2nd run of camera switch that show a front image on the touch screen

[appleguru]

Has anyone done the install yet on an AP2/AP2.5 car? I plan to do a preliminary install on my car this week (and take video of the process for you guys), but wanted to see if anyone else had any tips/tricks yet.

I was finally able to get a suitable cable for the "after autopilot" install from Tesla (namely, the Ethernet cable that goes between the CID and the IC: is is the same Dacar 535 cable type and has black HSD connectors on both ends, which will work to plug into the APE. CABLE, HSD, MCU TO IC, PN 1007779-00-D). The correct cable has a blue connector on the end that plugs into the MCU/CID and a black connector that plugs into the APE, but Tesla was not able to find this part in their system.

I modified the board @HankLloydRight sent me with a Z style connector I had lying around (was a cable connector and not PCB style, so is a bit sketchy, but should work for a test fine).I will report back (and share the video!) once I have everything installed and working.

Some brief updates on the camera switchers and CAN adapter front:
1) We were able to source Z style connectors for the camera switcher from the OEM. These have been ordered and should arrive in the next few weeks. I'll let @artsci chime in with any more details, but I believe these were the last outstanding parts needed for the switcher build.
2) @artsci has provided me with initial measurements for the required cables for the install. I will verify that these are compatible with AP2/AP2.5 in the next few days when I do my camera install. Once we have measurements compatible with both installs, we can order cables from the OEM vendor so you guys don't need to deal with Tesla's (sometimes not so helpful) parts departments and also so you don't have several extra feet of cable you need to stash away (fewer connections and less cable should make for better signal strength and ultimately more reliable installations). The only caveat here is that these cables have a pretty high MOQ (around 100pcs) and a relatively long lead time (around 8-10 weeks).
3) On the canbus front, @Kalud is making good progress on the rev B hardware design. I have the software for the core functionality done. While not strictly necessary for this camera switcher application, I am currently working on a LIN bus implementation for Panda which will allow us to interface with an NXP IO expander IC (UJA1023) and provide us with 8 additional outputs that we can use for various other applications. I hit a small snag with this NXP interface, and have a support ticket open with the vendor to clarify an implementation detail, so will hopefully hear back and have this also working by next week (which means we can finalize the PCB design and start ordering components).

We are up to 25 deposits for the CAN bus kit so far, which is great. If you are interested in one and haven't put your deposit in yet, send me a PM!

 

[IchDochNicht]

Is there anyone in the SF Bay Area who would install this? (and possibly a dash cam)

I would love to have this, but I'm not confident enough to tackle a project like this by myself.

 

[Akikiki]

appleguru, answer to your question. Yes, I installed the front cam on my 2017 AP2 car about 15 months ago.

 

[appleguru]

appleguru, answer to your question. Yes, I installed the front cam on my 2017 AP2 car about 15 months ago.

Can you share a few photos of where you mounted the camera and routed the cable (if you have any)? Any tips/things I should watch out for?

 

[phaphaphooey]

When we are talking about installs on AP2 cars, is the significance that it is AP2 vs AP1 or is the significance that it is a facelifted AP2 vs a nosecone AP1? Just curious on clarifying as to whether the install is different between AP1 and AP2 cars or whether it is the install different between pre facelift and post facelift bumpers in figuring out mounting points for the camera and whatnot.

 

[appleguru]

When we are talking about installs on AP2 cars, is the significance that it is AP2 vs AP1 or is the significance that it is a facelifted AP2 vs a nosecone AP1? Just curious on clarifying as to whether the install is different between AP1 and AP2 cars or whether it is the install different between pre facelift and post facelift bumpers in figuring out mounting points for the camera and whatnot.

There are two primary differences:
1) On facelift cars, the mounting and cable routing is a little bit different. I'm not sure how @Akikiki did his, but I am thinking of mounting onto my front license plate holder.
2) On AP2/AP2.5 cars, the reverse camera feed actually goes to the auto-pilot engine and then into the MCU for the camera display. If you do the "non-AP" install, then you are sending the forward camera image to the APE, which isn't desirable. While it doesn't appear to have any major consequence today, should Tesla change their neural net in the future to (more heavily?) use the backup camera for anything, we don't want to interfere with that signal. So the proposed new AP2/AP2.5 install method, which I will be testing today, is to insert the camera switch *after* the Autopilot engine (Between the MCU and the APE), so the APE always gets the backup camera, and the main display gets forward or reverse camera depending on drive state.

 

[phaphaphooey]

Thank you for the clarification. Is an AP1 install the same as a "non-AP" install?

 

[appleguru]

Thank you for the clarification. Is an AP1 install the same as a "non-AP" install?

Yes.

 

[berkeley_ecar]

Is there anyone in the SF Bay Area who would install this? (and possibly a dash cam)

I would love to have this, but I'm not confident enough to tackle a project like this by myself.

I can't speak to installation of the cam kit, but I can recommend an installer for a Blackvue dashcam, who I used very happily for my own Model S: Calibred Customs of SoCal ([email protected]) -- they make regular trips to the SF Bay Area and to NYC to do installations. I suspect that they might be willing to take on the cam kit as well, though you'd likely be a test run for them.

 

[IchDochNicht]

I can't speak to installation of the cam kit, but I can recommend an installer for a Blackvue dashcam, who I used very happily for my own Model S: Calibred Customs of SoCal ([email protected]) -- they make regular trips to the SF Bay Area and to NYC to do installations. I suspect that they might be willing to take on the cam kit as well, though you'd likely be a test run for them.

Thanks! Can you reveal what they charge for the blackvue install?

 

[HankLloydRight]

Just a small word of warning going to an install shop for something like the front cam kit. Originally, I took the kit to a local high-end audio install shop, and they insisted that they would need to drill a hole through the "firewall" to get the cables into the passenger compartment. I tried to explain to them that wasn't necessary, but they told me that's how they would do it. They just were so used to installing things on ICE cars, they weren't willing to budge. I left.

Once I decided to install the camera kit myself, I was surprised at just how easy it was (on AP0 and AP1). I never needed to go to a shop in the first place. Now, I've done it so many times, I could probably do it in 15 minutes, especially now with appleguru's CANBUS reader and power supply.

 

[aesculus]

Now, I've done it so many times, I could probably do it in 15 minutes, especially now with appleguru's CANBUS reader and power supply.

I'll be over in a few minutes.

 

[berkeley_ecar]

Thanks! Can you reveal what they charge for the blackvue install?

I don't know what their current charge is -- and it depends on whether you want a 2-channel or 4-channel setup. I supplied their e-mail address so you could get current pricing. I don't like to act as an advertising channel for commercial concerns, and there may be others who can do a good job for you.

Just a small word of warning going to an install shop for something like the front cam kit..

I thoroughly agree with HankLloydRight on this matter. Even if you choose not to install yourself (and there are plenty of legitimate reasons for not doing so, whether it be lack of time, arthritis or other disability, ...), you should understand enough about the installation process that you can choose an installer wisely. Or delegate that to someone you can trust (got a nephew or neighbor who lusts after your new Model S and is detail-oriented and good with DIY projects?). There are plenty of operations that will be happy to take your money and do slap-dash work. The result may "work" but be highly non-optimal, as in the shocking case presented by HankLloydRight, in which unnecessary damage would have been done to his car. I investigated thoroughly before choosing Calibred Customs for my dashcam installation, including talking to others who had used them, and stood by as they did the installation. An educated consumer is a successful consumer. I could have done the installation myself, but doing it this way still saved me time (as the installer had more experience, so was fast and efficient and did not make beginner's errors), though it did cost me more than doing it on my own.

 

[appleguru]

And a brief update: I got my camera installed up front (I just used some scotch lock to attach it to the lower bumper assembly for now), and ran the cable into the cabin. I then pulled out the glovebox, and unplugged the cable between the APE and MCU, before realizing I actually needed to solder a second Z coded one for the display out... guess I didn’t fully think that through 8)

I’ll do that tonight and report back on how it goes.

Hardest part of the install really was getting the cable through the panel gap. I suspect some cars are easier than others (depends entirely on tesla’s QC for panel gaps

 

[aesculus]

Hardest part of the install really was getting the cable through the panel gap.

Or you could drill like @HankLloydRight suggests.

 

[HankLloydRight]

You can feed a snake or wire hanger through the channel right below the panel gap if the panel gap is too small.

Also, I found that you can widen the panel gap just enough to get a wire through, like below, without damaging the panel or the paint:

 

[appleguru]

You can feed a snake or wire hanger through the channel right below the panel gap if the panel gap is too small.

Also, I found that you can widen the panel gap just enough to get a wire through, like below, without damaging the panel or the paint:

I did try to snake it; snake went through no problem, but the connector was too big to fit.

I ended up doing it just how you show.

 

[appleguru]

Or you could drill like @HankLloydRight suggests.

I mean, drilling through the firewall is the “normal” way to do installs like this... but non-destructive installs are better imo ;-)

 

[Akikiki]

Can you share a few photos of where you mounted the camera and routed the cable (if you have any)? Any tips/things I should watch out for?

Sure can. But I can't really photograph where the cable goes when it disappears. I just used a flexible fish and threaded it until it came out the top. I liked that the refreshed front grill has a rubber flap/seal that allows us to hide most of the cable right where it comes out above the grille. Let me add. I have installed or reinstalled more than half a dozen times on the classic. And now, twice on the refreshed front. The refreshed front is easier to get the cable threaded down to the grille.

I am a nut for being able to restore everything back to the way it was in case I decide later to sell it. I go to pains to make sure stuff looks factory or undistrubed. I could have used some Goop and Duct tape to hold it while it dries. Done that a couple of times. This time, I wanted different. I had a length of soft plastic from a license plate backing and I cut a strip off it. I used my removed refreshed front license plate backing to mark the holes you see in this plastic. I made two sets because I was not sure if I would want it pushed back or forward more. But I only used one set. Now, having the holes ready, i used to metric bolts and mounted the strip to the car. I added a narrow strip of duct tape to seal the 1/8th gap between the front bumper and the front of the grille. You probably can't see it. No, its not tight yet in this picture. Now, I can remove the camera easy if I want to trade it out for a higher res later without Gooping the car. I can get it ready and plug it in and bolt it up in 5 minutes. Yes, of course, I have another sloppy cut and trimmed piece of that plastic - just in case.

Show me your Lark pack !! Helpful?

 

[Akikiki]

You can feed a snake or wire hanger through the channel right below the panel gap if the panel gap is too small.

Also, I found that you can widen the panel gap just enough to get a wire through, like below, without damaging the panel or the paint:

I've done this so many times, this has become the easy part of the installation.
DON'T SCRATCH YOUR PAINT!! Well, how do we NOT do that, huh?
Get out your plastic trim tools you got on Amazon. Or drop by Home Depot and get two or three plastic putty knives. More likely to snap and break, but neither one will scratch your paint. And if you don't already have the plastic trim removal tools. Spend $8-12 and get a set. Worth having.