Has anybody tried any of the wireless ones ?

 

Rather than start a new thread - this seems like the topic I need...

I have a 09 SS, so no camera knock-out.

Here's what I hope to do - yell if anyone thinks this is a mistake!

1. I have a license plate mounted camera, with a 1/4" plug, I may try to go through the top of the trunk release switch (by the screw) as there is already a hole in the sheet metal. But I'm a bit concerned if the electronics in the switch goes within the plastic out towards the screws. I suppose I could go through the sheet metal to the side of the switch.
2. power camera from license plate bulb power/ground. I always have the lights on Auto, so this should be powered whenever I need it. No good chasis ground in the hatch door, so just use the Black license plate bulb ground.
3. video cable runs up through the hatch grommet, with the rest of the wires to the right rear, down, under the trim, crossing over behind the rear seats so I can come up on the drivers side (Easier access to get across to the head unit)
4. I need to figure out the reverse trigger for the head unit. lots more wire, but I suppose I can join the video cable as it passes the backup light. Perhaps easier than finding a reverse signal behind the head unit.
5. while doing all this I'd love to find a signal tied to the auto headlights - for controlling the headunit auto dimmer feature.

 

So When I did my rear camera I took out one license plate light and drilled a hole next to it too run the cable through and reinstall the light. The lens does a good job of covering the hole. Then I ran the power and gound up through the hatch, through the wire loom , then down the side of the cargo area all behind the plastic covers. I tied the reverse power activation switch wire into one of the tailights and the ground to the chassis. I then ran a wire from the camera picture signal wire to the front head unit.

 

DRL does NOT light the plate lights, only the head lights. Most times you hook the camera power to the back up lights, since that is the only time it is legal use it. Why not spend $5 on a wireless adapter set to avoid all of that wiring? Dash dimmer is not controlled by auto headlights, the little bubble on the dash does that.

I would start by reading the installation manual for your system. (GoOgle is great for things like that)

 

So the camera is on whenever the taillights(and therefore headlights) are on? Do you have to cover the sensor on the dash in order to turn on the camera in the daytime?

 

Lots of information in the library

https://www.google.ca/search?q=how+t...&bih=548&dpr=2

 

Tailights as in reverse lights

 

Oldblue: Thanks for the search term. I had read most of those but had actually missed one of them, where he ran the license plate camera cable through one of the existing license plate bumper holes - I hadn't even noticed those were there!
donbrew: I may have confused things by asking about the headlight dimmer, and confused myself by measuring voltage on the license plate bulb in the garage (where it's dark and the auto-headlights were probably on. Hah)
"installation manual" is a bit of a joke. Not much info there.
Lethal: thanks

1. I was interested in the license plate lights because it's a very handy source of power close to where I want to mount the camera, silly to test the voltage in the dark garage. I see on one of those other threads someone (hhrumadbruh I think) found a constant 12V source by the wiper motor (!). I could also run another wire for power back through alongside the video cable to somewhere else.
2. My headunit has the option to turn on the camera while not in reverse. I thought that might be useful "someday" while sitting in Park. Maybe not. The reverse trigger signal still needed, it tells the head unit to automatically display the camera. I suppose for simplicity I could give up on that idea and power from reverse light. (saves one soldering point - just do the power to camera and reverse trigger to headunit at one place)
3. The auto-dimming is another topic, as my head unit doesn't know when to dim its display. So I'm still looking for a handy source for that signal.
4. So I may go in past the license light like Lethal, or in the license bumper hole.

I had to laugh picturing throwing the car in reverse, and reaching up to block the light sensor to look at the screen... :-)

 

My 2011 came with a knock out panel for a back up camera, but I don’t need one after 50 years of backing up with good old mirrors and turning my head to the right just to make sure my way is clear!

 

The only way I can think of to dim an LCD display is to fiddle with the contrast or brightness. I don't know why you would want to dim the back up display.