Foretravel Owners' Forum

Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Tech Talk => Topic started by: dstrat1 on November 25, 2010, 03:53:20 pm

Title: help with backup cam
Post by: dstrat1 on November 25, 2010, 03:53:20 pm
well guys, I got a ch 56 from rv cams, got the camera in and working on the old javelina...now I am trying to hook up the flat screen to the coach wiring...The existing wiring has power and ground,  and then the black red and white to the dimmer...and then a heavy I presume video and ground.....flat screen has power and ground, but I had to clip the vca connectors and found 4 wires in each.....so, what goes where??  any ideas..do I leave the dimmer out and just do power and ground, and then try the video  and ground to each of the 4 wires in the vca connector /
Title: Re: help with backup cam
Post by: Rudy on November 25, 2010, 04:53:25 pm
Dave,

I have an LCD monitor from RVCams.  The dimmer is not used in my case.

Plug the new monitor into coach 12v power and connect the video input of the monitor to the video output of the Audit box and I was in business.

The Audit box has a BNC connector and the monitor has RCA plugs for which adapters made the connection easy.

The On/Off switch on the dash turns the Audit box on and off and selects the video output to the monitor --- Tank monitor, Rear View Camera, Temp and Compass.

Should be about the same for you.
Title: Re: help with backup cam
Post by: dstrat1 on November 25, 2010, 05:22:02 pm
Is the audit box the tv unit, or is it remote? right now I have pulled the old unit out, but can put it back in, if neccessary, and mount the monitor on the outside...
Title: Re: help with backup cam
Post by: wolfe10 on November 25, 2010, 06:19:50 pm
The Audit box is not the old CRT monitor, but the box that "feeds" the video signal.  As Rudy said, you will need a BNC to RCA adapter (any Frys, Radio Shack, etc).  Shouldn't need to cut any video wires.

Brett
Title: Re: help with backup cam
Post by: Rudy on November 25, 2010, 07:57:17 pm
Dave,

Are you aware the Audit box is in center of the dash, just to the right of the dash board where the monitor is located.  There is a lid that lifts up revealing the A/C unit and the Audit box on a plywood panel that can be pulled straight up to make access to terminals very easy.

Hope the helps you.
Title: Re: help with backup cam
Post by: dstrat1 on November 26, 2010, 08:32:35 am
Thanks, I did not know about the location of the audit box.  Will continue on today......
Title: Re: help with backup cam
Post by: dstrat1 on November 27, 2010, 09:46:56 am
Thank you all for your assistance.... New color camera installed... Way better,  total cost 270.00 from rv cams......
Title: Re: help with backup cam
Post by: Chad and Judy on November 27, 2010, 10:03:26 am
Any product / installation insights appreciated. PM at sdslim@q.com would be great. I've talked to RV-Cams a couple of times, about both a camera and monitor upgrade, but I'm still a little vague on the wiring; whether what's currently installed, for the B/W OEM setup will suffice, or all-new cabling is required.
Title: Re: help with backup cam
Post by: wolfe10 on November 27, 2010, 10:29:48 am
Chad,

You will need to verify (should not take over a few minutes to look at the connections) this for your model, but this is what I found on ours:

Camera:
Original wiring is 12 VDC positive and ground and BNC video connection.
New camera uses the same 12 VDC positive and ground.  An RCA to BNC adapter (from any Frys, Radio Shack, etc) plugs the camera output to existing coach wiring.

Monitor:
Original wiring is 12 VDC positive and ground and BNC connection. 
New monitor uses the same 12 VDC positive and ground. A BNC to RCA adapter hooks it up.

For a more complete description, go to this write up I did in June when I changed mine out:  http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=9888.0 (http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=9888.0)

Note: RV.cams does have a high quality color flush mount monitor by Totevision as described in the June write-up-- I wanted to retain the original look of the dash, not cover up the original monitor with one not designed for that space.

Brett
Title: Re: help with backup cam
Post by: Rudy on November 27, 2010, 10:35:44 am
Chad,

No new cabling or wires needed to install an RVCams supplied camera and monitor.

For the monitor, RVCams will supply the BNC to RCA adapter to connect the Audit box video output to the monitor.  The Monitor comes with the wires to access 12v power.  My 1995 U320 has a cigarette lighter socket beside the Audit box under the center dash.

For the camera, I chose to mount mine outside over the existing camera (15 minutes to mount and connect).  With some more work, one could fabricate a mount inside in place of the removed existing camera.

RVCams can supply you adapters that plug into the camera connectors with loose wires on the other end.  The camera will have a 12v positive and 12v negative lead to connect to the coach's existing power wires.  The coach's coax should be connected to the camera's video output.  The center wire is the signal wire and the shielding is the ground.  If you need help identifying those wires either RVCams or one of us can help you.  Send me a message if I can assist you.
Title: Re: help with backup cam
Post by: amos.harrison on November 27, 2010, 01:18:19 pm
Chad,

The beauty of RV Cams to me was that Tim knew Foretravels so well.  When I told him what coach I owned he knew exactly what adapters I needed.
Title: Re: help with backup cam
Post by: dstrat1 on November 27, 2010, 02:30:21 pm
I agree, it was his knowledge and support that finallized our decision to upgrade the cam....
Title: Re: help with backup cam
Post by: Barry & Cindy on November 27, 2010, 04:23:37 pm
Dave,  I am not clear on how your original 1999 camera was connected to the Foretravel cable.
Our 1997 camera does not have a BNC as it has a small multi-pin plug.

How did you connect your new camera to the Foretravel cable?
Title: Re: help with backup cam
Post by: Chad and Judy on November 28, 2010, 10:20:55 am
I liked talking to Tim; very knowledgeable. Will probably order from RV-Cams when I'm ready. We're perhaps going to the Southern Cal "Christmas Rally" in Palm Desert Dec 9-12. First for us, but a good friend here has gone and suggested we join them.
 
Cheers!
Chad
Title: Re: help with backup cam
Post by: dstrat1 on November 29, 2010, 04:47:47 pm
On our 99 the javelina had a flat plug with a red and black power and ground coming from a small attached box(attached to the javelina), , that i assume stabilized the voltage.. we used the out lines on it to the power and ground leads on the new moniter harness....there was a white videocoax with ground, that we used for the video signal...in our case i did not have a conversion plug,  so i cut the vca plug and found inside four wires,  yellow was video , black was ground, the other two were , i assume audio, left and right.........So we hooked video and ground to each other...the dimmer switch we clipped and did not use.... It works fine....The monitor came with a mount, which when we cut half off mounted perfectly to the radio below the old javelina and helld the new monitor in perfect position.....I tried hard to flush mount it inside, but either the radio or it would have to be moved to make it work...A bolt in flush mount was 580 from Tim, the one we bought was 260, and looks fine in my opinion, and in addition the controls are available if you want to run aux vido to it for any reason.....Pics to follow....
Title: Re: help with backup cam
Post by: dstrat1 on November 29, 2010, 05:11:33 pm
voila