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Front-rear camera touchscreen parking protection switch kit reservations
- Thread starter artsci
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- Model S User Interface
Once the wire is connected to the body controller, it's run under the side panel on the left dash under the lip between the top of the dash and the metal piece underneath. A 22 gauge black wire is ideal for this, as it pushes in the gap easily with a plastic non-mafr tool and totally disappears from view. It's run all the way across the dash to the side panel on the driver's side, where it's connect to terminal SW2 on the switch PCB. A few photos are below. These steps will be incorporated into the installation instructions.
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cgiGuy
Active Member
Yes.. I thought about this and, aside from replacing the lens, someone tried a 90-degree mirror with no luck. I didn't look at the camera close enough to see how easy it would be to get the lens off, but I'm not sure I'm willing to pry my ~$400 camera apart to try. I tried looking at the possibility of an add-on lens (like the ones you see on added to a smart phone) to convert from wide-angle to "normal" but I don't think that's possible. Any photographers want to weigh in?
Gizmotoy
Active Member
While I haven't had the camera fully disassembled (only maybe 50%), from what I have seen the lens is pretty well-integrated. This should probably be expected given you need a water-tight enclosure capable of withstanding a direct blast of high-pressure water. Removing the lens and having it replaced with something else while preventing moisture from entering the enclosure is no small task.
You could create an assembly that allows secondary lens to be threaded on in front of the existing one, but if you try to convert from wide-angle back to something approaching normal perspective you'll just lose the edges of the frame. In other words, no real benefit. It might be worth trying something out just to fit a plain UV filter in front of the camera for protection, but I'm somewhat dubious that will be of value. While there may be models I haven't seen, UV filters typically aren't designed for ballistic protection.
(Note to clarify: In modern digital photography UV filters provide no filtering benefit as digital cameras aren't sensitive to UV light. So, UV filters are often used as fancy lens protectors.)
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JerryNycom
Member
Does the camera automatically switch from front to rear based on Drive and Reverse or just goes to rear when in reverse and stays? I ask for parallel parking......
HankLloydRight
No Roads
I would vote for it's always switched to the front camera except when Reverse is engaged, it switches to the rear camera, and then auto-switches back to the front when done reversing.
Normally, I want the rear view camera on all the time so I can see the blind spots (the side mirrors don't quite do it as they don't angle out far enough). The front camera will only be used in some parking situations.
HankLloydRight
No Roads
Then you would not need any"backup light" auto-switching at all. You would manually switch to the front camera only when parking and then switch back.
With the SW2 connection to the PCB from the backup light power, it will automatically switch to the rear camera if the front camera is on when reverse is engaged. But it will not switch back to the front camera when drive is engaged. That has to be done manually with the remote or Homelink.
Any solution involving auto switching to front camera would mean that the front camera would always be on unless reverse is engaged. So, for example, you could not use the rear camera to see traffic behind you in heavy traffic, which I do frequently.
Nonetheless, I'll raise this issue with WhiteP85 so see what he thinks. I don't know if there's a way to make the front camera the default, but I am curious to know. Will post what we conclude. Perhaps there's a way to make this an installation option so each driver can set it up the way he or she prefers.
cgiGuy
Active Member
+1. This is my exact requirement, as well. The reverse wire will be useful still, since it will then mean I only need to put the front camera on while pulling into a parking spot, and then when I return to the car and start backing out it will go to rear camera and stay there as I drive.
Perfect setup, as is, for me. But I agree, some flexibility would be nice for others, if possible. Maybe on V2.
HankLloydRight
No Roads
I would rephrase this to: Any solution involving auto switching to front camera would mean that the front camera would always be on unless reverse is engaged or manually switched to the rear camera with homelink or the remote when reverse is not engaged.
So it certainly would be possible to watch rear traffic if one wanted to by using the remote if the front camera is selected by default. And yes, I'm agreeing this should be a user selectable option: Front Default, or Rear Default, or no default (camera stays in last selected mode).
JerryNycom
Member
Dumb question: Is it possible to know when we select the CAMERA icon on touch screen it activates a relay so every time its selected it goes from front to rear at each press??? Did I explain that right???
Kraken
Member
It would be cool if there were three options that you could select on the go "front, rear, and corresponding to drive/reverse condition"
that would let you choose whether it is in front/rear camera manually most of the time, but if you wanted in certain situations you could have it set to auto switch back and forth when the car switches back and forth from drive to reverse and back.
that would let you choose whether it is in front/rear camera manually most of the time, but if you wanted in certain situations you could have it set to auto switch back and forth when the car switches back and forth from drive to reverse and back.
The camera icon will always show whatever camera the PCB has set the touchscreen to. Getting the icon to do something else requires electronics that are beyond what WhiteP85 has done with the camera switch PCB.
The remote, which syncs with Homelink, has two functional buttons. One toggles the camera between front and rear. The second forces the camera to the rear. So Homelink can be set up with both.
JerryNycom
Member
Gotcha! Ok if the camera is already on the rear, when we put car in reverse will it "blink" and go to the rear, or just stay on?
Update: Haven't had a chance to hook up the reverse light connection but WhiteP85 tells me that if the front camera is selected the rear will go on automatically when the car is put into reverse then switch to the front camera when in forward. Perfect for parallel parking situations, but not good if you want a rear view while driving. For that you'd have to toggle to the rear camera using the remote or HomeLink.
Based on my experience with the beta PCB I'm assuming it will just stay on with no blink. But I still haven't hooked up the reverse light 12v connection. I'm doing that tomorrow and will report back here when it's been tested.
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