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Very Dim Backup/Reverse Lights?
- Thread starter NY_Rob
- Start date
Did some testing a few min ago... descriptions are on each photo.
Photos are all taken from the display on the main screen....
Photos are all taken from the display on the main screen....
TomServo
Active Member
Please do tell if you have some news on that please because my next project is installing an aftermarket "stitcher" device that gives the "Bird’s eye view" on a separate screen. If Bird’s eye view is coming to MY then there's no need for me to pull my car apart to add that system.
I was expecting better results from the first set of lights to tell you the truth. I already have the other long 12 LED strip installed for testing tonight.
As @Battpower mentioned, I agree part of the problem is software related. When I first turn on my aftermarket lights the area is really nice and bright on the main screen then dims down after about 2 seconds or so. If you've ever worked with security cams at night this is exactly how they react when a light is suddenly turned on in a dark area. The difference is, after over-reacting to the bright lights turning on the security cams "bounce back" with a exposure that balances the light and dark areas so you get good overall lighting, but the Tesla cam does not bounce back.. it just adjusts the exposure for the brightest area which makes the darker areas way too dark. On SLR/DSLR cameras there is "spot"(only one area of the scene is sampled for illumination) and "average" (multiple areas of the scene are sampled for illumination and an average is computed) metering to set the exposure... it's like Tesla has their cam set on "spot" metering where they should be using "average" metering for exposure control.
Without Tesla addressing the software issue, which seems unlikely unless Elon or one of their software devs backs in to something at night.. the only other solution is to flood the backup area with light. I'm hoping that new 12 LED strip will do exactly that.
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I agree. The problem seems to be with the rear camera auto-exposure setting. In our Model 3, the backup camera has gone from good to great to bad to okay (current) over the course of various software updates. Side cameras always look great, by the way.
@NY_Rob 's pictures show that very clearly. The side camera views always handle the dark areas of images far better. I have had loaner 2017 MX with earlier MCU display, and the image from the rear camera is very similar to side and front. When that spec car gets upgraded to MCU2 - no camera swap, just the MCU - the rear image goes very dark.
I installed the long 12 LED mini bar last night using the top two lic. plate mounting screws as intended. It was somewhat brighter than the first two lights I installed earlier. I'll take some photos tonight if it stops raining. It's almost "acceptable" now, but on the low end of that range. IMO, you'd need one of those bars on either side of the hatch (probably mounted near the existing lic. plate lights) to do a proper job. That might draw too much current from the backup light circuit though?
It's really ridiculous that we have to go to lengths like this just to be able to see while backing up at night... especially considering that you literally have to rely on the backup cam because of the design of the rear of the MY.
It's really ridiculous that we have to go to lengths like this just to be able to see while backing up at night... especially considering that you literally have to rely on the backup cam because of the design of the rear of the MY.
Agreed, because when I had my 12 LED bar light on with the car in park and I stepped out to take an actual (not cam look) back there.. .that amount of light available was great, the problem is in the software. If you go out in to your MY at night and don't touch the brake pedal but turn the cams on.. you will see the backup cam does have decent night sensitivity, it's just set incorrectly in the software.
So, how do we bring this potentially unsafe situation to Tesla's attention for remediation?
Nissan did a recall as it was possible to dim the screen so far that you could not see the image of the backup camera. Tesla should just push a software update that compresses the brightness so you can still see dark areas when there are some bright lights elsewhere.
BTW: that is why I had no problems, no bright lights anywhere when I used this.
BTW: that is why I had no problems, no bright lights anywhere when I used this.
TheoSchijf
Member
Well, as someone who is very aware of the terrible backup nighttime currently in place, I would be thrilled if they adjusted the camera gain so we could actually see something at night.
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AquaY
Member
Are you looking through the camera video or directly? The video is fine but I can't see anything by looking in he rearview mirror or through the back glass. This is a problem when it is raining and the cameras get drops on them
Oh, I use the camera a lot.... the rain isn’t a huge issue for me but it doesn’t get misty here.
Without seeing your actual images, I'm obviously guessing, but the issue with MCU 2 rear camera image is to do with ’black levels'. The effect is worse when there are bright and dark areas in the image. It could be that your droplets of rain are acting like mini lenses and producing bright specs in the image from any light sources to the rear.
Supposedly the dark image / massively compressed black levels was improved a few updates ago, although I haven't seen any difference.
With overall even lighting and no shadows, the image is fine. The black level issue is obvious when you compare other camera feeds in the TeslaCam viewer.
AquaY
Member
I think you're missing what I'm talking about.
I'm NOT talking about the camera.
I'm talking about the actual lights and using my Mark 1 eyeballs ( as we used to say in the Marines)
My backup lights are so dim as to be useless as far as seeing anything illuminated with them in backing up and NOT using the camera.
As I said in my post, either looking through the back or using the mirror it illuminates practically nothing.
My camera video on the other hand is actually pretty good but when it rains and I have drops on the cameras I actually like to be able to go old school and use my eyes.
I wish I good replace the bulbs with better ones
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