INTRODUCTION
As an important tool in driver safety, proper installation is critical to overall functionality. Included in this article are a few tech tips that will help you to install your rear-view camera correctly and optimize its installation for peak performance.
POWER SOURCE (PIONEER REAR-VIEW CAMERA’S RED WIRE GOES TO THE VEHICLE ACC. WIRE)
A rear-view camera can be used in several applications. One instance is to display a constant camera feed on a monitor when towing a trailer, RV, boat, etc. Therefore it is essential to power the rear-view camera unit to a switched source (vehicle ACC. signal), to ensure that the camera is constantly powered when the vehicle is in use and not only in reverse.
Powering the rear-view camera using the 12 volts from the vehicle’s reverse lights is NOT RECOMMENDED. Doing so will result in limited functionality, in addition to an increased risk of electrical noise in the video signal.

REVERSE GEAR SIGNAL (PURPLE/WHITE WIRE ON PIONEER AV RECEIVER)
Although tempting, the use of the reverse-gear signal from a vehicle's BCM, can negatively affect the overall functionality of the rear-view camera. The Pioneer in-dash AV receivers must have a reverse gear activation signal coming DIRECTLY from an electric wire in the vehicle supplying the reverse lights signal(s) in order to have a clear transition between the ground (lights off) and the + 12V DC (lights on). Any other reverse-gear signal, voltage, or transition may not work as intended.

Some vehicles may have reverse activation; either to ground (lights on) and +12V DC when they are off. (Configure your AV receiver accordingly.)

A CLEAN GROUND = A CLEAN VIDEO SIGNAL
The chassis of most vehicles in North America provide quality ground. However, due to the variances in construction, mechanical joints and connected devices nearby, it is possible under some circumstances to induce electrical noise, which can degrade the video signal.
Avoid sharing ground with other OEM connections. A clean and direct connection with the bare metal of the chassis of the vehicle is highly recommended.
In some applications, the ground potential of the video signal from the camera may not be exactly the same as the AV receiver. If so, you may experience video noise or a black image due to a lack of synchronization between both units. A simple, yet effective solution to counter this is to connect the shield of the rear-view camera’s RCA connector to the ground wire of your AV receiver.

