It's nice to be able to view the camera without affecting what you're listening to, on my Pioneer units there's always been an option for this, using one of the other inputs means choosing camera or music/radio etc. When towing the 5th wheel I tend to leave the rear camera view on, it's good to see if you have some idiot tailgating in the blind spot.
I haven't been able to establish what the options are for this with the Atoto units.

 

I guess a simple switch on the dash that turns the camera on by simulating putting the truck in reverse is tooo tacky??

I continue to gravitate toward this because the automatic feature of camera in reverse is easy to get used to. I’m interested what you learn about activating the camera through the headunit. If it’s as easy as a single button push on the screen - I may be interested in that instead.

Meanwhile, I’m thinking a SPDT switch on my F650 dash that can toggle between rear bumper and rear of trailer cameras in addition to automatically coming on in reverse.

 

I will figure it out as I have become accustomed to using the camera when the truck is not in reverse. I seem to recall one of the applications in a YouTube video being "rear camera view", but I was unable to find it last night. I will figure it out though, get it to work the way I like and report back here with how I accomplished that. It should be nearly identical to the S8 Ultra that you are looking to get from Santa.

I wouldn't say that is tacky, just another step involved if "aux, fcam camera view" doesn't work. I don't have the unit on my kitchen counter right now, so I cannot test the applications and functions quite yet. I do have a 12v power source ready to plug into the head unit though, so just need to buy it. I have been saving my pennies since making this thread (10 August 2020) and deciding on the ATOTO A6 Pro, and have enough pennies to purchase the unit now.

I have round and rectangular switches in the garage, as well as small and large switches. But, if I can have a "soft button" on the screen of the head unit, that negates the requirement of a switch.

As for dual cameras, I know there is a USB camera port and at least 2 analog video input ports, may even be three, not sure... You could use these if you have multiple cameras. The USB camera is the DVR camera that records the vehicle movement and things in front of to the head unit. This is a cheap and easy way to have a dash cam. I currently have a dash cam in the truck, but may adopt the DVR function if I like it.

I have also been thinking about mounting methods of the head unit and have a couple of ideas. I looked through my spare pieces of hardware and if I decide to go with nutserts or rivetserts, I will need to get some smaller ones. The only size I have left are 1/2" diameter bolt holes and that is waaaaaay too big.

More to follow as the month progresses.

 

Here's a video showing a guy installing a double din unit in the dash of an '02. He used the Scosche FD1330B install kit for the trim piece, side brackets, and, I think, the center rail guide to support the back of the unit.




The meat of the install is towards the end of the video:

You Tube

Maybe we can do better, but this helped me visualize what we're talking about. A few still shots from the video:

 

Great find Jeff, thanks for posting the information and all of the sources related to it.

 

I previously made a small ‘L’ bracket to go where the lower circle is. I used a (#10 screw?? And nuts) through the plastic near upper circle here into a pre-tapped hole in the headunit.

 

Jason, thanks for providing us with a visual idea of your method of installing a head unit in these trucks. Jeff, Rob and you have revived my enthusiasm for working on this project soon.

My miscellaneous wiring supplies will be here tomorrow and I will be looking for deals on the A6 Pro and the OBDLink adapter around the interwebs through Black Friday. When I was installing solar and auxiliary equipment on our 5th wheel, I saved over $400 on black Friday deals/sales.

 

There is a $14.00 off coupon for the ATOTO A6 Pro on Amazon right now in case anyone is interested. This is for a new unit, not a returned or open box.

I am very tempted to purchase now, but think I will roll the dice and wait until Black Friday.

Link for anyone interested:
@Shovelheadrob , I am not sure when Santa is making your gifts, but you may want to let the elves know the S8 has coupons right now too. Of course, this is the U.S. site, not sure if the coupons apply to the U.K. site.

Link to S8:

 

Haha, my S8 Ultra arrived yesterday! Through the bay of evil....I also got the DAB adapter (the UK equivalent of Sirius I guess?) & the seller did a deal on the two, I've been allowed to open it early to look at the instructions......
I need a crash course in "translated from Chinese" English, some of it is understandable, but a few bits make no sense at all the first time you read them, I'm sure that once it's installed & actually able to try the controls it will make sense....


This is destined to go in the new truck, so it will be a while before I get to try it.

 

Good to see you got a deal, even though I was late to the notification. I saw the manuals available for download on the ATOTO website as well. You may be able to find a more updated or easier to read version there.

 

Instructions???

Who reads those??

 

Yea.... after screaming at my unit for over a year, because when you stream say Pandora..... the volume drops tremendously.... you then have to turn unit volume up to full blast ! !

The other day I was updating the clock..... and found in settings.... there was a Volume page.... and streaming volume was on 1... when it should have been on 5 ! duh......

 

Sounds exactly like something I would do...

 

Very helpful thread - I'm sure interested in how the camera can be operated when not in reverse. I just wired in the camera to the driver's side reverse light for power, and to the reverse trigger wire on the wiring harness I bought for the yukon. It turns on in reverse on that rig.

For the superduty, it would be helpful to have the camera trigger options you all have described.

I've been comparing the A6 and S8 some more, and the S8 premium has most of the features of the A6 Pro, including the same 2G + 32G memory, same 4 x 29W rms power, but with the addition of a faster processer, slightly better QLED screen, virtual surround view parking (with appropriate camera), and Android 8.1, with some improvements in function that reviewers on Amazon and on this thread have noted:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/and...8-pro-t4114493

There is a little more in the christmas budget, and with my wife's support, I purchased the and for the truck. Both were warehouse deals, $267 and $49, respectively.

A Metra 70-1771 radio wiring harness and some Sous and FTN pointed us to should get the job done.

The S8 Premium has larger hard buttons on the left side of the unit, and sacrifices the front USB and Aux In jack. The A6 Pro has the hard buttons along the bottom, and these are smaller.

A6 Pro Front view:



S8 Premium front view:




Adding to what Sous already has here in his excellent comparison chart is the chart from ATOTO for all of these models.

 

@BWST , I must admit good sir, the S8 is very tempting at that price... I do have a question though, how do you intend to easily remove the FORScan data files from the ROM? I intend to use the front facing USB port, but I suppose you could use of of the rear facing USB ports after routing the cable to an accessible area.

I look forward to your comment and will be purchasing an ATOTO in the next few days. I saw Amazon had a $16 off coupon on new A6 Pro units, but I am waiting for Black Friday and possibly Cyber Monday before purchasing. Hoping for a 10% off coupon or something somewhere.