Backup Camera choices.

[Jimm391730]

Well, I've got a couple of old 5-7" monitors and an assortment of CCTV cameras to use (all ar 12V, so they'll have to run from a converter). I just haven't decided what to install or gotten around to doing it. I'm looking for a "slick" set up, too, but haven't found it yet.
With the big box blocking my view I really do need some blind spot cameras. I hope to have one at the rear and one for the passenger side blind spot since I don't have any rear side windows to see out of in that direction. I was just going to put a switch in to choose between them. Someday...

[TechMOGogy]

This is costco canada but I assume you will find at Costco USA (and cheaper!!)
http://www.costco.ca/.product.10367294. ... InCategory

[sixbennetts]

Cheaper?! It's 3X the price, and I think it's the same components. I bought this one:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/24V-Sharp-CCD-T ... 0928908733

It should be here in a few days. I'll report back on how it works. Color camera and monitor. Night vision too. Hundred bucks and free shipping from China.

[sixbennetts]

Ok, we'll I got the system, and I gotta say, I'm pretty impressed. I cobbled it together real quick to check the image quality and it's a good, clear color image. The menu function allows adjustment of brightness, contrast, color, image flip, and aspect ratio, as well as language. There's an extra plug for a second camera, and a quick button press on the monitor let's you choose between cameras. The width of the image is about what you can see out of both side mirrors if they're adjusted along the edge of your truck. Obviously if you have a spare tire like me, you won't see your trailer hitch, but this will get you to within about a foot of a car behind you.

I mounted the camera up high to see more, but it could be mounted anywhere.



Routing the cables was no big deal, just a bunch of wire ties. I chose to run the power for the camera all the way forward and connect at the fuse box. I wanted the system to work all the time I was driving instead if just when I'm backing up. If that's what you want, tap right into your reverse light.

I mounted the monitor to the dash with 3M heavy duty Velcro, the heavy plastic kind, not the cloth stuff. The dash panel was pretty loose before, now it's snug. (Yes, I rounded the underside of the plastic of the dash at the edge where it squeezes the wire).

[mopar]

Looks real nice Donnie!! Good job.

[sixbennetts]

Thanks! I did the fuse panel cover and brake fluid cover with Wipe-New, that stuff from the TV commercial. I haven't done the heater control panel yet. You can see the difference in the 3rd dash pic. I like the stuff. I HATE Armor All! Can't stand that greasy feel. This stuff is a clear just as shiny, but dries hard and smells clean. We'll see how it lasts. I'm not big fan of constantly detailing. Anything that let's me give it a quick wipe down with a microfiber cloth to knock back the dust is great.

[Jimm391730]

I have some questions for you:
1. Will the system take any standard camera input? Does it supply power to the camera?
2. Do you need to use the remote to change between cameras in a dual camera system?

I have horrible visibility in the 4-5 o'clock position because there is no rear/rear right side windows to look through; I can't see anything between out the passenger cab window and the right mirror. So a camera system with two cameras (one on the rear, and one looking out the blind spot) would be a big help for me.

Thinking about it, a few more cameras that are underneath could help with self spotting over the rough spots!

Thanks,

[CentAr712]

I have recently been thinking of a camera underneath as well, just to ensure good tire placement over rocky spots.

[djw]

Another clever idea adding a camera underneath! That set-up sixbennets bought is supposed to have a 2nd input as well.

[sixbennetts]

I'm an old truck driver, so I'll be adding good blind spot mirrors on both mirror stalks, but that's just me. Yes, this monitor has provisions for a second camera. You can select either camera from either the remote or the control buttons on the face of the monitor.

Very simple. As I said above, the camera is designed to be powered from your reverse lights. They expect you to simply tap into your power line so when your back up lights come on, so does the camera. I wanted my camera to be on all the time so I wired it that way.

Forgot to add, yes, it's a standard camera connector. Any backup camera should plug right in. If you want a small camera out on your mirror, maybe one of those thin license plate ones mentioned above. You could pare down the housing a bit. I imagine having a camera hanging on your mirror can get plucked off pretty dern quick in the woods.

I'm considering some kind of small wire guard around mine.

[djw]

I too had been looking for a solution. I followed Donny's lead and ordered one of the same from the same place - $99 is hard to argue with.

For now, I've decided to power it all the time rather than connect it to the reverse lights. It can be turned off at the screen. I may change my mind later.

As far as mounting goes, I don't like to drill holes if I can avoid it for do-dads that can't be reversed so as to leave the truck absolutely stock (one of the reasons I've not put a red-dot ac in, sigh), so I modified a two of the HF plastic coated round magnetic mounts for my 'proof of concept' install. It works so well I may never change it and just paint the mounts OD. The magnetic mounts are such that if the camera or screen gets knocked off, they just stick right back on. There's enough unyielding pokey sharp things in a Pinz already. And if you're battening stuff down for the trail, crummy locations, or storage, you can just pop both off and lock them inside. When I get around to routing the wires permanently I will probably mount the screen up high on the roof between the sun visors more out of the way.

A couple of points of interest:

- The kit includes a screen mount that you can put on with double sided foam tape provided - I just stuck mine to the big magnetic mount.
- The vendor will sell a 2nd matching camera for another $35.
- The vendor shipped the same day and it took 17 days to arrive from you-know-where.
- On mine at night all the little LEDs glow red. I don't know if they are all like that. Looks cool, but so much for stealth.
- The screen has a blue wire in addition to red and black presumably for reverse + trigger.
- Although the camera has a red + and black - wire, no ground connection appears to be required.

It is worth $99 not to back over my wife's dumb dog.

(Thanks Donny and Barbara for the tips)

[Jimm391730]

I ordered the kit with two cameras, it just arrived today. Mine took only 15 days to get here from Hong Kong. While it did come with two long cables for the camera video signal, it did not come with long power cables for the cameras - I guess I'll just have to supply my own.

I like the magnet idea. Today and Saturday look like lousy weather, maybe I'll get a chance to start installing it on Sunday.

[djw]

I ordered the kit with two cameras, it just arrived today. Mine took only 15 days to get here from Hong Kong. While it did come with two long cables for the camera video signal, it did not come with long power cables for the cameras - I guess I'll just have to supply my own.

I like the magnet idea. Today and Saturday look like lousy weather, maybe I'll get a chance to start installing it on Sunday.

The power cable I got that plugs into the camera's fixed cable is maybe 3' long at best.

The round magnets I used are these http://www.harborfreight.com/set-of-2-m ... 65528.html two for 3 bucks. I drilled out the center rivet and its big enough for a bolt hole. HF has all sorts of larger and smaller versions of this so you might find one you like better, but I can't imagine needing anything stronger.

One advantage of the magnetic mount (as if there is anything not steel on the pinz?) is you can move the stuff around until you find a place that suits. If you're cables are long enough you could move them depending on the mission.

The red glowing ir leds are a bit strange but they are not obnoxious unless you are trying to take a picture of them. They don't light up the view all that much but they do work.

[totaljoint]

Don't know how this will work in the field, but since we're talking about back up cameras:
I use my IPad for GPS navigation and would like to use it as a monitor for the back up camera. There is a free app that connects (via Bluetooth) the camera on my kid's old itouch to the iPad. It't called "wifi video". I played with it around the house tonight and seems to have a range of about 50 feet and an image as good as the itouch can generate.. As long as the batteries last on both units, no wires are needed. It's portable and light to use else where too. Just have to fab some kind of secure rainproof (magnetic?) mount to put the itouch on the back of an "M" Pinz. For as often as I use this, it might save the $100.00 and give an acceptable live picture out the back. Could use it on the camper too.
We'll see how it tolerates vibration.

Anybody have experience with this?

[totaljoint]

Follow up on the iPad/itouch video link option:
Not yet ready for prime time! It works Ok for a stationary rmonitor situation, but the vibration of the itouch when mounted on the back of the Pinz keeps breaking the Bluetooth connection.
Ed