Rear View Safety Wireless Camera System
I just got done installing the Rear View Safety Digital Wireless Quad Camera System and felt I should share my first impressions. I purchased the system at bhphoto.com as their price at the time was $300 which was $50 cheaper than elsewhere. Wireless camera at BH Photo
With the link, I'll leave it to you to look at the specs. But what I purchased is the system with one camera, one mount that can mount to windshield or elsewhere and a 7" color monitor. You can add up to 3 other cameras with this system.
I installed it yesterday morning, so I've only used it to tow my trailer a short distance. I'll write an update later when I've actually used it on a trip, which will be later in May. First impression is that it works quite well. Reception is quite good. It would occassionally flicker (go black) for just a brief second, but that may be due to the fact that I accidently broke the antenna at the base. I removed the antenna, and reception was fine...so I think any problem was from the antenna. I called went online and chatted with Rear View Safety and they are sending me a replacement antenna. And to their credit, in spite of it being my fault, they aren't charging me for the replacement. So, great customer service so far.
The camera is in a metal housing and seems to be very solid. The monitor is made of plastic, but adequate for the job. I think I'll find a padded case to keep it in when not in use, and store it where it won't get bumped around.
I purchased this system because of the easy installation, and the camera simply plugs into the 12 volt outlet (cigarette lighter). And, installation was easy. I removed the center running light at the top rear of my trailer to access the wiring. I mounted the camera bracket about 10" below the light. About three inches above the bracket, I drilled a hole for running the wiring up to the running light wiring. For this, I had to get a 20 mm drill bit which required using a 1/2" drill. I attached the camera to the bracket. Once the wiring was completed, I made a preliminary test of the system. Once the monitor was plugged in, I turned it on and with a couple of button pushes, I had a full back-up view! After that, I just used the supplied rubber grommet to seal the hole around the wiring and applied some sealant where desired (around grommet, screw heads on mounting bracket, and around light housing). With the system wired into the running light, the camera works anytime the running lights are on and I don't have a problem running down the road with lights on.
I haven't figured out exactly how I want to mount/use the monitor bracket. I'll probably figure out the best setup for using the suction cup against the windshield and see how I like it for a long ride. The other alternative is to find a way to have it permanently mounted. In use, the monitor is fairly sharp. I haven't used it in the dark to test the effectiveness of the LED lights integrated with the camera. Again...I'll give a more thorough performance update after I've been on the road.
Bottom line is that I'm quite pleased with the system. I'll try to answer any questions. And, any suggestions re mounting the monitor would be appreciated.
With the link, I'll leave it to you to look at the specs. But what I purchased is the system with one camera, one mount that can mount to windshield or elsewhere and a 7" color monitor. You can add up to 3 other cameras with this system.
I installed it yesterday morning, so I've only used it to tow my trailer a short distance. I'll write an update later when I've actually used it on a trip, which will be later in May. First impression is that it works quite well. Reception is quite good. It would occassionally flicker (go black) for just a brief second, but that may be due to the fact that I accidently broke the antenna at the base. I removed the antenna, and reception was fine...so I think any problem was from the antenna. I called went online and chatted with Rear View Safety and they are sending me a replacement antenna. And to their credit, in spite of it being my fault, they aren't charging me for the replacement. So, great customer service so far.
The camera is in a metal housing and seems to be very solid. The monitor is made of plastic, but adequate for the job. I think I'll find a padded case to keep it in when not in use, and store it where it won't get bumped around.
I purchased this system because of the easy installation, and the camera simply plugs into the 12 volt outlet (cigarette lighter). And, installation was easy. I removed the center running light at the top rear of my trailer to access the wiring. I mounted the camera bracket about 10" below the light. About three inches above the bracket, I drilled a hole for running the wiring up to the running light wiring. For this, I had to get a 20 mm drill bit which required using a 1/2" drill. I attached the camera to the bracket. Once the wiring was completed, I made a preliminary test of the system. Once the monitor was plugged in, I turned it on and with a couple of button pushes, I had a full back-up view! After that, I just used the supplied rubber grommet to seal the hole around the wiring and applied some sealant where desired (around grommet, screw heads on mounting bracket, and around light housing). With the system wired into the running light, the camera works anytime the running lights are on and I don't have a problem running down the road with lights on.
I haven't figured out exactly how I want to mount/use the monitor bracket. I'll probably figure out the best setup for using the suction cup against the windshield and see how I like it for a long ride. The other alternative is to find a way to have it permanently mounted. In use, the monitor is fairly sharp. I haven't used it in the dark to test the effectiveness of the LED lights integrated with the camera. Again...I'll give a more thorough performance update after I've been on the road.
Bottom line is that I'm quite pleased with the system. I'll try to answer any questions. And, any suggestions re mounting the monitor would be appreciated.
