Rear View camera installed! Can warning be removed?

[ronaldb]

Hi

I have now installed a rear view cam using a unit from kufatec in Germany. I finally got it to work (se pictures), but I wonder if anyone have been able to get a screen without the parking assistant icons and the warning sign below ("Look! Safe to move?")? Would be really nice to have a cleaner view, especially since I have not got the park assistant thingy, and the warning seems to steal some of the picture from the camera.

Cool camera, though. Integrated in the right licensplate light. Looks original.

The other pictures just shows an added OFF-button for the climatic and the "P" button connected to my garage door opener. I do not have front parking sensors, so I got hold of the button and connected it to my garage door remote

The light in the OFF button is red becase I got the diode from a unit in a Golf or something...

[auroan]

Is this just for columbus units ? Are do you reckon it would fit the bolero ?

[Phil_P]

Nice job

[ronaldb]

That is excellent!! Well done you!

Luuurve the integrated garage door opener!!! ...you've fitted a USB socket on there too - would be worried about bashing a cable or pen drive & damaging the USB socket but still, looking good!

Sure I've seen something over at VWNavi about removing the onscreen warning with VCDS... will see if I can find the link!

Ah, the USB is for charging only. I haven't connected it in any way to the columbus. That would have been cool, though

[ronaldb]

Is this just for columbus units ? Are do you reckon it would fit the bolero ?

The interface is for RNS-510 and older versions of the navigation from VAG (rns-e/mfd2) . Have a look at kufatec.de under "Park assistance". Choose english first. I have no idea about it working in your car, though.

[ronaldb]

I thought I'd post the link to the camera. I got it from a dealer in Norway, where I live. Very little information in the package and on the home page regarding brand, but heres a link to the netshop where I bought it:

Skoda Octavia (04-), ryggekamera - www.TransMedia.no

The light is LED.

I also fitted a CANM8_POWER module to feed power to the camera. That way it is not drawing current all the time, and I also can connect other stuff to it.

[Dodgy]

I like the USB charging socket, where did you get the parts to do that? (I know they're probably not Skoda parts ). I'd like to do the same but have it in the dash top (where you have your other gadget) for powering my mobile phone.

[ronaldb]

I like the USB charging socket, where did you get the parts to do that? (I know they're probably not Skoda parts ). I'd like to do the same but have it in the dash top (where you have your other gadget) for powering my mobile phone.

Hehe. That is a pure DIY-thingy. I took off the plastic around a USB-extender cable, made a hole in one of the dummy buttons in the car and pryed the USB-plug in there. Then I bought a cheap USB-charger for cars to put in the cigarette-lighter socket, connected it to power (to the CANM8_POWER unit) and stuffed everything behind the climate-panel.

I switched the airbag-warning button with the USB to get it all the way to the right. I had to do it because things plugged into it got too near the gearshifter.

[ronaldb]

Sure I've seen something over at VWNavi about removing the onscreen warning with VCDS... will see if I can find the link!

I searched around a bit, and found some info about a warning message. But that was about some speed-limit/video prohibitor message. I would really appreciate it if you find out a way to remove the LOOK! warning!

[gadgetman]

I want, I want!

[ronaldb]

...thought it must be MDI connected for music through the Columbus!

Do it !!

I looked for such an interface, but if I understand correctly I'd need a relatively costly interface to be able to connect USB-memory/drives to the Columbus. I guess there is no built-in support for USB .

[vrs442]

I have the balero setup and don't believe this will work. So was thinking about getting the camera and a rear view monitor mirror

just wondering if anyone has details of supplies for this camera in the uk as they all seem to be based in china

also has any one got recomendation for a rear view mirror monitor camera just web pics don't seem that clear on how good they are as just rear. View mirrors

finally I suppose some sort of unit is required to only switch the setup on when reverse is selected

sorry to hijack the thread a bit just when I asked similar. Questions a while back didn't get much response

[auditek]

Fantastic, someone has finally fitted one..can you give us a step by step guide as to how you installed it thanks in advance

[ronaldb]

Fantastic, someone has finally fitted one..can you give us a step by step guide as to how you installed it thanks in advance

Sadly, and quite lamely, I did not take any pictures of the installation progress.

I'll take a few pictures of the inside of my car later, and try to give a short explanation on how I got the cables and camera mounted.

Part 2 would have to be how to do the actual connection of the IMA from kufatec, and how to connect to power and CAN-bus. Programming is very easy. Only one change in CAN (6C Rear view Cam...). No changes made to the columbus.

But I'll have to do it later as I don't have my car around today to take any pictures. Maybe I'll have something for you tomorrow!

I'd say this is a medium advanced job, and connecting to the can-bus might be a little bit tricky. I used these (picture)

but kufatec recommends soldering the wires.

I'll be back

[ronaldb]

Hi again

I tried to write some instructions, or actually it became more like a "story" of how I did this installation. But as I don't have any pictures of the actual process, it all became a little academic, I think. Even the explanation of how and where to connect the IMA from kufatec is a little vague.

So, are you guys interested in this story of mine with pictures of closed panels with arrows on them, and a (maybe futile) explanation of connections?

I waited a couple of days before writing, because I hoped I'd get the opportunity to take out the RNS and get pictures of the wiring, but the temperature is way below zero, and that's just not tempting...

[Wardy]

Very nice

Steve

[auditek]

That would be great ronaldb..just turn the heater on

[ronaldb]

Hi

Sorry for the delay, but theres just so many hours in a day, and way to much to do

I will try to make a walktrough of how I did this installation. As I said before, no pictures from the installation itself, so a few overview pictures is all I've got.

Mind you, I am norwegian, and I might have got some strange names for things, and mix US and UK english. Bear with me

I recommend disconnecting the cars battery before removing the RNS. Have your security code ready.

In the pictures, red arrows shows points of interrest or mentioned in the text, and the green line is aproximatly where the cables are.

I started with removing the necesarry trimmings/panels to find out if I could get the cables where I wanted. I wanted to have both the video and power cables to the front where I wanted to put the CANM8_POWER module (CANM8-POWER*RPM : Engine-Running 12v+ Output from CANM8).

Then I mounted the camera, and started pulling the cables from back to front.

I suspect this "story" will be long, but I hope you can make any sense out of it...

I used a plastic pulling-string (electricians use it to get cables into walls) to be able to get the cables through the thight spots.

I started by removing the panel on the back door. There is one screw behind the strap (1) that has to be removed. I started in one of the outer corners and gave it a firm pull. One of the clips loosened, and using a flashlight I was able to see one more clip. I used a flat screwdriver to help loosen the one I could see. After that more and more clips came into view, and I used the same method for a few of them. In the end the whole panel came down.

Beware that the metal clips can fall off, so be sure to keep track of them.

The panel around the window had to be removed too (2), although not all of it. I think the arrow shows the panel on the opposite side. It is held by one screw, and several clips. Its easier to see these clips, so it comes off quite easy, if I am not mistaken. I loosened it just enough to get to the rubber tube in the corner.

The next step was to remove the panel by the back side window (3). I had to loosen some of the panel in the roof first (4). Same clips there, so pull firmly and it will loosen. A flat screwdriver might help to loosen the next ones. These clips are also loose in the panel, so check that all of them stays where they should. If they should fall off, its no problem as long as you find them. Just put them back in their "holders". It might be necessary to adjust the clips a little bit to get them into their corresponding holes when remounting the panels.

The side panel was a little bit tricky, but using a flashlight and a flat screwdriver I got it loose. I did not take it all the way off. The bottom part is stuck behind the black huge side panel in the trunk. But keeping it hanging there was not a problem. A little bit tricky to get it back 100% in place when remounting.

The rubber tube (5) between the back door and the body of the car (where the cables goes thorugh) can easily be loosened at the top end. Probably at the bottom too, but I took it off at the top. It took a few minutes and some cursing to get it back on, though!! Its held in place by a semiloose plastic tube, and I wish I had at least one more free hand when trying to get it back in place. A couple of small flat screwdrivers helped me getting it back on. Be careful so you don't tear it.

There is no opening in the "channel" by the window on the back door (2), so using the pulling-string was the only way to get it in there. It was surprisingly easy to get it through and into the small hole where the rubber tube is. Maybe I was lucky, but it means it is quite doable. Just to clarify, I started pulling the cables from the back door! After some yanking and easy stretching I got it through the rubber hose and out into the panel by the side window. Again, the pulling-string is the only way to get it through, as far as I can see.

Inside the small compartment in the trunk there is a lid to take off (8). Its where you open to change the light bulbs for the rear lights.

Getting it down by the side window was easy, but a little bit more trouble getting it down to the compartment below by the rear lights. Using the pulling-string here made it possible. There is a small passage but it is in an angle. Small fingers is nice I put the pulling-string down and stuck my hand up over the rear light until I could feel it. I tried three or four times before I found a place with enough room for it to get through.

I needed to take the cables from the left side of the car to the right side. Its an easier access to the center console from the right hand side of the car (I have left steering. For right hand steering wheel cars this step is unneeded as you can have the cables going on the left side of the car, I suppose.). I think its three fingerscrews that hold the panel in place (6). I did not remove it completely as it seemed to be hard to remount. So I just bend it up and pulled the cables through. I do not know if you have to remove it at all if you take the cables forward on the left side of the car.

It was a bit hard to get the cables down from the bulb-shifting-hole and into the back of this panel behind the spare tyre. Small fingers and a flashlight helped me here.

To get the cables forward from here, I just lifted the soft panels inside the trunk (7) and put them under there as far as I could. I found it best to take the cables up beside the back seat instead of under, and then down behind the sidepart of the back seat. Mainly because there are other wires coming from just below the side window going forward and down the same way.

The part of the seat by the door can be lifted off on the upper part quite easy (9). It is soft, so bend it a little bit and use a flashligt too look inside. You just have to bend it up a bit in the middle to release the upper spring that holds it in place. The lower spring is worse, but as I did not need to take off the whole thing, I just let it hang there. I put the cables under this part of the seat to get it down to the panels by the floor. The video-cable was too short to reach all the way to the front, and this is where I joined it to the extending cable. Here I took the soldering approach.

Using the pulling-string, I was able to get my cables down and out at the arrow (10). After that I just pried them under the panels using my fingertips all the way to the front (11).

The cover under the glove compartment is held by two fingerscrews (12). I removed the whole cover, but it was a hassle to get it back between the plastic and airflow outlets. It might not be necessary to remove it completely, but only let it hang there.I think I used the pulling-string to get the cables up here, but I might have just pried them under the panel. Don't quite remember.

It was a few openings between here and into the center console, so getting the cables through was not a problem.

Remember to secure the cables all the way using strips or similar.

Mounting the camera itself

Just unscrew two screws on the original licenseplate light, remove the two cables and pull it off. The rubber sealing has to be mended a bit to fit the camera housing using scissors or similar as it has to be a little bit thinner by the egdes. The camera fits in the same hole as the original light, but it is a very thight fit. I had to remove the license plate holder to get the right angle of the housing while putting it in. Quite possible I did not need to, but it made it easier. I used the power-stealing clip shown in an earlier post to get power to the LED light from the original cables. Do this the way you feel is the best one. Soldering or using other clips on the LED-cables might be better. I had none that fit available. The power cable to the camera was very short, so I used other cables to reach the front of the car.

The RCA-plug on the videocable was too big to get through the rubber hose at the top of the back door, so I clipped it off. The extension I made later was done by soldering this end to a new cable.

Now for the actual connections.

As I said earlier, I used the CANM8-thingy to power the camera. I did not want the camera to draw power all the time, and the CANM8 also power the USB-charger I've got installed. You can draw 1A directly from it. There are other ways of doing it as power cables marked "15" in schematics are dead when ignition is off. I was at this point not sure what cables this should be. Both red cables to the RNS is, as far as I can find, is "30" power, which is on all the time.

The yellow video-connector, provided as an extra loose cable with the kit, for the IMA is the one to use for rear view camera. The black RCA on the IMA itself is for secondary video input. The yellow connector has to be connected to the plug that goes into the IMA. I found the instructions that followed the kit a bit confusing, but the wires are to be connedted into this 18-pin plug on wires 5 and 14. Check the instructions for which color cable to which pin. You just open the housing by loosening one small clip on the plug, stick the already prepared ends into the plug, and you are done. Just make sure you put it in there the correct side out so they clip into place. Just look at the other cables to see which way it is supposed to be. Clip the housing back on and secure the added cable.

The white/red RCAs are for audio together with the extra video input.

There also are two cables ending in a small black plug. I have no idea what these are.

To connect to the can-bus, I used the before mentioned power-stealing thingys. Kufatec recommends soldering the wires, but I did not dare to put a soldering iron in there. To many wires cramped into a small place. The correct wires from the RNS510 is described in the instructions from kufatec. There is also a picture on the top of the RNS itself that describes all pins. The wires on the cable following the kit is marked "can high" and "can low". On the RNS they are marked as CAN+ and CAN-.

I connected minus (cable marked "masse") to the ground on the same plug on the rns (brown wire). Also described in kufatecs instructions. The +12v can be connected to any suitable souce, they say. I used similar power-stealing clips and hooked on to one of the red wires on the rns. I think its the one called "safe" on the rns thats the best choice. The IMA draws about 150mA i think, but continous power is probably the best anyway for best functionality.

MIND you that it is recommended to twist the CAN-bus wires firmly. I did not know this when I installed this, but I will try to fix it the next time I remove the RNS. My setup works anyway.

The CANM8 module was connected the same way.

I put the boxes and the remaining cables down under the RNS behind the climatic module. A lot of space there.

Then I connected everything and connected the battery. I coded the CAN gateway with "6C Rear view camera" using VCDS, and...nothing worked. I struggled quite a bit before getting it up and running. And it started to work by a small miracle: Disconnecting and reconnecting the cars battery...I guess something in the gateway, IMA or RNS got "stuck", and needed a reboot.

My experience so far with the camera.

There are two things that is annoying so far. When I start the car and put it in reverse, there is sometimes just a black screen where the camera picture should be. If I take it out of reverse and back to reverse again, the picture shows up. I wonder if I am drawing power from the wrong place to the IMA. Will look into it when I have time to open up the console. If the RNS does not switch at all to the rear view cam-page, then probably the coding is wrong. Do NOT set option on RNS for "rear view cam low". And I think to use the extra video input, you have to code it in as TV-Tuner.

The other thing is the warning that this thread started up with. It steals some of the picture, and I can not see the rear bumber because of it. If someone can find a fix for it, I would be forever grateful!!

Other than that; cool

If you find any obvious errors or bad explanations, let me know.

Update: I upgraded my RNS 510 with firmware 2764, and now the camera works perfectly! It shows picture every time I put it in reverse. And also more of the screen is used for picture. Still have the warning message that steals some picture, but at least it shows a picture

Edited 1 June, 2010 by ronaldb

[ronaldb]

I got a PM which made me search for additional places to buy the camera. I think I might have found the producer: China car ccd camera, rearview car camera supplier

Using that information, maybe someone finds another place to buy it, apart from the norwegian site I found it at

[gadgetman]

Right, now any blanks can be filled in when simbo fits his.

We know you want one!

[auditek]

ronaldb..you're a star...I come from northern england, and your english is better than mine !!..thanks

[ronaldb]

I just discovered that my "old" version of the IMA from kufatec might not work with newer firmware on the RNS-510. They say from version 2660 and up. I guess if you buy it now, it will work, but my old one will probably not work. Bad news. I can send it to them for upgrade, but if their shipping cost is the same as a normal order, it will be very expensive. 60 Euros :(Well. This will only affect those who have an older IMA from them.

[john123]

..very good guide ronaldb .can you explain your vag coding settings to get it to work??

[john123]

..very good .. .can you explain your vag coding settings to get it to work??

Hi

I have now installed a rear view cam using a unit from kufatec in Germany. I finally got it to work (se pictures), but I wonder if anyone have been able to get a screen without the parking assistant icons and the warning sign below ("Look! Safe to move?")? Would be really nice to have a cleaner view, especially since I have not got the park assistant thingy, and the warning seems to steal some of the picture from the camera.

Cool camera, though. Integrated in the right licensplate light. Looks original.

The other pictures just shows an added OFF-button for the climatic and the "P" button connected to my garage door opener. I do not have front parking sensors, so I got hold of the button and connected it to my garage door remote

The light in the OFF button is red becase I got the diode from a unit in a Golf or something...