Rerversing cameras

Caporegime
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[TW]Fox;20487669 said:
Or I could do something really risky and... buy a camera AND have a trip the pictures :eek: Imagine that? What a ridiculous argument against it.

It's 20 quid not £2000. Most people **** that up the wall on a typical night out. It's just a curiously interesting little project which will keep me amused for an hour fitting it and then be a bit gimmicky once its in. If it can go in without being tacky, why not. If it can't, then it won't. It's really that simple which I was asking for peoples experiences with them.

Oh lighten up Mike FFS!

Experience of them? I've plenty. Generally, there crap! :p ;)
 
Soldato
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I think we'd get screwed if we said an OEM system in the car would cost as much as £20 in parts. £20 is stil plenty cheap for the aftermarket.

Shame yanks dont use them instead of running over 918 kids every year as they back off the drive.

To meet FMVSS111 you have to make the screen come on within 2 secs of applying reverse (IIRC). You up for that challenge? :p
 
Man of Honour
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Oh lighten up Mike FFS!

Experience of them? I've plenty. Generally, there crap! :p ;)

You have experience of the cheap eBay ones? As that's what's useful to me.

Having used several cars with factory ones I already know the work well in practice. It's more the technical side of the diy ones I am interested in experiences of.
 
Man of Honour
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I think we'd get screwed if we said an OEM system in the car would cost as much as £20 in parts. £20 is stil plenty cheap for the aftermarket.

Shame yanks dont use them instead of running over 918 kids every year as they back off the drive.

To meet FMVSS111 you have to make the screen come on within 2 secs of applying reverse (IIRC). You up for that challenge? :p

Challenge accepted :D
 
Caporegime
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[TW]Fox;20488194 said:
You have experience of the cheap eBay ones? As that's what's useful to me.

Having used several cars with factory ones I already know the work well in practice. It's more the technical side of the diy ones I am interested in experiences of.

Yes, tried one that is fitted to one of our tractor units at work by a driver, the idea is to cover his blind spot, its wired into his notebook (via USB I think) whilst yes, it shows if something is in said blind spot, its picture quality was poor and the image kept freezing.

It may not have been the one your looking at (I'm sure its unlikely!) but it was not the greatest piece of kit, no.

Spending more would give better results I'm sure.
 
Man of Honour
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Yes, tried one that is fitted to one of our tractor units at work by a driver, the idea is to cover his blind spot, its wired into his notebook (via USB I think) whilst yes, it shows if something is in said blind spot, its picture quality was poor and the image kept freezing.

It may not have been the one your looking at (I'm sure its unlikely!) but it was not the greatest piece of kit, no.

Spending more would give better results I'm sure.

These are not USB cameras though?
 
Soldato
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If that one on the Accord replaced one of the number plate lights, does that not then mean that it looks like you have one of the lights blown?
 
Soldato
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If that one on the Accord replaced one of the number plate lights, does that not then mean that it looks like you have one of the lights blown?

It looks to me like it has two lights either side of the camera part so that you don't lose your lighting entirely.
 
Soldato
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Fair point. The only advert I can see for that camera is in Spanish but unfortunately my Spanish isn't good enough to decipher whether they're lights or ambient light sensors.
 
Soldato
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I've looked at a few different ones on eBay and none of they actually say what they are (Lights or sensors).

You would hope they are lights or else it would be a daft looking thing afterwards (in terms of lighting).
 
Soldato
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I'd be interested to know how you get on with this, for the sake of £20 I may give it a go. I'll have to find out if it works with the mk4 factory screen first though.
 
Soldato
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From what I know of composite bullet cameras you can literally spend as much or as little as you want. There's your £20 eBay specials and then your Sony 580+ TVL ones for £185. Just need to pick the price point that your happy with and buy one!



What blew me away was the level of tech in the Ford Focus

It wasn't that long ago this tech was reserved for high end mercs and lexus only.

And already you can have it on your 2012 Focus. Incredible.

And on the other end of the scale BMW still charge extra for Xenons in an F10 5 Series!
 
Soldato
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Reversing cameras are a gimmick but a good one. Mine pops out the rear VW badge when you put it in reverse, I still think it is a cool gimmick every time I see it pop out. £63 and a couple of hours well spent retro fitting it didn't seem over the top to me so for £20 it seems a no brainer.

On a different note Fox, have you picked what sat nav you are buying ? My girlfriend wants the pants Vauxhall sat nav replaced in her Zafira for one with proper iPod control and Bluetooth. I can only find the Pioneer one to play with locally and it seemed very good, I can't try the Sony one anywhere and was hoping you have tried both ?
 
Associate
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If stuck for somewhere to put the camera, then the ones built into number plate frames don't look too bad in some cases.
I have also seen a kit with a reverse camera and screen built into a rear view mirror for people who dont have a screen already. No idea of the quality though.
 
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