Cheap Backup Camera

fbconvert · Aug 9, 2016

This is just a quick basic proof of concept mod I decided to finally get around to doing. I'll try to outline the basics here for anyone else interested in adding a backup camera for around $30. Just keep in mind you get what you pay for and I'll tell you what I mean by the later. This mod should work on any 2012-2015 touchscreen head unit.

First, you'll need an ebay account:

Search "Toyota 24 pin connector" you should find a listing with a picture like this that comes with a connector and at least 4 female receptacles contacts for around $5

Search "Backup Camera" there are so many options its hard to really say which is the best. I settled on a kit that looks like this for $11.99 with free shipping of course. The important thing to look for is that the kit comes with a camera, the long RCA cable with the extra red wire, and the short power cable for the camera as shown below:

Search "Tacoma Tailgate latch". It took a bit of looking but I found an OEM latch with the camera mount for $15.

If you're like me and you added a newer head unit in an older Tacoma you will likely need to add the reverse switch wire to the 28 pin harness. I have a 2005 Jbl Tacoma with a manual transmission for reference. There are likely several places you can tap into the reverse switch wire. In general it should be a red wire with white stripes. I tapped into the one going to my gauge cluster. The smaller of the two connectors on my gauge cluster is a 16 pin connector. Sorry I didn't take any pictures of its location but its on the right side behind the cluster. Yes, you will have to disassemble your dash to reach it. I had to fix an LED issue on my cluster anyways so this was no big deal, but you might want to spend a little time with google and find another location that doesn't require removing the gauge cluster. I tapped into Pin 2 which is the only red and white wire in that connector. You can use one of the female receptacles from the 24 pin connector you got off ebay to wire the other end of the backup switch wire to pin 2 of the 28 pin connector in the back of your head unit (Looking at the back of the connector, second from the right, top row position).

Next you will want to take the Video RCA cable that came with the camera kit and cut one end off. Strip back the insulation and you should see a white wire, red wire, and a bare wire. I don't know if this is a universal wire color standard but you can always tell which wire is the video feed because it is wrapped by the shielding bare wire or you can test it with an ohm meter (I used my free one from harbor freight to be extra sure).

Next you will need to attach the other three female receptacles to the RCA end you just stripped. For the cable that came with my camera kit the white wire was the video signal positive, so you want to insert that one into the number 12 position in the 24 pin connector (Looking at the back its the far left top row). The bare shielding wire also doubled as the camera signal ground so you want to put that in the number 24 position (looking at the back, Far left bottom row) and finally the camera power is the red wire, insert that end into the number 11 position (looking at the back, just to the right of 12). If you did it right it should look something like this:

The short power cable which also came with my kit has a red and black wire lead. I solder the red wire to the other end of the RCA cable which had a red wire lead. Then I grounded the black wire on the tailgate mounting bolt like so:

I should probably add that I just used some plumbers pipe tape to make a simple mount for the camera. I could probably do a better job but it ended up looking something like this when I was done. You will also need that T25 socket to remove the back tailgate panel.

Finally, plug the 24 pin connector into the back of the head unit and run the RCA end to the back of the tailgate and connect it to the camera. Now when you put the truck in reverse you should see something like this:

Just for reference here is how that bike was positioned. I might adjust the camera a little more down until I can see the edge of my bumper. That way backing up to a trailer would be no problem.

Final thoughts: Well I mentioned earlier, you get what you pay for. That couldn't be more true. Even though the install went easy enough, the actually picture quality of the camera is really sub-par just check out the pictures and you can see the video lines. It gets the job done but I already know that I will probably replace it with a better quality one later... Than again I have never had a vehicle with a backup camera so I don't even know how much I will even appreciate... All in all I would say do this mod if you're a little unsure of your ability to wire everything. If it works out for you then upgrade the camera later if you care too, if not you're only out a large cheese pizza. Got to love China.