Member Since: 20 Sep 2008
Location: Manchester
Posts: 1416
Companion camera
Been toying around with the idea of getting a reversing camera (trailer may be on Christmas list!!!), but am a little confused:
In the manual there is mention of "companion" cameras, a number of which can be "synched" to the car and comes in a re-chargeable cradle and suction cup. I understand this is a RR toy from my local dealer (showed me the charging base in one), but could it be retrofitted on a D3? Is the caD3 ready for it, simply requiring "enabling" from the IDS/Faultmate/whatever?
Was there or is there an "official" LR reversing camera solution for the D3? Again, can this be retrofitted? Does it come on automatically when reverse is selected?
I have read some posts of people retrofitting aftermarket cams and linking to the OEM screen; one way to view is through the inputs test in the diagnostic, can you enable the input from IDS/Faultmate/whatever to come as a fourth icon in the home screen?
Any help or clarification would be much appreciated!
Cheers.
17th Aug 2009 11:51 am
wiggs
Member Since: 03 Sep 2006
Location: Manchester
Posts: 14368
Dont know about other systems , but the faultmate can enable the screen side no problem.
Thats as far as i got with it as i need the docking station . This connects up via a couple of can bus wires and a coax to the screen . Unfortuantly they are about £150 ..and i have not been able to locate a cheap second hand one to finish off and test it all
Here are some pics taken from my screen
G4 Gone ...but not forgotten
17th Aug 2009 3:34 pm
discoBizz
Member Since: 20 Sep 2008
Location: Manchester
Posts: 1416
Thanks Wiggs
Bit confused though, is it the docking station/charger that has the transmitter to control the cameras? Is that what then transmits to the screen with over the CAN bus?
Do I understand correctly you are actually trying to test this on the D3 and are only missing the docking station? If so, how much was the cam itself???
Do you also happen to know if there was an "official" D3 reversing camera ever released?
Thanks again!
17th Aug 2009 4:02 pm
wiggs
Member Since: 03 Sep 2006
Location: Manchester
Posts: 14368
From what i have found /read ...wireless camera between the docking station and camera . Docking station is controlled over can bus by the screen ...picture is sent from the docking station via a coax cable .
Camera was only about £30 on ebay ..have seen them go for as little as £15 ..
Yes im just waiting on a docking station comming up cheap ..then connect a couple of can bus wires and power and should be good to go .
Never seen a proper reversing camera for the d3 ..they do one for the RR .G4 Gone ...but not forgotten
17th Aug 2009 4:17 pm
discoBizz
Member Since: 20 Sep 2008
Location: Manchester
Posts: 1416
Thanks wiggs!
Will do some research, there are a couple of mashed RRs in a breaker close by, maybe I'll be lucky...
I'll get two if I get VERY lucky...
18th Aug 2009 8:56 am
wiggs
Member Since: 03 Sep 2006
Location: Manchester
Posts: 14368
G4 Gone ...but not forgotten
18th Aug 2009 10:14 am
mbu
Member Since: 28 Aug 2009
Location: Haren
Posts: 3
Do you have a partnumber for the RR interface?
31st Aug 2009 6:37 pm
wiggs
Member Since: 03 Sep 2006
Location: Manchester
Posts: 14368
If you mean the docking station ( fits in the upper glovebox ) there are a few ( depending on vin number )
XVL500031PVA
XVL500050PVA
XVL500071PVAG4 Gone ...but not forgotten
1st Sep 2009 4:01 pm
2DISCO3ORNOT
Member Since: 27 Apr 2009
Location: at sea
Posts: 1209
Drove a New Toyota with the reversing cam, I thought it would be useless, wrong, its a really top feature even super imposes your anticipated lines of reversing onto the screen.
quite a nice drive all round..............
1st Sep 2009 5:17 pm
discoBizz
Member Since: 20 Sep 2008
Location: Manchester
Posts: 1416
Had a look at both RRs at the breakers today. Both had just empty apertures for coins/small things where the dock goes (didn't look like they were ever there)
So back to square one, or the cost of new parts...
Wiggs would you know which is which re: the dock part numbers? I guess they are related to RR VIN numbers? Is it a proper fit in the D3 upper glovebox?
Assuming one had the dock, is it just a case of feeding it with power and a coax to one of the empty inputs on the back of the screen? (and enabling the feature on in IDS/Faultmate?)
Does anyone know if on the RR/D3 there are features such as the anticipated lines?
Thanks.
1st Sep 2009 7:09 pm
wiggs
Member Since: 03 Sep 2006
Location: Manchester
Posts: 14368
Just got a list of part numbers for the different vins
Not a proper fit in the d3 ..well not till i have one to try .
Also need to connect into 2 can bus wires
Old venture cam dock ...if i have read correctly ..fits in the "B" pillar on the passenger side ..hopefully someone can confirm or deny
New venture cam dock located in top glovebox
Click image to enlarge
I dont think they were a standard fit ..optional extraG4 Gone ...but not forgotten
1st Sep 2009 7:44 pm
BBS SPY Site Sponsor
Member Since: 15 Jun 2007
Location: Sunny Cyprus
Posts: 3054
Hiya Biz
Like wiggs, i have (in my case an Ebay purchased for 15 GBP) Companion Cam unit and have enabled all the companion cam settings on my D3, which i am sure you can't do with IDS, however it seems that you also need to connect a dock station which connects to power and ground as well as the CAN BUS over which it is activated when you select it on the screen display as Wiggs pictures show. Normally the companion cam is not a D3 option but as it shares all the same hardware as a RR sport and the L322 bigger brother, it should just work if connected the same. When we get one, physically mounting and connecting it should be childs play relatively speaking. well at least we coud do a how to post.
It's just that the new option is so darned expensive, when you have absolutely no cast iron guarantees it will actually work Hence we are asking if anyone can help us find a used one from a scrapper etc. LAter ones were mounted in the upper glove box as Wiggs shows, but 2005 were in the knee height cubby hole as wiggs also shows, dammned that man is so on the ball .
If we can prove it out, i am sure that many would be interested in the new option. And as you know, thats the sort of thing me and Wiggs are all about
Perhaps we should pop over to the FFRR forum and ask someone if they would lend us one to prove it out.
1st Sep 2009 8:11 pm
discoBizz
Member Since: 20 Sep 2008
Location: Manchester
Posts: 1416
Thanks Colin, Wiggs.
Got my eye on a complete "kit" (camera and suction cup arm and holder) for £50 on fleabay...
Pretty sure I eyed the option on the latest IDS when I was in to enable the extra driving lights... wouldn't bet on it though! Would it be the same setting as for a standard reversing camera? Worse comes to worse Colin, assuming it works, you fly over for an Ouzo with your gadget
Local dealer was happy to look things up for me, the latter model which fits in the glovebox of the RR (actually had one in the shop yesterday), is EUR 316.00 (so probably worth getting it from the UK) for the base and wiring (he is checking up on that). His chief electrician seems to believe it should be an "easy" fit.
Trying to convince a couple of fellow owners to do a kitty for the base and offer my car as a guinea pig to test that it works.
Just to be on the safe side if we proceed, other than the power which should be straight forward, do you have any ideas where to interface the dock? I assume the D3 would not have a spare loom waiting for it...
Getting close to convincing them so if you have any ideas please let me know.
Cheers!
3rd Sep 2009 9:00 am
discoBizz
Member Since: 20 Sep 2008
Location: Manchester
Posts: 1416
Could someone also confirm said part numbers come with wiring loom?
If not presumably one needs to be fabricated at which point I'd be completely lost! (so any pointers would be appreciated!)
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(didn't look like they were ever there)
Hence we are asking if anyone can help us find a used one from a scrapper etc. LAter ones were mounted in the upper glove box as Wiggs shows, but 2005 were in the knee height cubby hole as wiggs also shows, dammned that man is so on the ball 
.
to test that it works.
(so any pointers would be appreciated!)
