Just spent the afternoon freezing my nadgers off having a go at fitting my reverse camera / number plate light (suitable for BMWs!) to the FFRR. It doesn't fit.



The design of the number plate holder on the FFRR doesn't provide enough room for my camera and light to slot in. Also, the LED light gives a number plate light check warning on the dash, although it goes away if I reconnect the original bulb and have the LED one connected too.



The number plate light casing (also for the boot handle switch) is quite fragile. Broke a couple of parts whilst dismantling to see how it all works so take care. Removal is straightforward (though not mentioned at all in my version of RAVE), just undo the four torx screws and prise out. You can then remove the rubber boot to access the back of the bulb holders and the wiring connectors. Didn't find where the cable went to though.








I have had all the trim covers off the upper tailgate to have a look at cable runs. You will have a few broken clips, especially on the bottom trim once you get them off. Fortunately these are the replaceable type, like on door cards. Do the bottom first, then the top, then the sides. For cabling, the only tricky bit is getting through the rubber boot into the roof space. Seems better to use the one on the left (as you face the boot of the car) as there are less wires going in there. Other than that plenty of space for running wires along the back and sides.









Also need to find a suitable ignition live for the camera on the tailgate, would save running a power cable all the way back into the car. I guess the power to the rear wiper might do it, just not much slack up there.

So options are (for this fitting):

1. Cut a new rounded rectangular hole in the upper tailgate, make up a grommet and shroud
2. Dismantle reverse camera casing to make it fit
3. Cut up one of the bulb holders to make it fit
4. Fit it inside?
5. Forget it and find an alternative

Quite tempted to try 1. .
Experience is the only genuine knowledge, but as time passes, I have forgotten more than I can remember
Volvo V70 P2 2006 2.4 Petrol 170bhp Estate SE
MG Midget Mk1 1962

Previous: L322 Range Rover TDV8 3.6 2008; L322 Range Rover TD6 3.0 2002; P38A Range Rover V8 1999

Last edited by Joe90 on 18th Jan 2012 9:38am. Edited 1 time in total

joe, sorry to here it did not fit but i had my suspicions. they do some nice cameras on ebay that will mount under the spoiler or you can get the round ones that mount in a 20mm hole
in bumper
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Waterproof-Shock...095wt_1112

spoiler
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CAR-REAR-VIEW-RE...372wt_1346

lower part of bumper
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CCD-Rear-View-Re...754wt_1112

look for a CCD an not CMOS
dave V8 facelift Range Rover Autobiography 22" wheels.
1976 Harley Davidson Iron Head Sportster

Useful hack:

Take one of those tape adapters with a 3.5mm jack, they are only £1.50 on the bay, cut off the cable, stick it in your cassette slot, and the car thinks you have a cassette in so it works your audio etc. No need to run a normal cassette tape in there.  .
Experience is the only genuine knowledge, but as time passes, I have forgotten more than I can remember
Volvo V70 P2 2006 2.4 Petrol 170bhp Estate SE
MG Midget Mk1 1962

Previous: L322 Range Rover TDV8 3.6 2008; L322 Range Rover TD6 3.0 2002; P38A Range Rover V8 1999

Nearly ready to do my installation.

PC will be running Xubuntu Linux 11.10 and uses openbm-gateway and XBMC as the front end. Managing sleep and hibernate has proven too complicated/messy so have opted for simplicity given it only takes about 30 seconds for the PC to be ready.

So PC is switched on using a switch which is hard-wired to the power button, then it runs a bash script to start up the ibus interface program (openbm-gateway) and XBMC which starts up playing a pre-defined music playlist. I have popped in an option when the ignition is turned off just to give me access to the PC in battery mode if I need it. There is also a program called xrandr which is used to turn off the PC screen whilst the other screens remain on, and this can also be used to overcome the brightness issues I am having with the main front screen. The script stays running all the time, constantly checking for the programs needed to run the system, starting them if they are not running, or shutting everything down when we go to battery power. I was able to achieve most of this on a Windows OS as well using vbscript and as XBMC is cross platform the only thing needed is the ibus communication program between ibus commands and xbmc (this is where linux wins! - had to get it in somewhere )

For the geeky amongst you, here is the script:

Solved dim screen by accessing secret bord monitor menu and whacking up the brightness.

Here's a screenshot of what's going on on screen

Click image to enlarge

hi joe, little confused..are you not using carx program V8 facelift Range Rover Autobiography 22" wheels.
1976 Harley Davidson Iron Head Sportster

Correct daveo I am not using carx.

Xubuntu 11.10 (an xfce variant of Ubuntu Linux for my OS), XBMC and a small program called openbm-gateway that connects to the ibus and sends commands to xbmc via the bord monitor buttons.

This will give me:

music, video, digital tv (and radio), reverse camera, pictures, weather. If am lucky, the guy who wrote openbm-gateway has also written plugins for xbmc that control the on-board radio and OBC and I may be able to use those also. The kit will run to all three screens in the car and sound out of car audio system.

also can use my android smartphone as a bluetooth remote control for the system and back seat passengers.

Working on the write up to go in the front part of the thread, but need to install the reverse camera first. .
Experience is the only genuine knowledge, but as time passes, I have forgotten more than I can remember
Volvo V70 P2 2006 2.4 Petrol 170bhp Estate SE
MG Midget Mk1 1962

Previous: L322 Range Rover TDV8 3.6 2008; L322 Range Rover TD6 3.0 2002; P38A Range Rover V8 1999

Slow old progress doing the wiring but finished installing the reverse camera today.



Had to drill two small screw holes and two larger holes (to allow phono plugs through) to the underside edge of the upper tailgate, then ran the power and video wiring round to the top of the upper tailgate. I tried several times with various poky things to get through either of the two rubber gaiters between the tailgate and the roof, but failed, so use the existing hole in my headlining left by removing the wireless transmitter to run the cables. Might find a suitable box to hide the cable, but it's not too unsightly.

The camera fits in nicely between the licence plate lights and the reversing lights with the boot is closed, and is just about flush.

Plan is to access the live stream from the camera via XBMC using a tortuous xdotool command (converts virtual keystrokes to real ones), by capturing the going into reverse iBus message and running it. Something like this:

It's been too cold to do any more work "on the car" this week, got some soldering and wiring to do, suspect too much shivering wouldn't make for a good contact.

In the meantime I have fitted a 3.5mm jack input into the case of my netbook and soldered up the wires from the on/off switch to it. Makes it easy to plug a 3.5mm jack connected to the momentary switch up front.

Also been trying out a new skin on XBMC - SLik - much simpler and bigger selections.

Using a launcher plugin (Advanced Launcher) I can now run digital TV using mplayer instead of the built in live tv setup. Just easier to use, and can/may use the same method for the reverse camera .
Experience is the only genuine knowledge, but as time passes, I have forgotten more than I can remember
Volvo V70 P2 2006 2.4 Petrol 170bhp Estate SE
MG Midget Mk1 1962

Previous: L322 Range Rover TDV8 3.6 2008; L322 Range Rover TD6 3.0 2002; P38A Range Rover V8 1999

joe will you be using nav software.. V8 facelift Range Rover Autobiography 22" wheels.
1976 Harley Davidson Iron Head Sportster

Well I have choices but not really thought that far ahead (don't use SatNav much as I have a pigeon's brain ):

Google Maps on the Android phone (have to figure out how to get it on screen or just use it on phone)

Or

Just use the OEM SatNav - yet to see if it will "speak over" XBMC (I have yet to resolve a problem from when i moved to linux is that I cannot get back to the OEM screen once the carpc is running)

Or

Get GPS running on the carPC and use google maps I can use the phone as a gateway .
Experience is the only genuine knowledge, but as time passes, I have forgotten more than I can remember
Volvo V70 P2 2006 2.4 Petrol 170bhp Estate SE
MG Midget Mk1 1962

Previous: L322 Range Rover TDV8 3.6 2008; L322 Range Rover TD6 3.0 2002; P38A Range Rover V8 1999

Wired up the power today with the illuminated toggle switch

Click image to enlarge

Update: http://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/post96351.html#96351 .
Experience is the only genuine knowledge, but as time passes, I have forgotten more than I can remember
Volvo V70 P2 2006 2.4 Petrol 170bhp Estate SE
MG Midget Mk1 1962

Previous: L322 Range Rover TDV8 3.6 2008; L322 Range Rover TD6 3.0 2002; P38A Range Rover V8 1999

Updated again, with early efforts on FFRR-PC application (audio player)

http://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/post96353.html#96353 .
Experience is the only genuine knowledge, but as time passes, I have forgotten more than I can remember
Volvo V70 P2 2006 2.4 Petrol 170bhp Estate SE
MG Midget Mk1 1962

Previous: L322 Range Rover TDV8 3.6 2008; L322 Range Rover TD6 3.0 2002; P38A Range Rover V8 1999

You have inspired my brother and I to get a Raspberry Pi running in my TDV8