Under $100 solution to Front Camera

[KM_YMB_M4_Vert]

Hello

I am one of you all who are parking 3ft off the edge of the curve, but finally came up with cheap DIY solution for my F83.

Will share for those interested.

<Things to prepare>
Wireless back up camera kit ($40)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N0OICPQ/


Comes with wireless transmitter, receiver, monitor and rear camera(not used)

Front camera ($13)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LXJ66DW/

Needs this so that the image from camera is not inverted sideways as rear camera


Cigarette socket adapter with on/off switch ($17)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074M73MSM/

Not absolutely necessary but nice to have on/off switch

Other misc items
Double-sided tape that is weatherproof
Cigarette socket to connect monitor power
Torx wrench to peal off top portion of front bumper



<As installed>

Attached in front of lower grill with double sided tape. No mod to lower grill. (1st pic)

Monitor placed behind iDrive monitor to passenger side. Can flip closed when unnecessary. (2nd pic)


Can see things at iphone length in front of you (3rd/4th pic)



<Pros>
- Huge confidence in parking heads in, obviously
- A lot cheaper than other Front Camera offering, can just replace camera if it breaks...
- Relatively easy DIY possible as you don’t need to take off bumper or dig thru bulkhead
- Nice to have separate monitor for Front so that you don’t have to switch back and forth

<Cons>
- Quality of pic, there will be lots of flicker noises as it is wireless, but does the intended job fine
- Wires out of monitor are hard to cleanly be organized
- May not be so safe to place monitor on this area, thinking about passenger airbag. Don’t know how it comes out in reality though, as it looks like one big instrument panel plastic


<Few tips in installing >

Took power of transmitter and camera from Front fuse box, I believe from open fuse 70 which turns off after 20mins of engine off.
This lid is nasty in taking it off as there is structural enforcement on top of it, so be patient.
Height of fuse box is low so you cannot use add-a-fuse. I just wrapped the wire around one of the fuse terminal and put it in open fuse 70.

You will need to take off kidney grill to access route to lower grill. Not super easy but can figure out how with these videos.
Will need torx tool

There is an opening in plastic/rubber between the kidney grill level and lower grill level at the middle. (5th pic)


I lowered the connector part of transmitter down this hole, and then grabbed the wire out from lower grill with some wrench. (6th pic) Then connected the front camera from outside, pulled the cable up again so that transmitter will be above the kidney grill.

This wireless solution is said to work with RV distance, but I don’t think it does as advertised, so wanted it to be closer to receiver in the cabin.

Fuse of front camera tucked between kidney grills (7th pic)

Monitor and receiver wire connected to cigarette socket to plug in the hidden socket by the globe box (8th pic)
(The wire out of the monitor is a bit short, so it is difficult to hide the composite connection (yellow/black/red) tucked under somewhere)

Transmitter and camera wire connected to add-a-fuse, which I found out I cannot install within front fuse box because of height. (9th pic)
(But the cables provided in the wireless backup kit is long enough to route from front fuse box to lower grill)


Sorry I didn't know how to put the picture inline with the explanation above, but hopefully would give you the idea.

Let me know if there are any questions.

It is very nice not to worry about parking any more!!!

[thepianist1]

Hi OP. I am trying to do something similar but integrate into the main iDrive display on my front bumper do you know how to connect the camera straigh to iDrive display?