backup cam question (prolly dumb)

**mengela** · 02-09-2006, 08:34 AM

ive been browsing the forums, alot of ideas and usefull equipment are making me plan even further capabilities for my carputer. i want to have a backup cam, i have a f-150, and i plan to lift it, itll make seeing with just my rear view mirror difficult. alot of cams ive seen have auto on with reverse gear shift.
this would be great, but how could you automatically have your screen go from the computer to the backup cam and then back to the computer? all with the gear shift, i mean i would like for the cam to turn on, display itself on the monitor when placed in reverse, and then when shift to drive, turn back to carputer.

with that capability, is it possible to have backup cam control with the computer? as in have a "backup cam" icon for my frontend? or would i have to have another pc type camera for that

**Slowmo** · 02-09-2006, 09:23 AM

I would wire backing light to one of handshaking lines of COM port (using a resistor to reduce voltage). Then it is a matter of software to read the signal and act accordingly.

**Hark** · 02-09-2006, 10:54 AM

Why go through all that trouble? If you have a Xenarc, it already has a video input for the camera, which it will automatically switch to when the camera's activated. Camera could be activated by your backup lights - just connect it to the wire that triggers them.

If you're hell-bent on getting it to turn on at will rather then just when you're backing up, wire up a switch/relay to it as well - that way it's available no matter what skin/app you're using. If you really want to see the cam video within a skin, get a video capture card/usb box and embed the capture software in the skin.

BTW, I'm doing exactly what I described above - I'm just trying to figure out the best way to install the cam in my trunk's keyhole. I've been advised to use "marine silicone".