[dew912]

There seems to be a lot of variables going on here. I have an automatic 2011 328i couple with Nav, no PDC (e92). Can I add a backup camera which will integrate with the stock screen?

I'm currently looking at purchasing these two parts...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/E82-E88-E84...-/281474833928

https://www.ebay.com/itm/CIC-Retrofi...-/282645470493

Will this work? Anything else necessary?

[yuvd]

Originally Posted by callmetofo

My car came with PDC from factory, just confirmed with a vin decoder.

If my car came with pdc Does that mean the PDC module still needs to be plugged in still?

Or

If everything is wired correctly, but the screen does not respond (stays on radio/menu) when put into reverse, is that a coding issue or a emulator issue?

Hey callmetofo, I'm looking for an installer in the Bay Area to retrofit a backup camera on my 2011 328i LCI with iDrive. were you happy with yours? how did it turn out eventually?

[dominick08]

Hi All,

I was able to get everything installed and it is working but I am having an issue that I need help with. When I put the car into reverse, it works as intended but the camera screen still stays on if I put it into drive or park. The screen only disappears after driving for approx. 10 seconds. I can hit the pdc button and it will turn it off. Any help is appreciated. I have an e93 2011.

Thanks!!!!

[E60525d]

Originally Posted by dominick08

Hi All,

I was able to get everything installed and it is working but I am having an issue that I need help with. When I put the car into reverse, it works as intended but the camera screen still stays on if I put it into drive or park. The screen only disappears after driving for approx. 10 seconds. I can hit the pdc button and it will turn it off. Any help is appreciated. I have an e93 2011.

Thanks!!!!

That is normal behavior if you have front and rear PDC. Mine does the exact same.

[rbu_tuninq]

The same way for me.... front and rear pdc.

Can you please try the pdc button without reverse?...will that bring/activate the camera as well?...
It does on mine....instantly.... without any other power supply ... the camera is running only from the supply of the can bus camera activator...

[dominick08]

Originally Posted by E60525d

That is normal behavior if you have front and rear PDC. Mine does the exact same.

Thank you. I appreciate it.

[E60525d]

Originally Posted by rbu_tuninq

The same way for me.... front and rear pdc.

Can you please try the pdc button without reverse?...will that bring/activate the camera as well?...
It does on mine....instantly.... without any other power supply ... the camera is running only from the supply of the can bus camera activator...

Same here. PDC button does activate camera.

[dominick08]

Originally Posted by rbu_tuninq

The same way for me.... front and rear pdc.

Can you please try the pdc button without reverse?...will that bring/activate the camera as well?...
It does on mine....instantly.... without any other power supply ... the camera is running only from the supply of the can bus camera activator...

Hi,

Yes when i push the pdc button, it activates the camera as well without being in reverse.

[rbu_tuninq]

... that means the camera is powered all the time and only brought on screen the picture.
I checked the output of the can/bus activator and there is power to the camera all the time when you have your engine started...
..this way it shorts the life of camera.
I thought that the camera is powered only on reverse action or button pdc

[crjusuf]

Originally Posted by yuvd

Hey callmetofo, I'm looking for an installer in the Bay Area to retrofit a backup camera on my 2011 328i LCI with iDrive. were you happy with yours? how did it turn out eventually?

Did you find an installer in the Bay Area?

[dominick08]

Originally Posted by rbu_tuninq

... that means the camera is powered all the time and only brought on screen the picture.
I checked the output of the can/bus activator and there is power to the camera all the time when you have your engine started...
..this way it shorts the life of camera.
I thought that the camera is powered only on reverse action or button pdc

Does that mean I should disconnect power at the can/bus activator and power off the reverse light instead, and would that fix the issue of not going off automatically when I place it in another gear besides reverse?

[rbu_tuninq]

... powered from reverse lights will work only on reverse...reverse lights on means camera on... but when you will drive forward you will have a black screen.... but then on dct with pdc front and rear when you will use PDC button won't power the camera.
The screen with the camera picture switches back to the previous menu after you drive forward for some seconds.

[dominick08]

Originally Posted by rbu_tuninq

... powered from reverse lights will work only on reverse...reverse lights on means camera on... but when you will drive forward you will have a black screen.... but then on dct with pdc front and rear when you will use PDC button won't power the camera.
The screen with the camera picture switches back to the previous menu after you drive forward for some seconds.

That makes sense. I was thinking that I would save some of the useful life of the camera but I don't want a black screen when I drive forward even if it is for a few seconds. I will keep it as is. Thanks for your help.

[miiiiiiiitch]

Originally Posted by dew912

There seems to be a lot of variables going on here. I have an automatic 2011 328i couple with Nav, no PDC (e92). Can I add a backup camera which will integrate with the stock screen?

I'm currently looking at purchasing these two parts...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/E82-E88-E84...-/281474833928

https://www.ebay.com/itm/CIC-Retrofi...-/282645470493

Will this work? Anything else necessary?

Hey did you end up getting these parts? Looking to do the same to my 135i and was wondering if they're any good since I would prefer the emulator already attached to a harness

[Gee-Dog]

Originally Posted by miiiiiiiitch

Hey did you end up getting these parts? Looking to do the same to my 135i and was wondering if they're any good since I would prefer the emulator already attached to a harness

I bought a plug&play emulator similar to the one you've linked, but I think mine only allows maps & VIM, not reverse camera.

My car (an Australian delivered 2009 E92 335i wih CIC) has 2 coax cables in the CIC cable, that the emulators don't pass through. They are in 2 of the empty holes shown in the 3rd photo in the ebay listing. I haven't been able to work out what these cables are for, but with the emulator fitted my bluetooth stops working - selecting Tel gives a "Please wait" message that stays forever. Removing the emulator fixed the Tel problem, but my maps stopped again (the reason I bought an emulator was to get maps working in a replacement CIC). All pics I've seen on the net don't have these 2 extra cables in the loom, so what they are is a mystery to me.

I have now cut the emulator out of the P&P harness, and "cut & tucked" it into my CIC loom. Now both Tel & Maps work. I'm a bit pissed because I paid extra to get the P&P emulator, so I didn't have to cut into the car's wiring.

The other issue with the P&P emulator was getting the CIC back into position after fitting it - he bulk of the extra plug & socket behind the CIC was stopping the CIC going all the way in. I did mangae to get it in, but had to apply more pressure to the CIC than I liked.

If I was buying another emulator, I'd just get it without the P&P look and wire it in. In the end it would have been faster, and cheaper.

YMMV

[miiiiiiiitch]

Originally Posted by Gee-Dog

I bought a plug&play emulator similar to the one you've linked, but I think mine only allows maps & VIM, not reverse camera.

My car (an Australian delivered 2009 E92 335i wih CIC) has 2 coax cables in the CIC cable, that the emulators don't pass through. They are in 2 of the empty holes shown in the 3rd photo in the ebay listing. I haven't been able to work out what these cables are for, but with the emulator fitted my bluetooth stops working - selecting Tel gives a "Please wait" message that stays forever. Removing the emulator fixed the Tel problem, but my maps stopped again (the reason I bought an emulator was to get maps working in a replacement CIC). All pics I've seen on the net don't have these 2 extra cables in the loom, so what they are is a mystery to me.

I have now cut the emulator out of the P&P harness, and "cut & tucked" it into my CIC loom. Now both Tel & Maps work. I'm a bit pissed because I paid extra to get the P&P emulator, so I didn't have to cut into the car's wiring.

The other issue with the P&P emulator was getting the CIC back into position after fitting it - he bulk of the extra plug & socket behind the CIC was stopping the CIC going all the way in. I did mangae to get it in, but had to apply more pressure to the CIC than I liked.

If I was buying another emulator, I'd just get it without the P&P look and wire it in. In the end it would have been faster, and cheaper.

YMMV

this one seems to say it allows reverse camera, I might double check with them unless someone else has experience with another PNP harness since I would rather not touch the oem wires.

[Roland2727]

Hi, did somebody figure out the no PDC problem ? I mean i tried adding the PDC feature to the car but no luck, the cic does not show the pdc menu at all...

[brettcp]

Yesterday I helped another forum member here get his rear view camera back after he had his FRM replaced by the dealer. I only had to change MACRO_L6_PARKMENU and PDC_DIRECTION back to the specs in the first post of this thread - everything else was still intact. Just FYI for anybody who is in a similar situation.

[lnxguy]

Originally Posted by Roland2727

Hi, did somebody figure out the no PDC problem ? I mean i tried adding the PDC feature to the car but no luck, the cic does not show the pdc menu at all...

You need to mess with the RVC values.

[jcsydney]

dumb question probably, but just wanting to make sure...

my reverse camera came with yellow rca with red cable attached(obv goes to head unit)
also has a red and black cable which is short..these get connected to the reverse lights do they?

cheers

[smass]

Originally Posted by lnxguy

You need to mess with the RVC values.

Does changing the RVC affect switching the screen to backup mode when switched into reverse? I don't have PDC and get nothing when I switch into reverse now. I assumed RVC wert was just selecting the correct video input once the backup screen was coming up after switching into reverse.

[lnxguy]

Originally Posted by smassey321

Does changing the RVC affect switching the screen to backup mode when switched into reverse? I don't have PDC and get nothing when I switch into reverse now. I assumed RVC wert was just selecting the correct video input once the backup screen was coming up after switching into reverse.

Correct. Without PDC you'll need to select different values and see what works.