How To: Install Stinger 4-camera DVR system & Echomaster 7" screen

[C.Sco]

I'm just getting started with this project, so bear with me while I hash out all the details and work on putting together a tutorial of what I did.

My goal was to have 4 cameras mounted in various places (axles, forward trailcam, etc.) and connected to a standalone screen so I can continue using the Uconnect 8.4" screen for offroad pages and music and such without interrupting my view of the cameras.

There's really only one logical place for the screen that I could find, that wouldn't obstruct my view or any of the dashboard controls - to the left of the steering wheel under the grab handle.

Parts Needed:

Camera system:
Stinger Universal 4-camera system - $699
This allows you to program all aspects of how you want the cameras displayed, and even supports video recording. Pretty fancy stuff.
https://stingeroffroad.com/collecti...camera-kit-with-cvbs-output-with-built-in-dvr

Monitor:
Echomaster 7" AHD Monitor - $230
Echomaster is under the same parent company as Stinger, so this AHD monitor should work well with the Stinger AHD camera system.
https://catalog.echomaster.com/catalog/mountmonitors/pmon-7022-ahd

Misc:
Hoolcar grab handle cell phone mount - $33
Disassemble this and just use the grab handle bracket itself.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08XZHPTKX

RAM Mounts 1" Ball with 1/4-20 threaded post - $11
Threads into the grab handle bracket.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0059X0YIQ

RAM Mounts 1" Ball with T-Bolt attachment - $14
Attaches to the back of the 7" monitor.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FE66K86

RAM Mounts short 1" dual socket arm - $11
Attaches the grab handle ball to the monitor ball.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005KWPJ04

Quadratec 12v cigarette lighter power tap - $30
To get ACC/ignition power for everything.
https://www.quadratec.com/p/quadratec/12-volt-power-adapter-jeep-wrangler-tj-jk-jl-jt

Tools/parts needed:

• Nippers
• Razer blade
• Heat shrink tubing
• Soldering iron / solder
• Coathanger
• 12" and 6" zipties
• Electrical tape
• 16awg, 2-conductor wire.

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[C.Sco]

The first thing I did was figure out how and where to mount the monitor. Best place I could think of is to attach it to the bottom of the grab handle, which doesn't obstruct anything and is pretty well out of the way, though I have bumped it slightly a few times while using my turn signal. I may re-evaluate my bracket system to allow for more position options, but for now this works fine.

I disassembled the grab handle cell phone mount that I bought, and only used the main grab handle bracket itself. After removing the other junk from it, you're left with a 1/4-20 threaded hole in it. Thread the 1" ball mount into that.

Then, attach the T-bolt ball mount to the monitor. The monitor has a rail built in to accept a T-bolt, but you'll have to loosen the screws on the rail to get the T-bolt in. Then you can tighten the rail back down.

I routed the monitor cable through the steering wheel adjustment lever's slot.

 

[CaliMat]

Very interested in this, I'll be following closely.

 

[C.Sco]

To all who are already following this thread, please read the above posts again because I've made some revisions. Some parts I bought were unnecessary & unused, so I deleted them. I changed how I mounted the monitor, so the 2nd post is totally different than before.

I finally finished this entire installation today, so I can finally finish my tutorial for how I did it!

So, without further ado...

The next step is to get 12V power to the steering column area. This was one of the easiest parts - just install the Quadratec power tap behind the dashboard 12v outlet, and run a pair of wires out the side (see red/black wires at bottom right of picture below). Then mount the camera control module. It fits perfectly between these two steel bars, I just used 4 zipties to hold it in place. This position is perfect because it allows you to plug and unplug the connectors on both sides, and easily reach the dipswitches.

Your steering column cover will not fit back on until you cut off these two useless plastic tabs in the middle of the back of it; I just used some nippers and a razer blade. Once those tabs are removed, the steering column cover will be able to fit back in without any issue.

 

[C.Sco]

Wire management is going to be critical! All the wires for the camera system and the monitor are excessively long, and many cannot be shortened. Plus there are some wires that we're not using at all. You'll need to spend some time getting the rats nest of wires cleaned up and under control.

Plug in the camera adapter wire pigtails, and bring them down to an easy to reach spot (see black/green wires and plugs dangling in photo below). It helps to label the wires as you plug them in, so you know which channel is which when you plug the cameras into these pigtails later.

At this point, EVERYTHING should be connected except power/ground for the camera system and monitor, and the cameras themselves. Make sure all the wire rats nest is clean up and tucked out of the way, and go ahead and reinstall the steering column cover:

 

[C.Sco]

Using solder and shrink tube, connect the ground (black) wires from the camera system and the monitor to the ground (black) wire coming from the cigarette lighter tap.

Then connect the ACC/Ignition wire (yellow) for the camera system to the 12V+ (red) cigarette lighter tap 12V+ (red) wires from the camera system. There is an additional 12V+ constant (red) wire for the camera system, which I connect that to the 12V+ (red) cigarette lighter tap as well. Stinger says the red wire should be connected to an actual constant 12V+ source for the unit to retain its memory (settings), but since I'm just using default settings right now, ignition/ACC source seems to work fine. I might try to run a constant 12v+ wire there eventually.

Now that everything should have power, go ahead and temporarily plug in a camera and turn the car on to give it a try! You should see something like below:

Once you've verified that both the camera system and screen are powering up correctly, go ahead and clean up your wiring and tuck it all up behind the steering column cover, and at this point you should only have the 4 camera connection pigtails, the IR receiver, and the Mode button hanging down:

 

[C.Sco]

Now comes the fun part, let's start positioning our cameras!

The 4 camera positions I chose are:

1. Forward-facing, looking at the front differential & left front tire
2. Forward facing, looking at the front right tire
3. Rear-facing, looking at the rear differential
4. Forward facing, on the bullbar looking at the ground ahead, pictured below (like the Mopar trailcam)

The rear-facing camera is mounted on the back of the FAD skid plate, which both provides a good solid mounting surface for the camera, plus protects the camera from rock collisions.

Once you've selected good camera positions, use zipties and/or the included double sided tape to secure the cameras in place.

I routed all 4 camera wires through the drivers-side drain plug, allowing me to run them as one single bundle through the cabin. Be VERY careful routing the wires along the undercarriage, you need to make sure that 3 important rules are followed:

1. Keep the wires at least 3 inches away from anything hot, especially exhaust parts.
2. Don't attach to anything the rotates, like a driveshaft.
3. If you're tying the cable to parts that move independently (for example the frame, engine, axles, and control arms all move independently in relation to each other) then make sure you've got enough slack in the camera wires to accommodate this movement!

You're going to have a ton of extra camera wire, which you cannot easily shorten. So I bundled it up and tucked it under the undercarriage where it's unlikely to interfere with anything.

After I was finished running wires, I realized that I could have easily run them under the carpet to be totally hidden, but I'm too tired now to fix it, lol. For now it's fine, and it'll be easy to fix later. Plus it helps illustrate to you guys how I ran the camera wires in the cabin

The IR remote sensor and the Mode button will need to be mounted with double-sided tape somewhere, for now mine are just dangling but at some point I'll stick them to the steering column cover. Use a 3M Primer 94 pen (about $2 on Amazon) to help them stick to your dash.

 

[C.Sco]

The final product:

The IR remote makes it easy to blow up any of the 4 cameras to full screen if needed, but I like being able to see all 4 at once. You also have tons of other display options to pick from. The Stinger camera system is very flexible!

You can even plug in a USB thumb drive and have it record video from all 4 cameras, which is a sweet feature for those of you who make youtube videos

Let me know if you have any questions!

 

[CaliMat]

Great write up, thank you. Would you mind sharing pictures as to where and how you mounted the other three cameras?

 

[C.Sco]

Great write up, thank you. Would you mind sharing pictures as to where and how you mounted the other three cameras?

Will do! I forgot to snap pics of them but I'll do that tomorrow!

 

[C.Sco]

Camera #1, forward facing, viewing front left tire / front diff, mounted to the frame crossmember:

Camera #2, forward facing, viewing front right tire. This is mounted to my LoD Signature rock slider:

Camera #3 is the one on the bull bar, pictured earlier in the thread

Camera #4, rear facing (and mirrored), viewing both rear tires and rear diff, mounted on the back of the FAD skid plate:

 

[CaliMat]

Thank you, gives me some to think about. I appreciate the detailed write up.

 

[C.Sco]

Thank you, gives me some to think about. I appreciate the detailed write up.

You're welcome! I haven't had a chance to really test the cameras off-road yet so it's likely I might end up repositioning some of them in the near future, but for the time being I'm pretty happy with both their coverage as well as their protection from impacts.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Oh wow, that is the most elaborate trail camera there is.

When are you coming over?

 

[RubiDukkie]

@C.Sco, really nice write-up. I see the monitor supports only two channels, but you have it working with four cameras. I take it there is no correlation between the two?

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