Back up camera suggestions

[mikracer]

Originally Posted by Esmi2

Thanks for the offer! Shortly after my post, I dumped the van with Angel at Lombard's Car Audio (I owe him some biz for straightening out a bad install from another outfit last year.)

I haven't made a determination on what camera type (or which camera) yet, and I think I will hold off and cogitate it a little longer. Thanks all, for the input. Keep it coming!

Nice, I've known Angel for quite a few years.

[photographix]

This past spring, I installed a Kenwood DNX-690HD head unit, which has BT, USB, iPod/iPhone integration, Pandora, Ada, SiriusXM, a CD/DVD player, Garmin GPS, and handsfree with a mic unit. Does everything I need it to do, and then some. It can run an external monitor, but I haven't done that yet, if I ever will.

I got the HU from Crutchfield, but I found a Kenwood CMOS-210 rear camera on Amazon for less than what Crutchfield wanted. Very wide field of view, both vertically and horizontally...maybe a bit too wide. It doesn't have the guidance lines projected on the screen, but the next model up does (CMOS-310?).

I installed the cam on the PH top, just under the 3rd brake light, centered on the seam between the rear doors. Ran the cable in the same path as the 3rd brake light wires.

Love the camera...one of the best things I've added to the van!

[shenrie]

first off, to steve, thats a great looking rig! these vans in red really catch my eye...and i hate red vehicles, lol.

second, nice timing. I posted a similar question on our local forum 3 days before you posted this one. ill quote some of what i was told from a local stereo installer.

The only time I use high-end cameras are 1) if customer demands the best or 2) if there is an OEM option (built into a handle or panel)......other than that, I usually spend $30-$75 TOPS for them.
It all really depends on what style you need. Bullet cams are nice because you can flush mount them....Little baby pod cams are nice because they can be hidden out of the way.

Check these out:
http://www.crimestopper.com/FRAMES/S...t.Frameset.htm

I also want a camera in the front in addition to the rear for tight turn arounds, cramming this huge vehicle in tight spots, etc. I want to be able to toggle back and fourth so i can see the road/trail a little better and not force the wife out as a spotter unless i really need to. This is what he told me if anyone else is interested in a similar setup.

As for your Front Camera/Reverse camera hookup....that Headunit you have (pioneer AVH-X5500BHS) looks like it has multiple Video Inputs....what I'd do is hook up the reverse camera standard and leave it alone...this way it would work everytime you put it into reverse.
For the front, I'd put it on an Aux1/VideoIn1 or whatever the next video in would be...and hook it up to a switch or on constant...that way whenever you want to see up front, you just switch sources.......OR......you can set the 'visual display' on your deck to be Video1/Aux1 and have music still playing......all depends on the decks options for displaying everything.

I asked about being able to just turn the camera on to watch gear while in motion seeing if i could just toggle between cameras and his responce was:

Yes, you can tap into the reverse circuit and place it on a switch.....any switch will work.
To be safe (and not look goofy driving down the street with your reverse lights on) make sure to diode isolate the wire....so when you put it in reverse it doesn't back feed into the switch as well as when you activate the backup camera via the switch it won't trigger the reverse lights.

You can put cameras anywhere...and technology is only getting better.....let me blow your mind for a second.....
http://www.rydeenmobile.com/360DVR/360DVR.html

Saw this at SEMA this year....those 'aerial' views of the car are actually true-time......crazy...it's like google maps in your face, real-time.....pretty gnarly!

[BrianW]

Some head units have the capability to turn on the feed from the camera even when not in reverse (I.e., just driving down the road). I can do this on my Kenwood unit. The camera turns on automatically when in reverse, and manually when I want to use it to check on the bike rack or whatever.

I've never felt the need for one on the front, even when we used to have a hitch mount bike rack on the front. The sight lines in the front of vans are pretty good, IMO, as you are up high and the nose of the van is short. If you have an aux-in or video, I guess that would be a good way to do it, but reunion it on all the time manually would probably get old.

[Esmi2]

Thanks, shenrie, and all! Lotta food for thought in these posts.

[86Scotty]

Originally Posted by BrianW

Some head units have the capability to turn on the feed from the camera even when not in reverse (I.e., just driving down the road). I can do this on my Kenwood unit. The camera turns on automatically when in reverse, and manually when I want to use it to check on the bike rack or whatever.

My Pioneer unit stays on all the time, unless I go into the settings and turn it off. If you want to see your stereo functions you just tap the screen. I didn't do anything to make it do this, it just seems to be the way it is. I can say, however, that many if not all of the cameras in head units have the annoying "image may appear reversed" or something like that that you CAN'T get rid of. This is a really annoying liability thing to me which I hate. You should be able to turn that off so it doesn't interfere with your view.



This is a lousy phone pic, BTW, my camera looks a lot better than that in real life.

[BrianW]

My Kenwood doesn't have that message on all the time, although you do have to tap a warning when the camera initially comes on. Annoying, but not too intrusive.

[MadScience]

http://www.rydeenmobile.com/360DVR/360DVR.html

I've been waiting for something like this to show up in the aftermarket. Might ping them for a dealer recommendation.

A number of new cars (at least infinity and bmw) ship with setups like this. I was really surprised that there was nothing in the aftermarket yet. I've been living with it on a three series wagon and really want it for the van.

[Vegasrandall]

I would like to be able to just plug in my IPAD when I get into my van and have backup video on that. plus music and video and movies and ...............

[rob_gendreau]

Any ideas about wiring a camera so that it's powered with the ignition? I suppose I could wire to running lights, or license plate light, and then remember to turn on my headlights during the day, but I'd still prefer something that is hot only when the ignition is on. I can't think of anything in the back of the van to use.

Could I use a low voltage relay that tied into the rear speaker wire? I generally only use the stereo when the van is running.