Backup Camera not displaying

[Satcho]

ZHP:

I purchased an AVIN4 BMW headunit. I have installed a front camera (Avin product) works perfectly. Backup camera (Avin product) will not display image.

I purchased the wireless transmitter/receiver ... both illuminate but no image. I tried with just the cable/wire ... still no image.

Here is the setup

1. Factory setting "Prohibit Reverse" enabled
2. Wireless transmitter connected to reverse positive (blue yellow wire) and reverse negative (brown wire); plugged into backup camera and connected to the "Red" and "Yellow" RCAs that bridge between the backup camera and the wireless transmitter; since it is illuminated when vehicle is placed in reverse, I conclude all is appropriate
3. Wireless receiver "blue" wire connected to "pink" "Brake-IN" wire and "red" wire connected to "orange" "Reverse-In" (Note: me vehicle does not have a wire labeled "Camera +12V" as shown AVIN instructions; after conversing via chat with AVIN they state the I should use "Reverse-IN" for power; interestingly, they had me disconnect the "blue wire" to see if the image would display... it did not.

4. Using the wire/cable ... I plugged in the backup camera lead to cable that runs to the headunit; connected the backup camera "black" ground wire to ground and the "red" wire to reverse positive wire (blue/yellow); at the headunit, i plug in the RCA "yellow" cable to the "Rear Camera In" RCA; note AVIN told me to ignore the "red" wire which branches off the "yellow" RCA; I tried connecting the "red" wire to the "orange" "Reverse-In" ... no image displayed with or without the "red" wire connected

To further troubleshoot ... I though possibly the backup camera is not receiving a steady 12+, so I connected a wire from the battery directly tyo the backup camera ... same result ... no image

I am at a loss of what to do. The Avin customer service sent me two additional backup cameras ... same result no image.

Any suggestions ...

[sillieidiot]

Does the camera work directly connected to another display monitor? Like say a TV with composite?

Sounds like it's your head unit though. You already got new cameras, bypassed the wireless transmitter, and it still doesn't work. So if all of those 3 camera are bad, which is highly improbable at this point, but still possible. It's gotta be the head unit.

[Satcho]

Does the camera work directly connected to another display monitor? Like say a TV with composite?

Sounds like it's your head unit though. You already got new cameras, bypassed the wireless transmitter, and it still doesn't work. So if all of those 3 camera are bad, which is highly improbable at this point, but still possible. It's gotta be the head unit.


Would describe how I could test that camera without connected to the headunit? (I am inexperienced at this)

I asked that AVIN bench test the backup camera prior to sending it. Yes, I concur, the likelihood of two additional backup cameras failing is remote.

At least for now, I reach the same conclusion ... problem with the headunit. I emailed AVIN customer support with the latest results. AVIN appears to have become irritated with me because of my numerous questions ... they prevented me from accessing the Chat function and documents they provide to customers.

[sillieidiot]

Pretty much the same way you as you would connecting it directly to the headunit.

You would power the camera and the reverse wire with a 12v source. Then connect the RCAs to their respective composite inputs (yellow to yellow).

Lol I can see that. Since you seem to make a new thread every new problem here. When really you could just continue updating the first thread with problems. I feel like the mods should merge your threads together.

[Satcho]

Pretty much the same way you as you would connecting it directly to the headunit.

You would power the camera and the reverse wire with a 12v source. Then connect the RCAs to their respective composite inputs (yellow to yellow).

Lol I can see that. Since you seem to make a new thread every new problem here. When really you could just continue updating the first thread with problems. I feel like the mods should merge your threads together.


I swapped the front camera RCA (male) to the "Rear Camera-In" RCA (female) on the headunit ... no video output just a "yellow triangle". I spoke with a Crutchfield technical rep and he stated that a "no image displayed" from a swap would not be conclusive since AVIN's headunit configuration is unknown.


I tested both rear cameras with a TV and a car battery ... result "no image" displayed. I have some concern that the battery may not be holding a full charge. So I will try the test again tomorrow with a different car battery.

[Satcho]

I used a different car battery ... same result ... no image displayed on the TV. I tested the RCA cable is used between the TV and the rear camera with an analog multimeter ... it tests good continuity.

Is there another method to test the rear camera?

It seems to unlikely that two new rear AVIN cameras would be inoperable. Also, there are two sets of lights in the rear AVIN camera assembly (license plate light camera location). One is the license plate light (this illuminated) and a second around the camera (did not illuminate). I do not know what this means. Never-the-less, I still cannot get an image to display whether on the bench or in the 2005 ZHP convertible.

[Satcho]

I went for a walk and realized that I did not change the TV output to display a video feed. I changed the TV output and the same result ... no image displayed.

It seems near impossible that both of these "new" AVIN cameras would malfunction.

Is there another way to test the cameras? Where can I buy a four pin license plate light assembly rear camera that I can depend on?

[sillieidiot]

maybe you're not activating the correct trigger wire to make them work. That's pretty much how I would usually bench test it to see if the camera works.

What about testing the AVIN? can you hook a dvd player or something to it and see if there's video? At least we can isolate one of the 2 problems.

[Satcho]

maybe you're not activating the correct trigger wire to make them work. That's pretty much how I would usually bench test it to see if the camera works.

What about testing the AVIN? can you hook a dvd player or something to it and see if there's video? At least we can isolate one of the 2 problems.


Based on AVIN backup camera instructions, they identify the trigger wire and ground explicitly. Let's assume that the AVIN instructions are incorrect. I connected the backup cameras to the vehicle according to AVIN's instructions. The backup camera light was illuminated and the AVIN headunit switched to the backup camera. Therefore, the correct trigger wire has been used in the vehicle and with the "bench test" (TV & car battery) accurately.

I have a family member that has a portable DVD player that I could use to test the headunit.

AVIN seems to have switched the Customer Support contact location and internet point of contact to California. I have not been able to contact AVIN which only offers two methods ... email and a "Live Chat" and a third I recently identified, Facebook. I have emailed multiple times in the past week and sent a message today via Facebook. No replies so far.

[sillieidiot]

Based on AVIN backup camera instructions, they identify the trigger wire and ground explicitly. Let's assume that the AVIN instructions are incorrect. I connected the backup cameras to the vehicle according to AVIN's instructions. The backup camera light was illuminated and the AVIN headunit switched to the backup camera. Therefore, the correct trigger wire has been used in the vehicle and with the "bench test" (TV & car battery) accurately.

I have a family member that has a portable DVD player that I could use to test the headunit.

AVIN seems to have switched the Customer Support contact location and internet point of contact to California. I have not been able to contact AVIN which only offers two methods ... email and a "Live Chat" and a third I recently identified, Facebook. I have emailed multiple times in the past week and sent a message today via Facebook. No replies so far.

Can you post on their FB directly? If you can. I would suggest you do that. That way they don't try to ignore you when everyone can see it lol

Can you post pictures of the camera with the wiring attached and stuff. I know you're telling us the wiring colors. But iono maybe if we look at it's different. Same with the wireless transmitter?

[Satcho]

Can you post on their FB directly? If you can. I would suggest you do that. That way they don't try to ignore you when everyone can see it lol

Can you post pictures of the camera with the wiring attached and stuff. I know you're telling us the wiring colors. But iono maybe if we look at it's different. Same with the wireless transmitter?


I finally received an email from AVIN. (Seemed to be trigger by a website inquiry form). A discussion with their Level II tech will occur at 1:00PM.

I did post directly to the AVIN Facebook account.

In the email, AVIN changed the wire connections for the wireless receiver. Will wait until the discussion with the tech before changing anything.

I further tested the replacement backup cameras with the front camera setup ... no image displayed. This is consistent with the (a) bench test (b) vehicle wireless and hard wired setups and (c) backup camera connection swap with front camera.

[Satcho]

I finally received an email from AVIN. (Seemed to be trigger by a website inquiry form). A discussion with their Level II tech will occur at 1:00PM.

I did post directly to the AVIN Facebook account.

In the email, AVIN changed the wire connections for the wireless receiver. Will wait until the discussion with the tech before changing anything.

I further tested the replacement backup cameras with the front camera setup ... no image displayed. This is consistent with the (a) bench test (b) vehicle wireless and hard wired setups and (c) backup camera connection swap with front camera.


An AVIN Level II tech representative contacted me today. It was discovered that the wire connections that had been communicated to me By AVIN "Live Chat" were inaccurate for the wireless backup camera setup and the hard wire backup camera setup. Once I corrected the connections for each setup, the cameras functioned properly. The tech rep could not determine why the cameras did not display an image on my bench test with a TV and car battery.

[sillieidiot]

Well at least it's working now so that's good.

[Satcho]

Well at least it's working now so that's good.

Well at least the camera is functioning but AVIN unit also has incorporated a separate light to take the place of the factory license plate light. This light will not illuminate when I attach it to the factory wires. I tested the light by connecting it directly to the battery ... works perfectly.

The factory license plate light assembly has three wires ... brown/red ( I'm assuming is for when the light are turned on), a grey/yellow (I'm assuming is the reverse wire; in the trunk lid the wire is blue/yellow), and a brown/grey (I'm assuming is the ground).

I am performing other repairs on the vehicle so it is not running when I test it. I am keeping a battery tender on the battery to ensure it is fully charged.

I've tried illuminating the AVIN license plate light in reverse (nothing) and with the vehicle's lights turned on (nothing).

What would cause this to happen? Factory license plate light worked prior to its removal. The other factory license plate light illuminates properly.

[Satcho]

An update:

Started experimenting by grounding the AVIN license plate light (ALPL), black/red wire directly to the battery and connecting ALPL positive red wire to the brown/grey and it illuminated with the vehicle's parking lights on. The color coding on these wires is inconsistent and not according to normal practices. Had to stop for the evening. Next step is to identify which of two remaining wires is a ground. Not certain what the third wire is for.

Another day, another discovery.

[Satcho]

Could not go to bed without identifying the ground wire ... it is the brown/red wire.

Now, the outstanding question: ... What is the grey/yellow wire for?

[sillieidiot]

look up the WDS and it'll tell you.

If you have a multimeter, just use continuity test to test for ground. Faster than looking it up.

[Satcho]

look up the WDS and it'll tell you.

If you have a multimeter, just use continuity test to test for ground. Faster than looking it up.


I found the ground wire ... brown/red.

The third wire in the factory license plate light assembly is a yellow/grey wire which does not have power. Cannot determine what it is for. I found an old analog multimeter that was my Dad's but I am not certain of its reliability due to age.

[Satcho]

I have not been able to find any wiring diagrams our forum discussion which state explicitly what the third wire (yellow/gray) is for. I tested the wire of power ,,, none. I tested to provide a ground ... light would not function. Since the new license plate light integrated with the AVIN backup camera only has a power and ground wire, I have connected those and the light works properly. I will just tap off the extra wire and put the trunk handle assembly back together.