Rearview Camera Video Issue Hi Folks,
I recently changed by Tucson's rearview camera to a new one (NTSC) with IR night vision capabilities. The camera is connected to my Pioneer touchscreen HU.
The picture displayed has a lot of disturbance, sometimes the picture goes black and white, sometimes there are diagonal lines displayed on the whole screen, sometimes there are horizontal lines etc. The earlier camera (PAL) was working fine.
To troubleshoot the problem and to isolate if it is a camera issue, i removed the camera from the car and connected it to the AV input of my TV and power for the camera drawn from my DTH set top box 12V SMPS power supply. The picture displayed was absolutely clear.
Now i suspect the car's varying voltage as the reason for the issue and also due to the fact that the camera may not be having a voltage regulator/filter.
I have also observed one more thing, whenever i turn the head-lights on, the picture stablizes to a better one than the one when the head-light on off.
Have posted a video of the same on youtube at the following link :
I also came across this when searching for the problem on google and this one is from a buying guide on ebay : Automotive Power Source
One of the most serious questions for most users of these systems, isn't whether or not the system they purchase will work with their vehicle --- it's how well and how long will it work with their vehicle? Many of the lower quality systems (including many sold on eBay) do not include any type of voltage regulator or filtering circuit. The lack of such a circuit will cause the constant varying voltage produced by the vehicle's electrical system to either damage the system, or at a minimum, produce serious variations in picture quality.
If the system you're considering doesn't specifically state that it has a voltage regulator or filter, then it probably doesn't.
Nearly all rear view camera systems will work on any vehicle that operates from 12 volts DC --- that's nearly every late model car, pickup truck, sport utility vehicle, recreational vehicle, and trailer. However, there are exceptions to this rule, including some specialty vehicles, as well as many commercial and military vehicles. Some rear view camera systems are capable of operating at a variety of voltages, usually either 12 to 24 volts DC, or 12 to 32 volts DC.
Are there any low power small form factor 12V-14V DC to 12V DC converters available which i could use to power the camera ? What else could i check to troubleshoot the problem ? |