rice_rocket88

Well I finally decided to do this mod while I had spare time. I've put in aftermarket backup cameras in a few of my own cars that did not have it, and things are getting better and better.. and cheaper!

Although there are a few options that are now getting cheaper, it's still too expensive for my taste since I'm a penny pincher to some point.

I decided to get a license plate LED replacement for the backup camera location. Found all my parts on amazon:


TFT 7" LCD monitor for $25


LED backup camera $14

So... can anyone argue with $40 worth of equipment?

Here's my comments on the install. I saw some vague post somewhere while reading about the CCD cameras. Someone said BMW uses a pulsed 12V power to the reverse light. I was skeptical, and even tested with the VOLT meter. For anyone's reference.. it's PIN 4 on the piggytail coming from the tail light. If you're looking at the right side standing in, you can see it's the last yellow wire facing yourself, and you can clearly read 4. Here's the key, it is indeed not a solid 12V! I could not actually verify this with my volt meter, but when it didn't work I thought to myself.. if someone said it wasn't good to power the camera, then why don't I test it again? Well with a ac/dc converter attached to an extension cord, it all worked! So I used an automotive relay to power a switched source from the battery to the wires. Shazaam, it worked!

Also.. there is TONS of space in that rear trunklid. I tried the LED camera light, and it did trigger a "bulb out" error. So, since there was so much room, I just piggybacked the LCD camera light to the existing license plate bulb.. and I tucked the old housing inside the trunk lid! No more error, no need to code.

I did have to take the seats out in order to fish the wire to the front of the car. There is enough room to tuck the Video cable, and the switched power source all the way along the floor liner up in the plastic trim. Tight fit, but made it all the way up there.

I wanted a switched power source to have the monitor on all the time, so I actually fished a wire all the way through the console to the passenger footwell where I tapped into the hidden cigarette lighter. I did not want to test all the connections under the steering wheel, and the cigarette lighter is an easy for sure thing.

For now I plopped the monitor right in front of the DVD navigation disc right by my shifter with a velcro. Seems to be great!

The CCD camera came with the parking reference lines which seem to be dead on! All in all.. best $40 mod ever! (Well if you don't include the wires and relay which are all extras in my tool box and supplies).

To be honest, the 4.3" inch screen I got would have fit better in a few places... BUT, the mounting mechanism wasn't the best. Also, the 7" screen has the "trigger" to turn on to backup mode. And.. it looks like slightly better resolution.

nelson29

Ghetto is an understatement!!

rice_rocket88

Well.. each to their own. I still have to figure out where I want to have the monitor hooked up, but for now here's a picture. For the first time in a while I've been able to back my car up the driveway at night, and I guess if I'm bored enough I can use the second video input to install a front camera and/or play videos for the kids, I have plenty of slack in my cable to put the LCD monitor anywhere.

Here's a picture of the current location and the backup image, which has been awesome to me.