Back up camera?

[bicycleguy]

Finally got my little backup camera project finished ! I'd like to thank all on this thread for help and inspiration, especially solder. I learned a lot about how the CAN bus works.

Here it is in operation: https://youtu.be/gQagP5NV2ZY

The final and most difficult part was faking the head unit to display the video. This is also the part you won't need when someone figures out how to get the 'RearView Camera Calibration' working on the head unit, or GM decides to help out.

This 2x2 inch proto board was developed and software written for the (super-Arduino) Teensy 3.2 powered micro-computer to do the job.


Summary of operation.
1. The ~$29 video camera is hooked to the head unit and powered by 12V tapped from reverse lights.
2. The board below is also powered by 12V from the reverse lights and taps into the Sparks SWCAN bus.
3. When the reverse lights turn on the board is powered up and immediately (and redundantly) listens on the SWCAN bus for shifter in reverse.
4. The board then sends an OBD (on board diagnostics) signal to the head unit to test the video input causing the video to display.
5. Every two seconds while still in reverse a tester present signal keeps the video going.
6. When shifted out of reverse, the board shuts down and can't cause any SWCAN bus, ONStar ext. glitches.

 

[Nashco]

Awesome. How do the rest of us get/make one!?!

Bryce

 

[bicycleguy]

Awesome. How do the rest of us get/make one!?!

Bryce

Ya, thats the next step I haven't figured out, yet. You have to be a pretty handy nerd to do this as it stands. If you like reading schematics, programing Arduino's, figuring out and modifying other peoples software,
soldering .05inch pitch parts, using an oscilloscope, splicing into perfectly good wire bundles in your new car and trouble shooting, then..
THIS IS THE PROJECT FOR YOU !

I'm not interested in sourcing kits or being responsible for others mistakes but have thought about helping those who satisfy some of the above requirements. I think to make it reasonable I need to add a few LEDs
for trouble shooting(no oscilloscope req'd) and have a pwb fabricated to prevent wiring errors and maybe program the Teensy if you really can't handle it.

Still interested?

 

[Nashco]

I'm still interested as a back up plan to help all mylink users interested in making their car safer if the GM calibration number mentioned above turns out to not be feasible. I suspect your solution isn't Spark EV specific and would work on a *lot* of GM vehicles that use this same head unit but weren't equipped with a factory backup camera. This seems like a great thing to be open sourced so people can re-create, and maybe with enough momentum somebody will make a plug and play kit out of that design.

I've been interested in trying out a low volume run of custom PCBs and components, there's a place that specializes in this nearby me called Screaming Circuits:

https://www.screamingcircuits.com/

If you posted a schematic, parts list, and your source code, this would be 90% of the info needed to recreate this without a ton of effort on your part. It's hard to tell in the photo, but it looks like with a small, custom-made (and populated) circuit board, the pre-made Teensy board, and a couple of headers, no soldering would be required at all.

Personally, I'm pretty good at sourcing parts. I'm sure I could easily come up with a parts kit for the car that would make the harness part plug-and-play. I'm also good with CAD if that helps, either turning a schematic and parts list into a PCB layout or creating an enclosure with integrated connectors. I'm pretty bad with software and electronics design, so I'd hope somebody else could help come up with some LED indicator circuits and instructions on code stuff.

I still hope the GM calibration would make this all avoidable, but until we can try it who knows how it might work out...

Bryce

 

[SparkevBlogspot]

If you like reading schematics, programing Arduino's, figuring out and modifying other peoples software ... Still interested?

Is this the same as Spark DD project where you read out the battery stats via OBD using CAN?

http://www.mychevysparkev.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=4166&p=14662#p14662

I'd like to see the info as well. I might even try to make custom PCB with AVR (or even MSP430 for even lower power) and SD card to log the data. If you're only using Arduino library, it would make porting a lot easier. 32GB SD card could probably log 100 years' worth of data, though the flash cells may not last that long. Hmm. More time sink!

 

[bicycleguy]

Is this the same as Spark DD project where you read out the battery stats via OBD using CAN?

http://www.mychevysparkev.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=4166&p=14662#p14662

The same only different. :? Nothing's ever simple these days.

solder's Spark DD code ran on a Teensy using FlexCAN library and got data off the 2 wire high speed CAN bus. I ported it to run on an Arduino due running due_Can library. because thats what I had.

This task gets data from the single wire low speed CAN bus which requires different transceivers to communicate. This version runs on a Teensy 3.2 with modified FlexCAN library and a microchip mc33897 transceiver. I choose the Teensy because its smaller and cheaper than the due.

There's probably room on the board to cram the 2 wire transceiver and switch between them to do both tasks. (some other day)

 

[SparkevBlogspot]

I don't know how much difference in code it might be with Teensy 3.1 and TI transceiver, but it seems there's already a board that has CAN + SD.

https://oshpark.com/shared_projects/VeJFD9qA

This is sort of what I had in mind, but using low power devices. But it sounds like you modified from FlexCAN lib for this particular application? Does backup camera stuff only work on single wire or can it work with SN65HVD232 CAN transceiver? Still, it'd be interesting to see.

I just read about solder from Kevin. Is that true?

http://www.mychevysparkev.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=3926&start=20

 

[bicycleguy]

I just read about solder from Kevin. Is that true?

http://www.mychevysparkev.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=14966#p14966

Wow, sorry to hear that. I sent him a substantial pm January 27 and never heard back anything. Seemed out of character as he was always very courteous.
Jeez, we were just starting to have some fun.

 

[SparkevBlogspot]

Has anyone tried one of these? It might be cheaper than custom solution, though may not be as good.

Boss BV430RVM Rearview Mirror with 4.3" TFT Monitor and Back-Up Camera

http://www.amazon.com/BOSS-BV430RVM-Rearview-Mirror-Monitor/dp/B0090IA1T8

There's also wireless video receiver/transmitter for $10 that may not require wiring, though again, quality might suffer.

http://www.amazon.com/2-4G-Wireless-Transmitter-Receiver-Vehicle/dp/B008Z9E4DW

 

[BigGuy123]

Update: A russian person wtih nickname Axiv got unlock mirrorlink function in MyLink radio. I tested and worked. See procedures on http://www.chevrolet-cruze-club.ru/forum/showpost.php?p=980025&postcount=4530

You were able to upgrade to firmware 24.5 on your Spark EV? Is the firmware file the same as the one the Russians used for the Cruze? Any gotchas?

 

[jackelmatador]

Update: A russian person wtih nickname Axiv got unlock mirrorlink function in MyLink radio. I tested and worked. See procedures on http://www.chevrolet-cruze-club.ru/forum/showpost.php?p=980025&postcount=4530

You were able to upgrade to firmware 24.5 on your Spark EV? Is the firmware file the same as the one the Russians used for the Cruze? Any gotchas?

Same here. I think if we flash the new firmware we will lose the energy screen but the rest should work fine to chicken to try though until I get some confirmation.

 

[sTeeve]

Update: A russian person wtih nickname Axiv got unlock mirrorlink function in MyLink radio. I tested and worked. See procedures on http://www.chevrolet-cruze-club.ru/forum/showpost.php?p=980025&postcount=4530

You were able to upgrade to firmware 24.5 on your Spark EV? Is the firmware file the same as the one the Russians used for the Cruze? Any gotchas?

Same here. I think if we flash the new firmware we will lose the energy screen but the rest should work fine to chicken to try though until I get some confirmation.

I'd rather not give up the energy screen(s) if it means we lose the ability to change the amperage setting for 120V charging.

Having said that, I've been perusing the sites for firmware upgrade/hacking. Started a dialogue with Youtube user wbif88. He seems to be the most prolific poster of guides to hacking MyLink/MirrorLink (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbnTt4CMq_RzAnDKZ8SrFpQ)

He's not seen firmware 15.x or 16.x. His list of firmwares goes from 10.x to 13.x to 20.x to 23.x to 24.x.

So, we'll see what comes of this. I've asked him about upgrading and the possibility of downgrading if 24.x doesn't work. He says to downgrade if 24.x doesn't work, but nobody has the 15.x or 16.x firmwares available...yet. (My 2014 Spark EV has 15.41-95281509).

There's quite a bit of talk about reversing camera and video-in-motion; interesting stuff, for sure. I can't play with a firmware upgrade until I source a camera (any suggestions are most welcome!).

It seems that the camera functions are encased within /Storage card/system/MgrMcm.exe; this file should be copied to a flash drive for backup and replaced with one that includes camera functionality.

I've entered "Developer Mode" according to the instructions. No big deal. You can't hurt anything by doing that. Just don't change anything. You can surf to your heart's content. It's "only Windows CE". <cough><gag>. I'm in the process of backing up everything from the head unit to a flash drive.

After that, I'll see if replacing MgrMcm.exe (and perhaps ClientAppInfo.bin (located in storagecard/system and storagecard2/system/) do no harm.

ClientAppInfo.bin is where the information for BringGo, Pandora, TuneIn and Stitcher are located. I believe this is also where MirrorLink info is stored; it appears that MirrorLink is included with firmwares 23.x onward. Something to think about...

I use BringGo; it works, imperfectly, but it works (paired with a Nexus 5). I've used Stitcher whilst sitting and charging at L2 charging station with free WiFi. It works. I've not tried Pandora or TuneIn, although I have accounts for them. I tend not to use my cell minutes for music streaming.

-Bob K.

 

[Leafless]

This just might be the easy way to install back up camera: https://pearlauto.com/

 

[sTeeve]

This just might be the easy way to install back up camera: https://pearlauto.com/

Nice find!

 

[BigGuy123]

At $500 for a PREORDER it's not that great IMHO.

This just might be the easy way to install back up camera: https://pearlauto.com/

Nice find!

 

[sTeeve]

So, yeah, updating firmware from 15.41-95281509 to 24.5-42341011 doesn't brick the head unit.

I followed these instructions: https://sourceforge.net/p/mylink-unlock-project/wiki/Home/

Not difficult.

But it's a loser. We lose the energy screens; we lose the onscreen climate settings menu, and we lose some of the climate control indicators at the top of the screen (and those that remain are stuck...i.e., they don't change with the manual control changes...).

Everything else works. Steering control functions. No video-in-motion but that's cause I don't have a rear-view camera, yet.

BringGo USA/Can gets joined by BringGo Russia .

And we get MirrorLink. Yay?

 

[BigGuy123]

I tried out BringGo and hated it. I really wish Waze or Google Maps was supported.

 

[nikwax]

I tried out BringGo and hated it. I really wish Waze or Google Maps was supported.

Get a holder for your cell phone. Problem solved.

 

[Anonymous]

I stumbled on this page/forum while trying to find out if I can add MirrorLink and video in motion to the MyLink system in the Spark EV. Has anyone tried to see if just replacing the ClientAppInfo.bin that is available online into the dash unit will work to enable MirrorLink?

Also curious if anyone tried replacing the MgrMcm.exe file to enable video in motion?

I'm hoping this will work without doing a firmware upgrade which would get rid of the climate control and EV specific options from what I can gather from various forums.

 

[padavos]

i was able to add a camera to my 2016 spark ev without programming,
it takes some effort but you will have a nice back up camera for $20

1.buy an inexpensive $15-20 back up camera and have it power up from the back up lights.
2.guide the video wire together with an additional +12 from the reverse lights to the front.
3.detach the small plastic panel holding the usb and aux female plugs.
4.detach the 6 wire connector on the back of the aux plug
5. the 6wires on the aux connector are in this order blue, blue, black/white, purple, green, grey
6.connect video+ to the first blue wire
7.connect video- to the purple wire
8.cut the second blue wire.

at this point the camera will come on the screen as long as there is video feed and in our case the car is in reverse,
however the radio and everything else will be dead because of the cut second blue wire.
to make the radio work again the cut blue wire must be connected back together,
to do that we will use a standard 12 volt automotive relay

9. use a 12 volt relay like an automotive one with 5 pins,
10. connect the +12 lead you just brought from the rear from the reverse light to the coil of the relay or contact no 85 on a standard automotive relay.
11. connect the other side of the relay (contact 86) to the common of the relay switch (no 30) and also to the cut blue wire that is still attached to the wire connector (that will be 3 wires together)
12 connect relay switch contact no 87a which is normally closed to the cut blue wire coming from inside the vehicle harness.

that is it, when you go in reverse the relay will energize and open the 30 to 87a which a normally closed switch
the radio will go off while in reverse
when you shifty back to forward the relay will de-energize and let the switch close again, effectively connecting the 2 blue wires back again
and the radio will come back, it tool me a whole day to figure it out, but you can do it an an hour or two. enjoy

ps i dont see way to add a diagram here, email me if you want it [email protected]