Scanner arrived today. Will see about connecting it to the head unit.

 

Great news! Looking forward to the victorious results.

Don't forget to change the connection device in the settings of FSL. I forgot to do this for a moment when connecting to the OBDII port via the USB device. This was the first time I had used a USB device, so it took me a moment to get it figured out. But, it has been good since and I have virtual gauges with the touch of a button.

 

Discovered another "gotcha" based on the date/time being inaccurate on the ATOTO A6.

I use the ATOTO dash camera which is powered via USB and I was just reviewing some of the footage recorded while out testing a new turbo I installed. The date stamp on the footage reverted to 1/1/2010 and is categorized as such in the file menu and displayed as such on the screen.

Once I identified the date/time were inaccurate based on no access to Google Maps or the internet and updated the date/time within the settings, the date/time updated within the dash camera app as well. The system date/time appears to be global across the apps throughout the system, which is nice to see and easy to correct if it arises again.

 

I'm hoping one of you guys who've installed the ATOTO S6/S8 and ATOTO backup camera can help me: What does the pink wire on the head unit end of the camera connection connect to? I have two options: One is a pink wire in the S8 harness labeled "Rear Camera (+), and the other is a wire I have connected to the reverse lights. Does it connect to one of these? Or maybe both?

On the camera end there is also a pink wire labeled "Reverse light (+). I connected this to an accessory power, not the reverse lights, on the assumption this would power the camera all the time, and I might be able to switch to it when not in reverse, as @Sous wanted to do earlier in the thread.

Thanks for any help! I'm kind of stuck, as I don't want to proceed without knowing what I'm doing.

Mark

 

Ok, I hate quoting myself, but perhaps it'll help the next person who comes along... Apparently, I needed to write out my question in order to understand the issue well enough to solve it.

The way I have it wired in back, with the camera powered anytime the key is on, I CANNOT connect the pink wire at the front end of the camera cable to the head unit harness. If I do, the head unit is going to display the rear camera all the time, since it is receiving power from the rear power connection. What I need to do is cap that pink wire on the front of the camera cable, since it's going to be hot all the time, and connect my reverse lights wire to the pink wire in the head unit harness. Then the head unit will only display the rear camera in reverse.

I don't see how I can have both on-demand-with-reverse rear vison, and manually selected rear vision with this setup. Has anyone solved that? My old Kenwood had a button that would display the rear camera at any time, but I don't know that the ATOTO does.

Mark

 

Hey Mark, I installed a backup camera with my previous double DIN stereo and it was a generic model from Amazon. If I recall correctly, it had a positive, negative and RCA connector video wire. I ran all three through wire loom to the front and up to the stereo. I used a common ground, plugged the RCA video wire into the ATOTO A6 auxiliary port. The positive wire I connected to the switched 12v positive on the stereo side of the factory harness.

The three main wires from the factory harness shoul be ground, 12v positive constant and 12v positive switched.

Since I have a ZF6, I wanted to view the camera feed anytime I wanted, not just when the truck was in reverse. I can do this now by pushing the "AUX" app button with the RCA connector on it.

Depending on how you want to use the camera you just need a 12v positive switched source for the camera. Whether you want that to be ignition or reverse lights, that is up to you. The reverse light circuit, the 12v switched on the factory harness or wherever. I believe the pink 12v wire you are asking about is for auto switching of the display to the backup camera view, but I would need to verify this.

Basically, you would need to wire the camera into your reverse light circuit and the 12v positive of that now tapped reverse circuit would need to go to the pink 12v positive.

I know @BWST has installed an A6 and S8, so perhaps he can offer more advice since I didn't take this route of installation.

 

@ScaldedDog , looks like we were writing at the same time.

I don't see how you could have on demand and manually view of the backup camera at the same time. You would have to install a SPST switch in the pink wire circuit from the ATOTO or something.

I don't know how the Kenwood did it, but they probably had a soft integrated switch that functioned a similar way.

I hope you find the answer you are looking for and if you do, please come back and post it here.

 

You need a diode on the 12v signal from reverse lights and a switch to send 12v to camera and head unit for ‘manual operation’.

A diode is basically a one-way valve that prevents current from flowing in one direction. For this application, the diode will prevent the reverse lights from seeing 12v when your ‘override switch’ is on. The camera (lights) and the head unit need 12v to operate. This can be a tiny wire like the one on head unit or the camera since it’s mostly just a signal wire.

This would have allowed Sous to get what he wanted with a flip of a switch - but I wasn’t able to convince him that was easier than fumbling through the menus on the head unit before he backs up... (friendly jab - there are always more ways than ‘my way’ to do stuff. I’m glad Sous is happy with his setup. )

 

@Sous , I think you are correct, and that's exactly how the Kenwood did it. It isn't a huge deal, but I did use it once in awhile on the old radio.

Mark

 

Mark, good to see you are not too upset about it, but Jason may have posted a work around for you. Let us know how it goes, whichever path you take.

Jason is right, I am stubborn at times... I rarely use the reverse camera now since selling the travel trailer and purchased our 1st 5th wheel. Via the ATOTO A6, I can have the camera view up by pushing 2 soft buttons and that works well enough for my use.

If I wanted to, I could move the "AUX" button to the home screen and have the camera view up by pushing one button. Not a big deal for me though as I rarely use it any longer. If the camera was not already there, I would not have installed one. If this one dies, I will most likely not replace it.

I will thank Jason time and time again for showing me the light with the ATOTO A6 Pro though. I am very happy with the utility it provides and the minimalist approach it has in the cab. Jeff was another big proponent of the A6 too, but by that time I was already sold, just waiting for a good deal on it.

 

As I am sitting here at the campsite with a cold Sweetwater IPA waiting for the fire coals to be right for grilling burgers I was running through a proposed course of action in my mind.

Some of you may remember my maiden voyage with the ATOTO of 5 hours to the beach and 5 hours back towing using live Google Maps via the Android ATOTO A6 Pro head unit. Turns out when the truck is shut off for a rest stop or fuel stop, Google Maps will "forget" or stop navigation due to the head unit being shut off. When turning the truck back on, the head unit is back up and running with 1 - 2 seconds, but the previous route set in Google Maps is not remembered.

I figured this is like a smartphone and different from a smartphone using live Google Maps. The smartphone is still on and tracking when the screen is locked or shut off. That is how the ATOTO A6 Pro handles live Google Maps differently. This was a minor inconvenience because the route was easily and quickly found in the "previous search" section for the beach and home is even easier if going home, just push the home button.

There are dozens of navigation apps/alternatives, but I like the user features that Google Maps has to offer. I have hundreds of campsite locations, friends addresses, family addresses and points of interests saved on "My Maps" through Google saved all around the country. Everywhere from Seattle WA to Phoenix AZ to Tampa FL to Philadelphia PA and everywhere between.

So, I was determined to find a better way using live Google Maps and after 15 minutes of messing around with it, I believe I have found a solution.

Below are some images and instructions of how I will accomplish setting a route from now on using live Google Maps.

I set a course for Challis ID via Rock Island Arsenal IL from current location. After the route is set, push the three dots in the upper right of the screen.



Select "add route to home screen".



This will add an icon or soft button to the home screen as seen below.





Now, when the truck is shut off and restarted, I can push the new homescreen button and that will continue navigation immediately along the chosen route I previously set. Not only does it bring up live Google Maps, but it starts directions and navigation immediately. No need to push start or directions or anything. It just starts navigation right away.

I feel this is a convenient and feasible workaround in an effort to reduce screens, gauges, distractions and devices in the cab while maintaining a high level of technology and utility.

I will be using this method on our upcoming cross country trip to ID and if it doesn't go as planned I will download another navigation app and go from there.

Easy peasy!

 

Some interesting specs on the new Atoto S8 Gen2.

 

The QLED is nice, but I do like a hood IPS display as well. No mention of processor or RAM upgrades.

Perhaps the S8 Gen2 coming out is why I got such a good deal on a new A6 Pro several months back.

Thanks for posting the chart here for anyone interested.

 

On the navigation save could you put them in a folder and bring out the active route as needed?

mike

 

If the only difference in the 2nd Gen S8 Pro and S8 Ultra is the Hand Gestures do you guys think its worth it? Have you used the hand gestures? What do you think of them?