A Note About Back Up Camera Installation

too

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 29, 2016
Threads
18
Messages
106
Reaction score
28
Location
FL
Vehicle(s)
Civic LX
Country flag
Here's my adventure on installing Pioneer AVH-4200NEX into '16 Civic LX Manual, using Metra 70-1731 kit.

First issue - After much questioning and read this whole forum on rear cam, I decided to troubleshoot this myself. Especially the issue that the logic (for view switching) is 8V and the Metra's XSVI-1731-NAV (with 6V converter + AWSC). We have quite a few who purchased that kit and it doesn't work. So the logic (per Honda's tech manual) is 8V, but Metra kit converts to 6 volts?

Point 1 - Camera power supply (Camera Vcc, pin 13 on the factory radio side) is actually 8 volts, not 6V. I measured this in situ while the car's ignition is on "On" and in reverse gear. I stuck a sewing pin behind the connector and ground to measure this. It may work if you connect this to 12V, but I'm not risking it.

Point 2 - Metra 70-1731's wires for the camera instructs you to connect the Camera Vcc supply to "Switched Power".

https://pdf.crutchfieldonline.com/ImageBank/v20160906144200/Manuals/120/120701731.PDF

This, effectively, turns the camera on when the car is on.

I measured this Camera Vcc (power supply) while the car is in reverse (and yes, it turns on), but when I shift out of Reverse, the Camera Vcc goes to 0V.

So if you follow the above instruction, the camera will always be on, but you're just not looking at it. The head unit will switch the "source" to back up camera view. So functionally, it's fine, but the camera is always on.

My solution is less than elegant. I use 7808 (to convert from 12V to 8V) IC to supply the camera, and a (solid state) relay to turn on and off the 7808 (in turn, the camera) when the relay receives 12V "BACK LT" signal.

I'm going to install it this weekend. The harness is nasty as it has quite a few ICs on it.

Lastly, I contacted Metra and they sounded perplexed. They won't sell the pins, so I bought another kit and tore the pins out. You can do this by inserting a small flathead screwdriver into the pin side of the connector...push it as far as you can, and then pull the wire. You are depressing the tab by inserting the flathead, which allows you to pull the wire out.
Sponsored

 

Froz3nTundra

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 7, 2017
Threads
9
Messages
615
Reaction score
453
Location
US
Vehicle(s)
'18 Accord Sport 2.0t 6MT
This makes me less than excited about getting rid of that PoS head unit.
 
OP
OP

too

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 29, 2016
Threads
18
Messages
106
Reaction score
28
Location
FL
Vehicle(s)
Civic LX
Country flag
There's also a 5V "CAMERA ADPT" signal (another IC, 7805) that selects whether it's a 2DR or 4DR (source: Honda Techinfo). Honda doesn't tell you what it actually does, but I'm putting that on the harness too. If I would've known that it would've been all this, I would've built a PCB.

I'm researching on the microphone also. LX has one microphone (dynamic-type I believe, which doesn't require power) while the fancy radio has a condenser type (requires power). I'm using the Pioneer mic that comes with the head unit for now....hoping for better sound quality.
 
OP
OP

too

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 29, 2016
Threads
18
Messages
106
Reaction score
28
Location
FL
Vehicle(s)
Civic LX
Country flag
So the mic has power supply to it, which is also 8V. Drops to 3.5V when the mic is connected.

The "BACK LT" line doesn't exist despite it's in the service manual. So I guess I have to run the wire from the reverse light in the back. :(
 

Alex_Civic

New Member
First Name
Alex
Joined
Jul 11, 2017
Threads
1
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Location
Socal
Vehicle(s)
Honda Civic hatch sport
Here's my adventure on installing Pioneer AVH-4200NEX into '16 Civic LX Manual, using Metra 70-1731 kit.

First issue - After much questioning and read this whole forum on rear cam, I decided to troubleshoot this myself. Especially the issue that the logic (for view switching) is 8V and the Metra's XSVI-1731-NAV (with 6V converter + AWSC). We have quite a few who purchased that kit and it doesn't work. So the logic (per Honda's tech manual) is 8V, but Metra kit converts to 6 volts?

Point 1 - Camera power supply (Camera Vcc, pin 13 on the factory radio side) is actually 8 volts, not 6V. I measured this in situ while the car's ignition is on "On" and in reverse gear. I stuck a sewing pin behind the connector and ground to measure this. It may work if you connect this to 12V, but I'm not risking it.

Point 2 - Metra 70-1731's wires for the camera instructs you to connect the Camera Vcc supply to "Switched Power".

https://pdf.crutchfieldonline.com/ImageBank/v20160906144200/Manuals/120/120701731.PDF

This, effectively, turns the camera on when the car is on.

I measured this Camera Vcc (power supply) while the car is in reverse (and yes, it turns on), but when I shift out of Reverse, the Camera Vcc goes to 0V.

So if you follow the above instruction, the camera will always be on, but you're just not looking at it. The head unit will switch the "source" to back up camera view. So functionally, it's fine, but the camera is always on.

My solution is less than elegant. I use 7808 (to convert from 12V to 8V) IC to supply the camera, and a (solid state) relay to turn on and off the 7808 (in turn, the camera) when the relay receives 12V "BACK LT" signal.

I'm going to install it this weekend. The harness is nasty as it has quite a few ICs on it.

Lastly, I contacted Metra and they sounded perplexed. They won't sell the pins, so I bought another kit and tore the pins out. You can do this by inserting a small flathead screwdriver into the pin side of the connector...push it as far as you can, and then pull the wire. You are depressing the tab by inserting the flathead, which allows you to pull the wire out.
I have the same issue as you have, for now i connect the cam to 12v but i have to turn on and off on the 4200 nex. Have you figure out your solution on 8v. Please i wanna know how howyou do it if it works. Thanks.
 


OP
OP

too

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 29, 2016
Threads
18
Messages
106
Reaction score
28
Location
FL
Vehicle(s)
Civic LX
Country flag
So I used 7808 IC to get 8V from 12V. Sadly, the camera "select mode" was ineffective (so I would skip that). The 7808 is simple (3 pin IC) - Vin (12V), Ground, and VOut (8V):

How you connect 7808:

http://www.st.com/content/ccc/resou...df/jcr:content/translations/en.CD00000444.pdf

http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/STMicroelectronics/L7808CV/?qs=ewe0KQ/Ss5GFsjTXbJ%2byYA==

See post by "vonlaser", this is where you draw reverse light (also nice place to tap illumination)

http://www.civicx.com/threads/lx-radio-replacement-thread.2116/page-8

What I did was I wired the backup light (which turns on when the gear is in reverse) to the Vin of 7808. Thus, 7808 only outputs 8V when the reverse light is lit up. This is then connected to the backup camera power supply. So the camera only turns on when reverse light is on (as it were on the factory system).

Note that if you want to view your backup camera anytime the car is on, you would connect this to ACC wire instead, but then the camera is constantly on (when the key is turned). I never use this, so I wired as mentioned above.
 

STiTCH87

Senior Member
First Name
Adam
Joined
Aug 24, 2016
Threads
14
Messages
433
Reaction score
280
Location
Southcoast Massachusetts
Vehicle(s)
2016 Honda Civic Sedan, 2006 Scion TC
So just to verify, if I own a Metra 70-1731 wire harness, and I connect Camera VCC to switched power, that's all I need for the camera to show up on my dash when in reverse?
Please confirm, as I personally do not care if the camera itself feeds 24/7 with key on.
 
OP
OP

too

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 29, 2016
Threads
18
Messages
106
Reaction score
28
Location
FL
Vehicle(s)
Civic LX
Country flag
So just to verify, if I own a Metra 70-1731 wire harness, and I connect Camera VCC to switched power, that's all I need for the camera to show up on my dash when in reverse?
Please confirm, as I personally do not care if the camera itself feeds 24/7 with key on.
Yup, but you might want to use 7808 to step-down the camera supply voltage to 8V. That's what I use.
 

STiTCH87

Senior Member
First Name
Adam
Joined
Aug 24, 2016
Threads
14
Messages
433
Reaction score
280
Location
Southcoast Massachusetts
Vehicle(s)
2016 Honda Civic Sedan, 2006 Scion TC
Yup, but you might want to use 7808 to step-down the camera supply voltage to 8V. That's what I use.
Sorry if i'm missing things, i'm not overly technically inclined when it comes to car audio, but stepping down enables what, various camera modes as well as the camera only powering up in reverse, right? Just trying to gauge whether or not i'd prefer to do the extra step as the last time I installed a radio I was a senior in highschool and, well, 12 years later and i've all but become a caveman.
 
Last edited:

Shinjari

Senior Member
First Name
Richard
Joined
Aug 12, 2017
Threads
7
Messages
352
Reaction score
228
Location
San Diego
Vehicle(s)
'17 WOP Civic HB Sport 6MT, '03 Honda CBR600RR
Vehicle Showcase
1
Country flag
Was about to dig into my stereo install since my metra harness came in and was going to solder my harnesses.

The only confusing thing to me was on the camera harness, the red wire has a label that says 6v camera power, but crutchfield instructions says "12V Switching power".

https://pdf.crutchfieldonline.com/ImageBank/v20160906144200/Manuals/120/120701731.PDF

After reading lugnut's suggestion, it makes sense that this is camera power (which I've read is actually 8V...so now theres 3 #'s being thrown around, 6, 8 and 12V) and should connect to the "reverse" wire tap and to the HU.

I'm going to contact crutchfield and metra tomorrow about it, but likely will proceed with just connecting it to reverse power. Dont want the camera to have power 100% of the time even when I'm not using it. Granted that would mean I could just look at it whenever I wanted, just concerned about the camera running 100% of the time and wearing out.

Honda Civic 10th gen A Note About Back Up Camera Installation {filename}
 


STiTCH87

Senior Member
First Name
Adam
Joined
Aug 24, 2016
Threads
14
Messages
433
Reaction score
280
Location
Southcoast Massachusetts
Vehicle(s)
2016 Honda Civic Sedan, 2006 Scion TC
Was about to dig into my stereo install since my metra harness came in and was going to solder my harnesses.

The only confusing thing to me was on the camera harness, the red wire has a label that says 6v camera power, but crutchfield instructions says "12V Switching power".

https://pdf.crutchfieldonline.com/ImageBank/v20160906144200/Manuals/120/120701731.PDF

After reading lugnut's suggestion, it makes sense that this is camera power (which I've read is actually 8V...so now theres 3 #'s being thrown around, 6, 8 and 12V) and should connect to the "reverse" wire tap and to the HU.

I'm going to contact crutchfield and metra tomorrow about it, but likely will proceed with just connecting it to reverse power. Dont want the camera to have power 100% of the time even when I'm not using it. Granted that would mean I could just look at it whenever I wanted, just concerned about the camera running 100% of the time and wearing out.

Honda Civic 10th gen A Note About Back Up Camera Installation {filename}
I wired the red camera wire to the red power wire on the radio harness. Works for me.
I can press the camera button whenever I want and read the plate of the guy tailgating behind me easily now too. The camera isn't always on however. It is always getting power, yes, but not always on. The radio switches it on or off. When off, the power is going to it, but none going through it to operate it if that makes sense.
 

kortan72

New Member
Joined
Jun 8, 2016
Threads
0
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Location
Sterşing
Vehicle(s)
2016 Honda Civic LX CVT wit Honda Sensing
Honda Civic 10th gen A Note About Back Up Camera Installation 611BFBD5-2946-42E1-9FF3-C48210260489
I have got my 4200nex installed in BestBuy but I am not very happy with rear camera view. How is yours look like? Is there something can be done for my camera?
 

RallyeeRedAZ

Senior Member
First Name
Chris
Joined
Jul 16, 2017
Threads
10
Messages
467
Reaction score
504
Location
Mesa, AZ
Vehicle(s)
2017 Honda Civic Sport Hatchback
Vehicle Showcase
1
Country flag
Honda Civic 10th gen A Note About Back Up Camera Installation {filename}
I have got my 4200nex installed in BestBuy but I am not very happy with rear camera view. How is yours look like? Is there something can be done for my camera?
Mine looks pretty similar, I wish there was a fix for it to not look so fisheyed
 

Brutus63

New Member
First Name
Tom
Joined
May 21, 2019
Threads
0
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Location
Atlanta
Vehicle(s)
2017 civic hatchback lx
Country flag
I wired the red camera wire to the red power wire on the radio harness. Works for me.
I can press the camera button whenever I want and read the plate of the guy tailgating behind me easily now too. The camera isn't always on however. It is always getting power, yes, but not always on. The radio switches it on or off. When off, the power is going to it, but none going through it to operate it if that makes sense.
So does this mean the power going to camera should be 8v? The pre-wired harness coming from Crutchfield includes a 12v to 6v stepdown. I’m on my fourth head set and waiting on Honda tech/corporate to confirm before I install with 12v to 8v step down.
Any luck on consistently getting rear view camera to work?
 

Shinjari

Senior Member
First Name
Richard
Joined
Aug 12, 2017
Threads
7
Messages
352
Reaction score
228
Location
San Diego
Vehicle(s)
'17 WOP Civic HB Sport 6MT, '03 Honda CBR600RR
Vehicle Showcase
1
Country flag
My back up works fine without the step down. If I understood the various schematics people have posted, the back up camera changes the view type depending on the voltage. I got 12v going to mine and it gives me the fish eye view. I had the same question you did @Brutus63 when I was doing my install because my harness said "install 6v stepdown" or something on it and was confused. Been running nearly 2 years on it and runs fine. Oneday if I upgrade my HU I'll try making a 3-position switch with the various voltages to see if I can get the 3 views again from the back up camera.

Wht do you mean you are on your 4th headunit? They keep ding on you?
Sponsored

 


 


Top