Dash cam on an S Type

Cardiff72 · May 14, 2015

Need some advice about best way to install a dash cam on my S type.

Has anyone else done this

Best one to go for etc way round of not having a trailing lead to the aux point

Thanks in advance

Old Peter · May 15, 2015

I have thought about installing one myself, Sacha, but the idea of a trailing lead puts me off.

Peter.

Cardiff72 · May 15, 2015

I know what you mean Peter, I am sure there must be someone who has taken a live feed from the overhead control panel or is it far to much work so its better to get an car alarm firm to fit one

Budgie · August 14, 2016

Hi,

Appreciate that this response is rather late and you probably have resolved your dash cam issue. I am new to forum. However this may be useful to others.

I had a similar dilemma when wanting to add a dash cam to my S Type. I don't like trailing wires and I didn't want to keep removing the camera every time I park my car in case it gets stolen. The solution I settled with was a mirror cam. It has a 4.3" screen built into the mirror and the kit includes a rear camera. (see images below).

The front facing camera quality is very good and the rear camera quality is more than adequate. The camera uses a Micro SD card for storage. The things I really like about this cam is that the front camera is on the R/H side of the mirror cam (many are on the left and face away from the road in a R/H drive car) and the power, rear cam and GPS module (purchase separately) plug in to the top of the unit. This allows you to feed the cable/s along and around the headlining edge and drop down by the mirror post. I also fitted a dual DC to DC USB converter unit which I connected into the driver's foot well main fuse box. This does away with the need for dangling USB power leads plugged into the cigar lighter/AUX socket.

The camera stays fitted at all times as it is discreet and functions well as a mirror.

The only downside is that when the camera is active it "blocks" the signal from the key fob when locking or unlocking the car. I overcame this by not setting the camera to auto activate.

If anyone is interested in more detail I can provide some more images etc.

All items available on eBay

Cam circa £40

Converter circa £5

SD Card circa £11

Edited August 14, 2016 by Budgie
Clarity of content

Old Peter · August 15, 2016

Quite interesting, Brian.

I did put in a Nextbase Dash cam eventually and was able to avoid the trailing lead as it came with a long lead which I was able to slide in behind the trim and take it down to the power source in the armrest. It works fine.

Regards

Peter.

Budgie · August 15, 2016

7 minutes ago, Old Peter said:

Quite interesting, Brian.

I did put in a Nextbase Dash cam eventually and was able to avoid the trailing lead as it came with a long lead which I was able to slide in behind the trim and take it down to the power source in the armrest. It works fine.

Regards

Peter.

Glad you got it sorted

Best

Brian

Raistlin · August 15, 2016

Interesting idea Brian.

I would certainly like to see it in more detail.

I wonder would it be possible to make a short video of it in operation please?

Budgie · August 15, 2016

1 minute ago, Raistlin said:

Interesting idea Brian.

I would certainly like to see it in more detail.

I wonder would it be possible to make a short video of it in operation please?

Good Morning Paul,

BTW I'm now off my "ATF Soap Box" and in the cold light of day now understand your original post with a little more clarity. (I blame age and too many pain killers)

Regarding the mirror dash cam and DC-DC converter - I'll gather some photos of what I did and post a little later. Thank you for your interest.

Rgds

Brian

Raistlin · August 15, 2016

Thanks Brian, I'd appreciate that I particularly like the idea that it wouldn't distract but would be immediately available at the same time, being in the normal scan cycle.

As for the other matter, it's forgotten.

Budgie · August 16, 2016

Additional imagery and detail for the Mirror Dash Cam unit I fitted.

The images show some of the functionality, features and connections. I will follow up this post with similar information regarding the Dual USB DC to DC converter and the 12V switching relay that enables a switched reverse lamp feed from the rear lamp cluster.

I have included in the post a more detailed You Tube video review of the Dash Cam by "Red Ferret". Although the review is essentially the same Mirror Cam unit as the one I fitted, the rear camera he was supplied is slightly different. This is not uncommon where (C)hinese (E)xports are concerned. Owing to the woefully inadequate and poorly translated user guide supplied the explanation of functions is slightly ambiguous and detail on connectivity non-existent. In the video clip Red Ferret believes that the Red/Black DC pair from the rear camera connects to the interior light. Not his fault as the user guide doesn't mention it. Actually if the DC pair were to be connected to the interior light the reversing camera positional grid would be displayed every time you opened a door. So really the DC pair should be made active/live only when reverse gear is selected. This did though present me with a bit of a challenge. Being a bit of a newbie where Jag electronics are concerned I thought I could just splice a 12v -ve and +ve feed from the reverse lamp holder. (I can hear you all chuckling to yourselves as I write this.) Needless to say I eventually had an epiphany when I realised that both sides of Jag lighting is +ve until a box of tricks (The REM) tells them otherwise and changes one of the +ve pair to a -ve. Anyway I went down the 12V normally open switching relay route in order to facilitate the desired DC feed to the rear camera - details of which I will cover in a follow up post.

Pluses: - Good Quality video and TFT display, Easy to install, Excellent features, Robust - Low Purchase Price - Even next day (because of time difference) Chinglsh email support.

Minuses: - SD card very fiddly to remove and refit - RFI radiation a nuisance (but can be lived with) and affects key fob operation and increases FM radio noise (reduced with ferrites on power lead). Mirror Cam blocks the light sensor on the S Type mirror - User Guide and technical connection detail is bad, very bad - no info on what happens when a GPS Antenna is connected or how to use the DC pair to the rear camera. GPS antennas with 3.5 jack plug available it would appear only from Chinese sources at circa £8. eBay sell them but delivery from China when they don't have a UK distributor can be up to four weeks.

However I still think it's a cracking little unit and would recommend it even to the most discerning of Jag owners.

I hope this post has been useful and informative and if further info is required do let me know.

The Red Ferret Review

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3y6mhZCVRt8