Hey Guys,

New to the forum. Purchased a 2014 911s a month back.

I am having a clear bra to the front end along with a BEL STIR+ with the Laser interceptor quad unit added to my 911S in 2 Weeks. I was looking in to the Back up cameras and searched the form and couldn't find a definite answer if this can be added easily. I called my local audio shop who my local Porsche dealer outsources their back up camera install to and they told me they would install a kenwood back up camera for $1700? That seems really high and would like to know what is involved to integrate this into the PCM.

I looked up Kenwood units and found them to be less than $200?
http://kenwoodusa.com/Car_Entertainm...ories/CMOS-310

Which Backup camera is the best? I really don't see how this cost's $1700. Any help would be appreciated

 

I have the Kenwood unit on my 996 TT and asked the same question of the local Kenwood shop. Camera itself is cheap (that's the $200 item). Everything else including the integration, wiring etc etc did bring the cost to the same $1,700 range. I was getting a quote on the colour version though.

 

I would very interested in hearing how your install goes, if you decide to proceed.

 

I have decided not to proceed with the backup after much thought. I am not having any problem with parking/backing up manouevers with the top up or down.

 

I see that the 991 has an option for:
ParkAssist (Front and Rear) with Reversing Camera

I heard that Car manufacturers will have to have Backup camera mandate for safety. Just wondering if that's true and if it is, Will the 911 still have the camera included even if we don't opt for the The park assist, camera option?

 

There are safety laws that go into effect in the US that mandate this ( it has been delayed from the original dates a couple of times). And my understanding is the law has been revised yet again in january.

But it isn't necessarily cameras the way the latest law has been revised.. it is all about rear visibility so it is more difficult to run over children. It depends on the vehicle visibility and can potentially be met with combinations of cameras, mirrors and sensors. Although a camera will always meet the intent. Right now the regs don't kick in until 2015.. so everything is an option still.. I suspect for 2015 it will be included.. (although of course the base price will just go up accordingly)

The rear camera looks like it has finally shown up in the configurator (it has been available for the Turbos for a while). Porsche has it listed now but only if you take front and back parking sensors as well.. So ya gotta buy them all...

 

The camera's themselves can be dirt cheap.. like $100 or less. Although nice ones with good low light capability are desirable..

It's a fairly simple process to integrate a camera with PCM 3.1.. It's wire the camera video feed up to the connector on the PCM 3.1 (or get a in line harness adapter to make it easier). The PCM 3.1 is already set up to switch in the video automatically when you backup and the video gets overlayed on the Park Assist Screen.. (at least I believe that is the way it works on the Turbo and Panameras)..

What I'm not sure of is if there is recoding required. If so then it's a trip to the dealer for PIWIS or maybe if lucky can be coded with the durametric..

The more expensive units such as the NAV-TV give you more capability such as being able to switch in other video sources (other cameras or a DVD) etc.. However you have to open up the PCM unit and pop a couple of cables. I think they do this so that they can trick the PCM to thinking it is in backup and overlay other video sources while driving... Unfortunately these will void the warranty which is kind of a drag.. The bse NAV-TV is just shy of $1000 so by the time you get it installed you are in that 1500 to 2000 range from what I hear..

I'm going to install one, probably just the backup which should be pretty simple.. I believe there are some wireless cam/receivers that could be used as well that would save the fishing wires through the chassis..

 

I'm hoping dealers will have the Porsche OEM backup camera solution retrofit in a year or two. In the meantime, park assist sensors work just fine for me.

 

I'm hoping that the camera comes standard on the 991.2 (although as scatkins said, probably with a concomitant increase in "base" price).

 

Probably will, timing wise it will probably meet up with the mandates. But It will be interesting if they include the baseline camera and the Parking sensors or still leave PA as options.. My guess is it will be CAM and Rear PA, standard and add front PA as an option...

 

It is pretty incredible that cars that cost $120K don't have back up cameras. My daughters $30K Ford Escape comes standard with one!

 

I am considering installing a dashcam for track days. Blackvue dr550gw-2ch includes front and rear cameras and has wi-fi.

I was planning to keep an old iPhone in the car - connect it to the V1 via LE for alerts, and also use it as a monitor for the rear camera that would be angled down.

 

Or you could do what people have been doing the past 100 years or so and physically look behind your car before you reverse!

 

Well, I'd argue you should always look behind even if you have cams anyway. So I agree with you..

Then again, my mother grew up with a block of ice in her ICE box.. that served as a refrigerator. So technology moves on and somethings are helpful even though the old way still works fine..

I used to fly airplane with only a sectional or terminal chart clipped to the yoke. I still do that but now I also have a GPS.. In the 90's when they first became available, the curmudgeons droned on about them.. But it improves safety tremendously...

It's a tool that is a nice to have.. If you don't want it you don't have to use it.

 

^Like^ sometimes there is a fear of new technology, it does not replace good old common sense but none the less some folks just have a hard time adapting.