Backup Camera on 2000 Mountain Aire

[SoCalD]

Hello all! Just bought a 2000 Newmar Mountain Aire (MADP-4080) and the previous owner had removed the Panasonic CD player head unit that had the 7" display for the backup camera. I am trying to find out the manufacturer/model number for the backup camera that was standard on the coach so I can match it up to a new head unit with display. If no one knows the actual make/model, do you know if the connector was just a single RCA jack? My other option was to upgrade the camera but I do not want to do wireless and I do not see an easy way to run the wiring for the new camera.

[Dav L]

The camera is pretty simple. RCA for video feed and power and ground.
The existing camera should connect to any composite video display input.

You can run cables via the HVAC ducting. Use Plenum rated cables for safety. It would take some effort, but doable. But if you are keeping an analog camera, no real reason to do so.

[RKins]

You can use the same cable that is there already. You may have to splice into a different connector but the wires used are still industry standard colors. I replaced my camera to a color model and replaced the monitor (which was a standalone B&W Clarion model). It went very smooth, took a couple hours. Usually you'll need to jumper some wires to act like a reverse switch. I wanted mine on all the time my ignition was on, so I jumpered it that way. It will be in the monitor directions.
https://www.google.com/search?client...4dUDCAw&uact=5

[FatChance]

On our 2004 MADP that had the Panasonic flip up screen stereo/GPS , the original backup camera used a proprietary cable and it was definitely not a RCA. The old black and white backup camera was awful.

After throwing out the Panasonic in-dash unit and installing a modern Pioneer single DIN stereo, I mounted a small waterproof RCA video camera from Amazon on the engine cover, ran a RCA cable from it up to the front entertainment cabinet and then to a new 7" dual RCA input color monitor from Amazon I mounted under the entertainment cabinet.

Pictures:
New monitor above drivers seat
New monitor
New camera on rear engine grillAttachment 300935Attachment 300936Attachment 300937

[SoCalD]

Thank you both for your quick replies. I thought it was an RCA since the control unit that the Panasonic head unit connected to appeared to have RCA jacks for everything. So to "FatChance", it was definitely proprietary huh? Bummer if that is the case. My dreams of buying a cheap $120 DIN mount DVD player with flip up LCD are gone!

[FatChance]

Maybe not gone. The rear camera cable is proprietary to a converter (converts proprietary to RCA) under the dash before going to the Triptek computer. Here is a poor quality picture of the converter and Triptek RCA in/RCA out connections (overlays Triptek output over rear camera output before going to a monitor via RCA cable) on the floor under the dash.

But, you still have RCA video under the dash to connect to a new monitor (assuming the rear camera, proprietary cable, converter and Triptek still work!), but the video quality is awful. On mine, I wanted to replace the proprietary camera so that is why I had to run RCA cable through the coach.

[shirlock1]

I have a 1999 Dutch Star
I had a lot of good advice and research from this guy

tim@rvcams.com
He was able to match a camera to my existing cable and then tell me what lines to splice for the new screen. I highly recommend.
Jim

[LibertyCall]

Originally Posted by SoCalD

Thank you both for your quick replies. I thought it was an RCA since the control unit that the Panasonic head unit connected to appeared to have RCA jacks for everything. So to "FatChance", it was definitely proprietary huh? Bummer if that is the case. My dreams of buying a cheap $120 DIN mount DVD player with flip up LCD are gone!

I just updated my Triptek and Panasonic unit. Rear camera died and that stopped the Triptek. I already had a Garmin GPS and bought the backup camera unit to give me rear view again. Camera input on Triptek was easy to access but I can’t find a camera with an RCA video out. So I decided to hook up the video out of an old DVD player and use the blue screen as my video source. Voila! Now I do have to run my inverter or generator while driving to have AC power but I do that anyway for our residential fridge. I stillwish there was a simpler way.

[dgapilot]

I’m about to replace the Panasonic unit and camera with a Joying Android head unit. Haven’t run the new cable yet, but have run the head unit on the bench. 10” screen is pretty nice. This will be going in a 2002 MADP.

[SoCalD]

Originally Posted by dgapilot

I’m about to replace the Panasonic unit and camera with a Joying Android head unit. Haven’t run the new cable yet, but have run the head unit on the bench. 10” screen is pretty nice. This will be going in a 2002 MADP.

That's great, looking forward to hearing how you did it. If you are able, could you take some pics of how you mounted the camera as well as the cable routing? Thanks!!

[shirlock1]

Originally Posted by dgapilot

I’m about to replace the Panasonic unit and camera with a Joying Android head unit. Haven’t run the new cable yet, but have run the head unit on the bench. 10” screen is pretty nice. This will be going in a 2002 MADP.

So after I read your post I lllked up the head unit on ebay. I gather the 10" screen connects via usb connector. So I have a 99 DSDP and the space available because of the parking brake actuator does not allow a double din receiver. I am considering this to overcome that problem. Do you suppose that I could use a Y connector and drive two screens (one for passenger) from that output? I see a mention of android, but does this have apple car play with it? If not do you know of anything similar that does?

Thanks
Jim

[mybluewhale]

Originally Posted by LibertyCall

I just updated my Triptek and Panasonic unit. Rear camera died and that stopped the Triptek. I already had a Garmin GPS and bought the backup camera unit to give me rear view again. Camera input on Triptek was easy to access but I can’t find a camera with an RCA video out. So I decided to hook up the video out of an old DVD player and use the blue screen as my video source. Voila! Now I do have to run my inverter or generator while driving to have AC power but I do that anyway for our residential fridge. I stillwish there was a simpler way.

I've got an 03 madp. I just built my own using camera's and monitors from various amazon Chinese companies. I had had a blindspot system installed that used the old pana unit in the dash. I got a few different camera's until I found the right ones. To that I added a regular backup camera.. again very cheap from and. I stared with a 5 inch monitor that stood on the dash. As that is a much better angle for watching the road. Then I found a 4 input dash mount with no need to switch. So I just picked 3x split screen that shows the rest view along the top half and left side right side sharing the bottom half. All told about 200 bucks for a270 view of my coach. Selling that rig now but will replicate it in the new one as it works so well. The best thing is doing away with all the switching circuits. No moving parts now. You have to be careful reusing the old coax for the rest camera but it's pretty straight forward.

[dgapilot]

Originally Posted by shirlock1

So after I read your post I lllked up the head unit on ebay. I gather the 10" screen connects via usb connector. So I have a 99 DSDP and the space available because of the parking brake actuator does not allow a double din receiver. I am considering this to overcome that problem. Do you suppose that I could use a Y connector and drive two screens (one for passenger) from that output? I see a mention of android, but does this have apple car play with it? If not do you know of anything similar that does?

Thanks
Jim

Mine is a single din unit. The screen mounts with clips and has a flat cable, not USB. It does have 2 USB ports and a port for a SIM card. I got both the rear camera and a dash camera. It is based on an android platform, so it works pretty much like an android tablet.

[SoCalD]

So I finally got around to trying out the backup camera after fixing other pressing items, like low air pressure! As mentioned in an earlier post, there is a little gray metal box that converts the factory camera feed into an RCA output. I hooked up a small TV monitor with an RCA input to that box, turned on the ignition key to the "accessory" position and voila, and nice image of the rear of my RV appeared! So now I have found a replacement stereo head unit with a 7" display on Amazon (see image below. It is made by a Chinese manufacturer called "Camecho". I was a bit skeptical at first since it was only $169 and looked kinda cheap but was impressed with the unit when arrived. It is basically an android tablet with a nice HD touch screen. Besides backup camera support, you can play video (USB memory stick, SD card, or phone only - no disc support), has GPS navigation, AM/FM radio, and built-in WiFi. And supports the Google app store so you can download any application you like. This thing does WAY more that the Panasonic unit it will replace and I highly recommend.