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There is an interface with the PCM that is installed inside the car.... when I go into reverse it automatically projects the camera view onto the car's NAV screen. Then restores previous view when shift out of reverse.
Hurley's here in NVA (Mclean address) did the job. The hardware he costed at $600 (no doubt you can get cheaper somewhere). Not sure about any model numbers for the hardware, but I can give you Hurley's contact info if you want. Total price with tax was $1k. He does lots of Porsches.
Charlie
Thanks for the info. I have worked with Hurley's before on my wife's cayenne. They did a good job. Can you post a pic of the camera install near the license plate. Also a pic of PCM view on reverse. Like to see how it looks after install.
Here is pix of the installed item. I doubt I can do a good shot of the display when in reverse, sorry. But you know Hurley so ask them what site you can go to for a look see. It is excellent, true color shot with curved lines that help orient your view, day or dark time. If you have the sound alarm in your car that would also help a bit.
Updated view of the NavTV solution with the replaced control unit. Here's what it looks like in the PCM display on a sunny day. The NavTv controller that gets installed near the PCM3 space in the dash was what was swapped.
Man, dust in these photos shows up WAY more than it looks like in real life.
NavTV backup camera in action on 997 Targa on PCM3 with reverse gear selected.
June 2018 Update - the NavTV control units have a design flaw that owners should be aware of, but it can be overcome.
So this March as I fired up the 997.2 Targa post winter again, and took it off the trickle charger, much to my chagrin, I discovered it had the exact same mode of failure as a year earlier. The backup video would be this washed out streaky overlay of whatever Porsche display screen the PCM was showing at the time. Made a video of it to show the installer and NavTV what the problem is.
In 2017, this was the video I made and sent them:
So it appears that the NavTV main unit failed in the same way as it did before. Thinking it over, as the unit worked flawlessly otherwise, it must have been something related to the car sitting on the trickle charger all winter, or the battery voltage discharging to low/dead and then the battery being recharged. NavTV came back with their guess at what could be happening that causes the controller to fail and what the possible work-arounds are.
1) It is not an over-voltage from the charge circuits or a battery charger that is the issue, the NavTV has power systems designed to handle that. Their estimate is that the problem is the lower voltages, that are bringing the controller in and out of powered up state or having it in a low voltage state that is causing components to fail.
2) These Porsche NavTV units don't sell high enought quantity (dozens not hundreds a year) for NavTV to do a post mortem analysis and re-engineer their power module on the solution they build; its not cost effective for the # sold and the time that would be required. So their suggested solution is:
3) Install an on/off interrupting switch on the single power line to the NavTV control module so that when you store the car or put it on the trickle charger, you flip the switch to disconnect the NavTV control unit from the power.
So I'm now planning to have a small on/off rocker switch installed somewhere, like in the glovebox, and putting warning stickers on my trickle charger and around the cig-lighter power port to remind me to power flip the switch to OFF before storing the car prolonged/using the trickle charger. Remembering will be the hard part, especially if the damage happens as the battery is discharging over months BEFORE I remember to put the trickle charger on it. If the damage happens during the discharge over time lowering of the battery voltage, there is no warning that will help, as I won't know when I'm on a path to that point.
The right engineering solution is to have a pre-circuit (well given they won't redesign the module themselves) that monitors the voltage and when the voltage drops BELOW a set limit, it disconnects the power ( a push breaker?) automatically. Then you don't have to remember anything other than remembering to push the breaker to reset it when you hop in the car in the spring and the back up camera is powered off because it put itself into safe mode.
Time to look for such a breaker that can be electronically tripped and is micro small ....
The NavTV seems to be the best solution I've seen since doing some back up camera research.
Minok have you been able to find a solution that works?
Looking at the kit I see a Toggle switch for activating the camera, could that toggle switch be used to cut the power while storing/trickle charging ?
NavTV is the best solution for the 997 - unfortunately it has a design flaw in the solution hardware that causes the hardware to fail when the installed system interacts with the varying voltages on the battery line that result from battery discharge and the usage of the trickle charger recharging or maintaining the battery. Because the product is so low volume, NavTec engineers have indicated they will not post-mortem failed units and will not be updating the design to fix the failure of their units to properly filter the power.
They are replacing the failed unit under warranty (at present, for me) however, the low production volume means you can (as I am now) be stuck with a failed unit UNTIL the new batch comes in, which is months of not having a functional unit. The solution NavTec suggested is to have a mechanical switch installed inline to the power feed that would disconnect the NavTec from the car's power - so you would have to remember to flip the switch to decouple the navtec when you use the trickle charger, then flip it back when you drive the car. Thats a rather low tech and customer burdening solution to the design flaw, but it is what they are providing. I'm still driving around with the failed unit waiting for a replacement unit to arrive at the installer from NavTec... months have gone by and every once in a while I ping my installer to check with them. Not an acceptable situation, but it is the only one we get.
So if you want to have a back up camera solution for the 997 this is the best solution but it has a major usability flaw, so only use it with consideration of its limitations.
NavTV is the best solution for the 997 - unfortunately it has a design flaw in the solution hardware that causes the hardware to fail when the installed system interacts with the varying voltages on the battery line that result from battery discharge and the usage of the trickle charger recharging or maintaining the battery. Because the product is so low volume, NavTec engineers have indicated they will not post-mortem failed units and will not be updating the design to fix the failure of their units to properly filter the power.
They are replacing the failed unit under warranty (at present, for me) however, the low production volume means you can (as I am now) be stuck with a failed unit UNTIL the new batch comes in, which is months of not having a functional unit. The solution NavTec suggested is to have a mechanical switch installed inline to the power feed that would disconnect the NavTec from the car's power - so you would have to remember to flip the switch to decouple the navtec when you use the trickle charger, then flip it back when you drive the car. Thats a rather low tech and customer burdening solution to the design flaw, but it is what they are providing. I'm still driving around with the failed unit waiting for a replacement unit to arrive at the installer from NavTec... months have gone by and every once in a while I ping my installer to check with them. Not an acceptable situation, but it is the only one we get.
So if you want to have a back up camera solution for the 997 this is the best solution but it has a major usability flaw, so only use it with consideration of its limitations.
You could easily hook up a relay that turns power on and off with the ignition to work around their flaw.
I'm looking into this now...seems like a PITA. I might just skip it or go with a whole new head unit.
Oddly, my car came with a backup cam mounted above the license plate but the dealer had no info about it. I also found a hard wired button unit for a Passport 9500 tucked under the dash (I wish I noticed before a bought an R3!). I'll have to chase down the wiring at some point this winter. Maybe I'll be able to use the cam in the end.
This is the device my local expert (Hurley's in McLean, VA) installed. It is terrific. It sits over the rear license plate and has good angular coverage.
I have just installed a backup camera using a module kit from Tadi Brothers (same unit as NavTV) to my 2010 987.2 It works brilliantly displaying the image on the PCM 3.0 screen when in reverse. Looks completely factory and all OEM functions still work, like the OBC.
But it is a fairly advanced DIY job because it requires opening the PCM unit, adding a video card and new ribbon cables. NOT for the faint hearted. Also expensive at USD700 for the parts.
What is the benefit of installing a camera on the 911? The camera is mounted so low, it doesn't seem like it would provide any real benefit like in a SUV or any 'high trunk line' vehicle.
Two benefits I think Qwksnke, Firstly the usual safety benefit, because the cameras are quite wide angle to you get a good view of any small children or other obstacles behind. Secondly the cameras are very useful if you have to reverse into a small space by giving a very good depth reference.
My opinion, the pcm is too low to be used as backup camera... bought a vantop rear view mirror / dual camera that records front and back... $99 on amazon and very easy since we normally look at the rear view mirror backing up, you get a clearer view of what is behind you... just sharing my opinion...
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