Needs more Camera

[haleme]

One of the reasons I wanted to upgrade my Ram's headunit from Uconnect 8.4 to an aftermarket unit was for the ability to add more cameras and not have a separate display.

My goal was to have 4 cameras feed into the radio and a DVR to record my drives.

Initially, I was going after Rear, Bed, Front and Trailer cameras. After much trial and error with standard cameras and wireless transmitters, I gave up on having my trailer's rear view display in the Kenwood and have a Garmin camera that works with my RV780 GPS.

I picked a Kenwood DNX577S because it supports 4 camera inputs. This headunit also included navigation and Android Auto, so that was another benefit I detailed here, New Kenwood Installation in 2017 Ram 1500.

I started with a subpanel off the main fuse block to power the cameras and the DVR. I wanted to have the cameras turn on with the ignition, but not wire them from the ignition or some other non standard way. I also have an Airlift system installed and needed the subpanel to run the compressor.


Three wires (12+, 12-, 12ACC) for the cameras run through the clutch blank plate to a relay under the dash.
The other wires running down the firewall go to the Airlift compressor.


Here is my wiring diagram:


Next was the addition of the cameras. I used a Brandmotion FLTW-7626 Third Brake Light Cargo Camera for Ram Trucks. It has LED brake and cargo lights which is nice.
Installation is pretty easy outside the cab. The biggest headache is removing the back seat and rear head liner to run the camera wiring to the dash.


Next is the front camera. I drilled a hole in the grill and installed a flush mount back up camera (black dot under the Ram). This camera is wired to not reverse the image.


All the wiring for the add on cameras and the factory backup camera converge behind the radio. Each camera output is then split with RCA splitters.
One output goes to the Kenwood and the other goes to a DVR device. The DVR has an output to the Kenwood's AV-IN to view all three cameras on a single screen.
I am using this DVR with a 64GB SD Card and is set to start recording upon 12ACC turn on.
It looks like this on the Kenwood.


Let me know what you think.

 

[SitKneelBend]

One of the reasons I wanted to upgrade my Ram's headunit from Uconnect 8.4 to an aftermarket unit was for the ability to add more cameras and not have a separate display.

My goal was to have 4 cameras feed into the radio and a DVR to record my drives.

Initially, I was going after Rear, Bed, Front and Trailer cameras. After much trial and error with standard cameras and wireless transmitters, I gave up on having my trailer's rear view display in the Kenwood and have a Garmin camera that works with my RV780 GPS.

I picked a Kenwood DNX577S because it supports 4 camera inputs. This headunit also included navigation and Android Auto, so that was another benefit I detailed here, New Kenwood Installation in 2017 Ram 1500.

I started with a subpanel off the main fuse block to power the cameras and the DVR. I wanted to have the cameras turn on with the ignition, but not wire them from the ignition or some other non standard way. I also have an Airlift system installed and needed the subpanel to run the compressor.
View attachment 485599

Three wires (12+, 12-, 12ACC) for the cameras run through the clutch blank plate to a relay under the dash.
The other wires running down the firewall go to the Airlift compressor.
View attachment 485600

Here is my wiring diagram:
View attachment 485601

Next was the addition of the cameras. I used a Brandmotion FLTW-7626 Third Brake Light Cargo Camera for Ram Trucks. It has LED brake and cargo lights which is nice.
Installation is pretty easy outside the cab. The biggest headache is removing the back seat and rear head liner to run the camera wiring to the dash.
View attachment 485582

Next is the front camera. I drilled a hole in the grill and installed a flush mount back up camera (black dot under the Ram). This camera is wired to not reverse the image.
View attachment 485583

All the wiring for the add on cameras and the factory backup camera converge behind the radio. Each camera output is then split with RCA splitters.
One output goes to the Kenwood and the other goes to a DVR device. The DVR has an output to the Kenwood's AV-IN to view all three cameras on a single screen.
I am using this DVR with a 64GB SD Card and is set to start recording upon 12ACC turn on.
It looks like this on the Kenwood.
View attachment 485603

Let me know what you think.

Very cool. What is the DVR device you are using?

 

[haleme]

Thanks!

Using this DVR. 4-Channel Mini DVR with IR Remote + Multi-View Screen https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RT81KV...t_i_46WMSQNEJ1P0RKXPM9VD?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

 

[SitKneelBend]

Thanks!

Using this DVR. 4-Channel Mini DVR with IR Remote + Multi-View Screen https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RT81KV...t_i_46WMSQNEJ1P0RKXPM9VD?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Thanks! I'm currently using an analog option with the factory radio just to switch inputs (see link) but at that price I might swap it out...

AlfaOBD TV

Reposting info here in a separate thread with more detail for anyone interested... 2 LockPicks have failed on me so I won't go that route again. I had every input on the LockPick in use so I was left with a Digital TV tuner and front/cargo/left/right cameras inoperable. @Mpgrimm2 let me...

www.ramforum.com

 

[haleme]

That is an interesting piece of hardware. Are those buttons click 1 on/ click others off style?

I also had a Lockpick installed before the Kenwood. I had the Lockpick Air 2. It did most of what I wanted with the cameras, except having a simpler way to interact with the cameras. It was either remembering non standard button depresses on the steering wheel or using a remote. All controls on the Kenwood are built into its touch UI.

The Kenwood also has a feature to switch from rear camera to front camera for a few seconds when putting the truck into drive from reverse. I bench tested it before I installed and had it working as I wanted. Now, with Maestro in the mix, I can't get it to work. So something in Maestro is working against the Kenwood config. Just need time to trial and error again.

Here is my wiring diagram for the RCA video connections for the cameras. There is no difference between red and yellow; that denotes the use of a signal splitter. All cables are single RCA style. The DVR has an IR Remote and I have the receiver routed to out the light port in the upper glove box.

 

[SitKneelBend]

That is an interesting piece of hardware. Are those buttons click 1 on/ click others off style?

I also had a Lockpick installed before the Kenwood. I had the Lockpick Air 2. It did most of what I wanted with the cameras, except having a simpler way to interact with the cameras. It was either remembering non standard button depresses on the steering wheel or using a remote. All controls on the Kenwood are built into its touch UI.

The Kenwood also has a feature to switch from rear camera to front camera for a few seconds when putting the truck into drive from reverse. I bench tested it before I installed and had it working as I wanted. Now, with Maestro in the mix, I can't get it to work. So something in Maestro is working against the Kenwood config. Just need time to trial and error again.

Here is my wiring diagram for the RCA video connections for the cameras. There is no difference between red and yellow; that denotes the use of a signal splitter. All cables are single RCA style. The DVR has an IR Remote and I have the receiver routed to out the light port in the upper glove box.
View attachment 485681

It is 1 on/ click others off style. I just wanted something simple after dealing with the complications of my LockPicks. It lives in my glovebox and rarely gets switched.