Reversing Camera Auto-on question?

Backgroung info > I will be putting a reversing camera in since i will have a sub wall in a small truck that will completely block my rearview miror.

First option is to replace the rearview with a flipdown monitor dedicated to the reversing camera.

Second option is to just have the camera come on whenever the vehicle is put in reverse. I have an automatic tranny so finding a place for a power pulse wont be that hard. Each individual gear has its own LED on the dash so i could just tie into that if neccessary. The problem is i cant find a controler to help in this. I found one that can plug into a parallel port and control windows/locks but it looks as its signal just goes from PC to locks. Im looking for a controler that interfaces with the pc that will automatically pop up my rearview camera anytime i put the vehicle in reverse?

Or would hacking up a video signal switch box work in this?

I know this is possible but i dont know if its feasable or not. Please help

i havent really looked into this but if you have a xenarc you dont have to do any hacking. Or if you have a lilliput screen you could use some sort of relay to some pins to make it switch to V1 or V2

There are many ways to use a trigger signal...hacked keyboard, parallel port interface, etc. GIRDER has a number of plugins you can use...just get the hardware.

So you create an event that tells girder to pop up the software that runs your camera (or however you are doing it) whenever it gets the reverse trigger, and closes the camera software when it goes away.

If you are talking about a regular composite output video camera, then just get a circuit to select that video source on your screen when you trigger reverse...

You have a lot of options...you need to decide exactly what you want.

As far as turning the camera on...just put a relay to control the 12v power to the camera, and have your reverse trigger (back up lights?) switch the relay.

I like the circuit for selecting video source and the relay for power off the reverse lights. Didnt think it would be that easy. Thanks

The easiest way is if you can hold the source selector button and it keeps the same source..

For example if you have one button for each video input, and you can hold that button when you choose the source...

...then you can have the relay close the circuit for that source...when the relay opens you can have it select the other source.

There are other ways, depending on how your screen works.

You may have to make a simple electronic circuit (no off the top of my head, I don't know what) to do the source switching..

http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/show...4&page=1&pp=15

I guess this topic (of course) has already been discussed...oops

thanks man ill take a look at that post