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My custom backup camera setup

Several months back I completed designing and building a custom harness to allow the nearly plug-n-play install of the newer Ford OEM smilieFordlogo navigation with Sync in my 2008 Super Duty. As a continuation of this project I added a custom camera system which originally just added a front camera and a custom steering wheel switch to allow turning the video on (regardless of what gear the truck is in) and switching the display between the two cameras.

Well I have now completed what I believe (and my wife hopes) is the final part of this project. This final part just adds a couple more cameras to the system and some pretty cool (at least I think they are cool :)) features for controlling the cameras/display. With this new four camera ability it is now possible to have a standard backup camera on the tailgate of the truck, a front camera to aid in nose in parking, a camera inside a trailer and finally a camera on the rear of the trailer. The camera inside the trailer will allow you to see your load while driving to be sure nothing has shifted or if you are hauling livestock (ie. horses) you can check on their well being. The trailer's back camera provides the same features as a normal backup camera on the truck (displays automatically when the truck is shifted into reverse) but it shows the view behind the trailer since the view behind the truck itself is of little value when backing a trailer.

So how does it all work you ask...well, anticipating that some would be curious, I created a short video demonstrating the camera system.



Steve
 

lil_dq

Let 'er eat boys!
6,933
265
Union, MO
Love it!

I have family that live in Crestwood, KY.
 
Gotta say that's pretty neat... Mind giving more insight about how you did it? Did you have to use an inline module on the Sync harness like the Sync Lockpick?

Yes there are inline electronics but not like the LockPick. The loackpic does all of its magic by sending (and blocking) CAN bus messages to the head unit. My eletronics are purely for video manipulation and do not communicate at all.

Steve
 

Skandocious

Post Whores Make Me Sick
19,076
655
California
Awesome, sounds pretty neat.

And if you're only manipulating the video feed, this mod should be compatible with the lockpick, right?
 
Awesome, sounds pretty neat.

And if you're only manipulating the video feed, this mod should be compatible with the lockpick, right?

Yes it is compatible. The video output from my system (which would normally be connected to the head unit) would just become one of the Lockpicks video inputs.

Steve
 
Hi Steve,

Very nice!

I would be interested in knowing how you got the video feed to play in forward motion without using a lockpick.
It'd be nice if there was a simple reverse wire that the video detected rather than using the canbus...

Thanks
David
 

jebadiah04

Rooster Snorkler
849
27
whats the total cost of a newer sync unit and backup camera, say if i wanted to put it in my 05?
 

jebadiah04

Rooster Snorkler
849
27
necromancers i guess :)

Dickinson Huh? Fairview Here
 

nobodyspecial

Fire in the hole...
5,756
366
ND
We need to meet up sometime, this is just ridiculous.
 

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