Using OE backup camera with Sony headunit

I have a 2007 Prius with the JBL audio and navigation systems. I've replaced the head unit with a Sony XAV3000 and so far everything is working great.

The last piece that I'm trying to get working is the backup camera. I'd like someone to check my plan before I go splicing wires together.

I believe I have a High-Res MFD and followed the MFD pinout.

It looked like I need to tap pins 27+28 for the video signal to an RCA jack to plug into the head unit. I also need to tap pin 21 and connect that to the reverse-in wire on the head unit.

Does that sound about right?

When the car is in reverse, the MFD pinout doesn't say what the voltage on pin21 will be and the head unit manual also doesn't say what voltage it will expect to trigger reverse camera. Is it safe to assume 12V for both? I only ask because the OE backup camera is 6V. I can measure obviously when I have it taken apart.

In terms of the camera connection, I don't know enough about the signaling for the camera either. Whatever it dumps out on pins 27+28 will be enough for the RCA video into the head unit? Or is the 6V power thing an important part of that?

I read through many threads but none of them put it all together.

Thanks.

 

Thanks for the reply.

I think I understand what you're saying with respect to the voltage. I don't intend to switch the power for the camera over to the Sony. The OE back up camera will still be powered by the MFD harness. I only want to tap into the video signal and connect it to the new head unit. I essentially have 2 back up screens when I go into reverse (the MFD and the Sony screen).

The switching on the screen seems to be signaled by pin 21, which I would also tap into for the Sony. So I wouldn't need to run a wire from the backup lights to the Sony unit since that signal is already available through pin 21. I just need to verify that the voltage on pin 21 is correct when the car is in reverse.

Am I understanding you correctly?

 

Yeah, I want to send it to the Sony head unit.

I've taken a look at this and I think I need to splice the V+ and V- to an RCA cable that I would then plug into the Sony. That should get me video to the Sony unit.

And then I would splice into REV and then connect that to the REV-IN of the Sony unit so that it knows to switch to the camera feed when the car is backing up. This should be equivalent to connect that same line to the backup lights.

Am I missing something or misunderstanding something?

 

Yes, I want to send it to the Sony as a second screen. The Sony unit has the backup guide lines, which would be a neat thing to have.

Having it display on both the MFD and the Sony is fine to me.

The 6V is coming from Pin 29 and Pin 30 (CA+ and CGND). That will power the camera. And then I want to send that video to both the MFD and the Sony unit (by splicing into Pin 27 and 28 - V+ and V-). And the last piece is to get the Sony unit to recognize reverse mode which is on Pin 21, which will also be another tap into that pin.

 

I was going to start on this but then I noticed my car having white smoke out of the exhaust and switched over to dealing with that. It's still not resolved but I think I'll have time this weekend to spend an hour on this.

The only thing to note is that T-Taps are terrible. I'm going to first test by shoving the wires into the harness before I cut wires. I'll probably use butt splices (which a lot of people don't like) or do some light soldering and heat shrink.

Hopefully I have good news for you by Sunday.

 

Heh, I got it working. I had a little trouble with getting it to switch on reverse but then used the pin on the other connector.

It's pretty much as I described. Pins 27+28 to the RCA connector. Pin 21 to the reverse trigger (this didn't work for me, but I used the reverse on the other connector)