Need help with GC 12 camera

[Boatagain]

Worked my tail off this weekend installing the thing. As always, the hardest part was running the wires, but after a few hours, several band-aids and 800mg of ibuprofen, I succeeded. Mounted the camera on an inverted indoor/outdoor ceiling mount at the rear and on top of the hardtop overhang. Updated the software on the 7612 via Active Captain. Plugged the BNC to BNC coax video cable into the Video1 input on the back of the 7612. Made sure I had 12v to the camera. Went into the video set-up menu on the chart plotter and...no picture. Tried the Video 1 & 2 jacks on both chartplotters (7612xsv and 7612), while selecting the appropriate source, still no joy. Selecting the Video Setup button results in a dead end.

My biggest worry is that I damaged the coax cable while running it between the chartplotter and camera, which would mean, of course, running another cable. There were several “hard pulls” that may have been the culprit and the cable got kinked a few times. Anyone know of a way to test for a damaged cable? Continuity testing with a multimeter is a bit impractical with the two ends 20 or so feet apart. Also, I chose a 50ft cable to be sure I didn’t run short with the next shorter length, a 25 footer. Maybe 50 feet is too long of a run?

I’m hoping it’s a software thing or i’m just not pushing the right buttons on the chartplotter. Plan on calling Garmin this week to see if they can help me sort it out. In the meanwhile, any ideas out there?

 

[Bruce Moore]

My home network installed uses something like this.

Cheers,

Bruce

 

[ixlr8]

Anyone know of a way to test for a damaged cable? Continuity testing with a multimeter is a bit impractical with the two ends 20 or so feet apart.

Unplug the BNC connector from both ends. Short the center wire to the connector at one end. At the other end check the resistance between the center wire and the connector, it should be zero.

 

[Boatagain]

Jim, that’s brilliant! Why didn’t I think of that! Doh.

 

[Boatagain]

Just to update this thread, by using Jim’s suggestion I was able to verify that the cable is the problem. I killed it while pulling it. Now I’ve got to pull a new cable, but at least I’ve got the dead one in place to pull the new one...and an experience that taught me to use more care.

 

[Boatagain]

Update: pulled a new cable and voila! Video on the chartplotter!

The cable is plugged into the Video 1 input on the 7612xsv and that’s where it shows up, but it does not appear on its companion 7612 plotter. Garmin installation manual says that video cannot be transmitted over the NMEA2000 network. Anyone know if its possible to have the video from the GC 12 appear on both plotters?

 

[Dale777]

Boatagain,

Have you considered installing a 2-way coax video splitter at the forward end of your coax? One output of the splitter would have coax to the 7612 and the other output would have coax to the 7612xsv. You can test this before running more cable by stringing some temporary cable out the window to the other chartplotter.

Coax splitter:
https://www.lowes.com/pd/ideal-zinc-2-w ... gK5HPD_BwE

 

[Boatagain]

Thanks Dale777, the use of a splitter is a great idea. However, I think I’d rather rub ground glass in my eye rather then run another cable anytime soon. Instead, what about using the splitter at the back end, just before the cable ends at the two chartplotters? That should work, right?

One other note: I’m a little disappointed with the quality of the image on the screen. I’ve adjusted brightness, saturation and contrast on the chartplotter, but it’s still too much like an old pre-HDTV picture, maybe even a little worse. Perhaps I’m too used to today’s 4K images?

 

[Admiral S]

The video inputs are shared via the Garmin Marine Network (Ethernet cable) between the different plotters.

This works great on my boat with multiple cameras.

Check the Ethernet cables between the 2 displays.

Also on the other display, select Video, Menu, Input Settings and Show all.

You should then be able to select the camera

 

[ixlr8]

T
One other note: I’m a little disappointed with the quality of the image on the screen. I’ve adjusted brightness, saturation and contrast on the chartplotter, but it’s still too much like an old pre-HDTV picture, maybe even a little worse. Perhaps I’m too used to today’s 4K images?

If you look at the specs for that camera you will see the resolution is between std def tv and HDTV. Which is why it looks like it does. The only Garmin camera I can find that supports HDTV quality images is the GC 200.

 

[Boatagain]

Thanks Jim, that makes sense.

Admiral S: the Ethernet port on the back of the 7612xsv is occupied with an Ethernet cable that goes I-don’t-know-where (the depth transducer?), while the same port on the 7612 is unused. I don’t see a way to connect the two units via ethernet.

 

[Admiral S]

Thanks Jim, that makes sense.

Admiral S: the Ethernet port on the back of the 7612xsv is occupied with an Ethernet cable that goes I-don’t-know-where (the depth transducer?), while the same port on the 7612 is unused. I don’t see a way to connect the two units via ethernet.

Can you see Radar on both screens?

If so they are connected together

If not, you will need a GMS10 switch to connect everything together

 

[Boatagain]

Yes, I can see radar on both units. In fact, many other functions are mirrored on each plotter. I believe, though I could be wrong, that this communication happens over the NMEA2000 network which Garmin says will not carry the video signal.

I dunno, if it works on yours, why not mine? You do have the 7612, not the newer 8612, right?

Frustrated :x