My In-Dash Nexus 7 Project

[BlackSTI]

So has anyone sorted / thoughts on reversing camera connected to the nexus?

A "driverless" Video-For-Linux-compatible USB composite video capture device is all you need.]

Excellent and quick information!

Any way for the nexus to open the feed automatically when placed in reverse? Thinking possibly a way to monitor for a voltage (wired to reverse light)?

[HyRax]

Not entirely sure on that one, but what I've read suggests that you can have some trigger software such as Tasker look out for a valid incoming video signal on the UVC device and launch the camera software accordingly, and when image is lost (when the camera is killed), Tasker closes the camera app for you.

Other things I've read also include wiring up the USB power for the UVC device separately (so the Nexus is not connecting power, only data) so all Tasker has to do is to launch the camera software when a UVC device is detected (powered on).

[bigBADbenny]

Effectively using the reverse lights as the trigger, powering the camera and the uvc?

[BlackSTI]

Effectively using the reverse lights as the trigger, powering the camera and the uvc?

Yeah but getting the lights to trigger might be the interesting part. Going to have a play with tasker to see what it can do

[seanmau5]

Effectively using the reverse lights as the trigger, powering the camera and the uvc?

Yeah but getting the lights to trigger might be the interesting part.

That's the easy part!

[BlackSTI]

That's the easy part!

Please explain?

[seanmau5]

As I see it, you need to separate the data and power wires in the USB cable.. Split the positive and negative wires (red & black) and tap them in to the positive and negative wires from the reverse light globe socket. The data wires (green & white IIRC) simply remain untouched and connect to your tablet through the USB hub.

OR.......

I've had one too many Coronas and someone can tell me to stfu!

[BlackSTI]

As I see it, you need to separate the data and power wires in the USB cable.. Split the positive and negative wires (red & black) and tap them in to the positive and negative wires from the reverse light globe socket. The data wires (green & white IIRC) simply remain untouched and connect to your tablet through the USB hub.

OR.......

I've had one too many Coronas and someone can tell me to stfu!

Well I'd imagine the light circuit would be running 12v, USB would be 5v (correct me if I'm wrong). But I still like your idea. I wonder if there is some sort of relay (use the reverse lights as a sorta switch) I could use to connect the power cables from the USB.... I have very little electrical experience.... Then once tasker sees the febon 100 connect, open the video program.... I have read issues of the video devices not connecting properly after reconnects etc... I guess I would have to try it out.

I have also read people using joycons with a voltage input to trigger it on the tablet.

[seanmau5]

That's correct; 12v car, USB is 5.

A relay tapped in to the reverse globe circuit for trigger would work if you could find a 5v positive feed somewhere in the car to power the camera (which I think would be a little difficult). How about a resistor or regulator of some sort? I'm not extremely electrically minded either but I've had a fiddle with splitting USBs previously and it has worked.

[BlackSTI]

How about the positive 5v coming from the nexus power supply?

[seanmau5]

Have you got a DCDC power supply??

[BlackSTI]

Correct

[seanmau5]

It's 12 volt also.

[BlackSTI]

You can change the jumpers to get it to output 5v for a nexus from memory..

[Monkey]

I too would like to get a reversing camera working, and notwithstanding the reverse gear issue to activate, the biggest hurdle as far as I can tell is there's no official Android software for this. Even the few wireless reversing cameras on the market which are apparently compatible with iOS and Android (eg. SeeSafe, P-CAM) do not provide info about what apps they use. And a number of searches of such names on the Google Play store reveal nothing.

However, I did come across an interesting find tonight called DSLR Controller: https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... ller&hl=en
(costs $7.99)

This allows you to view your Canon SLR camera's "live view" in full screen on the Nexus and a few other tablets. Works with a OTG cable and the Canon-supplied USB --> mini USB lead, with no rooting required.

I've currently got it working, it's pretty fast (3 secs to show live view on launch), and it doesn't appear to time out, however In order for the app to launch, it requires recognition of a compatible Canon DLSR camera.

Still, this is good news to discover that the micro USB charging port can also be used to input live video feed on an unrooted device. Now we just need someone to code an app which can accept any dig/analog video signals