Factory Backup Camera Upgrade

I'm traveling on business this week and my shitty Hyundai rental has a better backup cam than the Taco. Has anyone upgraded their second gen backup camera? Any suggestions on something I can fit in the factory location? Not a fan of the license plate cams, and I'd like to avoid running wire. I think the Taco needs a wider angle camera.

 

good luck, factory camera runs off 6 volts and almost every aftermarket camera runs off 12. You would have to do some wiring.

 

Is it possible to connect the current backup cam to an aftermarket stereo

 

yes

 

Do you know if there is a thread on it? I have been looking but haven't been able to find anything only threads about adding an aftermarket cam.

 

there are a few of them

 

Did you find a posting on adding a better back up camera? I'm removing the tailgate so I'm going to put one somewhere else

 

Please let me know what you do. I removed my tailgate.

 

sub'd.

 

I've tabled this for a little while. I don't think the voltage difference is hard to account for, it can be modified in the cab. I just don't want to run wires from the tailgate all the way back to the cab.

 

I know this is a very old thread.Like everyone else here I was looking to upgrade and ran across this. A couple things seem odd to me. Why 6 volt cam and where or how did they pull 6 volts. I have installed 12 volt accessories in 24 volt systems and it is not easy. Fast way is to connect to one battery so you only have 12 volts, problem is it is a crappy way to do it. I have tried a step down that is suppose to take 24 volts down to 12 volts but when tested it was still 24 volts just less amperage. I do not claim to be an expert, just a guy with some experience. Why would Toyota us an odd ball 6 volt cam on a 12 volt car. I might be missing something obvious but it seem more moronic to me than stupid. If your supplier is selling you (Toyota) this number of cameras, it seems they could make it any voltage toyota wants. I admit the stock camera is crap as is the screen (rear view mirror) but why bother with some off voltage cam from a cracker jacks box when the voltage does not match the vehicle. If in fact the voltage is 6 volt it has to be attached to the 12 volt system somewhere to get the 6 volts if they do step it down. The wire should already be there. If it has a step down to 6 volt just wire around it at that point and you have 12 volts to the camera.
Part of this search is associated with almost backing into a barb wire fence with orange markers today that I could not see in the monitor/mirror, however as bad as it was I was able to determine it was daylight. ;-) Maybe it is not a camera but a daylight indicator?

 

If you’re comfortable cutting/splicing extremely thing gauge wires, this will be easy.

Get a Tacoma camera from tailgatecamera.com or something similar

Take off the back cover of the tailgate to expose the back of the handle (no Need to fully remove tailgate)

Cut factory camera wires maybe 6” above the connector inside the tailgate.

Get wire colors and splice new camera to them.
There will only be 4 wires (video +, video -, power, ground)

As mentioned, the power will be 6v but that can be fixed in the cab. This will at least let you use factory wiring

 

Thank you destin_meeks, this is great information and just what I needed. I noticed some cameras are 6-12 volt indicating either can be use. Changing the voltage (if needed) in the cab sounds logical to me. If it is in fact (I say that because I have not checked 2011 yet) 6 volt it would be interesting to know the story behind that choice. Replacing the mirror and camera looks like a good upgrade, albeit a little expensive but cheaper than body work for sure. Being on the other side of 70 it seems to take all the help I can get and I am sure it will only get worse over time. That last remark was meant to give the younger guys something to look forward to. ;-)

 

Crutchfield has some camera options-
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_249RCTY71T/Crux-RVCTY-71T-Backup-Camera-System.html
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_249CTY02T/Crux-CTY-02T.html
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_249CTY01T/Crux-CTY-01T.html
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_249RCTY71C/Crux-RVCTY-71C-Backup-Camera-System.html