Derek from Affordable Batteries & Radiators replied:

Monochrome with military green display ?

Looks quite bulky and about 20 years out if date.

I don't think Dick would buy one.

Is cheap though. ???

Mr Fawlty replied:

Love the Military Green screen... gotta get one for the Victoria & Albert museum.....

PatrolBen replied:

I think it is frigging brilliant. IR for backing the boat down the ramp at night, I am bucking the trend but I dont need the damn thing to examine the micrsoscopic. I need to see if I'm gonna run over something!
And for a $149 I see value

Buying this tomorrow!
Thanks mate for the referral.
PS: I'm not being a smart@ss

Sand Man (SA) replied:

If using at night using infrared the monochrome output is not an issue IMO.

In fact, after installing my colour camera & monitor, I'm not convinced colour would give a clearer display in any case.

The BIG bonus (and the reason I got mine) was to check the back of the vehicle before reversing and this it does very well. Both daytime in colour and nighttime using infrared. I have the camera mounted low down on the left side of the step, under the spare wheel and I get a view as close as 500mm behind the back of the vehicle. That is good enough for my use.

Perhaps one negative of any reversing camera may be the "far away" appearance of other vehicles due to the shape of the small lenses, although again for reversing use, this is probably a minor issue.

I think for the price, the monochrome system would suit some people quite adequately.

Just one thing worth checking. The description doesn't state whether the image appears automatically when selecting reverse gear. This I think is important.

joc45 replied:

"Green Phosphor" implies a CRT display. Sounds bulky

PatrolBen replied:

As long as it isn't going to look cr@ppy and too much bigger than 2-3 inches wide it will suit the applications I want. If it realy bad looking with that shroud then it is off to the shed for some mods before installation. A LCD screen would be better (lower current draw ect) but for the price a CRT will be given the guernsey
About activation with reverse gear this would be a bonus, but not a deciding factor. There is a multitude of situations (such as keeping an eye on the camper when in those slow steep climbs) when I would want full control over the thing. Also if doesnt wire into reverse light circut then I can see alot of tantrums avoided.

Thanks for the comments.
PatrolBen

Ray Bates replied:

My son has one of those screens mounted on the dash of his 'Jerrycan" I looks a bit ugly but it is very effective. I have yet to see a LCD with such good quality. The one small problem that he had was the cabling. His camera is mounted permanantly on his trailer ( he is a self employed carpenter) and not an auto lecky. Those set ups were $249.00 last week when I looked. They are great for day and night use although a bit bright at night if you don't turn down the brilliance

LastAussieWorker replied:

dont care about colour does the job and is affordable
what more do you want
thanks for posting the info

Member - Jeff H (QLD) replied:

Seems there is a market for 'affordable' reversing aids, monochrome notwithstanding. I would prefer to buy from you Derek, than Tricky.

How about trawling the wholesale scene to see what's on offer for the less affluent among us? Looking forward, but be quick. Jeff.

PatrolBen replied:

Went into Dick Smiths today ready to slap down the hard earned and the size of the thing made me tuck tail and bolt. Was about 20cm diagonal and I even though i would like to think of the GU Patrol as an armoured personnel carrier it was just not gonna fit. I want to be able to see behind fatso great @ss but I also still want to be able to see out the front!!!!!!!.

Back to the drawing board, but if anyone see stuff out there that they reckon is good value then give the rest of us the heads up. Thanks Brew69.

Member - Glenn D (NSW) replied:

Lots of options on ebay ,

Rear view mirror replacement that changes from full mirror to half mirror and half screen when reverse is selected seem pretty good, non intrusive .

You couldnt really expect a CRT to be really small , compare your old ' telly ' to plasma or a laptop screen . I think I would save up a bit longer not to have some peice of crap on my dash just case its cheap.

Glenn.