I have a 2019 Z06 1LZ and want to add the dual cameras but wasn't sure if the wiring connectors for the cameras are behind the grille since It didn't come with cameras from the factory. I want to keep it factory and not do any aftermarket setup. I see a few sites that have the grille with the cameras. Has anyone done this or is this only an aftermarket thing that can be done?

 

The wiring isn't there. There's actually a whole separate control module that goes in the trunk as well. I've got all the parts to add it to my 2014, but I haven't started on the project yet.

 

I added a single camera in the middle on my 15 and I liked it better than the duals on my 19. Had to use a navtool as the interface.

 

I'm in the same boat as Jeff V. I have all the parts, just haven't done it yet. I have a nav tool with one camera now.

 

Hey Jeff V. how did you locate all the parts needed? Did you by the factory grille with the dual cameras?

 

I bought all the parts on eBay. I'm going to make my own harness to go from the rear of the car to the front. I've had a Z06 grille for a while, and I recently picked up the bezels and backing plates to mount the cameras to it. Those backing plates could be easily 3D printed, and the cosmetic bezels are available from GM.

 

While we're on the subject, what about upgrading the cameras? The stock front cameras are for ****.

 

It's been talked about in a few other threads. Nobody can seem to find the specs for the current cameras. I'm pretty sure they're LVDS (digital) rather than the cheap and easily available analog cameras you see everywhere, so that complicates things considerably.

 

Jeff V is da man when it comes to this sort of thing and we appreciate him plowing the way for all us novices!

If it is of any help Jeff, I installed the dual camera Z06 grille shortly after it became available. I purchased a RV security system that was able to take multiple camera outputs and display them on a single output. I made up a harness that went from the Cameras and used RCA jacks into this RV device. I put all that information into one of the original Navtool thread that was deleted by the forum moderators after Navtool got kicked off the forum for all the **** they pulled. So I fear that info is lost. It had all the part numbers for the connectors from Mouser and how they are wired up. Perhaps I can reconstruct that - I'm not sure. In any event it appeared the inferior GM cameras used a standard video output to me.

Anyway, the camera output is the same as any other video camera. As the other posters stated, the resolution is crap! After a few months I disconnected the GM cameras and replace it with a single center mount aftermarket camera that feeds into a Navtool like module. The resolution is a million time better than the GM cameras.

However Jeff, if you figure out how to retrofit it, I might be tempted to try to follow in your footsteps. But I am going to guess that my HMI modules would need to be changed (beyond my expertise) and now that I have PDR and AA working perfectly courtesy of Mr. Anthony Brush I really don't want to have to touch it. But I love watch others like you figure out how to do this stuff!

 

If you've already got the HMI 2.5 system, then all you need is a recalibration to enable the front camera icon.

The bigger problem is actually installing the things. I pulled my driver's fender this weekend to swap in the OEM GPS antenna for my retrofitted PDR. It was a huge pain in the ***, and I still haven't actually fished the GPS cable through the tiny harness grommet yet. I'm going to have to make room for 10 wires for the cameras too. I've still got more parts to take off before I can get enough access to do that work.

You have to really enjoy projects like this for it to be worth it.

 

I was looking into this too. There may be a simpler way to do this.

Some background: The LT2/LT3 factory front camera system has 2 cameras in the grill, which then connect to the "Video Processing Control Module" (located in the rear trunk well). The rearview camera also connects to the Video module. Depending on the command to the Video module (from the HMI module), either the rear cam or the stitched-together front cam video signal is sent to the single video input of the HMI module (driver footwell), which then sends the video signal to the LCD display screen.
For 1LT cars, there is only a rear cam (no Video module) which connects directly to the single video input of the HMI module. The rear cam is activated from the reverse light circuit.

I was going to try to add a manual switch, to apply the reverse light signal to the rear cam (when the car is not actually in reverse gear), which should activate the camera and HMI, displaying the video on the LCD. If this works, then one could just get another rear camera, mount it to the front grill, and wire-in the manual reverse signal switch, and a simple relay to switch the video signal between the rear and added front cam, so that the rear view cam still works normally when the car is in reverse. If this works, then no HMI changes or reprogramming is needed, and there is no need to add the Video Processing Module.

 

That's good logic, but there may be a problem. The camera is powered by the reverse light circuit via the BCM, but I'm almost certain the HMI gets the 'show the camera' signal by listening for the gear position on the car's low speed data bus.

 

SORRY for digging up an old post but I wanted to know if you made any progress with this? I was hoping to do the same thing and stumbled across your post. I have a camera splitter box that I can split the video for switching but I need to find a way to activate the screen to display the video signal when the car is not in reverse. (2016 1LT)

 

Another bump for this old thread.
May end up with a new to me 2019 1LZ w/o front cameras and I REALLY like them when parking in my garage.
What's the best current recommendation?

 

Following

 

I did get the car, so I would really like to get the camera situation taken care of.