DIY Tutorial for Hardwiring a Dashcam and Radar Detector

[MachDoc]

@MachDoc & @.Eduardo
I got same Dashcam DR900X-2CH Plus, and placed it I guess at same position like you but I face the issue that I have no GPS signal there. Must be some interference. As soon as I take the cam of the holder and let it bounce on the cables (under the reverse mirror) the GPS signal is there (blue light on dashcam).

Did you have similar behavior?

I also have intermittent GPS signal. I have had the same problem with my last 2 cars (Tesla and BMW) and have just come to accept it.

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[P65]

Did some trials with alu foil on the interior mirror holder. Not so nice, but it works for the GPS signal.

Did not move the dashcam.

 

[Nygman]

Just a thought, I would like a good quality rear camera, and everyone I've seen seems to have less resolution in the back than it is in the front. Has anyone tried to install a front mounted dash cam in the rear? Along with one in the front?

 

[.Eduardo]

Just a thought, I would like a good quality rear camera, and everyone I've seen seems to have less resolution in the back than it is in the front. Has anyone tried to install a front mounted dash cam in the rear? Along with one in the front?

You can certainly do that but you will need video editing skills when it comes to syncing both camera videos front and rear in case you want to present both. Not hard to do. I have done it in my other car with a set of 3 dual cameras.

 

[.Eduardo]

Did some trials with alu foil on the interior mirror holder. Not so nice, but it works for the GPS signal.

Did not move the dashcam.

Here are photos of mine.

 

[P65]

@MachDoc & @.Eduardo,

Thank you both

 

[.Eduardo]

@MachDoc & @.Eduardo,

Thank you both

Pleasure! You're quite welcome.

Note: If you're into computers, I have a Linux script which downloads all camera files once your camera is near home and connected to your home WiFi, provided that your camera is ON while your Mach-E is parked.

Requirements are:
Camera must be ON (on a backup battery for example)
Camera must have a static IP address (setup on your router)
Must have a computer running Linux
Must have enough disk space to save video files (about 900 GB is a good start)

 

[P65]

Pleasure! You're quite welcome.

Note: If you're into computers, I have a Linux script which downloads all camera files once your camera is near home and connected to your home WiFi, provided that your camera is ON while your Mach-E is parked.

Requirements are:
Camera must be ON (on a backup battery for example)
Camera must have a static IP address (setup on your router)
Must have a computer running Linux
Must have enough disk space to save video files (about 900 GB is a good start)

linux script sounds good, would like to give it a try, as I'm searching for an easier way to transfer the videos.

 

[.Eduardo]

linux script sounds good, would like to give it a try, as I'm searching for an easier way to transfer the videos.

Sure, let get settled with things here and get that script sorted out. I will post it here with details.

 

[.Eduardo]

@P65 here you go. I don't how proficient you are in Linux so I will give you somewhat basic guidance below. Let me know if you need additional help.

Basics:
Move to /home/YOURNAME and create a directory there and name it whatever you like.
Move into that directory and inside, create a file called whatever you want with extension ".sh" - for example:
cd ~
mkdir blackvue
cd blackvue
nano DR900.sh

Here is the script DR900.sh content:

#!/bin/bash
PATH=/usr/local/bin:/usr/local/sbin:~/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin
cd /media/backup/backups/900 #this is the full path where you want all files downloaded to
export BVDATE=`date +%Y%m%d` #this is defining todays date
echo $BVDATE
echo Blackvue DR900X-2CH plus download script ver1.0
# Below we assume your dashcam static IP address is 10.0.2.3 but you should change it
# to whatever IP address you assigned to your dashcam in your router
for file in `curl http://10.0.2.3/blackvue_vod.cgi | sed 's/^n://' | sed 's/F.mp4//' | sed 's/R.mp4//' | sed 's/,s:1000000//' | sed $'s/\r//' | grep $BVDATE`; do wget -c http://10.0.2.3$file\F.mp4; wget -c http://10.0.2.3$file\R.mp4; wget -nc http://10.0.2.3$file\F.thm; wget -nc http://10.0.2.3$file\R.thm; wget -nc http://10.0.2.3$file.gps; wget -nc http://10.0.2.3$file.3gf; done

Then press SHIFT+CTRL+O to save/overwrite the file
Press ENTER
Then press SHIFT+CTRL+X to exit the editor

Once done, make it executable:
chmod +x DR900.sh

Now you may manually execute the script:
./DR900.sh

Automation:
If you like some automation, you can add a cron job so the computer would automatically download your videos at a certain time, usually a few minutes after you get home daily.
Run this command:
crontab -e

Enter the following content somewhere. Note you must know your archives path and script name.

crontab:

# This adds an automatic execution of DR900.sh daily at 6:00 pm

00 18 * * * /home/YOURNAME/blackvue/DR900.sh

# This deletes all camera files from your computer that are older than 3 days daily 12:00 am

@daily find /path-to-where-files-were-downloaded-to/20* -mtime +3 -exec rm {} \;

Then press SHIFT+CTRL+O to save/overwrite the file
Press ENTER
Then press SHIFT+CTRL+X to exit the editor

Note: I use MX Linux 21 (a Debian-based distribution of Linux) however, this should be the same or at the very least similar on other flavors of Linux -- also macOS.

Best,
Eduardo

 

[steve.panse]

Thanks to all the contributors and pathfinders on this thread! Yesterday I installed the Blackvue DR900X-2CH on my 2-day old GT-PE, delivered on Saturday. Happy with the install, except I didn’t go through the boot on the rear camera…figured I could tackle this when I had more patience.

One thing I noticed that I hadn’t seen anyone else report: My BCM fuse area is missing the upper panel. It has the vertical panel near the passenger’s feet, but no horizontal interlocking panel on the top; it’s just open underneath the glove box. So the fuse panel cover was VERY easy to take off and reinstall, but I’m wondering if this was a factory delete or if my car is missing the part.

Anyone else see the same thing?

 

[Subliminal64]

Here is a How To video that may be of assistance. Good Luck! You got this!

 

[swemme]

Did you get good gps signal when you placed it as you did in the video? I’ve seen recommendations to put it within the ”net structure” beside the middle.

 

[neel9433]

Here are a couple of more pics showing the location of the small cabin fuse box (passenger seat front floor pan, up towards the firewall). I had to drop the little panel above (two push pins forward edge) to get the fuse cover off. Note the two relatively large tabs that go through the rectangular openings at the top of the fuse panel. Must have been a post inspection rattle, because there was some felt over the tabs that was a little folded.

Study the pictures, because it is important to realize that the back of the fuse cover does not unsnap from the panel above, rather those long tabs slide through the rectangular openings. Trying to force the fuse cover down would break the rectangular hooks.

Any chance you know the part number for that white lined panel?

 

[dtbaker61]

Radar on driver's side. Toll on passenger and behind the mirror you can barely see my dashcam.

I have a maybe stupid question.....
why do you have to add a camera? Can you not add a splitter to the connection right at the OEM camera, and send the video signal to a second display ?

I don't know much about video signals, so.... Jes' Askin'

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