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I wonder if people are approaching the back-up camera issue correctly. Do we really need switches, relays, etc to accomplish this?
A few years ago, I replaced the radio in my '08 997TT (manual with Bose system) with a Pioneer unit. I purchased it from Crutchfield and they also supplied the wiring connectors for the installation. Although I do not have a back-up camera in the car, I noticed that the radio display shifts to a "back-up camera view" whenever I put the car into reverse. It is apparent that the radio which like the new Porsche PCCM+ is an Android unit is sensing through the existing circuitry that the car is in reverse and is attempting to turn on the non-existing back-up camera. It is further apparent that the simple wiring in the dashboard is communicating to the radio that the car is in reverse. Therefore, I don't believe that the there is any need to cur into reverse light circuits, install additional switches, etc. The circuitry is there and just needs to be figured out and used.
I plan on pulling my Pioneer radio within the next few days and locating the "camera pin(s)". I will then determine what is hooked up to that and inform the board.
if you have tiptronic, yes, the PCCM will know and switch over when R is selected on the tiptronic.
did that 997TT have a tiptronic by any chance??
For a manual, there is no other way than a trigger. This has been fully tested, unless you put 12volt on pin 6, the PCCM will not switch to reverse camera. full stop
The entire discussion about relays and delays has nothing to do with the general PCCM setup, that is a specific problem he's trying to fix.
There is no need for any of that if you simply splice in the rear reverse light wire... put that + on the camera + and on the trigger
the camera will be powered when you shift to reverse
and the trigger will make PCCM + switch over to show the camera
If you need a new 6-pin connector (I damaged mine) as well as new pre-crimped cables e.g. for PIN 6, you can order these USB cables from Amazon that come with 6-pin connectors.
Also, I replaced the fakra cable on pins 9 and 10 with this RCA cable from this connector and also salvaged the extra pre-crimped cables.
These cables will arrive faster in the US than having to wait for the ones from Aliexpress.
Last edited by nikandriko; 02-21-2023 at 11:46 PM.
lol - i forgot to send this to maxW - but here is an old post I wrote years back re getting over the biggest hump of the reverse camera install (not the wiring) https://rennlist.com/forums/997-foru...l#post17572285
I definitely feel like a dope for missing this - I went after it the hard way and removed the rear quarter panel and B panel. Not a quick and easy thing to do at least or the first time when you're trying not to screw anything up. I did see some other instructions about accessing the engine bay grommet through the very rear interior panel (which I removed and broke a clip on) - but could not see how it was possible going at that angle working totally blind. I didn't have the confidence to go at it with feel alone (while cramped in the back of a very tight space) and risk hitting a main wiring harness on the car. After removing the other interior panels and better understanding of it - I can see your approach would certainly be easier.
Originally Posted by svandamme
The entire discussion about relays and delays has nothing to do with the general PCCM setup, that is a specific problem he's trying to fix.
Yes - sorry I brought it up - think I'm creating more confusion on the subject - it's a bit tough to follow. Won't mention again!
Sharing some lessons learned with my rear camera trial and errors:
My first priority was trying to minimize/hide the camera. I also wanted to avoid drilling into the bumper if could avoid it.
First camera I tried was a bracket mount that fastened to the top 2 screws in the plate, and the camera positioned at the top of the plate. The pro of this one - no drilling - could simply wire through the existing tow hook hole behind the license plate. The negative - it just did not that great. It stood out and was an obvious ad-on.
Second option camera I got required drilling, but was a pretty small hole at least. Downside I'd need to remove the bumper to be able to fasten it on (not really a big deal), but the bigger negative to me was that it hung down a bit more than I wish it did. I was exchanging with Rennlister myw and he offered a camera he had on hand that he wasn't using that was a lower profile.
A negative of this lower profile style - the hole to cut into the bumper had to be larger, but a plus was didn't need to remove the bumper the way it just pops in. I figured a hole was a hole anyway, and ultimately not that big of deal that could be repaired if ever came to it. So went with this low profile one. I don't know what make/model it is - it's some Chinese generic that had no name/model on it.
Comparing this lower profile one to the larger one. It's just millimeters in difference but smaller won for me:
Here is the drill hole for the camera between the license plate lights. Easy to fish the wiring through here. Notice I put the hole pretty far back to try to hide it as much as possible (will see one minor drawback to this in a photo below):
Here is the view with camera installed looking at an eye level at the Carrera badge - pretty discrete:
View with license plate on - standing view a few feet back from car:
Not the most interesting view out the back - but notice the bumperettes are in partial view at the bottom corners blocking the view a bit. Pretty sure if I had mounted it further out they would not be in view. Regardless, I'm fine with it - I can see beyond the width of the car on each side and would prefer it to be more hidden. But it's a consideration for anyone mounting like this:
It was definitely some work getting it installed, but totally worth it - fun project and great addition to enhance the PCCM+ that much more.
I definitely feel like a dope for missing this - I went after it the hard way and removed the rear quarter panel and B panel. Not a quick and easy thing to do at least or the first time when you're trying not to screw anything up. I did see some other instructions about accessing the engine bay grommet through the very rear interior panel (which I removed and broke a clip on) - but could not see how it was possible going at that angle working totally blind. I didn't have the confidence to go at it with feel alone (while cramped in the back of a very tight space) and risk hitting a main wiring harness on the car. After removing the other interior panels and better understanding of it - I can see your approach would certainly be easier!
Great job max! yes the smaller hole type of camera will require a nut to fasten it (meaning the rear bumper needs removal) . its not needed, not to mention it will be tougher to fish the cable as the hole is smaller.
As for the view with the bumperettes - you need the hole closer to the edge of the bumper (which will also give more clearance when installing the license plate + plate frame) - but the hole cant be edge of the bumper to account for 7mm of the camera lip. nevertheless it's still fine imho!
Looks as stealth + oem as it gets!
Originally Posted by maxw
Comparing this lower profile one to the larger one. It's just millimeters in difference but smaller won for me:
Not the most interesting view out the back - but notice the bumperettes are in partial view at the bottom corners blocking the view a bit. Pretty sure if I had mounted it further out they would not be in view. Regardless, I'm fine with it - I can see beyond the width of the car on each side and would prefer it to be more hidden. But it's a consideration for anyone mounting like this:
It was definitely some work getting it installed, but totally worth it - fun project and great addition to enhance the PCCM+ that much more.
If anyone is interested, this is the cam I used and posted back about 20 pages ago, or two weeks ago. Maybe not a trick some of the ones I see recently posted, but it wasn't important enough for me to drill a hole into a what is now a $4000 bumper, and works just fine:
If anyone is interested, this is the cam I used and posted back about 20 pages ago, or two weeks ago. Maybe not a trick some of the ones I see recently posted, but it wasn't important enough for me to drill a hole into a what is now a $4000 bumper, and works just fine:
Eye level view
close up
from below
profile measurement: 14 mm
Looks good and no drilling required! - silly question, why the right side and not the left - wouldn't the left put the camera lense ever so slightly closer to the center?
Being center doesn't matter especially with a wide angle lens. Looking at the positioning of rear cams on a lot of OEM cars many are offset. If you turn on the camera on your phone, put it in wide angle mode (iPhone 13 and up wide angle works great), I don't think you can honestly tell me if you move it side to side even a foot that it makes a difference. The main reason for the location was to have the best light distribution to the plate area from the LEDs. I did mod the LEDs in the cam to have the same type I installed in the left OEM light, so color, brightness, and distribution are exactly the same and indiscernible from each other.
As stated in my original posting, my 997TT is a manual, i.e. 6 speed. When simply placing the shift lever in reverse, the Pioneer android radio went to a rear camera view. I believe that the movement of the manual shifter into reverse resulted in a 12 volt input to the rear camera pin of the radio unit and that the same would happen to the new Porsche unit if the wiring was duplicated.
Congratulations. You managed to completely miss the point of my posting.
If anyone is interested, this is the cam I used and posted back about 20 pages ago, or two weeks ago. Maybe not a trick some of the ones I see recently posted, but it wasn't important enough for me to drill a hole into a what is now a $4000 bumper, and works just fine:
Eye level view
close up
from below
profile measurement: 14 mm
Steve can you post a link to your camera or provide make and model? Thanks
If anyone is interested, this is the cam I used and posted back about 20 pages ago, or two weeks ago. Maybe not a trick some of the ones I see recently posted, but it wasn't important enough for me to drill a hole into a what is now a $4000 bumper, and works just fine:
Great Steve, NOW you drop some killer photos of the install with this camera, measurements and all!
I took a close look at this one when you recommended and referenced here to order.
While I thought it looked like a great option, the reasons I passed on it:
Ships from China - didn't have the patience (main reason) wanting to finish job.
Off center - agree definitely a non-issue for the view of the camera, was more the imbalance of the view from the back - concerned me that it would stand out more.
Gold circle around the camera - not sure why they added the bling.
LED light - didn't want it to be out of sync with the rest of the lights on the car and prefer more original look.
I wondered how well this would fit the space and match up with the other light on the opposite side.
Now after all these reasons why not - this was before seeing your photos. Now seeing it - looks pretty great option in particular for those not wanting to cut into the bumper. Definitely better than the ones that attached to the license plate holes at the top. Thanks for sharing the photos (eventually!). :-)
As stated in my original posting, my 997TT is a manual, i.e. 6 speed. When simply placing the shift lever in reverse, the Pioneer android radio went to a rear camera view. I believe that the movement of the manual shifter into reverse resulted in a 12 volt input to the rear camera pin of the radio unit and that the same would happen to the new Porsche unit if the wiring was duplicated.
Congratulations. You managed to completely miss the point of my posting.
Appreciate bringing this up, but the reason I think we were talking past each other is because this is ground we already covered here in depth.
At this point it seems like I'm doing the advertising for them, of which I of course have zero association with. The LED light output is something like 5000K and a bit brighter than the original license plate light. You can control the light output pattern by partially blocking the lens, just as the original license plate light as you can see it has a silver painted stripe on it that shrouds a light hotspot right below the lamp. I replaced the incandescent bulbs in mine with 3000K years ago and don't have links to it. But doing so if you put LED bulbs in this area, you will cause a CANBUS warning about the lights being out because LEDs use so little current. The solution is to use 500-550 ohm 1/2 watt resistors in parallel to put out the warning. This LED light stuff is beyond the discussion of a PCCM install, but just so you know. Also the aperture of the light opening in the bumper is 30mm by 79mm, so if you want it to fit exactly inset, I filed and sanded a mm off each edge of the camera housing lip to get the dimension down from 32 to 30mm. The housing is just polycarbonate plastic. If this is all too much work for you, I suggest you look into other options. I am of an engineering background, a bit of a perfectionist to do things equal or better than OEM, and don't believe in drilling holes in any part of a vehicle if an alternate method can be derived.
02-21-2023, 05:00 PM
