Wireless backup camera's anyone installed one?

[Craig N Deb]

I am very interested in seeing where this goes as I bought a wireless unit and it was awful and the reception was fuzzy at best! I had the monitor in my hummer and the camera in my trailer to keep an eye on my bikes. ugh it was awful. I believe it was made by Prestone.
I now only haul with my 40ft coach and have a new trailer that I have several bikes and toys in that I really want to keep an eye on.
Let's see what works best and I am in!

[Heymon]

Originally Posted by B D HOWie

Andre, what did you use to seal the hole? My first time to put a hole in the wall and I want to weather seal it correctly after I install our camera. Thanks
Paul

I used Dap Dynaflex 230. I wanted to use a non-silicone sealant based on what I learned researching the installation. Apparently you can't reseal silicone and can't get rid of it easily, either. I can't say one way or another about the effectiveness since this is the first set of holes I've drilled in the trailer, and I don't look forward to drilling any more. But the tube said a lot of neat things about how great it was so...(maybe someone else can confirm this is a good product?).

The big hole (1/2 inch) where the cable comes through is sealed with a rubber grommet that comes with the kit (which I gave a little extra goop) and the 4 small holes for the camera mount got some goop in them before I screwed them in and goop on top. I don't think water has much of a chance to get in, to be honest.

I'll add this: I am not super handy or anything. I get by, but I have to check and recheck instructions and videos before I go through with a project. In the end, it was pretty easy. It took me a few hours, but mainly because I didn't know simple things like taking the lens off the clearance light, knowing which wire is positive and negative (I had a volt meter, so that worked), and a few things like that.

My challenge was that I ended up having a somewhat limited area where I could mount the camera and drill the hole due to wall studs and framing. I really had to stuff the wires in the wall because of that, which I did not expect. Very pleased with the unit so far. I found a bit more benefit from using it in lane changes than backing, as it is sometimes hard to judge if you've passed a car before getting back over.

As far as backing, it is a bit difficult to determine your relative position to other objects due to the camera angle and 2D view, so at this point I would not be able to rely on it alone to back into a tight space by myself except to know when to stop, but that may come with practice. A cool feature is that it has a microphone too, so when I send the wife back there to help with clearance I can hear her go, "uh, uh, uh," while moving her arms in some semblance of directive effort. Too bad the unit doesn't have the ability to record .

Andre

[Ray,IN]

When our Sony died, I replaced it with a Voyager wireless backup camera from Camping World. It's on all the time, by design, so I can monitor what is happening with the towed while driving. A friends tow bar broke on one side, he(same setup) immediately saw his towed sway in the BU monitor and pulled to the berm to make repairs. Another plus is, I can see exactly when I'm far enough ahead of another vehicle to safely pull back into the right lane.

[Mammalian04]

Just a thought on using the wireless transmitter while towing a trailer.

For those that have wireless systems, does it seem possible to add an extension between the camera and transmitter so that the transmitter can be run to the front of the trailer? In this arrangement, the wireless signal would only need to transmit from the front of the trailer into the cab of the truck.... and still not extra plugs to hook up when hitching.

Thoughts?

[Possum]

Originally Posted by Mammalian04

Just a thought on using the wireless transmitter while towing a trailer.

For those that have wireless systems, does it seem possible to add an extension between the camera and transmitter so that the transmitter can be run to the front of the trailer? In this arrangement, the wireless signal would only need to transmit from the front of the trailer into the cab of the truck.... and still not extra plugs to hook up when hitching.

Thoughts?

I think it depends on the system you buy and install. The one I had between the back of our TT and the rear view mirror (monitor hung there so it was comfortable place to look) was about 30 feet of usually clear picture transmission.

[Heymon]

Originally Posted by Mammalian04

Just a thought on using the wireless transmitter while towing a trailer.

For those that have wireless systems, does it seem possible to add an extension between the camera and transmitter so that the transmitter can be run to the front of the trailer? In this arrangement, the wireless signal would only need to transmit from the front of the trailer into the cab of the truck.... and still not extra plugs to hook up when hitching.

Thoughts?

I think you may be over-complicating this. I have a 30 foot TT and the camera is mounted just above the rear clearance lights. The camera is the transmitter (it has a little antenna). The antenna is about even with the roof, certainly not higher than the roof. The receiver is the monitor, which suction cups to my windshield. Power for the monitor comes from the cigarette lighter, and power for the camera/transmitter is from a splice to the clearance light. I have done 3 trips with the unit since I installed it, and it is on for the entire trip. It is very clear, with very occasional minimal and negligible interference, and this is with probably about a 40 foot transmission distance.

Andre

[Mammalian04]

Thanks for the information Andre. That makes sense for the cameras with the built-in transmitter.

I suppose the only way my idea would work is with cameras with external "add-on" transmitters." The ones I have seen look like a circuit board or small box, in-line with the wire, that is all shrink wrapped together. I suspect remote installation of that type of transmitter is the only way my idea would be possible unless you were willing to cut a big honkin' hole in the back wall.

[Crasher]

I just installed one. Has a 7" color monitor with remote control. The camera is mounted at the rear of a 30' trailer and powered from the clearance lights. It is about 70+' from the monitor. It seems to work fine with minimum interference. The company claims to have tested it in motorhomes up to 100'.

It's here: http://www.qualitymobilevideo.com/top-ss-sc9002d.html

[Daveinet]

Originally Posted by Crasher

I just installed one. Has a 7" color monitor with remote control. The camera is mounted at the rear of a 30' trailer and powered from the clearance lights. It is about 70+' from the monitor. It seems to work fine with minimum interference. The company claims to have tested it in motorhomes up to 100'.

It's here: Safesight SC9002D Universal 7 inch LCD Monitor and Heavy Duty Commercial RV Back Up CCD Digital Wireless Camera System w No Interference Guaranteed

That looks a little different then the ones from Wal-Mart. Actually it looks like a pretty decent device - the critical issue being that it is a CCD camera, rather than a CMOS camera. (CCD tend to have a much crisper contrast and less color smear)

[Crasher]

Just a follow up. The picture is crystal clear up to 35 mph. Then I get some still pics and occasional "no reception". Waiting for a reply from tech support. The picture quality is very good when its there. Don't know what speed has to do with it, but will wait and see.

[t-craw]

Originally Posted by Heymon

A cool feature is that it has a microphone too, so when I send the wife back there to help with clearance I can hear her go, "uh, uh, uh," while moving her arms in some semblance of directive effort. Too bad the unit doesn't have the ability to record .

Andre

Heymon, that's funny! I anticipate the same scenario on next trip as I just purchased the Voyager WVOS511.

However, I've got a question for you: In the hardware package for the Monitor there is a small diamond shaped piece of rubber with an adhesive backing on it. Measures approx 1-3/8" x 3/4" x 1/16" thick (see pic). Instructions for installing this unit does not even mention where this should be utilized. I'm kind of thinking perhaps it should be sandwiched between the Monitor and Bracket to which it mounts to but I'm not sure

Did you have this piece included with your unit? If so, how did you utilize it?

Thanks and regards,
t-craw.

[Heymon]

Originally Posted by t-craw

Did you have this piece included with your unit? If so, how did you utilize it?

Thanks and regards,
t-craw.[/COLOR][/FONT][/B]

t-craw, I recall seeing those things, but I do not think I used them. Never got to a point that seemed to call for them, and there were no instructions regarding their use. I figured it was for some alternate mounting option, but so far have not had an occasion where I thought, "You know what I need? Those little diamond shaped rubber sticker things."

There was a Trailer Life video on the installation of this unit, and they did not mention them and did not use them that I saw.

I wanted to add that I might have put a little too much sealant goop on the camera mount area, and the night I did the install it got a little dewy overnight and dripped. So now it is fairly clear to most people that an amateur did the job, but that is the only flaw with it so far.

Andre

[Turbodoc]

The unit sold by O'Reilys is pretty good for helping trailer hook up, you can purchse a 7" screen too

[TLGPE]

I took out a perfectly good Voyager wired unit to put in a Pyle wireless system. I wanted the multiple views I could get from my mirror cameras with the new monitor.


The Pyle wireless is definitely POS. Bad, flaky image, no detail, really bad. I tried getting the little antennas really close together, but nothing helped. I ended up using the old wire from the original system to wire directly into the transmitter and receiver of the Pyle, and it now works really well


I still need to get cables that will match up to the mirror cameras and the Pyle, but "standard connections" is just another marketing lie.


My suggestion based on using two wireless units is to find a way to string the cable under the coach and bring it into the dash, and hard wire it.


Good luck, the end result is good.


Tom