Scotty Hutto Posted March 14, 2021 Share Posted March 14, 2021 Once again, I need to start out by thanking @pwhittle Thanks Paul! I couldn’t have done this without his help and guidance. Paul Whittle and I were talking New Year’s Eve about how I wish I could display my side cameras full-time and record them like a dash-cam does. I have a blind spot on the passenger side right behind the door, and the side camera is in the perfect position to help with that. Paul said that was entirely possible, we just need to find the right components! The fIrst order of business was replacing (upgrading) my side cameras. One didn’t work very well, and the other was spotty at best. We found some nice cameras on Amazon, and Paul (with me “helping”) worked his magic and created an adapter from the camera to fit in the existing housings. We mapped the existing wiring harness and new camera harness and created a wiring harness such that the new cameras were now “plug and play” with the existing coach wiring. It wasn’t required, but my camera housings were pretty beat up, so I sanded, primed, and painted them with a spray bomb from eBay matched to my color codes, and finished that off with 3 coats of clear-coat. Next, we found a 12v multiplexer / DVR that will accept the composite input from the cameras. This was installed in the dash next to to Aladdin Jr brain. I used “Y” splitters to send the camera signal to both the Aladdin Jr and the multiplexer/DVR. I added a 64GB micro-SD card to record about 72hrs from all three cams. (When full, it overwrites the oldest data like a dash cam). The DVR is powered on at all times, so it effectively acts as a security camera covering the sides and rear of the coach when we’re not rolling. All of this was done for less than $250 (if you don’t count Paul’s time 😂 and inventions) Right now, all of this feeds to a 7” 16:9 monitor that was previously used as a full time rear camera monitor. I plan to upgrade that to a slightly larger 4:3 monitor (10” or 12”) in the near future. After seeing the image quality of the new cameras, I’ve also added upgrading the rear view camera to the list of future upgrades. Here’s a shot of the system as it exists today, also showing the placement of the control joystick and IR remote receiver I’ll post updates after I’ve upgraded the monitor and rear-view cameras. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis H Posted March 14, 2021 Share Posted March 14, 2021 Nice setup! Please find enclosed, my check in the amount of $250. Let me know when it's convenient for you to install it in my coach. Thank you.....Dennis 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Morgan Posted March 14, 2021 Share Posted March 14, 2021 Very nice. I'm wondering about the SD card. Is that in a separate recorder attached? I think I'm looking at the same unit you show for the multiplexer but not seeing an SD slot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Hutto Posted March 14, 2021 Author Share Posted March 14, 2021 @Bill Morgan Yes the SD slot is integral to the DVR/multiplexer. 4-Channel Mini DVR with IR Remote + Multi-View Screen https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RT81KV4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_XT1N8PN4TNBKJ2FX1TK1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1 4 hours ago, Dennis H said: Nice setup! Please find enclosed, my check in the amount of $250. Let me know when it's convenient for you to install it in my coach. Thank you.....Dennis @pwhittle said those adapters are EXPENSIVE! 😂🤪 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwhittle Posted March 15, 2021 Share Posted March 15, 2021 (edited) 2 hours ago, Scotty Hutto said: @pwhittle said those adapters are EXPENSIVE! 😂🤪 They were expensive (and not very good) when I turned them out of aluminum on my tabletop lathe, but the next week we 3D printed some which @Scotty Huttois using now. Not so expensive to duplicate now. 😀 Paul Edited March 15, 2021 by pwhittle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis H Posted March 15, 2021 Share Posted March 15, 2021 I'd love to upgrade my system but it's way above my pay grade. I could learn though if either you or Paul want to do an instruction video. Hint hint.....I'm in awe and really jealous of what you've accomplished. I can change out what I have to upgrade but when it comes to adding stuff, esp, electrical gizmos, I get lost really easily.....nice work guys....Dennis 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad A Posted March 15, 2021 Share Posted March 15, 2021 I am following very carefully. I just got all my cameras to work but am now having problems with getting my Sony monitor to display and the picture quality is very shaky. Question for you Scotty, if I don't have my Sony monitor powered on I get no camera feed from any of the S video or RCA cables. I assume that is what feeds the power to the cameras. How did you get the power to the cameras in your system? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwhittle Posted March 16, 2021 Share Posted March 16, 2021 Hi Chad, Try a different monitor to isolate the issue to the monitor or something else. An monitor that has a yellow RVA video input will do. If it is not the monitor, then there are other things to check: Cameras, cables, connectors, video switcher. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Hutto Posted March 16, 2021 Author Share Posted March 16, 2021 20 hours ago, Chad A said: Question for you Scotty, if I don't have my Sony monitor powered on I get no camera feed from any of the S video or RCA cables. I assume that is what feeds the power to the cameras. How did you get the power to the cameras in your system? Chad, Right now I just leave the ignition switch in "accessory" position (1 click counter-clockwise from "off") which powers up the Aladdin JR and cameras (and not much else, from what I can tell!) Long term, I'm looking at a solution to remove the rear camera control and camera power from the Weldex system and have separate switches for them. I'll post that when we figure out a solution. I would like to ditch the Weldex monitor for something with better resolution, and the big barrier is camera control and power to cameras. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Hutto Posted March 16, 2021 Author Share Posted March 16, 2021 Actually @Dennis H, I think your Exec has different cameras (mounted on the Velvac mirrors?) than my Dip, and I believe @pwhittle already has a plug-and-play kit for the cameras. Adding the DVR/multiplexer to the kit should be pretty easy, and I think we could come up with some instructions... unless you happen to be coming through the Atlanta area any time soon. PS - after seeing what you did to replace your nav unit, this is well within your pay grade 😉 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis H Posted March 17, 2021 Share Posted March 17, 2021 5 hours ago, Scotty Hutto said: Actually @Dennis H, I think your Exec has different cameras (mounted on the Velvac mirrors?) than my Dip, and I believe @pwhittle already has a plug-and-play kit for the cameras. Adding the DVR/multiplexer to the kit should be pretty easy, and I think we could come up with some instructions... unless you happen to be coming through the Atlanta area any time soon. PS - after seeing what you did to replace your nav unit, this is well within your pay grade 😉 Yes, mine has the ugly cameras below the mirrors...(head bangers even though you know they're there). I had one replaced under warranty and they are not cheap. I've gone over Paul's post several times and think new cameras would be an asset. That said, I'd also like to get rid of the Kenwood crap radio with it's flip open screen on the dash. We don't use the radio but the location mandates a flip up screen for the camera system and Aladdin system. I don't have the jr version. Ideally, I'd like to trash the radio and components and wire in some other system that would allow a camera view and still use the Aladdin. I'm just not savvy enough to be able to piece something together. I could probably install it without a problem but considering the expense of the various parts, I can't afford to 'guess' at what I might need. Much of the radio stuff is "Plug and PRAY" not Plug and Play.....Dennis 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwhittle Posted March 17, 2021 Share Posted March 17, 2021 Hi Dennis, The display from the Aladdin does not have to go to the radio. It is just a composite video signal fed over an RCA connector. I added a separate 10” monitor and it works great. I have also decommissioned the standard Sony monitor, but that required a replacement 8-8.2V power supply for the rear Sony camera. I am sure we can specify what you need. PM me if you would like a hand. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad A Posted March 17, 2021 Share Posted March 17, 2021 Dennis, I just got done installing a Pioneer DMH-WT7600NEX into my girl last weekend. I chose this unit, while spendy, because it is single DIN, has a large monitor and most importantly has 2 RCA video ins for it. I was able to plug my camera system into the backup camera RCA and then plug the feed from the Alladin into the AUX RCA. I can watch them on the Pioneer monitor and they function pretty good. I will try and get some pics. I would love to get rid of the Sony monitor, or at least have it work again, but I need the power it provides to run the cameras. The best part, it was pretty much plug and play. I just cut the old wires and spliced in the new and everything works exactly as it did before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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