This thing is a monster to parallel park so I decided to add a backup camera. As a side benefit, I get to see random small things that may be behind me. Here's the short review: it's SO cheap, and so easy, everybody should do it who wants a backup camera.
The screen is relatively low res, but the camera is actually amazing. One problem is that the distortion is so heavy (super wide) that you can certainly see things but I am not used to what it means for distance quite yet.
The monitor comes with distance lines on the screen, so once you figure out from your camera position what each line means, it's pretty helpful. I can back up to about 1" comfortably in front of something.
Monitor:
http://www.amazon.com/3-5-Inch-TFT-...qid=1342668582&sr=8-11&keywords=backup+camera
Camera:
Amazon.com: Waterproof Car Rear Vehicle Backup View Camera High-definition Cmos 170 Degree Viewing Angle E363: Car Electronics
The first camera I received was DOA, but one click and Amazon brought a UPS guy over to pick it up and a new one was shipped out.
For $18, you just can't beat the price.
Right now I only have one permanent mod to install this which is a tiny 1/8th inch hole in a plastic cable guide leading into the tailgate.
The wires are just run under the floor mats and up on to the dash where the monitor is.
Step 1: took off the tailgate cover. Just need to stick a screwdriver under the panels and pop the tip upwards x ~10.
Inside was a cable wrapped with electrical tape. I took it apart and found two plastic covers covering exposed leads.
I confirmed the wiring by testing continuity between the reverse bulb and these wires.
Next up was finding an outlet from the tailgate to the outside; found a good place in this plastic wire guide sending the main wires back to the truck.
Drilled a 1/8th or so hole and sent power wire through.
Soldered the tiny power cables to these and wrapped em back up. No splicing necessary!
Mounted the camera under an existing zip tie, and some electrical tape on the other side. I couldn't really find any other easy way to do this and it's holding up so.. hey why not.
Next up, I just had to fit the wires together (they have connectors): the power lead we just wired that's now just hanging in air, and the video cable going into the truck.
I don't have any pics of it, but it's literally just plugging some wires into another.
The video cable comes from the underbody straight across the rubber seal. I haven't figured out a clean way to route it inside yet.
There's a nice grommet in the ceiling, but I'd have to take out the side panels which looked like a bit of a pain.
Good enough for me.
In short? Buy it.
I was backup through some wildflowers (more like weeds) the other day and it looked like a helicopter shot through some giant fields.
The screen is relatively low res, but the camera is actually amazing. One problem is that the distortion is so heavy (super wide) that you can certainly see things but I am not used to what it means for distance quite yet.
The monitor comes with distance lines on the screen, so once you figure out from your camera position what each line means, it's pretty helpful. I can back up to about 1" comfortably in front of something.
Monitor:
http://www.amazon.com/3-5-Inch-TFT-...qid=1342668582&sr=8-11&keywords=backup+camera
Camera:
Amazon.com: Waterproof Car Rear Vehicle Backup View Camera High-definition Cmos 170 Degree Viewing Angle E363: Car Electronics
The first camera I received was DOA, but one click and Amazon brought a UPS guy over to pick it up and a new one was shipped out.
For $18, you just can't beat the price.
Right now I only have one permanent mod to install this which is a tiny 1/8th inch hole in a plastic cable guide leading into the tailgate.
The wires are just run under the floor mats and up on to the dash where the monitor is.
Step 1: took off the tailgate cover. Just need to stick a screwdriver under the panels and pop the tip upwards x ~10.
Inside was a cable wrapped with electrical tape. I took it apart and found two plastic covers covering exposed leads.
I confirmed the wiring by testing continuity between the reverse bulb and these wires.
Next up was finding an outlet from the tailgate to the outside; found a good place in this plastic wire guide sending the main wires back to the truck.
Drilled a 1/8th or so hole and sent power wire through.
Soldered the tiny power cables to these and wrapped em back up. No splicing necessary!
Mounted the camera under an existing zip tie, and some electrical tape on the other side. I couldn't really find any other easy way to do this and it's holding up so.. hey why not.
Next up, I just had to fit the wires together (they have connectors): the power lead we just wired that's now just hanging in air, and the video cable going into the truck.
I don't have any pics of it, but it's literally just plugging some wires into another.
The video cable comes from the underbody straight across the rubber seal. I haven't figured out a clean way to route it inside yet.
There's a nice grommet in the ceiling, but I'd have to take out the side panels which looked like a bit of a pain.
Good enough for me.
In short? Buy it.
I was backup through some wildflowers (more like weeds) the other day and it looked like a helicopter shot through some giant fields.
