Buying and installing a reversing camera and monitor

G'Dat 4X4bus,

I had one fitted yesterday. Looked through all the EBAY stores and systems and eventually went to the local stereo place.

What I found was you get to have a look at the "bits" in the vehicle before paying for them and get to mix 'n match from everything they have.

In the end I got a system I was happy with and comfortable with the look of.

It only cost $100 more than I had planned, but also had a second video lead fitted . Now I can fit a camera to the caravan when funds allow and the vehicle is ready to go.

I think paying extra is well worth it. I can reverse the Patrol right up to the trailer at night with no extra lighting and no problems

Just as a note, there is a difference between a "rear view camera" and a "reversing camera". Be clear on which you want before handing over the cash

Hope this helps

Rolande

A few of us got together here on this forum a few years ago and bought the PORON unit (now Polaris) and I installed mine myself. Works great; no hassles. The time consuming part was routing the cable through the interior lining etc. The actual wiring-up was a piece of pyss.

Cheers

Roachie

4x4bus,

I have just had a system fitted to my prado by a company called ReverseSafe for just under $600, consisting of an infra red camera, 4 sensors and a monitor that clips over the existing rear view mirror.
The installer can usually fit these in 1.5 hrs but had a bit of difficulty with mine due to a different tow bar mount interferring with the usual placement of the camera.
It didn't look that hard to fit, for anyone with a bit of common sense and know how, as once the sensors were fitted into the bumper, the wires ran to the control box, which in my case was mounted inside the jack compartment.
The camera wires were run to the control box and another one through the head lining to the mirror.
The buzzer was stuck to the trim panel next to the jack compartment lid with double sided tape.
I find it very helpful now when reversing at shopping centres etc.
Just wish I had spent ythe money on it BEFORE the missus backed into the other car and saved myself the $900.00 it cost to repair it!

Hi 4x4bus

Make sure it is backed by a 12 month warranty.

Check the screen size and if the cables and connections between van and car are of good quality. The Poron system and Sidewinder systems both use the woza cable and are easy to install as they get 12V from the tow car.

Regards

Derek.

Yes I bought this one and it works a treat very simple to wire up despite the engrish manual. No need to drill a humungous hole in the back of your vehicle either with this setup.
Site Link
Has 2 RCA video inlets and a large screen, very simple to fit and wire up but I wired the green wire that normally goes to the reversing switch to the +12vdc and turn the camera off with the switch on the monitor. I also wired it via the ignition so that the camera is on only when the ignition is on.
I put a second camera on the rear of my caravan....

Yes, we fitted ours with components from Hong Kong on eBay. A bit fiddly, and we had to learn lots about electronics. The guys on the caravaners forum were mostly doing it this way at the time. My rooster is now setting up the same stuff in the F250. We bought 2 cameras, and although we had one in the back of the Patrol we never used it, but it will make both reversing safer and coupling to the caravan easier with one in the rear of the F250.

Every model you find at Jaycar, Audiocom etc etc you can get direct from the manufacturer or low cost reseller at a fraction of the price ..

all the OZ sellers on ebay just take advantage of the fear people have to order from Hong Kong or other places in China .. I have a selection of cameras from $2 to $50 and a 4", 8", 10" screen VGA and non VGA and 2.4Ghz Transmitter/Receiver direct from China .. no problem whatsoever ..

cameras vary and features are:
IR (Infrared fro night vision)
Waterproof or not
Reversing or not (mirroring image - some monitors do so you can use a straight camera)
viewing angle varies
Auto iris etc ..
NTSC or PAL ... many Audiocom products are NTSC only here in OZ
a mix of cameras sometimes requires a bit adjustment to make the match
videoprocessors can be used for that ...

I am about to install my video systems in my truck and it is the trivial part of my electrical installation ... and the stuff on ebay is way cheaper than in the shops ..
way way cheaper .. and the same anyway ...

good luck
gmd

Yes thats true I got mine from jetview H/K on ebay for $270.00 delivered to the door a year ago and so far so good, half the price they are here in Oz,
regards
Dave