BMW X5 and X6 Forum 2014-Current
BMW Garage BMW Meets Register Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read


Post Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
      05-14-2016, 07:13 PM   #1
mynameisplayer
SCHNELL
224
Rep
834
Posts

Drives: F15 50i, E46, E90, Crafter van
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Australia

iTrader: (0)

BMW Cameras

Anyone know about, or know where a technical reference document is describing the cameras - front, back, mirrors - if they are analogue or if they feed into the bus to get image to the CIC/CCC?
Appreciate 0
      05-14-2016, 10:33 PM   #2
ozorion
Private
ozorion's Avatar
Australia
22
Rep
68
Posts

Drives: F15 X5 30D MSport
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Sydney, Australia

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
The front and rear cameras are 560TVL analogue cameras. They connect directly to the iDrive control module in the console.

I've often considered the possibility of putting in an analogue splitter and a small 12VDC DVR in my F30 to effectively use the front camera as a dash cam, but have never gotten around to assessing the actual viability.

It might be worth checking if anyone on any of the forums has installed Bimmer-Tech's after market OEM camera - that way you could at least confirm what the connection itself looks like. I very much doubt it's a standard BNC.

EDIT: On further research, it appears the camera connection to the iDrive module is a conventional RCA connector (like on a television).
__________________
Current Car: 2016 F15 X5 XDrive30d M Sport
Sold: 2012 F30 320d Luxury
Appreciate 0
      05-15-2016, 02:53 AM   #3
Almaretto
Major General
Almaretto's Avatar
2373
Rep
8,364
Posts

Drives: Test Vehicles
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Mountain View, CA

iTrader: (0)

Attached are a number of documents I came across when trying to figure out how to add front camera to existing top, side, and rear cameras. Hopefully, you find some of the information useful.
Appreciate 0
      05-17-2016, 05:41 AM   #4
mynameisplayer
SCHNELL
224
Rep
834
Posts

Drives: F15 50i, E46, E90, Crafter van
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Australia

iTrader: (0)

Thanks. The docs show the cameras to be LVDS - the same speak that LCD and some laptop screens use.
Appreciate 0
      05-17-2016, 05:44 AM   #5
mynameisplayer
SCHNELL
224
Rep
834
Posts

Drives: F15 50i, E46, E90, Crafter van
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Australia

iTrader: (0)

Sorry, that was the doc relating to the 7 series. The F15 doc says ethernet, so they're an IP camera?!
Appreciate 0
      05-17-2016, 05:52 AM   #6
ozorion
Private
ozorion's Avatar
Australia
22
Rep
68
Posts

Drives: F15 X5 30D MSport
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Sydney, Australia

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
Looking through the docs that Almaretto posted, it appears that the front facing camera uses an IP connection whereas the rear camera is a line-level analogue connection.

Based on the resolution specifications of the front camera, my guess would be that it's an analogue image device with a built-in encoder to turn that in to an IP signal. The issue you'll have is that even though there are a couple of open source IP streaming protocols (ONVIF being the most common), it's more likely that the IP streaming protocol is something proprietary to BMW or at least to the OEM hardware that they use.

What are you hoping to set up with the cameras?
__________________
Current Car: 2016 F15 X5 XDrive30d M Sport
Sold: 2012 F30 320d Luxury
Appreciate 0
      05-17-2016, 07:53 AM   #7
iconoclast
Self-Deprecating Narcissist
iconoclast's Avatar
No_Country
7258
Rep
6,561
Posts

Drives: Audi BMW Ferrari LR MB
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: In, Out & Around...

iTrader: (1)

if the f15 system is anything like the f31 (which i believe it is exactly the same) it is a LVDS operation.
Appreciate 0
      05-18-2016, 07:36 PM   #8
alphaod
Mmmmm…
alphaod's Avatar
United_States
1148
Rep
2,426
Posts

Drives: F15
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: New York

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
I just want a cheap way to replace a cracked camera (from stone hit) without spending $500 on a new camera. I haven't gone into the technical stuff yet but the thread seems like a start of great info.
Appreciate 0
Post Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:56 AM.




xbimmers
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
1Addicts.com, BIMMERPOST.com, E90Post.com, F30Post.com, M3Post.com, ZPost.com, 5Post.com, 6Post.com, 7Post.com, XBimmers.com logo and trademark are properties of BIMMERPOST