[SportTractoF150]

I was just wondering since the CTS can add a backup camera, can a secondary camera be added to it instead to be placed in the front of the vehicle? I already have the stock back up camera and with my lifted truck, find it hard to park forwards most of the time. I want to add a camera to the front of it, but I noticed the camera set up on the CTS is that every time the vehicle is put into reverse, the camera is turned on. I don't need that feature. Can I put the camera on the front, disable the auto-on when in reverse, and just turn the camera on by command when I need it to park forward? Thanks!

~Brandon

[Longshot270]

I actually asked Jack a few days ago if it were possible to have the camera on without it being in reverse and this is his reply:

Originally Posted by JackandJanet

Yes, you can. When driving, you can simply touch the "Menu" point on the screen, then touch the "Enter" button which appears and the reverse camera display is activated (because it's the default "enter" value at that point). It stays on until you touch the screen again.

It doesn't make much sense to me because I dont have one of the fancy ones but I had asked for refrence knowing it would come up.

[DoneDunIt]

I'm waiting for a camera for the CTS. As soon as I get it I will report back.

[JackandJanet]

DoneDunIt - you could certainly mount the CTS camera on the front of your truck, and, use the menu to activate it when moving forward. It would also come on whenever you back up, which is a minor thing, but if you were moving forward with it on, then backed up and started moving forward again (like in parallel parking), you would have to manually re-activate it as you shifted from reverse to drive.

Unfortunately, I can't think of any way to get it to stay on regardless of what you're doing once activated, because the display is controlled by the firmware inside the CTS itself. You would have to somehow "fool" the CTS into thinking you were constantly in reverse and that would not be a good thing, even if you COULD do it.

Edit: I just wrote a "Resource Library" thread on installing the camera. You may want to give it a peek.

- Jack

[DoneDunIt]

Jack......SportTractoF150 was the one wanting to go forward. I will need to go all the way back to the back of my 5th Wheel trailer. Great to know that I can set it to watch behind me going down the road.

I was wondering if the Alerts are set if it would pop up with that screen on?

Camera did not come today, maybe tomorrow.

[SportTractoF150]

Originally Posted by JackandJanet

Unfortunately, I can't think of any way to get it to stay on regardless of what you're doing once activated, because the display is controlled by the firmware inside the CTS itself. You would have to somehow "fool" the CTS into thinking you were constantly in reverse and that would not be a good thing, even if you COULD do it.


- Jack

What do you mean "can't think of any way to get it to stay on regardless of what you're doing once activated?" Is it regulated by a timer or by a speed the vehicle travels? Will it cut off after like 30 seconds once I turn it on?

[Longshot270]

What he means is that when you are driving, you can go into the menu and turn it on manually. BUT once you put the vehicle in reverse and then back into forward it will automatically go back to the guages.

[ticopowell]

So I had an answer to help, but someone posted as i was writing it haha, so now that I have reread the posts, I might be able to help :p.
With most backup cameras that are aftermarket, they hook into the reverse lights to tell when you are trying to go backwards, but the CTS seems to know because it is connected to the OBDII port. If your current backup camera is connected by the reverse lights, then you could maybe put that in front and hook it to a switch to simulate the reverse lights, then put the CTS camera in the back and have it work normally. The other option would be to see if you could keep the current camera in the back and see if you can hook it into the CTS, then put the CTS's camera and install it in front, then hook it to the current backup display and make it work that way. either way I think it would take some work and some ingenuity... so good luck!

[JackandJanet]

Forgive me, DunDoneIt! I seem to be getting people confused a lot these days, (just ask shotgun)!

I see no reason at all why you could not put the camera either "permanently" or temporarily on the back of a 5th wheel. That's exactly what I intend to do in the next day or so with my trailer. The camera comes out of the mounting bracket once you slip the "security plate" off, and then it will "stick" to anything metal, because it has a magnetic back. I'm going to mount mine on a bicycle rack that fits around the trailer spare tire and I will add two Velcro straps to provide additional security when traveling. When we're camped, I'll just take it off and put it back on the truck or in the trailer. All you really need for this is a video cord extension with male and female RCA connectors and a power extension cord that has male/female bullet connectors at each end. The two cords will become a permanent part of the trailer.

I'll post some pictures when I get it done.

SportTractoF150 - Longshot said it correctly. As long as were to continue driving forward, once on, the camera display will stay on. But, when you drop into reverse, going back into a forward gear would cause it to go off. You can also kill the display by touching the screen, if you've manually activated it.

Ticopowell - You can connect any camera that has an RCA jack video feed to the CTS. But, the display in the CTS is triggered by it "sensing" (through the OBDII feed, as you said), that you are in "Reverse". The "Comm Gear" display now shows "PRND21", just like the shifter gauge. The problem would not be in the camera(s), which are always ON, but in the display logic of the CTS. It is not going to show the camera view unless it "thinks" you are in Reverse gear. To change this, you would have to alter the CTS programming or possibly the circuitry. I think it would be easier to mount the "brand X" aftermarket camera on the front and trigger its display to be on anytime the reverse lights were off. A simple inverting circuit to its trigger feed would do this.

- Jack

[DoneDunIt]

Jack

I'm Planning on using RG-6 Coax cable because of the long run and it will be better suited for the Outdoor Elements. I found some RCA ends that work just like the TV ends that use weather tight ends. I was going to make it were i can unplug it from truck then plug in the cable from the trailer. Then put the camera on the rear of trailer.