Adding Front Camera to XLT
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 1,421
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From: SE MI
Originally Posted by ajean;[url=tel:5076229
5076229[/url]]I'm working on this assumption here...
https://www.f150forum.com/f118/addin...8/#post5061069
That the output of the IPMB is a pure NTSC signal. That the camera-source module has NTSC input, that the OEM backup signal that goes to the APIM and is intercepted by the camera-source module is NTSC and that the output of the camera-source module is NTSC...
If not, back to square one... And that would mean that the camera source module is a sort of NTSC to LVDS converter.
I guess the question is; what kind of video signal goes in to the APIM ?
So far we have theorized that the OEM camera are LVDS signal that reach the IPMB over a certain long distance cable. In the IPMB the video signal gets treated. But what comes out of the IPMB and goes to the APIM ? LVDS or NTSC ? If it's NTSC, It should work. If it's LVDS then it wont.
Your thoughts on this are most welcomed!
Thanks!
https://www.f150forum.com/f118/addin...8/#post5061069
That the output of the IPMB is a pure NTSC signal. That the camera-source module has NTSC input, that the OEM backup signal that goes to the APIM and is intercepted by the camera-source module is NTSC and that the output of the camera-source module is NTSC...
If not, back to square one... And that would mean that the camera source module is a sort of NTSC to LVDS converter.
I guess the question is; what kind of video signal goes in to the APIM ?
So far we have theorized that the OEM camera are LVDS signal that reach the IPMB over a certain long distance cable. In the IPMB the video signal gets treated. But what comes out of the IPMB and goes to the APIM ? LVDS or NTSC ? If it's NTSC, It should work. If it's LVDS then it wont.
Your thoughts on this are most welcomed!
Thanks!
I'm working on this assumption here...
https://www.f150forum.com/f118/addin...8/#post5061069
That the output of the IPMB is a pure NTSC signal. That the camera-source module has NTSC input, that the OEM backup signal that goes to the APIM and is intercepted by the camera-source module is NTSC and that the output of the camera-source module is NTSC...
If not, back to square one... And that would mean that the camera source module is a sort of NTSC to LVDS converter.
I guess the question is; what kind of video signal goes in to the APIM ?
So far we have theorized that the OEM camera are LVDS signal that reach the IPMB over a certain long distance cable. In the IPMB the video signal gets treated. But what comes out of the IPMB and goes to the APIM ? LVDS or NTSC ? If it's NTSC, It should work. If it's LVDS then it wont.
Your thoughts on this are most welcomed!
Thanks!
https://www.f150forum.com/f118/addin...8/#post5061069
That the output of the IPMB is a pure NTSC signal. That the camera-source module has NTSC input, that the OEM backup signal that goes to the APIM and is intercepted by the camera-source module is NTSC and that the output of the camera-source module is NTSC...
If not, back to square one... And that would mean that the camera source module is a sort of NTSC to LVDS converter.
I guess the question is; what kind of video signal goes in to the APIM ?
So far we have theorized that the OEM camera are LVDS signal that reach the IPMB over a certain long distance cable. In the IPMB the video signal gets treated. But what comes out of the IPMB and goes to the APIM ? LVDS or NTSC ? If it's NTSC, It should work. If it's LVDS then it wont.
Your thoughts on this are most welcomed!
Thanks!
It is confirmed that the OE cameras are low voltage diff signaled, no longer theorized. Its right on the factory service manual. The signals from the "analog" part of the camera (the actual lens et al) are muxed along with the dynamic guidelines and the static guidelines. The static guidelines are analog (part of the camera feed) and the dynamic lines are digital, created by the IPMB. The rear "aid" is also digital (the truck icon with the rear sonar "areas" that change color).
Experimenting last I saw that I lose the dynamic guidelines when I put the OE rear camera in the modules rear camera. Turns out my dip switches were wrong and/or in an untested config.
Best case scenario, you'll get some weird issues with the cameras and you will lose the dynamic guidelines in the OE rear camera. I know it wont work because I tried it already. I used one of the side cameras as a rear camera, cut a little piece of harness on the side cam (thanks Chris for the replacement!) and went to town. I commend you for trying and not giving up though. Respect.
Last edited by TexasFording; Dec 9, 2016 at 03:53 PM.
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 321
Likes: 40
Video signal into APIM is analog/NTSC. Chris' module (and feel free to correct me Chris) is analog/NTSC as well, its not LVDS. His cameras are analog (big ol' hunkin' analog RCA connector).
It is confirmed that the OE cameras are low voltage diff signaled, no longer theorized. Its right on the factory service manual. The signals from the "analog" part of the camera (the actual lens et al) are muxed along with the dynamic guidelines and the static guidelines. The static guidelines are analog (part of the camera feed) and the dynamic lines are digital, created by the IPMB. The rear "aid" is also digital (the truck icon with the rear sonar "areas" that change color).
Experimenting last I saw that I lose the dynamic guidelines when I put the OE rear camera in the modules rear camera. Turns out my dip switches were wrong and/or in an untested config.
Best case scenario, you'll get some weird issues with the cameras and you will lose the dynamic guidelines in the OE rear camera. I know it wont work because I tried it already. I used one of the side cameras as a rear camera, cut a little piece of harness on the side cam (thanks Chris for the replacement!) and went to town. I commend you for trying and not giving up though. Respect.
It is confirmed that the OE cameras are low voltage diff signaled, no longer theorized. Its right on the factory service manual. The signals from the "analog" part of the camera (the actual lens et al) are muxed along with the dynamic guidelines and the static guidelines. The static guidelines are analog (part of the camera feed) and the dynamic lines are digital, created by the IPMB. The rear "aid" is also digital (the truck icon with the rear sonar "areas" that change color).
Experimenting last I saw that I lose the dynamic guidelines when I put the OE rear camera in the modules rear camera. Turns out my dip switches were wrong and/or in an untested config.
Best case scenario, you'll get some weird issues with the cameras and you will lose the dynamic guidelines in the OE rear camera. I know it wont work because I tried it already. I used one of the side cameras as a rear camera, cut a little piece of harness on the side cam (thanks Chris for the replacement!) and went to town. I commend you for trying and not giving up though. Respect.
First I'd like to return the comment. You are extremely knowledgeable person and I follow you on many tread here. I trully welcomed the challenge of ideas we put thru this forums.
That being said, I don't understand why we would be loosing the guideline and such in this scenario...
Taking the same idea to the extreme, instead of "switching" the OEM into the rear I could directly disconnect the output of the camera-source module and send any other video signal to the APIM...
For instance, I could feed into the video input (which is NTSC as per our discussion) directly into the APIM any video signal. I could send a "movie" to watch. Then activate the "manual" mode with holding the radio button a few seconds. The camera-source module would "activate" the APIM to show the video input without ever knowing what it is actually showing...
What disturbs me is you say that you tested it and you lost the guidelines because you routed the video signal in another path thru the camera-source module... That does not make sense to me... The guidelines are either embedded in the camera itself, processed by the IPMB or overlaid by the APIM... But changing how the NTSC signal goes thru the camera-source module should not make those line dissapear...
The only exception that I can see would be the "tampering" that the camera-source module does to the system that it may not send the proper commands to the proper module and not activating "x-y-z" features that the truck does normally...
For instance, in a standard oem configuration, when you use the "delay" function, in reverse you have the lines and when you shift the "drive", the back camera stay active but the lines disapear. So there is a module somewhere that tell the "camera" to display it line or not.
So when the camera-source module is configured to use the RCA input for the backup camera it is probably not sending the "active the line" to the camera... (Because it doesn't think that is it the OEM camera)
So instead of switching the OEM into the RCA, I should look into switching the output of the camera-source or the trailer backup and sending one of them into the APIM.
Definetely a nice project!
I really look forward to see your documentation and I cant wait to get started on mine!
Last edited by ajean; Dec 9, 2016 at 04:16 PM.
Member
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 65
Likes: 3
From: St-Jude, Québec, Canada
Did anyone have install BrandMotion camera, like this one; http://www.brandmotion.com/360-visio...avms-3618.html
They offer 360° bird view but they are expensive.
They offer 360° bird view but they are expensive.
Did anyone have install BrandMotion camera, like this one; http://www.brandmotion.com/360-visio...avms-3618.html
They offer 360° bird view but they are expensive.
They offer 360° bird view but they are expensive.
Member
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 65
Likes: 3
From: St-Jude, Québec, Canada
