Camera System

[patrick_g]

A few years ago places like Camping World sold rear view cameras for over $1000 so I took a small B&W CRT and camera for a closed circuit monitoring system which I bought on sale for about $40. With a big slide-in camper the view to the rear, even with the Fresnel lens on the back door is not the best and I anted better. The system came with a "wall wart" that provided 15 VDC but it worked off the trucks nominal 12 volt system (typically 14.2 when driving) just fine but the VIEW was not reversed like with a mirror. Once yoiu get trained to using a rear view mirror for backing and manuvering a "NORMAL" view isn't the best. So I opened up the CRT case and reversed the wires on the horizontal deflection coils. The picture was then a mirror image (and upside down so I mounted the CRT upside down to compensate and all was fine.

This predated wide availability of inexpensive LCD screens. Thje camera was aout 2x3x4 inches, way bigger than the little units available now but not too bad and fit in a protective weather enclosure just fine. IT had excellent low light capability.

I am somewhat anxious to test the low light capability of the lisc plate mounted unit from Wally World. If it sucks too much I can always wire a light to the back up light wires to give a better night view.

Pat

 

[HOUNDSTOOTH]

Patrick,
I haven't tested the low light situation yet. But when I am operating at night I have those handy dandy rear lights running.
My reason for piping in, is that I have a hard time seeing anything in bright sunny days. I was out yeterday, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. I tried adjusting the screen's color, brightness, contrast, But had no luck. It worl=ks great in the shade or on a cloudy day. I can see just as good as if I were to turn around and look through the window.
Could it be the camera? Or, no matter what I do, The sun will just be to bright some days?

 

[patrick_g]

I have a hard time seeing anything in bright sunny days. It worl=ks great in the shade or on a cloudy day.
Could it be the camera? Or, no matter what I do, The sun will just be to bright some days?

It could be too much light for the camera but is more likely too much light on the monitor. You can improve the situation with a three sided hood over the screen to put it in the shade. This same arrangement used to be used with depthsounder/fishfinders used in bright sun. Put a little "awning" over the display and it will help. Can't promise it will be enough in every situation but it will help a lot in some situations. Direct sun on the screen won't be helped if the angle of the light is low and gets under your little hood.

Try some corrugated cardboard sprayed flat black on the inside. Tape it to your display. Please report your results.

Pat

 

[mjncad]

That's the downside to LCD screens is that the image gets washed out in bright sunlight.

 

[patrick_g]

That's the downside to LCD screens is that the image gets washed out in bright sunlight.

Hence my contrast enhancing sunshade suggestion.

Subsequent to my sunshade comment I watched a program showing several small flying machines including military recon equipment. One weighed 0.8 lbs and had TV and FLIR cameras. The operator had a folding sun screen so he could see the display in daylight. It was a complete enclosure with a small opening for the operators face/eyes. Looked more restrictive than Spock's "blue light shoe box" on the original "Star Trek" with Bill S.

Pat

 

[Builder]

Isn't the wal mart screen too small to be useful? Seems like the small screen wouldn't do much for these 40+ eyes from the seat to the dash???

 

[patrick_g]

Isn't the wal mart screen too small to be useful? Seems like the small screen wouldn't do much for these 40+ eyes from the seat to the dash???

Well, It can't be converted to or be confused with a 1080P HIDEF big screen entertainment center, that's for sure!

First consider that I wear glasses and with the glasses am 20-20 in both eyes.

Second and more importantly as stated by the stuff they printed on the box, you can mount the monitor on a visor or just about anywhere so as to be convenient for you. So if YOUR OLD EYES can't see it on the dash, then don't put it on the dash.

It isn't a scenery monitoring/viewing system it is to check for obstructions behind you like kids, their bikes, and such or to monitor a trailer ball so you can hitch up easier. If you need to observe something at a distance, use your regular mirrors.

If you run its power from the back up light circuit it will only give you something to look at while in reverse. When in reverse most of us tend to go a bit slower and more deliberately. I often go faster than the average in reverse and can tell the stories about how I got this or that dent which may actually have been prevented if I was using the little Wally World backup cam system as the monitor is smallish and you do have to pay attention which would have slowed me down, maybe. Ah, small is a SAFETY FEATURE!
It works good enough. I'm not driving forward in traffic by the view I get in it The Army will probably not use them for remote viewing to drive a battle tank. IT works well enough for the intended purpose.

Pat

 

[Builder]

Well, It can't be converted to or be confused with a 1080P HIDEF big screen entertainment center, that's for sure!

First consider that I wear glasses and with the glasses am 20-20 in both eyes.

Second and more importantly as stated by the stuff they printed on the box, you can mount the monitor on a visor or just about anywhere so as to be convenient for you. So if YOUR OLD EYES can't see it on the dash, then don't put it on the dash.

It isn't a scenery monitoring/viewing system it is to check for obstructions behind you like kids, their bikes, and such or to monitor a trailer ball so you can hitch up easier. If you need to observe something at a distance, use your regular mirrors.

If you run its power from the back up light circuit it will only give you something to look at while in reverse. When in reverse most of us tend to go a bit slower and more deliberately. I often go faster than the average in reverse and can tell the stories about how I got this or that dent which may actually have been prevented if I was using the little Wally World backup cam system as the monitor is smallish and you do have to pay attention which would have slowed me down, maybe. Ah, small is a SAFETY FEATURE!
It works good enough. I'm not driving forward in traffic by the view I get in it The Army will probably not use them for remote viewing to drive a battle tank. IT works well enough for the intended purpose.

Pat

Thanks, that's real helpful. Two more question:

If my license plates are mounted off to one side (not centered), will the camera still work correctly?

Are they for sale at wally world or are they only ordered off the internet?

Thanks a lot.

 

[patrick_g]

Thanks, that's real helpful. Two more question:

If my license plates are mounted off to one side (not centered), will the camera still work correctly?

Are they for sale at wally world or are they only ordered off the internet?

Thanks a lot.

Builder, You betcha, I got mine off the shelf, cash and carry. They are in the automotive accessory area with the radios and such.

I make no claim that you can't shop around and get better for less (I don't know that for sure though) so the Wally World system was a sure kill.

The camera will work fine but the view point will be off to one side a bit. Not my favorite thing for hitching a trailer. You could "shim" the camera a little to make it look a little sideways to get a better view of the hitch if that is your need. I'd consider ways to center the camera and consider tilting the camera down a bit if the hitch is low in the monitor picture especially if the camera will mount above the elevation of the hitch. Those little cameras are pretty wide angle so you may not need to do any adjusting.

Is this for a pickup, SUV, or what? The camera is really quite small and you could probably find an acceptable location for it. On a pickup you can mount it to the tailgate with glue-on Velcro and Velcro on the camera. Then with a secondary mount yo have a second camera location to use when you remove the tailgate. If all you want to do is use it for hitching a trailer being a little higher up and looking down at an angle is a good thing. You could even mount it to the top of the tailgate but you'd lose a lot of the rear view farther back behind the truck.

I have a convex mirror on a mount that straddles the top of the tailgate of my Dodge/Cummins 1 ton so I can look down on the hitching action and often hitch perfectly on the first pass and rarely miss on the second if I miss on the first. I only get out when the ball is directly under the coupler. The problem is that lighting is a big factor. Glare makes the system hard to use in some lighting situations and at night I need to position a flashlight.

A camera will do the same job but will not have the glare and associated problems. When I get a chance to think about it I will probably put a system on the Dodge too. I could swap one unit back and forth but for $100 I may just rather have one for each.

Pat

 

[Builder]

Builder, You betcha, I got mine off the shelf, cash and carry. They are in the automotive accessory area with the radios and such.

I make no claim that you can't shop around and get better for less (I don't know that for sure though) so the Wally World system was a sure kill.

The camera will work fine but the view point will be off to one side a bit. Not my favorite thing for hitching a trailer. You could "shim" the camera a little to make it look a little sideways to get a better view of the hitch if that is your need. I'd consider ways to center the camera and consider tilting the camera down a bit if the hitch is low in the monitor picture especially if the camera will mount above the elevation of the hitch. Those little cameras are pretty wide angle so you may not need to do any adjusting.

Is this for a pickup, SUV, or what? The camera is really quite small and you could probably find an acceptable location for it. On a pickup you can mount it to the tailgate with glue-on Velcro and Velcro on the camera. Then with a secondary mount yo have a second camera location to use when you remove the tailgate. If all you want to do is use it for hitching a trailer being a little higher up and looking down at an angle is a good thing. You could even mount it to the top of the tailgate but you'd lose a lot of the rear view farther back behind the truck.

I have a convex mirror on a mount that straddles the top of the tailgate of my Dodge/Cummins 1 ton so I can look down on the hitching action and often hitch perfectly on the first pass and rarely miss on the second if I miss on the first. I only get out when the ball is directly under the coupler. The problem is that lighting is a big factor. Glare makes the system hard to use in some lighting situations and at night I need to position a flashlight.

A camera will do the same job but will not have the glare and associated problems. When I get a chance to think about it I will probably put a system on the Dodge too. I could swap one unit back and forth but for $100 I may just rather have one for each.

Pat

Mine will be going on the back of this beast my IH4800 4x4: