Backup Camera - Appradio 3

[dwpc]

Since I'm trying to debug my new AR3, I'm reviving a zombie thread.  

 

First, I wired my back-up camera to get 12v from the back-up lights so the camera view works in Reverse only but Rear View Mode must also be selected. When I shift out of R, the screen goes blank but stays in the RVM.  When I try to go back to another screen, it reverts to the camera screen after 7 seconds unless I turn RVM off.  This is unsat.

 

Then I tried it with the cam power from an ignition-switched 12V circuit and I get the RVM only; no automatic back-up cam when I shift to reverse.

 

I am perplexed.  The only thing I can think of it that there's a fault in the Metra wiring harness and I'll have to rip the dash apart again!!  Any suggestions?

[fruitbat04]

There's a menu in settings that shows you the test signals. First verify that you are getting the high and low signals correct as you shift in and out of reverse.

 

Also, if you are doing 12v with reverse, make sure you don't have to option set to to Ground in the Camera Polarity setting. Sounds like you might have it the wrong way round.

[dwpc]

There's a menu in settings that shows you the test signals. First verify that you are getting the high and low signals correct as you shift in and out of reverse.

 

Also, if you are doing 12v with reverse, make sure you don't have to option set to to Ground in the Camera Polarity setting. Sounds like you might have it the wrong way round.

Thanks, I'll look for the menu with the high/low signal. Found it under "Connection Status" and called "Back Signal". I guess it never dawned on anyone at Pioneer to mention it in the camera section. Or in the Troubleshooting Section.  It says "Low" and there's no change when I shift, so I guess I need to pull the unit and check the harness connection on the reverse wire.  Ugh.

 

I left the camera wired to an ignition-switched 12v, and have the polarity set for "battery" (though there was no difference when I tried it on "ground).  That should be correct once I find the Reverse problem.

[VBLUE42]

First of all your installation is wrong for the camera. Connect the red power wire from the camera to the red power wire of the unit and you will get rear view. Next what color is the camera icon on the screen? If it's blue touch it again till it's white and your other problem will be solved as well.

[dwpc]

First of all your installation is wrong for the camera. Connect the red power wire from the camera to the red power wire of the unit and you will get rear view. Next what color is the camera icon on the screen? If it's blue touch it again till it's white and your other problem will be solved as well.

The red power wire on the head unit's harness connects to the truck's ignition-switched 12V.  Why would that be different from any switched 12V power tap anywhere in the truck?

 

I've tried both "on" and "off" with the camera icon and get an image only when its on.  

[VBLUE42]

Why would that be different from any switched 12V power tap anywhere in the truck.

Think about it.

[dwpc]

Think about it.

I have. That's why I asked.  Its not like the cam power goes through the head unit and is controlled.  I wish Pioneer would explain the operating logic.  It seems to me  that the camera's on full time, and the display is switched to it when there's 12V on the Reverse connection or when the RVM is selected.  I don't see the how camera power source matters, as long as its got power when the head does.

[VBLUE42]

Well, in the case of rear view, how is the camera suppose to get power when not in reverse mode if it's wired as you say? So........the answer I gave you is the correct one. Understand you're only about the 1000th person that's asked this question and the answer is always the same.

[dwpc]

I'll be back into it tomorrow and will let you know what I find, but electrically, once the key is on, the 12V powering the head unit is the same 12V on any circuit energized through the ignition switch. 

[VBLUE42]

I understand that but clearly you're not understanding. The issue here isn't the 12v and where you get it.

[dwpc]

There's a menu in settings that shows you the test signals. First verify that you are getting the high and low signals correct as you shift in and out of reverse.

 

Also, if you are doing 12v with reverse, make sure you don't have to option set to to Ground in the Camera Polarity setting. Sounds like you might have it the wrong way round.

 

 

First of all your installation is wrong for the camera. Connect the red power wire from the camera to the red power wire of the unit and you will get rear view. Next what color is the camera icon on the screen? If it's blue touch it again till it's white and your other problem will be solved as well.

Fruitbat04's suggestion put me on the right track.  With no change in the "Connection Status" in the Settings Menu when shifting to reverse, I figured the problem was in the reverse wire connection.  Today, when I backtracked the wiring from the head unit to the truck's wiring, I found that although the Metra harness has a reverse wire to connect to the head, there's no matching wire from the Metra box to the truck wiring. I called Metra to confirm it, and got an "Oops" from the support tech.  That harness looks for the reverse signal in the ECU data link, and my truck's ECU doesn't provide one.  It needs it hard-wired.  I told them an asterisk in their instructions would have allowed me to get correct connection the first time and saved me hours of troubleshooting. I simply ran a direct lead from the AR3's violet/wht wire to the back-up light circuit and, voila, automatic back-up cam and rear view mode work as described.  It had absolutely nothing to do with the camera or power.

[VBLUE42]

So your cameras power wire is still connected to the reverse lights? How is the camera getting power for rear view if the reverse lights aren't on?

[fruitbat04]

It doesn't really require it. Lots of people run it like that if the 12v from reverse lights if it's more convenient than a permanent source, as when do you ever need a rear view camera when you aren't in reverse?

[dwpc]

So your cameras power wire is still connected to the reverse lights? How is the camera getting power for rear view if the reverse lights aren't on?

I explained earlier that I initially connected the cam pwr to the back-up lights because it was convenient and I don't have much use for the RVM since I don't tow anything. When the screen wouldn't automatically switch to the camera view in reverse, I moved the cam's power to a full-time powered circuit. Since the problem continued, I kept digging and eventually found the deficiency in Metra's $90 harness.