Dec 15, 2014, 01:07 PM
Last edit by: IB Advertising
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DIY radar detector and Blackvue camera installation
I finally received my DR550GW-2CH along with the Power Magic Pro box, installed it all last night by using Bass Mech's guide and my set up works perfectly as well. One step I didn't do was not taking the A-pillar cover off and just ran the cables under the weather stripping and under the felt. It was a little tight that way but I managed to get them all under there nicely.
Be careful if you install this yourself like we did as I have a few little slices on my fingers from running the data cable along the sharp edge of the headliner from the back cam to the front! Ouch!
Be careful if you install this yourself like we did as I have a few little slices on my fingers from running the data cable along the sharp edge of the headliner from the back cam to the front! Ouch!
Rookie
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 70
Likes: 2
From: GA
I'll take a few pics for you when I can. I won't pull the cables out but I'll take the photos and kind of point to where I ran the wires down the A-pillar. So you know for now, I ran them down the side closest to the driver's side door, just under the weather stripping but also under the A-pillar piece.
Thanks.
Rookie
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 70
Likes: 2
From: GA
Hermes,
I took my time and I think the whole project took me roughly 3 hours total. That includes upgrading the firmware onto the 32 GB extra micro-SD card I bought and tidying up/hiding the spare cable lengths under the dash too.
Thanks.
I took my time and I think the whole project took me roughly 3 hours total. That includes upgrading the firmware onto the 32 GB extra micro-SD card I bought and tidying up/hiding the spare cable lengths under the dash too.
Thanks.
Last edited by ancpratt; Jun 19, 2014 at 07:20 AM.
Intermediate
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 375
Likes: 1
From: Alberta
Thank you. I can upgrade the firm wear when I get the dash cam right? Or do i have to upgrade once it's installed? I have a friend who installs stereos/electronics in cars professionally, so just wondering how long it would take him to install so I know a ballpark figure for installation prices. Thank you.
Rookie
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 70
Likes: 2
From: GA
Thank you. I can upgrade the firm wear when I get the dash cam right? Or do i have to upgrade once it's installed? I have a friend who installs stereos/electronics in cars professionally, so just wondering how long it would take him to install so I know a ballpark figure for installation prices. Thank you.
- Remove the micro-SD card from the BlackVue cam and insert it into the card reader they provide to you for reading it on your desktop
- Download the latest FW from the BlackVue website for the model of cam you have
- Format the SD card (before you do that, copy out all of the .mp4 files from the Recordings sub-folder first so you can move them back in after the upgrade is done. You won't lose all of your previously recorded files this way)
- Unzip the new FW file
- Copy the BlackVue folder to your SD card
- Put the SD card back into the camera and power it on. The cam will load the new FW automatically from the card
Last edited by ancpratt; Jun 19, 2014 at 11:16 AM.
Intermediate
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 375
Likes: 1
From: Alberta
You can do an upgrade any time you like. Just remove the cam from the holder in the car and the FW upgrade process is an easy one:
- Remove the micro-SD card from the BlackVue cam and insert it into the card reader they provide to you for reading it on your desktop
- Download the latest FW from the BlackVue website for the model of cam you have
- Format the SD card (before you do that, copy out all of the .mp4 files from the Recordings sub-folder first so you can move them back in after the upgrade is done. You won't lose all of your previously recorded files this way)
- Unzip the new FW file
- Copy the BlackVue folder to your SD card
- Put the SD card back into the camera and power it on. The cam will load the new FW automatically from the card
- Remove the micro-SD card from the BlackVue cam and insert it into the card reader they provide to you for reading it on your desktop
- Download the latest FW from the BlackVue website for the model of cam you have
- Format the SD card (before you do that, copy out all of the .mp4 files from the Recordings sub-folder first so you can move them back in after the upgrade is done. You won't lose all of your previously recorded files this way)
- Unzip the new FW file
- Copy the BlackVue folder to your SD card
- Put the SD card back into the camera and power it on. The cam will load the new FW automatically from the card
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Rookie
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 70
Likes: 2
From: GA
Here's are a few pics as promised of my installation down the A-pillar:
- In the first pic, I ran the cables from the BlackVue cam, along the headliner then started them down and behind the A-Pillar liner piece
- In the second pic, the cables are running down the A-Pillar (can't actually see them here)
- In the third, it got a little tight here but I have the cables still running down the A-Pillar piece
- In the fourth, you can see how I have the cables and how they start to head in behind the plastic A-Pillar and side console plate. As Bass Mech did, I also had to pull the plastic strip piece and the plate off then fished the cables through one of the holes behind the plate and down to where the fuse box is located
- The last pic is of the Power Magic Pro box mounted on the underside of my dash
Last edited by ancpratt; Jun 21, 2014 at 10:59 AM.
Rookie
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 70
Likes: 2
From: GA
dojoman, Here's are a few pics as promised of my installation down the A-pillar: - In the first pic, I ran the cables from the BlackVue cam, along the headliner then started them down and behind the A-Pillar liner piece - In the second pic, the cables are running down the A-Pillar (can't actually see them here) - In the third, it got a little tight here but I have the cables still running down the A-Pillar piece - In the fourth, you can see how I have the cables and how they start to head in behind the plastic A-Pillar and side console plate. As Bass Mech did, I also had to pull the plastic strip piece and the plate off then fished the cables through one of the holes behind the plate and down to where the fuse box is located - The last pic is of the Power Magic Pro box mounted on the underside of my dash
Rookie
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 70
Likes: 2
From: GA
The air bag components are on the other side of the A-pillar liner and away from the door so running the cables like this make it ideal.
The front (main) cam does all of the recording for both cameras that that's where the SD card is located. From the front cam, you'll only have the power cable running down to the fuse box and I ran it along the headliner and down the A-pillar. There will also be some slack data cable wire that connects the two cams together that I ran along the headliner and down the A-pillar as well. All in the same fashion.
Last edited by ancpratt; Jun 21, 2014 at 03:03 PM.
Rookie
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 59
Likes: 0
From: CA
Thanks for the tutorial. It's a lot less daunting than the tutorial. I didn't have to take anything apart. I ran the wire along the headliner, down the pillar in the weather stripping, and across the floor stripping to the fuse box. I didn't use any tools, just tugging the wire and pushing it into the crevices along the way. I then connected the red and black wires just like in this tutorial. The whole thing probably took me less than ten minutes. Definitely easier than I thought!
