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Hard-wire Dash Cam Install

shurik74

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Just completed my dashcam install and radar... Thank you all for information, truly great information from you all that makes our lives easy (y)

As recommended... Blackvue 650 dashcam tapped to fusebox #66 and radar to rear view mirror

P.S. I recommend everyone Blackvue, I've had the same cam for past 4 years with zero issues even with California hot weather

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Hez

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Just a follow up. Since I installed the ferrite chokes and re-ran the rear cable, not only does everything work now but I actually think the keyless entry works better than the day I picked the truck up. Our favorite Mexican restaurant has neon signs in all the front windows and when I park there it would always slightly interfere with the keyless door lock/unlock. Since re-routing the cable it works instantly every time now.

Viofo is also shipping me a thicker, better shielded cable but that coming slow boat from China so no telling when that will arrive.

I just installed my VIOFO today and must have ran the cables similar to yours because I have interference also. About 10 miles into my trip I lost all TPMS sensors.

I am going to try and dig back through the thread, but where did you re-route your wires to? I know I put a lot of wire in each pillar. I will give VIOFO a call tomorrow and see if I can also get a new cable.

Thanks.
 

Billy James

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I just installed my VIOFO today and must have ran the cables similar to yours because I have interference also. About 10 miles into my trip I lost all TPMS sensors.

I am going to try and dig back through the thread, but where did you re-route your wires to? I know I put a lot of wire in each pillar. I will give VIOFO a call tomorrow and see if I can also get a new cable.

Thanks.
I ran my power wires along the top of the windshield and down the pillar on the drivers side to the fuse box. I ran the cable for the rear camera along the top of the windshield, down the pillar on the passenger side to the floor; then ran the wire along the floor in/near the door channel, up in the rear passenger side corner and across the top of the rear window (tucked into the headliner edge). I never experienced any type of interference with mine. The cable for the rear camera was pretty thick; so maybe I got the "updated" cable with mine.
 

Hez

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I ran my power wires along the top of the windshield and down the pillar on the drivers side to the fuse box. I ran the cable for the rear camera along the top of the windshield, down the pillar on the passenger side to the floor; then ran the wire along the floor in/near the door channel, up in the rear passenger side corner and across the top of the rear window (tucked into the headliner edge). I never experienced any type of interference with mine. The cable for the rear camera was pretty thick; so maybe I got the "updated" cable with mine.

So your rear camera cable was noticeably thicker than the power wire? Mine were the same thickness...I am thinking I got an older cable. I routed mine along the windshield...to the drivers side...stuffed some cable down each of the 3 pillars...and then along the rear window headliner...

I will try and re-route it to the passenger side.
 

kilcher

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I've skimmed this thread, not sure if this has been posted, but here's a fairly decent video on hardwiring a dashcam specifically in the 1500...


I think I may end up going with this though...

 
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RickWaz

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I've skimmed this thread, not sure if this has been posted, but here's a fairly decent video on hardwiring a dashcam specifically in the 1500...


I think I may end up going with this though...

I had an installer work on installing some other lighting for me and he went this route, as noted in the video, as well.. VERY easy. BUT the the alternate method looks easy-peasy as well. Thanks for sharing!
 

Hez

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Ok...I re-routed the rear camera cable....but I haven't driven anywhere to let the TPMS system recalibrate...it is still saying that TPMS needs service. Also...my key FOB does not seem to be working when the camera is working. For instance, when I exit the truck - and walk in front of it...I activate the parking mode, and when I try to lock or unlock my truck - nothing works. I have to get within 10' for the FOB to register.

Has anyone else experienced this?

I'm considering returning this cam and opting for another brand...or an upgraded VIOFO...although their customer service has not even bothered to respond to the email I sent 2 days ago.
 
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Ok...I re-routed the rear camera cable....but I haven't driven anywhere to let the TPMS system recalibrate...it is still saying that TPMS needs service. Also...my key FOB does not seem to be working when the camera is working. For instance, when I exit the truck - and walk in front of it...I activate the parking mode, and when I try to lock or unlock my truck - nothing works. I have to get within 10' for the FOB to register.

Has anyone else experienced this?

I'm considering returning this cam and opting for another brand...or an upgraded VIOFO...although their customer service has not even bothered to respond to the email I sent 2 days ago.

I have the Viofo A129 PRO DUO and I don’t have any issues with my FOB or TPMS. My rear camera is being installed tomorrow and we will see if I have any problems after, but I don’t anticipate having any issues.

My installer just rant the cable up to the headliner, across the top of the windshield (behind the liner of course) and down the pillar into the fuse panel. The battery cut of switch is just too the left of the OBDII plug in. I’ve since moved my camera down slightly and ran the cable into the mirror housing as the installer didn’t want to risk damaging sensors behind the mirror plastics so they had just used cable clips to hold it to the windshield. I will have them install the rear camera through the mirror plastics and probably across the headliner on the passenger side.
 

Hez

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I have the Viofo A129 PRO DUO and I don’t have any issues with my FOB or TPMS. My rear camera is being installed tomorrow and we will see if I have any problems after, but I don’t anticipate having any issues.

My installer just rant the cable up to the headliner, across the top of the windshield (behind the liner of course) and down the pillar into the fuse panel. The battery cut of switch is just too the left of the OBDII plug in. I’ve since moved my camera down slightly and ran the cable into the mirror housing as the installer didn’t want to risk damaging sensors behind the mirror plastics so they had just used cable clips to hold it to the windshield. I will have them install the rear camera through the mirror plastics and probably across the headliner on the passenger side.

It's odd...I rerouted the rear cable so that a very small amount was coiled in rear headpanel by the rear camera...none in the pillars...none anywhere else...and the interference is absolutely there. I unplug my rear camera and my FOB works great....plug it back in...ISSUES.

Viofo finally responded overnight to my 2nd email....they requested a copy of the invoice...we will see what they do from here.
 

Hez

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Update:
After driving this morning the TPMS system reset successfully and does not have anymore interference.

I also removed the small amount that was coiled in the rear headpanel and the fob works a little better...but does not have the range it had before the camera was installed.
 

Billy James

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So your rear camera cable was noticeably thicker than the power wire? Mine were the same thickness...I am thinking I got an older cable. I routed mine along the windshield...to the drivers side...stuffed some cable down each of the 3 pillars...and then along the rear window headliner...

I will try and re-route it to the passenger side.
Yes, my rear cable is quite thick. It was so thick that it was difficult to tuck in behind the headliner. I know there was an updated cable from Viofo for these systems; so maybe you did happen to get an older model.
 
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So I got my rear camera installed today and I still do not have any issues with my TPMS or FOB, everything is functional just like the day it came from the dealership! I watched him install it, the cable was run from the back camera, the rubber molding was removed from the passenger side and the cable tucked up under the headliner to the camera at the front. He removed the passenger a-pillar and ran the excess cable down to the access door on the side of the dash. Neatly coiled the excess cable and zip-tied to a metal bracket. As you can see in my pictures, my cable is way thicker than the hard wire kit cable. Heavy duty and doesn't bend as well, but I think it's good for no RF interference and more robust.

As for the bracket, I borrowed @Billy James idea with the vinyl tile FREE samples from Home Depot. I cut it so the same dimensions 2" wide and 3" long, the only difference was his bracket was bent at about a 45deg angle which is what I originally did but it was pushing the liner up slightly and it didn't sit as good. I decided to bend a new one at a 95deg (approx.) angle which I find was a littler better. It almost made it more like a "hook" into the plastic and the liner pushed down onto the bracket. It pretty much could have stayed there on it's own, but I wasn't going to take chances with a camera attached so I put double side tape on it and attached to the factory plastic molding. I think it works out great and it again it was FREE!!! So thanks to Billy James for the idea and saving me a bunch of time racking my brain for a good way to make a custom bracket. I did also, peel off the vinyl design on the face of the tile sample and the backing, then I sanded it down and painted it with some satin black paint I had left over from painting my center caps on my rims that were just powder coated. I will say the 3" length is needed as you can see in my pictures, any shorter and the cable end would be into the headliner and would probably cause problems. So if you plan on making the same bracket, I wouldn't cut it any smaller then the 3" length.

Anyhow check out the pictures, I am very satisfied with the camera so far and the install. I did move the front camera down slightly as I wanted to be able to see the record light with a slight tilt of my head. Where it was positioned before, I had to dip my head down far and look up to see the lights. I wanted it up higher but I have the tinted eyebrow and being too close to the mirror picked up the mirror bracket. All in all I am happy..

Side note: I can't believe the size of the box for the rear camera that is so small compared to the box for the front camera which is larger. Packaging is crazy.

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Hez

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So I got my rear camera installed today and I still do not have any issues with my TPMS or FOB, everything is functional just like the day it came from the dealership! I watched him install it, the cable was run from the back camera, the rubber molding was removed from the passenger side and the cable tucked up under the headliner to the camera at the front. He removed the passenger a-pillar and ran the excess cable down to the access door on the side of the dash. Neatly coiled the excess cable and zip-tied to a metal bracket. As you can see in my pictures, my cable is way thicker than the hard wire kit cable. Heavy duty and doesn't bend as well, but I think it's good for no RF interference and more robust.

As for the bracket, I borrowed @Billy James idea with the vinyl tile FREE samples from Home Depot. I cut it so the same dimensions 2" wide and 3" long, the only difference was his bracket was bent at about a 45deg angle which is what I originally did but it was pushing the liner up slightly and it didn't sit as good. I decided to bend a new one at a 95deg (approx.) angle which I find was a littler better. It almost made it more like a "hook" into the plastic and the liner pushed down onto the bracket. It pretty much could have stayed there on it's own, but I wasn't going to take chances with a camera attached so I put double side tape on it and attached to the factory plastic molding. I think it works out great and it again it was FREE!!! So thanks to Billy James for the idea and saving me a bunch of time racking my brain for a good way to make a custom bracket. I did also, peel off the vinyl design on the face of the tile sample and the backing, then I sanded it down and painted it with some satin black paint I had left over from painting my center caps on my rims that were just powder coated. I will say the 3" length is needed as you can see in my pictures, any shorter and the cable end would be into the headliner and would probably cause problems. So if you plan on making the same bracket, I wouldn't cut it any smaller then the 3" length.

Anyhow check out the pictures, I am very satisfied with the camera so far and the install. I did move the front camera down slightly as I wanted to be able to see the record light with a slight tilt of my head. Where it was positioned before, I had to dip my head down far and look up to see the lights. I wanted it up higher but I have the tinted eyebrow and being too close to the mirror picked up the mirror bracket. All in all I am happy..

Side note: I can't believe the size of the box for the rear camera that is so small compared to the box for the front camera which is larger. Packaging is crazy.

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Your cable is twice as thick as mine. Where did you guys purchase your camera from?

Viofo customer service is giving me a hard time. I've asked specifically for the thicker cable and now they are dumping me off on amazon customer service. I really hope they can provide a better cable.
 

Billy James

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Your cable is twice as thick as mine. Where did you guys purchase your camera from?

Viofo customer service is giving me a hard time. I've asked specifically for the thicker cable and now they are dumping me off on amazon customer service. I really hope they can provide a better cable.
I purchased mine from Amazon on 8/28/2019.
 

Hez

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I purchased mine from Amazon on 8/28/2019.

Do you have the Pro? I just got the A129 (not the Pro). I’m returning this one and opting for the upgraded option if that is what I have to do to get the thicker cable

VIOFO has been zero help....none...poor customer service....they referred me back to amazon, and their customer service rep didn’t know what the hell I was talking about....


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Billy James

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Do you have the Pro? I just got the A129 (not the Pro). I’m returning this one and opting for the upgraded option if that is what I have to do to get the thicker cable

VIOFO has been zero help....none...poor customer service....they referred me back to amazon, and their customer service rep didn’t know what the hell I was talking about....


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I have the Viofo A129 Duo; the 1080p version. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CT6JPYW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
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Your cable is twice as thick as mine. Where did you guys purchase your camera from?

Viofo customer service is giving me a hard time. I've asked specifically for the thicker cable and now they are dumping me off on amazon customer service. I really hope they can provide a better cable.

I've got the A120 PRO but I don't think it makes a difference which camera you get. My camera isn't the official "DUO" model because it wasn't the all-in-one package deal, although there is no difference between the A120 PRO and A120 PRO DUO other than one comes with the rear camera. You can also do what I did and get the A120 PRO and the Rear Camera in separate boxes.

Mine was purchased through a local installer. The rear camera was a new shipment of cameras that had just arrived. But they did say the cable was thicker on previous rear cameras they had has well.
 

tac63

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Anyone having issues with their Viofo A129Pro Duo outside of the interference issues? After like 6+ months of research I finally landed on this one (after hearing issues with all other 4k cameras and heat) and have had it installed for just short of a month with continual issues. I had the rear camera wiring run over the passenger headliner first with the hardwire kit installed on the drivers side to the fuse panel and got the no TPMS sensor readings and keyless entry issues. So then I reran the wiring for the rear camera down the a pillar, under the carpet, then up the back seat with no loops to the rear window. It seemed to fix the problem and work great...for a week. Then my wife started telling me that the camera was frozen when I started the truck up. Front camera is installed on the passenger side of the rear view mirror so I can't see it easily. She would say it was stuck on something from the day before and all buttons were unresponsive when pressed, so the power cable had to be unplugged to reset and then plugged back in. Then the last few days-week randomly the TPMS sensors will drop (different ones each time) for about 5 minutes then come back. Keyless entry and fob distance has gone to almost non-existent again (10 feet max). As of yesterday the camera got "hung" 4 times in 6 hours requiring unplug. I've checked firmware and multiple done "full reset to factory" with no change.
Contacted Viofo a week ago and no response, now I see they are out until 10/8 for holiday. Just trying to figure out if I got a bad one or if I need to look at a different product?
 

Hez

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Anyone having issues with their Viofo A129Pro Duo outside of the interference issues? After like 6+ months of research I finally landed on this one (after hearing issues with all other 4k cameras and heat) and have had it installed for just short of a month with continual issues. I had the rear camera wiring run over the passenger headliner first with the hardwire kit installed on the drivers side to the fuse panel and got the no TPMS sensor readings and keyless entry issues. So then I reran the wiring for the rear camera down the a pillar, under the carpet, then up the back seat with no loops to the rear window. It seemed to fix the problem and work great...for a week. Then my wife started telling me that the camera was frozen when I started the truck up. Front camera is installed on the passenger side of the rear view mirror so I can't see it easily. She would say it was stuck on something from the day before and all buttons were unresponsive when pressed, so the power cable had to be unplugged to reset and then plugged back in. Then the last few days-week randomly the TPMS sensors will drop (different ones each time) for about 5 minutes then come back. Keyless entry and fob distance has gone to almost non-existent again (10 feet max). As of yesterday the camera got "hung" 4 times in 6 hours requiring unplug. I've checked firmware and multiple done "full reset to factory" with no change.
Contacted Viofo a week ago and no response, now I see they are out until 10/8 for holiday. Just trying to figure out if I got a bad one or if I need to look at a different product?

I am actually on my 3rd VIOFO in about 2 weeks. I ordered the a129 duo and had severe interference issues...and it didn’t have the thicker cable...so I sent it back...got the a129 Pro Duo...it did have the thicker cable...but it would freeze on the boot screen...even after I did a firmware update. So I sent that one back and got this one that’s been installed for 3 days and seems to be working as it should. I kept the thicker cable from the VIOFO that froze in case the replacement didn’t have the thicker cable.

I have been in touch with VIOFO this whole time....but their customer service has been subpar...their initial response was contact Amazon for help...then after I expressed my displeasure and made them aware of this thread, they kind of changed their tone. They offered me a promo code and when I showed them I had already made the new purchase - they said they would send me a “special cable” and some ferrite rings.


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