2009 Prius AUX Video for free.

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Audio and Electronics' started by svitale75, May 14, 2011.

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  1. svitale75

    svitale75 Prius Addict

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    My DYI tutorial to hook up just about any composite video device into your MFD.

    I found tons of good information in this forum and here which allowed me to save money on expensive interface. In the great state of CA this is illegal, but my son's baby chair lines up perfectly with the MFD and will sure keep him entertain for a while.

    I general, I've tapped into the already existent rearview camera video feed to watch my iPod video content on the MFD. Here is how I achieved that.

    Wiring diagram:
    [​IMG]

    By using a double throw, double pole micro switch, you will activate the AUX video feed providing 12VDC. Thru the same switch (same position) you will divert the video feed from the rearview camera to your iPod's video out or any other NTSC composite video sources.
    Switching to the other position, will will get you back to standard operations allowing the reverse gear to activate the rearview camera stream to your MFD.

    Installing a diode on the pink wire prior to the switch will avoid 12VDC to backfeed and activate your reverse tail lights everytime you go watch your video AUX. I've used a $0.20 diode 1N4002 whcih works well. To properly identify the 4 wires and connectors, use this guide. The video switching pins are on the connector M13 while the camera feed are on M14. I do not have a pinout diagram, sorry.

    Is that simple, flip the switch to go back and forth between regular operation of AUX video enabled. As you can see in my video, a full video setting menu is available while watching the AUX feed. I've installed the switch under the radio to have it handy while driving.

    The iPod audio is plugged in to the existing audio AUX port. A simple 3 RCA double female and a mini stereo jack to male RCS will get you going. I ran the video RCA from the MFD to the center console to be as close as possible to the AUX audio port and cigarette lighter.

    If instead you just want to switch your rear view camera ON and OFF as you drive, you can simulate the reverse contact switch by following this schematic:
    [​IMG]

    NOTE
    Video signal have a positive and negative (ground) wire usually in a cox cable. To avoid interferences and poor video quality, connect you AUX video ground to the closest available ground point, the car chassis works well. I am impressed the video quality!

    Here is a video showing the final results:



    Saving $300 dollars makes the warning message almost invisible to me :)
     
    #1 svitale75, May 14, 2011
    CookieGuru, mid jersey, LBH and 2 others like this.
  2. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    I already have the Lockpik mod but your method could save some folks money. Thanks for posting this with thorough directions!
     
    #2 F8L, May 16, 2011
  3. cproaudio

    cproaudio Speedlock Overrider

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    does lockpik get rid of the safety logo at the bottom of the screen?
     
    #3 cproaudio, May 16, 2011
  4. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    I have a 2005 MFD so I don't have the safety logo with or without the lockpick. Or it's because I didn't have the NAV system. :confused:
     
    #4 F8L, May 16, 2011
  5. svitale75

    svitale75 Prius Addict

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    As far as I can tell, Yes the lockpin interface won't show the safety warning as it will activate a different video source on the MFD.
    It think that is a native DVD option as seen HERE
     
    #5 svitale75, May 16, 2011
  6. cproaudio

    cproaudio Speedlock Overrider

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    Will lockpik work with Gen III stock nav?
     
    #6 cproaudio, May 16, 2011
  7. svitale75

    svitale75 Prius Addict

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    Not sure about the lockpin for a 2010.
    I've found THIS interface that does the trick. It is $450 more expensive that installing a switch :) Try a forum search, someone else maybe able to speak about their personal experience with that device.

    :focus:

    Do you have a rearview camera? If so you might be able to do something more similar to what I did on my 2009. All you need is a wiring diagram or pinout of your NAV unit. Let me know if I can help.
     
    #7 svitale75, May 16, 2011
  8. svitale75

    svitale75 Prius Addict

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    :welcome:

    This forum helped me a lot, so I am happy to give my contribution!
     
    #8 svitale75, May 16, 2011
  9. zenMachine

    zenMachine Just another Onionhead

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    Looks like another mod project! :)

    Q: the iPod cable you're using cannot charge the device at the same time, can it?
     
    #9 zenMachine, May 17, 2011
  10. svitale75

    svitale75 Prius Addict

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    Yes it can, my iPod cable has also USB for synch or charge!
    Here are the details:

    A/V+USB iPod cable

    USB cigarette lighter


    Lastly to go from RCA to your Prius AUX audio mini jack, you will need THIS and a simple double female A/V RCA like THIS. eBay has it all for cheap...

    Hope this help!:cool:
     
    #10 svitale75, May 17, 2011
  11. zenMachine

    zenMachine Just another Onionhead

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    Understood.

    Q: when you run video out to the MFD via this cable, does it still display on your iPod as well?
     
    #11 zenMachine, May 17, 2011
  12. svitale75

    svitale75 Prius Addict

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    nope, you will select either "TV out" or "iPod video"...In other words it can only show video on one device. You will find the settings under the "video" menu of your iPod.

    While playing video on the MFD, the iPod display will have the coverflow graphics of the video being shown and its progress bar.

    The MFD will diplay the iPod battery level and video progress when you touch the wheel or screen if you have an iPod touch.
     
    #12 svitale75, May 17, 2011
  13. zenMachine

    zenMachine Just another Onionhead

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    Actually, I have an iPhone 3GS. I don't see a similar setting in the iPod Settings on my phone, but that's no big deal. Just curious.

    BTW, here's a 3.5mm jack with Female RCA audio sockets on the other end that should help reduce cable clutter.

    http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0018SQ67E/ref=asc_df_B0018SQ67E1547055?smid=AIMZUKBRH6H15&tag=nextagusmp416529-20&linkCode=asn&creative=395105&creativeASIN=B0018SQ67E
     
    #13 zenMachine, May 17, 2011
  14. svitale75

    svitale75 Prius Addict

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    That is perfect! I did not even tough of it until you mention! Funny thing I had one in my cable box, put it and eliminated 6 feet of cable!

    About the 3Gs iPhone, I've tested my wife one and you are correct, no video settings. I you start playing any video with the cable plug in they automatically show on the MFD.

    I've heard that some cheap cable will not be recognized by the latest iPhone firmware due to the lack of a proprietary chip or some other Apple genuine compliance device. After some research I figured that my cable works because it has a cloned chip that matches the original one as reported by Amazon:

    Composite AV Video/USB Cable for Apple iPod, iPhone, iPad (6 feet)


    Thanks a lot for the mini jack to RCA adapter advice, my center console has lots more room now :cool:
     
    #14 svitale75, May 18, 2011
  15. R-P

    R-P Active Member

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    Sorry if I missed the answer to my question or if I'm not allowed to revive an old dead thread, but will this work on the 'simple' screen?

    I do not have navigation, nor do I have a rearview camera (not in the Prius that is...). Just a plain and simple screen.

    Here's the back and all the plugs (just one) that are hooked up to it.

    [​IMG]

    If anyone can give me the pinout of all pins, I will try myself, but I haven't found that yet.
    (My Prius-directory on my desktop is already getting overfilled after two weeks of Prius ownership with way too many threads that I saved for future reference :D)
     
    #15 R-P, Dec 21, 2011
  16. Pyrofer

    Pyrofer Junior Member

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    I am in a similar boat. Just got a 2006 prius with basic screen and want to add video in... Did you get anywhere with yours? I don't want to dismantle the dash/screen until I know it's possible.
    It looks like you may have some wires missing in your photo compared to the original image, so you would have to somehow add them to the connector.
     
    #16 Pyrofer, Dec 30, 2011
  17. R-P

    R-P Active Member

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    Feeling quite under the weather, so this is on hold (in the meanwhile hoping someone would know...).

    Did open up my JVC-radio a decade ago and soldered on two RCA-outputs to the 'front-output' soldering pads. The rear-output pads already had fixed connectors. I now had 4 working outputs :)

    Just to show that they simply use the same board for many different radio's but don't connect all solderingpads, and even though more may be blocked off by software than 10 years ago, there should be a distinct possibility we could get ours to work.
    If we only knew how...
     
    #17 R-P, Jan 1, 2012
  18. Pyrofer

    Pyrofer Junior Member

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    Hope you get better soon.
    I looked into it some more and the Lockpick 3 pretends to be a DVD player in order to activate the DVD video input on the screen.
    The big question is whether the reversing cam has an appropriate bus connection in addition to video as well of if its just enabled in the MFD, or always works.
    If it always works (no need for Lockpick3) just connect wires and away! But, Based on the existance of the Lockpick3 I don't think its that easy.

    I expect that either there is a component inside the MFD to enable the Reversing cam input (could be as simple as a solder bridge) or a firmware flag set.
    Finding out how to DO either of these however would require detailed examination of two MFDs, that are exactly the same except one has reversing cam the other doesn't.

    The other option is to reverse engineer the Lockpick 3. A simple scope on the bus to watch the IO from Lockpick 3 would provide most of the info, the prototcol has been documented alreadyon the web so I expect its possible to make one with a simple micro controller if you have the time.

    I don't have either the money or time atm, so I guess I just wait.
     
    #18 Pyrofer, Jan 2, 2012
  19. Calle

    Calle New Member

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    Hey, I am in the same boat I have an 04 with no backup cam. There is definately a way to do this mod without having a backup cam, I just need the wiring diagrams for those MFD connectors. Tell you what, if you can get em, I will make the schematic we need to get this done. I'm an EE., but don't have the time to go tracking down wiring diagrams.
     
    #19 Calle, Jan 4, 2012
  20. Pyrofer

    Pyrofer Junior Member

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    The 04 has a different MFD to the 06+ models.

    <06 have an analogue RGBS and 06+ have a new digital interface. I am not sure how they vary in regards to the backup camera however so we need to be carefull to compare like for like when doing this.

    As I said, somebody needs to get 2 identicle same year MFDs next to each other, one with backup cam and one without and see whats different. This is quite unlikely so would need collaberation of two owners willing to work together to compare their units.

    I believe the original posting shows the wire positions for the video in and reversing sense. In theory you could try just feeding the video in and triggering the sense to see if it works, you have nothing to lose other than a bit of time there.
     
    #20 Pyrofer, Jan 5, 2012
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