RCD330+ OEM Camera connection

[btuned]

Hi everyone, FYI I received a RGB to AV converter from AliExpress yesterday and connected it all up and it now works! To clarify, here are the parameters:

VW Passat 2011 B7 Wagon
VW OEM RVC Handle Type (retro fitted)
RCD340 (should be same for RCD330, I chose 340 so I have CarPlay and Android for better resale)

Here us the converter I bought
26 PIN RGB to CVBS (RCA) AV Converter for Volkswagen Factory Original Camera Output to After Market Head Unit DVD-in Vehicle Camera from Automobiles & Motorcycles on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group
However I told the seller what camera I had and he sent me more suited version for my car/camera (in his opinion).

At first it did not work.
I connected the yellow wire to 12v+ and the black wire to Earth. However I left the red wire labelled "Back" connected to nothing... and nothing happened, however in the end after some google searches I tried connecting the red wire to the 12v+ as well and to my amazement it all works now!

Picture appears pretty quickly once reverse gear is selected, however picture quality is not great! Firstly the image quality is darkish and blotchy. Secondly, the field of view is pointed more downwards, and possibly even wider as I see more bumper bar and less sky than previous, which baffles me as I have not changed the camera or touched it. When it used to be connected to a RNS510, the field of view was better and the image quality was clearer.

So after all this im probably going to try/buy an after market camera to see if I can improve quality. I initially avoided this option because it was so hard to retro fit my OEM camera, I did not want to go down that road again replacing it (getting the wires through the boot grommets was like pushing an elephant through a straw). Im hoping I can just cut and solder the wires of a new camera in the boot, and use the existing wires to carry the data to the head unit...

Anyway, just wanted to share my experience. Yes OEM RVC works with converter, however quality is not as good as I expected.

As an update. I pretty much did the same thing as this. Tapped both the yellow positive and back rear wire on the adapter to the same 12v+ wire on the harness while tapping the black ground wire into the earth wire.

Image quality as others have already mentioned isnt as good as previously but i dont actually mind. Works for me and i'm much happier my flip camera isn't going to waste.

Just want to say i got told many times by sellers of the adapters that the one the were selling wouldnt work, including the one below (because im stubborn like that. Lo and behold it still worked.

Thank you all for your help.

For reference:
- VW Golf GTI MK6 2010 with OEM RVC flip badge (i.e. the one that is actually the logo flipping up)
- Converter i used: FUNROVER Hot RGB to AV CVBS Signal Converter Adapter Box for OEM Factory Rearview Backup Camera for VW Volkswagen Passat Magotan-in Cables, Adapters & Sockets from Automobiles & Motorcycles on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group

- RCD330 i have: JNDSNY Android Auto CarPlay R340G RCD330 Noname RCD330G Plus Car Radio For VW Golf 5 6 Jetta CC Tiguan Passat Polo 6RD 035 187B -in Car Radios from Automobiles & Motorcycles on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group

[D1Vad]

Hi everyone, FYI I received a RGB to AV converter from AliExpress yesterday and connected it all up and it now works! To clarify, here are the parameters:

VW Passat 2011 B7 Wagon
VW OEM RVC Handle Type (retro fitted)
RCD340 (should be same for RCD330, I chose 340 so I have CarPlay and Android for better resale)

Here us the converter I bought
26 PIN RGB to CVBS (RCA) AV Converter for Volkswagen Factory Original Camera Output to After Market Head Unit DVD-in Vehicle Camera from Automobiles & Motorcycles on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group
However I told the seller what camera I had and he sent me more suited version for my car/camera (in his opinion).

At first it did not work.
I connected the yellow wire to 12v+ and the black wire to Earth. However I left the red wire labelled "Back" connected to nothing... and nothing happened, however in the end after some google searches I tried connecting the red wire to the 12v+ as well and to my amazement it all works now!

Picture appears pretty quickly once reverse gear is selected, however picture quality is not great! Firstly the image quality is darkish and blotchy. Secondly, the field of view is pointed more downwards, and possibly even wider as I see more bumper bar and less sky than previous, which baffles me as I have not changed the camera or touched it. When it used to be connected to a RNS510, the field of view was better and the image quality was clearer.

So after all this im probably going to try/buy an after market camera to see if I can improve quality. I initially avoided this option because it was so hard to retro fit my OEM camera, I did not want to go down that road again replacing it (getting the wires through the boot grommets was like pushing an elephant through a straw). Im hoping I can just cut and solder the wires of a new camera in the boot, and use the existing wires to carry the data to the head unit...

Anyway, just wanted to share my experience. Yes OEM RVC works with converter, however quality is not as good as I expected.

Hey ak7723,

Thanks for posting all your details, after a lot of reading it was the only thing holding me back jumping in. I have a VW Passat 2014 B7 Wagon which already has OEM RVC and RNS510. I have purchased RCD330/RCD340 187B with firmware 5516 already installed and the same 26pin RGB to CVBS you listed from Aliexpress.

@ak7723 or @btuned,
Where did you tap into for 12v+ and ground? I assume you dont want an always on 12v+ as the converter would just drain battery when the car is off... Did you use cigarette power?

@ak7723,
Curious if you have upgraded the Camera for better picture quality yet? If you were able to cut into the existing coax i would be keen to know if it was an easy upgrade. As once again, ill let you work it out first before i dive in

Cheers,
Dave

[D1Vad]

Damn... well after spending a lot of time reading this thread as well as this one:Replacing RNS 510 with RCD 330+

Seems i have still screwed up. I bought the same converter as ak7723, but I have a 2014 Passat B7 Highline. Converter already arrived and when trying to research which +12v line i should use, i discovered these Converters won't work for Highline cameras

Bugga. Think i will return the converter and try and do an after market AV camera. If anyone has put in an after market camera to work with RCD330+ please let me know. i.e. could you reuse old wires to OEM camera? Or how hard it is to run new lines...

[kamold]

You can't use a highline camera with an rcd330. The RCD can see the highline control module but doesn't know what to do with it as it's not compatible.
It's possible that a 7n0 highline control module might work, as these work with Discover media, but I've never tried.
The easiest option is to just use a cheap aftermarket lowline camera.
Image quality will be better, you just lose the bending guidelines.

[D1Vad]

You can't use a highline camera with an rcd330. The RCD can see the highline control module but doesn't know what to do with it as it's not compatible.
It's possible that a 7n0 highline control module might work, as these work with Discover media, but I've never tried.
The easiest option is to just use a cheap aftermarket lowline camera.
Image quality will be better, you just lose the bending guidelines.

Hey kamold,

Thanks for the reply, yes after reading your other posts I am going to just add a cheap aftermarket camera. And glad no conversion will need to take place. Hopefully running the AV cables through the car isn't too hard.

[kamold]

It's not hard, just a bit time consuming as you need to remove a fair bit of trim, and run a cable through the boot grommet (sometimes easier to cut the rca connector off and solder it back on after pushing it through, as there isn't much room with the existing cables.)

[D1Vad]

Just had a crazy idea...

My brother has a Golf with lowline camera (only static lines). Would it be possible (and easy) to swap our camera control modules over? Ie he could gain benefit of bending lines and i cld get my rear camera back.

No idea where the module resides though.

Edit: would have to be very easy... Otherwise time better spent on new camera.

Ps Kamold, you seem like an expert around here. I cant find my 9w7 bluetooth module (ive checked under both seats and behind where RNS510 was)... I want to disconnect it as hitting the phone button to answer calls through RCD330 also activates the phone menu in the MFI :/

[kamold]

Just had a crazy idea...

My brother has a Golf with lowline camera (only static lines). Would it be possible (and easy) to swap our camera control modules over? Ie he could gain benefit of bending lines and i cld get my rear camera back.

No idea where the module resides though.

Edit: would have to be very easy... Otherwise time better spent on new camera.

Ps Kamold, you seem like an expert around here. I cant find my 9w7 bluetooth module (ive checked under both seats and behind where RNS510 was)... I want to disconnect it as hitting the phone button to answer calls through RCD330 also activates the phone menu in the MFI :/

Short answer - no. Use an aftermarket RVC with your RCD.

Does your car have an MDI in either the glovebox or the centre console? If so it may be a combined BT/MDI module which you will need to disconnect to remove the factory bluetooth.

[D1Vad]

Thanks. Aftermarket RVC it is.

Yes there is media stuff in glovebox (hdd connection etc). Didnt know it could be combined. I will try work out how to disconnect this.

[drduncan]

Digging up old threads

Got the same funrover adaptor and finally got around to hooking up my OEM emblem reverse camera today.
Lowline model so x2 wiring adaptors and x2 stock wiring harness splices and it's working well all in under 20mins.

Sure, the quality is noticeably lower than original but the whole point of RVC is just to aid in parking and safety and it still does that just fine. Im stoked to have it back up and working after being without it for a few months