Today I fitted the reverse camera, total time about 3 hours, getting the wiring in to the lid of the boot (trunk for our America friends!) is a complete pain in the bum. If you are going to attempt this prepare for more swearing, blood, and a few scraped knuckles.

I installed a relay that is driven from the positive feed to the reverse lights and a common earth. On the input pin I put a second earth connection. On the output pin is the link to pin 17 of the blue connector on the Video Module, and also a link to earth on the Camera. The cameras positive feed also comes from the reverse lights, but I may change this later.

However once it was all installed, brackets made, camera fitted, etc I hit the first major hurdle. BMW in their wisdom made the Video Modules multicountry, NTSC, PAL etc, but they only made the reverse camera input NTSC, so it will not accept a PAL input. My camera is PAL.... so all I got was a rolling picture.

I could make a PAL to NTSC converter, or even source one on ebay, but the agro of installing that as well is a bit over the top. Today I purchased an NTSC camera, and once that arrives I will document the install with photos and wiring diagrams. As I will have to make a new bracket because the camera is a different design to my current one, might as well use it as a template. Camera cost including shipping was £30, will update when it arrives.

Update

Finally got hold of an NTSC camera, very nice one as well, goes down to 1lux which is pretty dark, so hopefully with reverse lights it should be pretty good at night.

Its wide angle and the picture is superb. Replaced the boot lock with it, was a little bit of a tight fit in to the boot lock seal, but once in it aint going anywhere.

Good tip for anyone thinking of doing it, make sure its square and adjusted properly before screwing everything together! (doh)

My widescreen auto switches when reverse is engaged with the help of a relay to produce the earth, it also powers the camera, so only on then.

Steps I did.

Took out boot lock. To do this remove the cover from the boot lid, it is held on by one screw in the Handle, and 2 pull out popers, then 4 additional popers that come out when you pull it off. Remove the screw first, then the 2 pull out poppers, then pull the cover off. The picture below should help more

Using boot lock, made a template for shape and mounts. Tested template on mounts, but did not make hole to match boot lid just yet.

I was pondering what to make the bracket out of, in the end went to maplins to get the relay and saw some project boxes while I was there, made out of metal, and cost a few quid, the lid was near enough what I wanted.

Used the lid and with my dremel cut it down to the template shape, then drilled 2 holes for the mount.

Mounted it in the boot lid, then with a marker, drew out where the boot hole for the lock was on the template.

Using a 25mm hole cutter, drilled out the hole. Then mounted to check alignment, and guys I am crap at making stuff, but it lined up perfect.

Next screw the lense cover off the camera, and poke through the boot lock hole with the seal in place, then screw the camera in from the inside of the boot.

Place bracket in an tighten up, the screw up the collars on the camera to the bracket, this provides the tension to hold it in place.

Works really really well, will get some piccys later. Below is a diagram showing how I mounted the camera

Heres the dimensions for the camera so you can see whats needed to do the same to your E39. All other models you will have to measure your lock.

This is a picture of the camera mounted from the inside to show what mine looks like

Notice the Metal bar taped up, this is the boot release from the lock to the catch, if you dont tape it, you will hear it move every time you open the boot. You can remove it, but if you ever intend on putting the lock back in, its probably best left there.

Here is a picture of the camera from the outside

And an overcast day, quite dark as well, will get better pics if weather gets better.

This is the relay I used

Basically wired as follows -

• Earth In - On Pin 30
• Positive on Pin 85 Fed from Yellow/White wire of reverse lights Drivers Side
• Pin 87 Goes to pin 17 of Blue connector on Video module and to Camera Earth Supply
• Pin 1 of Blue Connector Video Module Feeds camera Positive supply
• Yellow positive from Camera goes to pin 13 on White connector Video Module
• Video Earth from camera goes to pin 14 on White connector video module

So when you put the car in to reverse, that powers the relay, outputting an Earth to Pin 17 of the blue connector on the video module, this switches the screen to Reverse camera in, it also supplies Earth to make the circuit to supply the camera and switches that on. The video feed of the camera is on pins 13 and 14 of the White connector to the video module.

Below is some shots of the cameras quality at night

Not bad considering its 10.35pm, there are streetlights, but you can see the side of a house quite a distance away on the right hand site, this is much more impressive than the cheaper cameras I have seen.