installing a front and rear camera in a toyota truck

[watgate]

Myself and my wife are in the process of buying a new toyota pickup truck. Initially they quoted me a price for 6.990 baht to install a front only camera on the truck. After talking to a knowledgeable individual I realized the price was exhorbitant and cancelled the installation of the new camera by the dealership. We went to a business establishment and they will install a front and rear camera for 3000 or 3500 baht depending on which one we choose. My question is should I just plug the camera into the cigarette lighter or have them wire the camera to my truck? I am obviously not very knowledgeable about this but just want to make sure I don't encounter any problems with the installation of the front and rear camera on my truck. Thanks for any advice.

[jadee]

Hi, interesting questions, I drive a Mitsubishi so I don't know about Toyota but I've been using a cheap 700b dash cam (plugged into the lighter socket) for the past 2+ years and wondered about the difference between dealer-sourced cameras and aftermarket ones in terms of quality.
My opinion is that the Toyota camera is likely higher-quality than the other one you have been quoted and, if installed by Toyota, may be covered under warranty, which is really important. You can't really says whether it's 'exorbitant' without factoring in quality - if you buy the 3,500b one and it needs replacing after two years, then it's actually more expensive. 
If I were you, I'd ask Toyota whether hardwiring in an aftermarket camera affects (or voids) your warranty. Personally, I wouldn't want a third-party installer messing around with the wiring on a new truck, but that's your decision. 
A middle-ground solution may be buying aftermarket and plugging into the lighter socket. That's what I've been doing and I think it's why the cameras lasted so long - when I park anywhere I just remove the camera so it's not left there baking in the sun under the hot windscreen. 

[cnx355]

I would say if youbuy a truck or a car worth around  a million Thai bahts, why not go for the best camera system.

 

 

Ask the dealer the model they will install and if they can have front and rear model.

 

As you maybe know already, THailand dealerships usually subcontract camera installation and window tint installation to  a specialized shop  that sell them and install  the product for a commission. That is why you pay a little more usually.

 

Compare the products specs.

 

 

Edited July 31, 2020 by cnx355
spelling errors

[malt25]

Have it hard wired. Forget the power... cigarette lighter socket.

[Jaxxper]

Guess the only problem with having it hard wired is that you might invalidate the Toyota warranty. Just a thought.

[THEN]

We installed a Garmin GDR E560 dash cam (front only) on our Hilux 3 years ago. It has been flawless till now. I bought a 3m extension cable which is easy to hide all the way to the camera. Connected in the center console = cable cannot be seen at all.

 

I am considering the Garmin Dash Cam Mini for our new car. App 9k thb on Lazada for front and rear. It looks easy to set up via you mobile phone and the camera is ultra small. And I will most likely do similar again, with a USB splitter under the passenger seat and run an extension cable to each camera - easy to push under door/ceiling/window connections.

 

Edited July 31, 2020 by THEN

[richard_smith237]

Installation options are: 12v adaptor or Hard Wire with a Fuse Tap.

 

Using the 12v Adaptor - In all the cars I have fitted a cam (5 I think) I have used the 12v adapter - this is because its simpler and there has always been a spare 12v plug at the rear or the centre console. Its out of the way, so the installation is ‘relatively’ neat. 

The Pro’s: No compromise to the cars warranty and ease of installation. 

The Con’s: No Parking mode.

 

Hard Wiring with a fuse Tap: A relatively simple solution - there are two options here and you need to be ‘alert’ as to which part of the electrical system you are tapping into. 

1) Tap into the ‘always on’ circuit and risk draining the battery. IF your cam has a parking mode and you want it ‘always on’ (to record if when the cam registered movement) there is a risk of the cam draining your 12v battery. Thus, you will need to use a ‘battery saver’ device, which is something which cuts the power to your Cam IF it notices the batter voltage (circuit voltage) dropping below a pre-set figure (i.e. 10.5v etc). 

The Pro’s: Parking Mode recording, neat installation, you don’t use up your 12v port. 

The Con’s: Risk of getting it wrong and draining the battery / possible compromise to warranty, additional cost for the ‘power magic / battery saver device’.

 

2) Tap into the circuit which isn’t always on (i.e lights etc),

The Pro’s: Neat installation, you don’t use up your 12v port. 

The Con’s: No Parking Mode, Risk of getting it wrong and draining the battery / possible compromise to warranty.

 

 

 

[Chongalulu]

It would be naive to expect that because you bought the camera via Toyota it would represent the best camera for the money,or even be a premium model. Research reviews for the best cameras and be guided by that. I have a Nextbase camera where a single unit covers front and rear views. There is little chance hardwiring the camera will invalidate warranty given its easy to disguise should you be concerned. Both systems work fine although hardwiring might be neater depending on where your 12v lighter socket is situated and if you might need the socket for other functions. I obtained my camera in UK so probably not available here but this highly recommended unit will give you an idea of the kind of thing you might wish to look for.

https://www.nextbase.com/en-gb/series-1-dash-cams/front-and-rear-hd-dash-cam/

[DJ54]

Our MUX has camera in mirror (front) was t an add on

[Don Mega]

I run a Blackvue DR900S-2CH front and rear camera's hardwired with the blackvue Power Magic Pro hardwire kit.

 

Cost me Bt.21,000 inc freight and import tax.

 

Cheap nasty cams are great, until an insurance claim hinges on the captured footage.

Edited July 31, 2020 by Don Mega

[richard_smith237]

5 hours ago, Don Mega said:

I run a Blackvue DR900S-2CH front and rear camera's hardwired with the blackvue Power Magic Pro hardwire kit.

 

Cost me Bt.21,000 inc freight and import tax.

 

Cheap nasty cams are great, until an insurance claim hinges on the captured footage.

 

I’ve always used BlackVue, I think they are excellent Cams (I’ve had two of them).

 

However, Xiaomi have now come out with the 70mai Pro, which I bought for my nephew in the UK, its also an very good dash cam and makes the BlackVue over priced. 

 

A couple of days ago someone on this forum mentioned that the Xiaomi 70Mia Pro now comes with two cams (forward and rear) but I’ve not been able to find any info online. If so, this is the cam to get at about 20% of the cost of the BlackVue. 

 

Edit: the other poster who mentioned the 2 cam Xiaomi 70Mia Pro may have meant the Xiaomi Mijia DDPai X2S - which costs about 8000 baht. 

 

 

Edited July 31, 2020 by richard_smith237

[malt25]

15 hours ago, Jaxxper said:

Guess the only problem with having it hard wired is that you might invalidate the Toyota warranty. Just a thought.

Why not get the Toyota dealer workshop to hard wire the cam ? Very basic job for any mechanic or even trainee. Even if wired elsewhere I very much doubt would affect warranty... unless botched job caused a problem. Get the dealer to install.

[brianthainess]

Hard wired mine from the fuse box , on an ignition live fuse, using a piggy back fuse, no dangling wires, and leaves the ciggy lighter free for chargers etc. as for the warranty it would be easy to just remove the piggy back, if necessary. I would like to mention i have turned off the G-force setting even on the lowest setting, it was freezing the cameras stopping recording on any hard breaking and quick accelerating 

[Our Man in the Tropics]

1_

Are there good & cheap Solar Panel equiped with rechargeable battery Video Cameras -- Front & Rear & 2 Sides [ 2 opposing Video Cameras per each Side ] with Wireless Connection [ e.g. Bluetooth ] to a Touch-Screen Device [ Smartphone or Tablet ( Android or MS Windows or Apple or Linux based ) ] ?

 

2_

Perhaps the Solar Panel equiped with rechargeable battery Video Cameras can be :

2_1_

fixed to Exterior of vehicle by Magnet or Peel-back Adhesive Strip [ easily removable from vehicle surface by some common cheap proprietry solvent ] & / or Screws

2_2_

fixed to Interior of Window by Magnet or Adhesive [ easily removable from vehicle surface by some common cheap proprietry solvent ] & / or Screws ;

But excellently absorb necessary energy to power the system regardless if highest blocking sun-screen film on glass.

 

3_

Some optimum features of Video Camera system for vehicle would I.M.H.O. include :

3_1_

automatic Dark-Vision sensing performance

3_2_

automatic Fog-Vision sensing performance

3_3_

automatic recording when moving object [ person or animal or object ] has entered within choice of perimeters of scope of respective Video Camera

 

Edited August 3, 2020 by Our Man in the Tropics