[uvdevnull]

Hi everyone,
I used to have a Ridgeline a few years back and did it successfully at that time so I know it's possible, but I saved no notes, unfortunately. I now have the vehicle again and want to do the same thing but am not able to find definite information. I purchased a third party backup camera and somehow connected it to the OEM radio/navi/CD-changer units. I know my custom connections were done under the driver's seat, where the Navi and CD-changer units are. But I have no notes about function of the wires/pins there. That's what I need, the pin-outs where I will be connecting the RCA signals from my camera. The actual RCA connection must be cut, but those wires then somehow fit into the existing system and work with the existing display, almost as if I got the OEM camera.

Could you please direct me to a proper pin-out diagram of the existing system, so that I may know how to connect the new wires?

Thanks guys,
Peter

 

[uvdevnull]

Looking at this right now, it just might work for me...
http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17513

 

[John's Ridge]

If you search there is another thread that has great photos on the connection at the fuse box for the power. It's a pain to get to but it works. I love my camera!:act024:

 

[uvdevnull]

If you search there is another thread that has great photos on the connection at the fuse box for the power. It's a pain to get to but it works. I love my camera!:act024:

So I did a search John, but found nothing helpful. Could you post some links, please? I'm still fighting with the damn thing. I get video on a portable TV when I shift into reverse, so I know the camera works, but I get nothing on the stock screen, despite having tried all the jumpers, including 3+4, 3+5, 3+6, 4+5, 4+6, 5+6. I got nothing. Btw, I'm following the pinout write-up by djdj linked below because the original post I linked above was talking about 7 connectors but I only have 6. He also recommended an exact part number of a Molex connector which has 6 pins, so I don't know where talk about 7 came from. Perhaps his year model was different than most others. So I ignored his pinout of 7 pins, but I'm sticking with the whole "need to jumper some pins" because I thought I did that several years ago when I successfully hooked up a camera on my old Ridgeline.

These links reference 6 pins:

See post #3 by djdj: http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/f...ead.php?t=3083

See page 12 for a diagram: http://www.wedophones.com/Manuals/Ho...s Manual.pdf

Page 15: http://www.handa-accessories.com/ridgeline/backupcamera.pdf

 

[John's Ridge]

So I did a search John, but found nothing helpful. Could you post some links, please? I'm still fighting with the damn thing. I get video on a portable TV when I shift into reverse, so I know the camera works, but I get nothing on the stock screen, despite having tried all the jumpers, including 3+4, 3+5, 3+6, 4+5, 4+6, 5+6. I got nothing. Btw, I'm following the pinout write-up by djdj linked below because the original post I linked above was talking about 7 connectors but I only have 6. He also recommended an exact part number of a Molex connector which has 6 pins, so I don't know where talk about 7 came from. Perhaps his year model was different than most others. So I ignored his pinout of 7 pins, but I'm sticking with the whole "need to jumper some pins" because I thought I did that several years ago when I successfully hooked up a camera on my old Ridgeline.

These links reference 6 pins:

See post #3 by djdj: http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/f...ead.php?t=3083

See page 12 for a diagram: http://www.wedophones.com/Manuals/Ho...s Manual.pdf

Page 15: http://www.handa-accessories.com/ridgeline/backupcamera.pdf

See if this helps....This is what helped me.:act002:

http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18624

 

[uvdevnull]

See if this helps....This is what helped me.:act002:

http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18624

Thanks John, I certainly appreciate any help I get. That link you just sent details a person's work using a 3rd party head unit, not stock. I already got such a thing working, my camera outputs video through RCA output. My only issue at this point is having that signal enter and display through the stock head unit.

 

[John's Ridge]

Thanks John, I certainly appreciate any help I get. That link you just sent details a person's work using a 3rd party head unit, not stock. I already got such a thing working, my camera outputs video through RCA output. My only issue at this point is having that signal enter and display through the stock head unit.

AH! I used a seperate monitor. Its a little 3" x 4" screen which I placed at the left corner of the rear view mirror. For $40 it works great!!! I was really surprised because I have seen people spend $500 and get the same results. Mine even works in the dark!

 

[Dnick]

So UDV,
It sounds like you're still scratching your head. Reading what I have about your dilema, I wonder if you have thought about the possibility that there is some kind of "trigger" mechanism (electrical or ?) that switches the input to your OEM "head unit" from Nav to the back-up camera..... if that were the case (a "source" switching action), then this could explain why you aren't getting your camera image on screen..... the signal may in fact be there, but the display is not choosing that video "source" (the camera)?????
I don't know enough to guide you further, but just though I'd throw out that as a possible root cause that you might be able to chase down.
I honestly don't have a clue as to how the Navi disply gets it's inputs, but you might again reference the OEM camera installation instructions & cable configurations for clues to this fact. There may be some simple assumptions you are making that are not holding true (like only needing your reverse power source to ensure you get your image "turned on". I'm guessing that only takes care of activating the camera, but perhaps does nothing to get the display "synched up" with that signal. Remember, your Nav screen may not be a single source display. OR... if it IS a single source display, then you definitely have to introduce that camera signal to the Nav unit, where the source switching takes place (vs. the head unit). I don't recall if you said where you are trying to connect.
Anyway, I'm rambling a bit. Review the OEM hook-up where the camera cable connects to the Nav unit (that's where OEM goes), and try to replicate that with your aftermarket camera. (all of which you've probably already tried??)

Again, Good Luck.

 

[uvdevnull]

So UDV,
It sounds like you're still scratching your head. Reading what I have about your dilema, I wonder if you have thought about the possibility that there is some kind of "trigger" mechanism (electrical or ?) that switches the input to your OEM "head unit" from Nav to the back-up camera..... if that were the case (a "source" switching action), then this could explain why you aren't getting your camera image on screen..... the signal may in fact be there, but the display is not choosing that video "source" (the camera)?????
I don't know enough to guide you further, but just though I'd throw out that as a possible root cause that you might be able to chase down.
I honestly don't have a clue as to how the Navi disply gets it's inputs, but you might again reference the OEM camera installation instructions & cable configurations for clues to this fact. There may be some simple assumptions you are making that are not holding true (like only needing your reverse power source to ensure you get your image "turned on". I'm guessing that only takes care of activating the camera, but perhaps does nothing to get the display "synched up" with that signal. Remember, your Nav screen may not be a single source display. OR... if it IS a single source display, then you definitely have to introduce that camera signal to the Nav unit, where the source switching takes place (vs. the head unit). I don't recall if you said where you are trying to connect.
Anyway, I'm rambling a bit. Review the OEM hook-up where the camera cable connects to the Nav unit (that's where OEM goes), and try to replicate that with your aftermarket camera. (all of which you've probably already tried??)

Again, Good Luck.

I tried all things I could think of, no cigar. The cam is being plugged into the NAV unit. As far as selection of the input, I thought the "jumper" tells the system there is a camera present and it somehow switches to that input when reversed. I don't know how, exactly. If it's got multiple inputs. I think the next step is gonna be buying an OEM cam and trying to hook that up (without the mounting) to see what I can learn.

 

[Dnick]

If you could get a hold of a schematic for the OEM system (camera/cable), you may get a clue as to what's going on.

 

[uvdevnull]

If you could get a hold of a schematic for the OEM system (camera/cable), you may get a clue as to what's going on.

Yeah, I thought I would, so I looked at some (many) things, but it hasn't lit up any lights for me

Here's some examples:

1) http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3083
2) PAGE 15: http://handa-accessories.com/ridgeline/backupcamera.pdf
3) PAGE 12: http://api.viglink.com/api/click?fo...ww.wedophones.com/Manuals/Ho...s%20Manual.pdf

 

[uvdevnull]

AH! I used a seperate monitor. Its a little 3" x 4" screen which I placed at the left corner of the rear view mirror. For $40 it works great!!! I was really surprised because I have seen people spend $500 and get the same results. Mine even works in the dark!

Yeah, my camera works too. I'm only having an issue because I wanted to tie it to the stock screen. Using a 3rd party screen works already, just not the stock unit.

 

[Carsmak]

Is there a possibility that a firmware update, ie, NAV update, has somehow blocked this capability?

 

[Elkhunter]

Again, obvious question...but have you confirmed whether you're reading things from the pin side? or the plug side.

 

[uvdevnull]

Again, obvious question...but have you confirmed whether you're reading things from the pin side? or the plug side.

Hmm... Good question. I guess I'm not sure. I considered Pin #1 to be all the way on the left of the molex connector. Is that right?

I really hope my mistake was that simple, man

 

[uvdevnull]

Is there a possibility that a firmware update, ie, NAV update, has somehow blocked this capability?

That is a possibility for sure, but I wouldn't know at this time if it ever took place :-(
I guess if I bought the OEM camera, it would kinda come out eventually, eh?

 

[Dnick]

Again, obvious question...but have you confirmed whether you're reading things from the pin side? or the plug side.

Hmm... Good question. I guess I'm not sure. I considered Pin #1 to be all the way on the left of the molex connector. Is that right?

I really hope my mistake was that simple, man

That answer doesn't instill confidence..... "left" depends on whether you are looking at it from the open side of the connector, or from the cable side of the connector. The pins 'may' be marked, or there may be just a mark for pin 1; or possibly nothing & you need to reference a molex catalog to verify which is pin1.
Bottom line.... you HAVE to know which is which in order to know if you're doing it wrong or right. Sorry I only share the question & not the answer, but it definitely looks like a topic you should investigate, especially given your own uncertainty.

 

[uvdevnull]

That answer doesn't instill confidence..... "left" depends on whether you are looking at it from the open side of the connector, or from the cable side of the connector. The pins 'may' be marked, or there may be just a mark for pin 1; or possibly nothing & you need to reference a molex catalog to verify which is pin1.
Bottom line.... you HAVE to know which is which in order to know if you're doing it wrong or right. Sorry I only share the question & not the answer, but it definitely looks like a topic you should investigate, especially given your own uncertainty.

Good point. That whole side of things aspect was confusing for me. I guess I always referenced it as though I was the cable to which the connector was attached.

I took some pics and marked them:

Let me know if this makes sense now or I gotta explain it better...

 

[schwejo]

page 23-91 06-08 FSM.

Perhaps this has been posted, but I missed it if so. My home made cable and ebay cam has been working for 9 years, so shouldn't be any issues once you get it dialed in. I get the cam power from the reverse lights and as has been noted previously the wire insulation color at the backup light itself seems backwards, but I assume it still follows some sort of Honda standard. Mine is an 06. I didn't feel like it was a good idea to try to power a generic cam from the GPS unit.

I still check everything with a meter before following anyone's internet posted instructions, but I followed the diagrams exactly as posted from the old threads and everything worked as described.

I built one like this. Frys Electronics only had longer connectors, but they cut down very easily.

http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17513
if you look at the 2nd and 3rd pics of the link above, you will see that the connector isnt centered. The connector is one position short and moved to the right. Pin 1 has voltage on it and you dont want that. I dont know why 6-7 are jumpered, but you can see the FSM description. So all you should need is pin 5 for vid and pin 2 for GND, with 6-7 jumpered.... ateast for the 06 model, which I suspect still is accurate, but then again, hate to to assume...

 

[Elkhunter]

Have you run across this post?
http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/showpost.php?p=225542&postcount=3