The Geezer's Navtool installation
 

A new product is coming out with delivery in December (actually delayed until late March 2106). It is called NAVtool. This product will allow a front view camera to be hooked up to the NAV screen. In preparation for NAVtool, I have mounted a front camera in my grill. I've threaded the power & video leads into the engine bay and I await the delivery of the NAVtool. For power, I will use the "Micro Add-a-circuit" in the front fuse box as there or many 12v switched fuses to double tap.

Here are pictures of the mounted front camera:

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...7af9bd9ea9.jpg

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...90ccd1914e.jpg


https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...aaab4e7230.jpg


Large pictures afford the best detail of the installation. Drilling 2 holes is a non event so I didn't see any reason to take pictures. Well, maybe I should have documented the hole drilling as I got a question on it.

First, you don't need to remove the grill to mount the camera.

I made a paper template of the hole/base and scotch taped it to the grill. I then used masking tape om the next couple of lower sections to protect from touching the grill with by drill. I then used a 1/16 drill bit to make the initial holes and then used a 3/8(?) drill bit to enlarge the holes. Go slow, it drills very easy, (plastic). dropped in the screws (the have a hex hole in the head and used an allen wrench for the top of the screw and held the nut on the bottom to get it started. I had to modify the allen wrench (it was old and I had a couple) by cutting it off to shorten the length to fit on top of the screw as there is not much space for a wrench or screwdriver. I used an acorn nut with the nylon inside to lock the screw and keep it secure.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...85fce08c3f.jpg

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...5f29d529cc.jpg



I put black wire loom on the wires behind the camera to hide a red plug (power) and a yellow plug (video). Everything is wrapped and tapped black to hide all the wiring behind the grill.

The camera is made by "Pyle".
Model PLCM38FRV
170 degree field of view
Color

It can be optioned for front or rear view and has optional grid lines. I wired the red & white wires for the grid and did not connect the blue option wire for the "reverse" picture that is needed in a rear view camera. A good ground is on the fender next to the air filter. Add an additional M8 X 1.25 nut to the existing ground.

The video lead will come in to the cabin behind the rubber insulation at the front of the passenger door. I will add pictures to this thread as I progress along in the project.

The NAVtool is plug and play. The Navigation unit HMI in the 2014 & 2015 Corvettes is located above the driver's side kick panel.

3/2/2016 Update.


Ok, I got restless! I tapped the power today in the engine bay fuse box. I used a switched 12v source and tapped the power with a "Micro" tap a circuit.

I used a convenient fuse (#36) that had 12v switched and fused it all up.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...8f27cb65e3.jpg



I ran the power lead into the fuse box and notched out a small access slot in the rim of the fuse box so the wire wouldn't be crimped. This picture shows the notch.

http://www.jaxvette.com/c7/front_camera/DSC_0009.JPG

This picture shows the wire resting in the notch and the wire is perfectly flat with the top edge of the rim.


https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...02d278534f.jpg



I also snaked the video lead in from the engine bay inside to the interior of the car. I ran it in the passenger door side access point and then I snaked the video under the dash over to the driver's side kick panel. I have 12-14" of extra video wire ready for the hookup. A good ground is on the fender next to the air filter. Add an additional M8 X 1.25 nut to the existing ground.

Now, all that is needed are the end pieces to show up at the vendor, the vendor can install the end pieces and then ship the units out to the buyers. This next part of the installation should be 1hour minutes tops to get it finished.

Well, it arrived and my 1 hour was actually 1:15 but there was a complication. Short story, there was a bad crimp connection on the power lead in the fuse box and I had to cut it out and make a soldered connection with shrink wrap to cover it. Front camera works perfect for the last 5 tries so I think that was the issue. If not, I'll refasten the ground and get rid of the crimped connection. Chasing that out made the install 3 hours and 20 minutes.


Here's the stuff that we need to install:
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...970f643571.jpg






OK, let's finish up. Some of these pictures show a white car and we all know I have torch red. It was silly to take new pictures that showed the same stuff so I'll use the "library of pictures".

Here are the blue leads for the HMI to Navtool connection. You can't mess this up. Each connector only fits 1 socket and not only that, the sockets are the matching color to the plugs.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...e277ea9a01.jpg



Here are the leads for the input to the Navtool.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...f7a5b27f81.jpg



There are 5 RCA plugs They are grouped 3 into a black connector and 2 into a black connector.

The Group of three is labeled thus:

Video input 1 = Front Camera
Video input 2 = Left Side Camera
Video output = Right Side Camera

The Group of two is labeled thus:

Video Input 1 = Audio red
Video Input 2 = Audio black

The group of 2 audio is used in connection with an AUX jack and one of these: http://www.discountcarstereo.com/ima...2.5-RCA3_m.jpg

If you don't have an AUX jack, you can do blue tooth audio streaming.


OK, let's tear the car apart!
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...3167db82c6.jpg



Remove the piece of trim above the kick panel at the passenger post and then remove the kick panel

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...8ea463d84f.jpg



Remove the panel directly under the glove box by pulling out 2 "push pins". NOTE!! There is a light in this piece that you need to twist out and put back in after you start reassembly.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...3412f19e67.jpg



Pull back the carpet to expose the BCM cover plate.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...df79c998c8.jpg




Before you remove the 3 ten mm fasteners, look at the bottom right corner of the cover. There is a bundle of wire connected to the cover. Use a pair of long nosed pliers to reach in, grab the black plastic push pin and pry the pin out of the cover. The pin will need to be pushed toward the door side of the car. When you have the wire bundle loose, then take off the 3 10mm fasteners and remove the BCM cover.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...f99a52cec1.jpg



Reach around the left side of the wires and get behind the big bundle. The white 20 pin plug is back there and you need to unplug it and bring it out to the front. Look at your 20 green wire jumper. The white plug on it is the same as the plug you need to find and pull to the front.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...e5fc4c3ef0.jpg



Now, plug in the 20 green wire plug into the audio receiver and then connect the white plug to the end of the 20 wire green bundle that came with the navtool.

Now fish the small 4 wire connector (red, black, yellow, white.) that connects to the video lead bundle through the back of the console and get that small black plug FROM the driver's side over to the passenger side. When you accomplish that, plug in the black connected to the black plug that is in the middle of the 20 wire green bundle. WATCH your connection it'll fit either way BUT ONLY ONE way will allow the locking clasp to engage.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...33d5a1634e.jpg



This picture shows the completed 20 connection, the 4 wire connection and it actually shows the "light" hanging down that was inserted in the panel under the glove box.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...13a559c8e7.jpg




This picture shows the video feed coming into the cabin under the rubber seal.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...359ce90fe7.jpg



This picture shows were I finally mounted the navtool. It is up in the area to the left of my brake pedal and we wire tied it into place. We wire tied all of the wires and even supported the HDMI wire with a wire tie.


The long run of 4 wires from the passenger audio receiver plugs into the navtool. The blue wire from the HMI runs into the blue wire from navtool to the navtool. The 2nd blue wire comes from the navtool and plugs into the original blue wire hole on the HMI.

We connected everything and left it on the floor. Started up the car and tested. It worked initially. Then I lost the video from the camera but I believe I found that as a faulty crimped power wire in the engine fuse box (that was mentioned earlier in this post.). Except for that damn bad power crimp, we had the install done and buttoned up in 1 hour and 15 minutes. We're talking pure anal wire routing, with neat wiring, no slack, everything wire tied in place to maintain neatness. You know, anal stuff.


Here's the video to prove it works!
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...30513bb502.jpg




The grid in the picture shows at the farthest grid at 8" the middle bar in the grid is 4.5", the closest grid line is 3".


Another item, the iPhone was tested this AM. I plugged it in and immediately got my IPhone screen. I hit an APP and got this to prove that it works.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...2784efe96a.jpg




The HDMI cable I used was this:
The HDMI adapter to the iPhone I used was this:
This is how I ran my HDMI cord for my iPhone connection. From the Navtool, I removed the side trim on the console and tucked the wire up into the console area and back to the console. I then used a razor knife and slowly cut a hole in the console to accommodate the HDMI plug. If you take off the trim, notice on the VERY front "tab" it needs to go in the slot and then slide forward to catch the "tit" sticking out on the attachment piece. Then the rest of the trim piece slaps back into the slots quite easily.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...17f259f525.jpg



https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...e956221987.jpg




Major mad props to Bob Mclennon who came over to help. Between us two gimps, we probably 3/4 of a real mechanic to work. Not too bad for a couple of geezers.


Elmer

Thanks for the write up Elmer, much appreciated !!!

Nice work. Did you need to remove the grill to install the camera. If not, how did you get the cables into the engine compartment?

Coat hanger wire! Worked like a champ. The grill was not removed to install the camera.


Elmer

Nice write up! Got me excited so I checked my ten day old tracking number from navtool.

Scheduled Delivery Updated To:
Thursday, 03/31/2016, By End of Day

YES!

Thanks Elmer. I'm waiting patiently to do the same install!

Thanks for the post. Are the distance guidelines built into the camera or are they part of the NavTool?

ttt
 

Elmer, man thanks for the write up and pic,s on this job. I am so glad it works for me now just the camera for the front for now. I will be putting one on each side of the car also for to see & cause it can do it.:lol:

But also you drove it and it come on auto when you got under 5 mph.

The grid lines are part of the camera. You can option for yes/no grid lines and you can reverse the image in case the camera is being used as a rear view. It is explained in the instructions that come with the camera.


Elmer

WOOT!!!!:woohoo::rock:


Elmer

Nice write up. Glad it all worked out in the end and that your perseverance paid off.

You got it to work, great write up Elmer

That is great work with the cameras, how about iphone mirroring. Did that work?

Nice job and nicely illustrated write up. Well done. I wish I had your ambition. :D

I hope you can get the IPhone mirroring working. That's really the main reason I'm interested in this.

NavTool Install
 

Elmer
Great write up and pictures. I am glad you didn't need to get cut out of the car after the install and hope the back is better.
Let me ask this. Was any disassembly needed on the drivers side or is everything pretty much exposed under the dash. Is the only thing happening on the drivers side the plug in of the plugs?? I will be installing mine Sunday hopefully. Second, you mentioned audio lines. I can't think of why I'd want audio for this can you help me out. Am I missing something??


For those of you that want to use side cameras the side marker lights can be utilized with out changing the functionality of the light. The one shown has the same Boyo camera in it that was used in the front grill. The cameras come with three mounting options. The one shown is for face mounting. This requires a larger hole by the camera snaps in real tight. You can actually use a much smaller hole to just expose the camera front and then silicone it in place.
Thanks!
Bob

The driver's side disassembly could have been untouched for the install. I took off the kick panel to "explore" the area behind the kick panel for space to mount the navtool. There is absolutely NO SPACE behind the driver's side kick panel to place the navtool. The spot we finally settled on was perfectly sized to accommodate the navtool and the wiring. The spot also afforded easy wire tie application to insure a solid mount and no rattles. My car is the A6, so I'm not sure if that space is available on the M7. Some M7 guys should pipe in here and confirm/deny that the space is available on the M7 cars.


My back is feeling a tad better. I had help yesterday from another old gear head. I figure between the 2 of us we totaled about 3/4 of a shade tree mechanic. We got by even though both of us have/had back issues! :D

Elmer

Phone Mirroring
 

I just posted the following in the thread I initiated re. NavTool:

I just received an email response from Vitaliy regarding phone mirroring. He said that people were apparently trying to connect their phones wirelessly. You either have to connect your phone with an HDMI cable to the NavTool or use some other device like the Netgear Push2TV which is connected to the NavTool with an HDMI cable. Then your phone should mirror wirelessly. I hope this helps. I will be connecting my NavTool in the next few days. I can then let you know if the Push2TV connection works.

Norm :flag:

Post #1 has been updated to show that the HDMI cord connection to my iPhone works great! I did the newspaper thing to capture a current headline on Drudge.

http://www.jaxvette.com/c7/front_camera/DSC_0022.JPG


Elmer

Great work Elmer but got a question regarding this

"Now fish the small wire wire connector (red, black, yellow, white.) that connects to the video lead bundle through the back of the console and get that small black plug FROM the driver's side over to the passenger side.'

Is the red/black/white/yellow harness part of the cars wiring ? It looks like it's coming from a wire loom. Also, the small black plug on the drivers side, is that part of the Navtool unit?