Camera Upgrade

[KPC]

I have an 07 Journey with a 11 year old b&W camera system. Has anyone changed out for newer system? Wondering how difficult it would be.

[Cacique]

Very easy you can choose from wired or wireless cameras

[RKins]

Post a pic of the camera mount. Some are molded into the fiberglass endcap and I have no clue how to gain access to that. Mine was easy - it was behind a clear plexi panel at the top of the cap.

[RMD3819]

I used these folks:
RV Cams: Backup Camera Systems (All)

They were a big help.

[Sweetbriar]

Your limited by imagination, ingenuity and risk tolerance. I did a complete replacement. Camera, cable and monitor. Went from black and white CRT based system to color LCD on a sunny Saturday afternoon. Cost me less than $75 for material and few hours of my time.

The camera was easy. Two screws and swapped. The cable was a bit harder. Was hoping to use the old one to pull a new one thru the rear cap. No such luck since the old was bundled with the rear cap height lights. Used a snake to reach between the camera and the top corner light then down for the corner light to the tail light then down further to the bottom of the cap. My bargain basement coach is pretty much open behind the cap. No insulation and such. From the rear I just follow the original cable along the frame all the way forward to there it goes thru the fire wall to the monitor. Cut as much of the old cable out as I could reach.

The replacement monitor wasn't a perfect size fit. Was about an inch smaller top to bottom and maybe 1/4" left and right. Plus the original mounts molded into the dash were not going to me usable with out some type of adapter plate. The mounts were 1/4" 20 TPI threaded standoffs. I used 1/4" hobby plywood as an adapter plate. The LCD monitor snaps into place in a properly sized cut out which was easy to make with the thin ply. Painted it black to disappear into the shadows of the dash.

Going to a mix and match pieces with universal video and power connectors makes for easy replacement down the road if you have a camera or monitor failure. The high cost RV specific systems may come with unique connectors at the camera and monitor. Just something to keep in mind.

Monitor - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Camera - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Cable - https://www.amazon.com/Extension-Sec...4W6PYQ6CV&th=1

[Blueknight]

Is the original cable usable with the new system? I have a B&W camera and want to upgrade it as well. Could I use the original cable?

[vettenuts]

They do have some systems that will use the original cable. I have been looking as well.

[harleyjt]

Originally Posted by vettenuts

They do have some systems that will use the original cable. I have been looking as well.

Let us know what you find. I have no intention of running a new cable.
jt

[RKins]

I used the same cable - just spliced the new end onto the old cable. There is usually 4 wires in the camera end - red (+), Black (-), Yellow (Video) and white (Audio). I cut the new end off the new cable and looked at the colors in the new cable - the same colors. At the monitor end you may find more wires, like a green or blue used for telling the system when the vehicle is in reverse. I also had 2 more wires that were not used.
So it's easy to upgrade by using the original cable.

[Bahamaniac]

I have a 1999 coach. I was wanting to replace my camera and screen. I ran into an issue in the dash and resoldered the camera cable connections. Lo and behold the quality of the picture improved hugely! It's now crisp and clear!

[zproud]

My system was on the fritz , I upgraded to the Tadi bro wireless , night vision,
HD, that you can record as well with sound. Removed old head unit, fixed the hole, put the 7 inch color montintor on Velcro in the same spot. This unit can have 4 wireless cameras, I got one for the rear installed in the stock location, and I installed one on the back of the enclosed car trailer. I can remove the montintor and use it in the truck if I am towing the car trailer. Wires were hidden, works by power button or when in reverse gear selected. trailer camera power was taken from clearance lights.

The quality is a lot better that the old Bw,
I have yet to test it going Down the road in the drive way it all works.
It was priced low 4 hundred , not the cheapest.

I would like to find two more cheap wireless cameras to add to the system.

[ernest917]

I recently had to replace my in-dash radio that also had my rear-view camera....

I then put in a new top-of-the-line Jensen radio BUT it didn’t have a rear-view camera (did have a back-up camera but I wasn’t interested in that)...,

I then replaced my camera with a great color wireless camera system.... as the attached pictures show, the picture quality is amazing and I have a 120 degree view out the back.... set-up was a snap and it even has audio....

[TLGPE]

I did a replacement using a wireless camera and monitor. It was totally junk; it looked great with a much improved picture but was sporadic and jumpy. I finally used the old wiring to hard wire the components together. It's great now.

The original installation was from 2004 but the cable worked great for the new components.

As RKins described, follow the color codes for the wiring and it should be fine.

Tom

[Bob1340]

Okay boys and girls, here is a odd but what I consider valid question.

I have a 2017 Bounder which has a separate monitor on the left side or I can also veiw on the radio screen. Both are okay but small for my old eyes and in my opinion the only purpose of the rear camera is to look at the hood of my toad. The Bounder has a TV front and center over the dash. What the object of this TV is we have not figured out yet. (enter flame here) What I'd like to do is to place auxiliary cameras in 4 places. Better wide view cameras on the sides and rear to help/assist in backing the rig up. I'd like the rear camera to have enough field of view to be able to see that tailgater behind me as well. And I'd like to have a camera mounted under that TV to act as a rear view mirror to see inside the coach while driving. Yell at the kids, check for zombies, see if I can tell what all that racket is etc. Of course I would have a switching knob to toggle from one to the other. Can this be done? Thanks


BTW, I know that TV is not hooked up to an on-road power source so I'd need to rig that up as well.