Aftermarket Radio and Aftermarket Backup Camera

[weems]

Hey guys. I just bought a 2011 Ram SLT. I'm loving it so far. I tow a trailer everyday for work, so upgraded to a backup camera is a must. I have installed a Carjoying Android H/U in my previous truck, and will be going the same route with this new truck of mine.

I plan on installing this behemoth:

https://www.carjoying.com/joying-be...stem-google-voice-control-mirroring-link.html

The camera is where I need some help. I can't justify spending $300+ on a backup camera. For those who have done non OEM cameras, what did you use? Are you happy with the quality? Night Vision is important as I hook up my trailer around 5AM everyday. I would like to install in the Tailgate handle (I was going to drill a hole for the camera and try using the installed handle before i bought a cheap knockoff with a hole pre-drilled).

Any advice on camera and how to properly install in the desired location would be greatly appreciated.

 

[adrianp89]

If your patient, and are able to spend a little more, I would install one of the 2016 Kenwood models coming out with Maestro. Way more features and much more reliable than you posted. A main factor I would consider in this is that they will be soon be releasing dynamic back-up guidelines (lines turn with steering wheel), which I find to be very helpful with the trailer.

 

[DrJones86]

Looks like we're on the same wavelength here Weems.

I actually just bought one of those 10.1 Joying units. I still have my reservations with these chinese units but I figured it was worth giving a try.

I haven't seen anything offering dynamic gridline abilities that doesn't also require a direct OBD or other canbus connection. I would doubt that's coming to any name-brand aftermarket stereo unit anytime soon.

My truck came with the factory backup camera, but the camera died. The OEM camera is garbage. Old design, low resolution, no thrills camera and they want upwards of $300.

So currently I'm trying to figure out how to wire an aftermarket camera into the existing factory wiring in the tailgate so I don't have to run an additional RCA or piggy-back camera power off the reverse lights.

 

[adrianp89]

Actually the Maestro stuff already ties in the ODBII and that is how it pulls the dynamic lines. I know the Kenwoods will support this, and I will imagine Pioneer and Alpine will as well. It should be out this year.

 

[weems]

Looks like we're on the same wavelength here Weems.

I actually just bought one of those 10.1 Joying units. I still have my reservations with these chinese units but I figured it was worth giving a try.

I haven't seen anything offering dynamic gridline abilities that doesn't also require a direct OBD or other canbus connection. I would doubt that's coming to any name-brand aftermarket stereo unit anytime soon.

My truck came with the factory backup camera, but the camera died. The OEM camera is garbage. Old design, low resolution, no thrills camera and they want upwards of $300.

So currently I'm trying to figure out how to wire an aftermarket camera into the existing factory wiring in the tailgate so I don't have to run an additional RCA or piggy-back camera power off the reverse lights.

Very good! Its amazing that I bought it from China on Saturday, and will be here tomorrow. On the other hand, the harness adapter I bought on Saturday hasn't even shipped out yet...

I bought a regular 2 DIN from them for my 03 GMC 2500HD, and I loved the functionality of it. You can put any app on it.

I'm looking at this camera, will probably pull the trigger on it since i haven't gotten any other suggestions

http://www.amazon.com/TopTierPro-Re...F8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=nav_timeline_asin

 

[DrJones86]

Good luck with your install.

I'm swapping out a Sony unit I put into the truck last year. So fortunately I have the harness from that install to use.

That camera looks as good as any.

Amazon.com: Esky EC170-06 HD Color CCD Waterproof Car Rear View Backup Camera, 0.86X0.65X0.50-inch: Cell Phones & Accessories

This is the one I grabbed. It's a fair bit smaller than the factory camera though so I had to make a gasket to fill the empty space.

 

[weems]

Good luck with your install.

I'm swapping out a Sony unit I put into the truck last year. So fortunately I have the harness from that install to use.

That camera looks as good as any.

Amazon.com: Esky EC170-06 HD Color CCD Waterproof Car Rear View Backup Camera, 0.86X0.65X0.50-inch: Cell Phones & Accessories

This is the one I grabbed. It's a fair bit smaller than the factory camera though so I had to make a gasket to fill the empty space.

I installed today. Couldn't get the steering wheel controls to work. Let me know if you figure that out. I used the pac ch11 harness I believe. Might have been easier with metra (but more money).

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

 

[DrJones86]

I haven't done the Joying install yet, I'm going to tear into it tomorrow if I have time. When I did the Sony install I went with the axxess stuff -

AX-ADBOX1 w/ AX-ADCH02 Harness and ASWC-1 Steering Wheel Control interface

 

[DrJones86]

What are you using for your steering wheel control interface?

I have the axxess set now, but I was considering switching to one of these iDatalink Maestro setups.

 

[weems]

I used a pac harness. It had a 3.5mm plug on it, but that doesn't work with a joying.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

 

[adrianp89]

I wouldn't hold my breath with getting either SWC box to work with those. You can try manual mapping with the ASWC and might get lucky but most of the time its a no go.

 

[DrJones86]

Hey Weems,

I did the install in my truck this weekend.

First, the easy answer to your steering control issue - you need to go pick up a female 3.5mm jack. I bought one through amazon, but you should be able to get one from Radio Shack or something similar if you have one in your area.

Solder the two leads (key 1 and key 2) to each side of the female jack, then you can plug in the 3.5 jack from your PAC interface. As for what side to solder the leads to or polarity, it shouldn't matter.

I didn't have any problems setting up the steering wheel controls on my truck, but overall there are lots of bugs.

I love the large display, but there are several significant issues that should have prevented this unit from ever making it to the marketplace.

#1. System randomly turns off.
#2 Radio App randomly changes stations or scans through entire band
#3. Radio reception is very poor. (No I will not buy an antenna amplifier to correct this, a functioning radio has a self-contained antenna. Even low-budget brands like Jensen and Dual do not expect their customers to purchase an amplifier for their head units to make the radio work, they shouldn't expect that from their customers either.)
#4. Bluetooth Audio Streaming is useless - there is so much distortion and static that I cannot listen to music.
#5. The screen occasionally turns off during automatic input switching for backup camera and does not turn back on at all. You must reboot the unit to get the screen to turn on again.
#6. When the back-up camera feed turns on, it turns off all audio sources.
#7. You cannot turn off the back-up camera option - so no matter if you have a backup camera or not the screen turns to a plain black screen and the audio cuts out.
#8. Wifi antenna reception is poor.
#9. Bluetooth software/profiles are limited or not complete. Cannot connect to Cobra iRadar Android Radar detector. Cannot connect to standard ELM327 Bluetooth OBD2 scanner
#10. Amplifier options are exceedingly limited, sound quality is poor, and fader controls do not function properly.

And perhaps the most significant concern (in my case), when I got the unit installed and turned on, I found that it was already connected and logged into someone else's google account! So I reached out to this user via email and had a conversation with him about this unit and why he returned it. This unit was returned as defective to due a problem with a flickering screen.

I haven't seen the issues he was having, but regardless that makes this unit used or refurbished at best.

I reached out to Joying support about it and they blamed Amazon saying that this is the second time a customer has complained about receiving a used unit. While it was fulfilled by Amazon, the vendor is still usually responsible for inventory management and handling returns. They literally sent me the screenshot of their Amazon fulfillment dashboard showing the item Return Reason as "Item is Defective" yet the disposition showing "sellable".

If they give me this one as a freebie I'll probably leave it until I get around to buying a new name brand unit, but I definately don't recommend it to anyone else considering buying one.

 

[weems]

Hey Weems,

I did the install in my truck this weekend.

First, the easy answer to your steering control issue - you need to go pick up a female 3.5mm jack. I bought one through amazon, but you should be able to get one from Radio Shack or something similar if you have one in your area.

Solder the two leads (key 1 and key 2) to each side of the female jack, then you can plug in the 3.5 jack from your PAC interface. As for what side to solder the leads to or polarity, it shouldn't matter.

I didn't have any problems setting up the steering wheel controls on my truck, but overall there are lots of bugs.

I love the large display, but there are several significant issues that should have prevented this unit from ever making it to the marketplace.

#1. System randomly turns off.
#2 Radio App randomly changes stations or scans through entire band
#3. Radio reception is very poor. (No I will not buy an antenna amplifier to correct this, a functioning radio has a self-contained antenna. Even low-budget brands like Jensen and Dual do not expect their customers to purchase an amplifier for their head units to make the radio work, they shouldn't expect that from their customers either.)
#4. Bluetooth Audio Streaming is useless - there is so much distortion and static that I cannot listen to music.
#5. The screen occasionally turns off during automatic input switching for backup camera and does not turn back on at all. You must reboot the unit to get the screen to turn on again.
#6. When the back-up camera feed turns on, it turns off all audio sources.
#7. You cannot turn off the back-up camera option - so no matter if you have a backup camera or not the screen turns to a plain black screen and the audio cuts out.
#8. Wifi antenna reception is poor.
#9. Bluetooth software/profiles are limited or not complete. Cannot connect to Cobra iRadar Android Radar detector. Cannot connect to standard ELM327 Bluetooth OBD2 scanner
#10. Amplifier options are exceedingly limited, sound quality is poor, and fader controls do not function properly.

And perhaps the most significant concern (in my case), when I got the unit installed and turned on, I found that it was already connected and logged into someone else's google account! So I reached out to this user via email and had a conversation with him about this unit and why he returned it. This unit was returned as defective to due a problem with a flickering screen.

I haven't seen the issues he was having, but regardless that makes this unit used or refurbished at best.

I reached out to Joying support about it and they blamed Amazon saying that this is the second time a customer has complained about receiving a used unit. While it was fulfilled by Amazon, the vendor is still usually responsible for inventory management and handling returns. They literally sent me the screenshot of their Amazon fulfillment dashboard showing the item Return Reason as "Item is Defective" yet the disposition showing "sellable".

If they give me this one as a freebie I'll probably leave it until I get around to buying a new name brand unit, but I definately don't recommend it to anyone else considering buying one.

Ahh, I hate that you are having those issues! The issue with randomly changing stations is a button on the Radio App screen. I think the two circles intertwined. See if that fixes the problem. The radio reception was poor on my previous one was well, but usable. This unit was horrible. I ordered a cheap antenna amplifier and it has worked AMAZING! Not perfect, but definitely usable (this is my biggest gripe too).

When using the backup camera, go into settings and hit car settings. under there you should be able to change the sound level so that you can hear audio while backing up. On my first unit I hated this, until i found the volume level. I think it was called Attenuation?

My fader has no issues on either unit. Do you think you crossed up some wires by any chance?

What did you pay for the unit on Amazon? I bought it directly from CarJoying with no issues. I think I paid $330 shipped for my unit.

 

[DrJones86]

Yea, it's definitely frustrating.

Joying support suggested the same thing in regards to the radio changing, neither option was enabled, and it actually randomly forgets radio station presets as well - which I know isn't an option.

I got the backup volume issue taken care of, but it still pauses and cuts out with the input switching.

Mine is locked to Beijing time so I have to manually set the time and It's changed itself back to the 24-hour clock twice. It even randomly changed the boot logo from the Ram to the Citroen double chevron at one point.

As far as the fader issues, I thought there might be a wiring issue too, but I checked and double checked everything and can't find anything amiss and this definately isn't my first stereo install.

-- Paid $399 through Amazon.

Ultimately, while the little bugs bother me what made the decision to return was the poor audio quality. I'm an audiophile and at the end of the day it's a stereo. At this point, I'd rather have a nice stereo and pair a tablet to it than this.