness (via correct pinouts to camera RCA lead) is all doable.

I would like to use a camera like this one I found on eBay, over what would probably be an inferior quality OEM unit which I'd have to pay $400 for the privilege.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150489393924&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_7809wt_1384

[Cowboy Dave]

JMax I wouldn't go so far as to assume the OEM to be inferior. It is a Clarion branded item and is good at what it does. Hard to argue against your ebay camera though given the price. I still have my OEM camera somewhere here as I temporarily rigged up a cheapy I picked up for $20 from a Repco bargain bin one day and it worked so well I got too lazy to go back and install the other one properly. I still have this vague idea for mounting a camera on the inside bottom edge of the rear window glass on my canopy so as to get a downward view on the towball but after seeing a couple of the rear windows smash got a little nervous about that idea.

[Shwa]

JMax, hoping you've subscribed to this thread. How did your reverse camera go, using the reverse light power? I'm mainly asking because I've also found 6v cameras rare as hens teeth and a 12v one is much easier and cheaper to find.
Dave, if you've subscribed to this thread, what brand and model is your cheap repco camera? I'll see if I can find online some where.

Cheers

[Stapler401]

I was searching for an idea on where in the cab to find a reverse switch wire.. but I can answer this question as I have been doing some fun times test wiring a few different cameras, I have found that while plugging the wires in supplied with the camera to 12v power, somewhere along the line it reduces to 4.5v with no real sign of a transformer apart from something that passes where it changes from the two 12v wires to a transformer plug. it seems magic.
my reverse camera including a nightvision camera and clip on review mirror was about 70 bucks.. the system in my ML is the same 'brand' and has lasted 4 years (but we paid heaps from a local installer)

[Dunga71]

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