Reversing Camera Problem

[Bernie.Williams]

Hi

 

I recently bought an Autocruise Oakmont, reg'd July 2008, manufactured by Swifts, which has a reversing camera that displays a picture showing what it sees, rather than mirroring on the display i.e. it is like a normal CCTV picture, and shows objects behind on the right (e.g.) as if they are on the left! Very confusing, as, if you believe it, you would reverse into obstruction, rather than away from it!

 

The dealer has contacted Swifts to seek a solution to this, but their response was that all Oakmonts were sold with that (cheap) system, and they are unaware of any problems, so won't do anything about it, under warranty.

 

Has anybody else had this problem, and, if so, what was done about it?

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks, in advance.

[peterrosey]

Might be worth checking the pins on the connectors. We had a reader contact us with a similar problem (different brand of camera and vehicle) and it turned out to be a pin earthing on the metal housing of the connector. If you can identify which pin does what (with a voltmeter) you might be able to transpose some wires to solve this.

 

Just make sure you identify which wires are the positive feed wires first...

[Brian Kirby]

Do you have a manual for the system or the van?  If so, have you crawled all over it for the solution?  I ask because some monitors have a switch to select the mirror, or true, view, but for simplicity you'd need to know where that is.  Otherwise, experiment with the buttons on the monitor, possibly bottom right of the screen?  It is also possible that there are two camera connections at the monitor (one true, one reversed), and the camera is on the wrong one.

The situation you describe is potentially dangerous and very confusing, and Autocruise must have sold more than one Oakmont so, not having heard of this before, I strongly doubt that what you have is typical.

It is clearly a fault so, if it cannot be remedied via the monitor or its connections, smile sweetly at the dealer and tell him to rectify it.  Don't waste your time with Swift, they didn't sell you the van, the dealer did.  Let him argue with Swift.

[Mel B]

In addition to what has already been mentioned, check to see if the camera is the original one that came with the system. We found that when we put in our own system but used a camera we already had (as it had infra-red too for night vision) for some unknown reason after a few days it reverted from a 'mirror' setting to the situation you have and we were unable to get it back to the 'mirror' setting again with our IR camera. In the end we had to use the camera that came with it instead, not a problem as it is a good camera, but never got to the bottom of why.

[ChrisK5]

I would like to add to this

 

I have a 2009 swift kontiki with manfacturer installed reversing camera which only turns on when i select reverse gear, the moniter is a blaupunkt sat nav as suplied by swift, our problem is that also the image is a camera image, there fore left side of the screen is right side of the vehicle and vise versa. It does get a little confusing at times although i have got use to it.

 

I would also appreciate your input/comments.

 

I await in anticipation

[flicka]

Hi Bernie & welcome to the forum.

Is the Reversing Camera Monitor Screen fitted to the Rearview Mirror. If so it could be the same as the Autocruise option pack as fitted to our Sportstar.

I suspect someone may have used the Monitor for AV1/AV2 (TV or Video function) which has overridden the Reversing Camera operation.

The Menu on the Monitor should be to the right of the Screen, mid point with Up & Down arrows, above & below. Furtehr down are "shift" between AV1/AV2 video & below that "Power On/OFF"

Also do you have the Remote Control ?

Select "Menu" on the Monitor Up/Down arrows or use Remote & scroll through to "Mirror". This is the corrected image.

The normal operation is for the Monitor to revert to "standard" image when you stop. But usually goes to "mirror" automatically when Reverse gear is selected. (If AV1/AV2 are not selected) 

[urbanracer]

If nothing works a simple solution might be to turn the camera over,if you have no means to alter picture image on monitor.

[AliB]

Our Swift purchased in 2008 came with the Blaupunkt SatNav/Monitor and reversing cameras. It was a true reversing system with mirror image video.

Unfortunately the camera developed a fault within a few weeks and had to be replaced under warranty. The replacement camera was not mirror image.

There is not a function within the Blaupunkt monitor to "flip" the image. As the supplying dealer was unable or unwill to rectify the problem I contacted Swift directly for a solution.

They could no longer supply the original mirror image camera but offered to fit a new monitor which had the ability to flip the image.

The only downside is that we lost the rather neat one screen solution for satnav and reversing camera.

 

There have been a few reported cases of similar problems on the Swift-Talk forum. If your vehicle is still in warranty try posting on their technical problem page.

 

Flicka is correct in that most monitors have a mirror image function if you drill down through the menu system. As he said if can send us details, or a picture of the monitor one of us may be able to point you to the correct menu function.

 

Turning the camera upside down would invert the sky and ground!!!!

Similarly, it is not a case of 2 wires being crossed. The camera gives out what is called a Composite Video Blanking & Sync signal (CVBS). The composite bit tells you it is made up of several components combined together. Crossing wires would upset the entire video signal.

[Bernie.Williams]

Hi all, and thanks for your friendly welcome, and advice.

 

I'll try to answer some of the questions raised, although, currently the 'van is with the dealers, for this and a couple of other warranty problems, who are liasing (not very successfully) with Swifts.

 

The monitor is a stand-alone one, on a bracket on the dash, not hooked over the rear view mirror, unlike my previous Bessacarr 'van (which worked perfectly!). The dealer has tried to resolve this first, as did the man who earlier came to install the Thatcham alarm system, both without success.

 

As I'm not very technically minded, I would leave any tinkering to "the experts" at the dealers. I don't know, offhand, what make/model the system is (sorry), but, as I said, it was part of the original spec, and, as this is a 2 yr old, preowned (only 4000mls) 'van, the previous owner either wasn't bothered, or never reversed it! As Brian Kirby comments, it probably wouldn't be typical, so I assume I have a faulty one, despite what Swifts say. Even if I have a manual, as I said earlier, I wouldn't have the confidence/ability to use it.

 

Obviously, it is a warranty issue, and, therefore, have no intention of backing down until it gets resolved, but I just wanted to see if it was a common (known) problem with other Oakmonts, or Swift products.

 

Thanks, again, for everyone's helpful comments and advice, which I really appreciate. I hope to see you around on some campsite - I'll be driving the big 'van that's just reversed into a post!

 

Cheers

 

Bernie