Axxera / Camera questions

nkferg · 03-11-2018, 02:25 PM

I have had several issues with my Axxera in a 2018 Hurricane. Touchscreen stopped working, On/off button never worked, it turns on and off randomly. It seems like a lottery to get a good one, so I am going to replace it. I will sell the replacement on ebay.
I plan on adding a monitor so I don't have to look so far down, and I can add a better quality radio for music. My main questions are:

1. Is the radio wired up to a stock Ford F-53 adapter or does the wiring need to be spliced in if you do not use a axxera radio.

2. What is the camera connection type? I believe it is four pin. Is there an official type for the connector?

3. Do the three cameras go into a junction box and then to the radio as a single connection?

Thanks

**16ACE27** · 03-11-2018, 02:48 PM

There is "standard" connector wired in to the harness that was installed by Thor. It may be standard for Axxera but I don't know about other radios.

The camera connectors are multi-pin and all plug into a trigger/distribution box. The output of the box to the radio is a standard RCA jack.

gmtech16450yz · 03-11-2018, 04:40 PM

I have some info and advice for you, but it's not pretty. lol.

Short answer- take it to a stereo shop and tell them to NOT use ANY of the radio wiring that's already in the coach. Tell them you want it wired all new like it never had a radio in it.

I'll put some pictures in here to explain...

First off, here's the converter box for the 3 cameras. This is where the turn signal inputs trigger the output to the different cameras. It defaults to the rear camera the way it's plugged in stock. Yes, it has RCA video outputs that most any aftermarket radio will be able to use for a backup camera input.

While we're talking about the cameras, what I'm doing is exactly what you're talking about. I'm putting a 12" monitor above the drivers head in the panel between the front shade and the drop down bed. It will be enough out of the way that it shouldn't be distracting, but if you glance up like you'd be looking in the mirror, you'll have a view from the rear camera on at all times when driving, unless you turn the turn signal on. Then the monitor will display the side cameras. Once the turn signal is off, the rear camera will turn back on and stay on. YAY!!!! BTW, all I've done so far with this monitor is to plug it in. The image is WAAAAAYYYYYY better than that cr@ppy little 6.5" screen that's too far away to see. I can see it's going to be amazing once I get it all installed! (BTW, this isn't where I'm installing it, it's just where I sat it to test it out. A big, widescreen IPS/LED computer monitor is going in that spot!)

Here's the link to the monitor I bought. Like I said, all I know so far is that it works and looks really good. It has a ton of inputs, I might actually use the BNC input for adding an HD security camera. I was going to replace the rear camera with a higher resolution one but so far the stock one looks decent. If you ever wanted a better camera though, this monitor will have the inputs needed for it.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

gmtech16450yz · 03-11-2018, 04:58 PM

(Figured I'd split my reply since the pics are big.)

Here's why I said to ditch the Thor wiring and start from scratch...

Lol. Not.

The wiring that Thor does is horrific. It's a joke. It's actually criminal, I wonder how many motorhome fires have been caused by this kind of poor workmanship and assembly? The Molex connectors are so poorly crimped that I've found 3 different wires falling out of 3 different connectors already. I'll be cutting every one of those connectors out that I can find and soldering/shrink tubing the wires directly myself. The last picture is of the wiring and extra "parts" I've taken off just the front end! After I'm all done cleaning up this Vegas I'm going to take pictures of the pile of cr@p I took off of it! The money they're wasting in copper is stupid, so much unnecessary cabling caused simply by poor routing. I've got probably 15 feet of harness shielding left over from just cleaning up the front lights/windshield wiper and battery cables.

It's truly amazing how badly these are put together. If this is what America is turning into, we're screwed. Seriously.

edit- Just had another thought for you guys on the radio situation...
I'm putting a Windows PC in my Vegas dash. I know that's a little too involved for most, but the other part of my install will of course be a stereo system. I'll use the PC for the music files and program, with a DAC for the output. The interesting part is I'm actually considering not using car audio equipment at all. I'll thinking about using a home stereo receiver/amp and literally using home stereo speakers also. It's a "home", why not? Plus there's clean 110 from my inverter right in the dash anyway. I'll keep you guys posted on what I come up with. I just looked around a little bit, this is one that I found so far that looked like it might work...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0777B3TYQ...v_ov_lig_dp_it

**16ACE27** · 03-11-2018, 05:20 PM

Pictures are so big they don't even show up. If you give us all the username and password to your Google account we could probably see them though.

I have the 10" version of that monitor on the dash to the left of the steering wheel. I'm very happy with it.

gmtech16450yz · 03-11-2018, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tfryman

Pictures are so big they don't even show up. If you give us all the username and password to your Google account we could probably see them though.

I have the 10" version of that monitor on the dash to the left of the steering wheel. I'm very happy with it.

Damn, I'm still trying to figure out the best way to post pictures here, be patient with me. Do they show up full sized as default or are the small sizes still too big? Thanks for the heads up btw. All the forums are a little different on images, some can take my images right out of my phone at full resolution and the members say they're great, this one might not.

**16ACE27** · 03-11-2018, 05:33 PM

It doesn't appear to be a size problem. It's a location problem. They don't appear to be accessible by the general public. The links start with "https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/s6w" so they appear to be in your Google photos account.

The entire link is very long as well:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/s6...w2358-h1767-no

gmtech16450yz · 03-11-2018, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tfryman

It doesn't appear to be a size problem. It's a location problem. They don't appear to be accessible by the general public. The links start with "https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/s6w" so they appear to be in your Google photos account.

The entire link is very long as well:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/s6...w2358-h1767-no

Yeah I've never tried linking straight from my google images. I switched the first image of the camera converter to my website, is it ok?

Fixed them all, thanks for the heads up!!!

JamieGeek · 03-11-2018, 08:17 PM

You can also just upload the pics to the forums here and the forums will resize the images before storing them.

Question: What else do you plan on using the Windows PC for? Seems a bit overkill for just playing tunes on while going down the road (says the guy who has wanted to put a PC in the dash for a while now LOL).

I picked up a Windows tablet to put on the dash (for navigation--it has a GPS--engine parameter display (Forscan), TPMS monitoring, and tank monitoring). Turns out I can accomplish all of that a bit easier with an android tablet instead of a Windows one..so just ordered an Android tablet for the dash (the Windows tablet will be repurposed as a "camper PC" for general use).

gmtech16450yz · 03-11-2018, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamieGeek

You can also just upload the pics to the forums here and the forums will resize the images before storing them.

Question: What else do you plan on using the Windows PC for? Seems a bit overkill for just playing tunes on while going down the road (says the guy who has wanted to put a PC in the dash for a while now LOL).

I picked up a Windows tablet to put on the dash (for navigation--it has a GPS--engine parameter display (Forscan), TPMS monitoring, and tank monitoring). Turns out I can accomplish all of that a bit easier with an android tablet instead of a Windows one..so just ordered an Android tablet for the dash (the Windows tablet will be repurposed as a "camper PC" for general use).

Legit question. Watch my video and it will make more sense. A big part of what I use onboard PC's for is engine tuning and logging. I'll be logging the engine 90% of the time I'm driving. I'll also use it for nav, xm, basic internet stuff, texts and emails, and anything else I might need it for in addition to music. Silly little things like I'll probably get a USB wind meter (anemometer) so I can tell how much headwind or tailwind we're driving in. I made an old mechanical one decades ago for our Tioga and it was really cool to have.

Watch the video...

https://youtu.be/2q9BuzNRc3Q

JamieGeek · 03-11-2018, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmtech16450yz

Legit question. Watch my video and it will make more sense. A big part of what I use onboard PC's for is engine tuning and logging. I'll be logging the engine 90% of the time I'm driving. I'll also use it for nav, xm, basic internet stuff, texts and emails, and anything else I might need it for in addition to music. Silly little things like I'll probably get a USB wind meter (anemometer) so I can tell how much headwind or tailwind we're driving in. I made an old mechanical one decades ago for our Tioga and it was really cool to have.

Watch the video...

https://youtu.be/2q9BuzNRc3Q

(I watched that video before...very cool)

So we'll know your coach when we see it going down the road as it will be the only one with an anemometer spinning away!

When you're done you'll have the most unThor like Thor motorcoach! LOL You'll have probably spent more time rebuilding it than it took Thor to slap it together.

Heebsy · 03-12-2018, 12:44 AM

Have a "brand-spanking-new" Thor Chateau 24HL with this confounded radio installed. Factory could have saved money elsewhere but chose to do it with an off-brand radio system. FM reception was crap, for lack of a better adjective. Pulled out the radio to find the antenna wasn't hooked up. Anyway, tinny sound and over the top unnecessary graphics make it clear I must change this POS for a name brand unit with new speakers and all that rot. Shameful that Thor went this way to save a buck.

lo-tek · 03-12-2018, 03:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tfryman

Pictures are so big they don't even show up. If you give us all the username and password to your Google account we could probably see them though.

I have the 10" version of that monitor on the dash to the left of the steering wheel. I'm very happy with it.

I see the images just fine on my tablet. I've not tried on my PC.

**16ACE27** · 03-12-2018, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lo-tek

I see the images just fine on my tablet. I've not tried on my PC.

Read the thread: He fixed the problem.

lo-tek · 03-12-2018, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tfryman

Read the thread: He fixed the problem.

Silly me. Thanks.

nkferg · 03-12-2018, 06:34 PM

Thanks for the replies, I think gmtech's skills are going far beyond DIY. I am putting a pioneer radio in and see how that goes. If I still don't like looking down that far I will look into the eyoyo monitor.
I am glad I don't have to worry about camera adapters. Radio wiring should be fairly straight forward.

You may also like: