PDC control unit and rear view camera

[blkxer]

Hey guys,

Is this silver box in the battery area the PDC control unit?



Doing some research before I attempt to go down the route of installing the rear view camera unit.

What I'm thinking: Instead of using the back up light to trigger/activate the rear view camera, I was was thinking of using the PDC to trigger it instead. I think it might work out better when maneuvering back and forth, e.g parallel parking. I was wondering which wire I could use to tap into?

[X5Ghost]

Affirmative!

http://www.xoutpost.com/articles/x5/...ns-bmw-x5.html

[relentlessone]

Interested in doing this too. Anyone know which wire to tap into for power?

EDIT: I just found this link:

SP0000022940 - WDS


Any suggestions? Maybe GN/BR of the rear left center sensor?

[SlickGT1]

Ooh subscribed. I want to do this too.

[relentlessone]

No luck with any of the parking sensor wires on the ones I checked. I am stumped. I found this post by TerminatorX5 where he says he used pin 6 on the middle PDC connector, but that was on his 4.6is. On my 4.8is, that wire is brown with a black stripe, which I believe is ground.

http://www.xoutpost.com/884883-post50.html

Maybe he can chime in and confirm.

[X5_Rob]

Just curious as I am not an expert by any means but having just installed my own rear camera a few months back... How would the PDC act like a trigger in an e53? I believe my PDC is engaged even when the car is in park, neutral, etc. I like the fact that my camera is only engaged upon shifting into reverse only... maybe I'm missing something but when you are sitting idling in park how would you access your navi screen?

fwiw - I have my trigger wire to my relay on the back-up lights and am very happy with the way everything is functioning...

Rob

[TerminatorX5]

I discovered the pin 7 on that middle connector by studying the WDS diagrams. Pin 7 was the one to activate the little light on the PDC button upfront (A169 upfront). I tapped into that wire, and had it feed into a small relay, as it was a positive (+) signal, and I needed a ground for the TV module to activate the rear camera feed. Besides, I did not want to overtax with excess current the signal wire, as I did not know the draw on the ground and on the pin 7. relay isolated that potential problem. It is a small 12V relay, I posted the picture somewhere.

The camera had power at all the times while the ignition was on, I tapped into something in the liftgate.

Once the gear selector was in REVERSE, it activated the PDC by factory design, which in turn activated the relay which in turn activated the TV module and sent a video feed to the monitor. As the car was taken off the REVERSE and put into D, the image remained on the screen as the car moved, and then the PDC deactivated by factory design, which in turn removed the video image from the screen.

In some instances, say, while in P or in D (but with foot on a brake, say I am waiting for something), I would manually press the PDC button, which would engage the sonic sensors AND the relay, which in turn sent the image to the screen.

So, by tying the camera activation into the PDC function, I have achieved the automatic operation of the camera whenever in reverse, and also retained the ability to turn the camera on without adding any external switches to the interior of the car.

I found that setup to be very convenient, and as close to a possible factory setup as it could be....

[TerminatorX5]

I will stand CORRECTED.

AS I pulled the WDS diagram, it clearly states that the PIN NUMBER 7 is the one that feeds the little light upfront.

I will EDIT the previous posts, so not to mislead anyone anymore.

Pin assignments at plug connector X300

Pin

Type

Description / Signal type

Connection /

Measuring notes

1 E Terminal 15 Fuse F6

2 A PDC loudspeaker activation
Parking aid speaker

3 Not used

4 E/A I-bus signal line
I-bus connector

5 Not used

6 M Control unit ground
Ground point

7 A Indicator lamp PDC switch
A169 Switching centre

8 M Ground for PDC loudspeaker
Parking aid speaker

9 A Gong activation
Gong

10 A Switching signal for PDC switch
A169 Switching centre

11 A Reversing light signal
H10 Gong

12 Not used

[X5_Rob]

I think I get it and makes sense.. thanks for the detailed info....

To confirm... When I start my car and leave in park my pdc is active... so i'm assuming when you start your car the screen shows the camera... and if you want to get to the navi screen you simply hit the pdc button on the dash to deactivate it and kill the signal to the relay, etc.

Or simply shift into drive which will also turn off the pdc and the camera feed?

If thats the case that is a better way then the simple trigger via the reverse lights... I would move my trigger and join the club!

Thanks,
Rob

[TerminatorX5]

when I start my car (either 4.6 or 4.8), the PDC is NOT active, I get the BMW logo on the screen, and then stupid "ACCEPT" (which I happily had removed!!!) screen, and then I get regular, menu or radio, or map screen. The PDC is NOT active, as it has no business to be active when the car is NOT in reverse. Once I put the gear in reverse, the PDC will activate. I can manually deactivate the PDC even while I am in reverse. If I have a trailer that is properly hitched to the car (OE trailer hitch with OE module), the PDC still activates (along with the camera) but the rear sonic sensors are not activated, which is part of the factory design.


I have a question - does your PDC activate when you start the engine? If so, it might be a software programming issue, which I am not aware of, and someione might need to chime in. something, like a DRL or something...