Curious if anyone is using standard network ip cameras for backup, side view and even forward facing. I have a 43ft fifth wheel that I’d like to get a few really good camera angles. I hate to pay a $1000 for a system with another screen to manage. We already have a gps and iPad that we use when towing. To be able to use the iPad screen to view network cameras would be great.Now a little disclaimer. We are already doing this with a few cameras on the inside. My wireless network is always on as well as my Mac mini which is running s program called security spy. This program aggregates multiple cameras into one stream which I can then view on an iPad whil towing or an Apple TV at night as a security device. So far it works great inside.Outside is a different story. I’m trying to find some low profile cameras which also have good night vision. I can find one or the other but not both. I’ve had really good results stationary with an amcrest bullet camera which boasts a pretty long night vision viewing distance. Alternately I found a nice compact camera by la view that has so so image quality and night vision. My goal would be to mount the cameras in the back, sides and on the roof angled forward as a birds eye dash cam.Wanted to see if anyone else was doing this. Is this a silly idea? I am a gadget geek. Is there a better more simple option I should concider?Thanks,Kirk

I know of one person who is currently experimenting with this. He says it is possible but is not ready for production into the market yet. He is still working through some issues, but I am not familiar with what those issues are. His name is Jack Mayer and he has his hands in various RV related fields. He recently started a company called RVHLifestyles. I would contact him to see where he is at with his project.

Thanks. I may just reach out to him. Network cams bring a whole new level of advatages over traditional backup systems. Really backup camera is such a limiting term. No reason we shouldn’t have a full view of the surroundings. I know there are some 360 degree systems out there which are intended to give you a Birdseye view. but they have a lot of maturing to do. I’m dabbling with some ideas myself. I actually happen to disagree. The products are out there. They just aren’t being packaged or targeted for RVers at the moment.Thanks again!Kirk

Similar to this? I found a Youtube video-https://youtu.be/6UIG-31UCFU

SugarHillCTD wrote:Similar to this? I found a Youtube video-https://youtu.be/6UIG-31UCFUThank you for that link, I'll have to look into this.

They work fine, with some slight limitations. I purchased a used wifi router at a garage sale and set up a LAN (without internet connection) within the rig. Mounted a bullet style, outdoor IP camera on the back. Great picture, great night vision and was able to record motion video to an old laptop. It didn't work so well for viewing rear traffic while rolling down the road due to delay in camera circuitry, too much lag. The camera I used couldn't keep up with the rapid change in motion. Fun and pretty inexpensive to play with,

Backup and Side View Cameras - Network IP Cam | Good Sam Community

BarneyS
Explorer III
Jun 02, 2019
Dtank wrote:
Snip...
Also - rules don't allow duplicate posts. You could ask a Moderator to move it......but simply changing the title will work also.

:C

.

Nope! Not necessarily true. We spot most of the duplicate posts or another member "notifies" us. :)

Besides that, after almost 20 years of moderating these forums, it becomes quite easy to tell when a member is likely to double post in another forum in order to circumvent the double posting rule.
Barney
Dtank
Explorer
Jun 01, 2019
rvexodus wrote:
Curious if anyone is using standard network ip cameras for backup, side view and even forward facing. I have a 43ft fifth wheel that I’d like to get a few really good camera angles. I hate to pay a $1000 for a system with another screen to manage. We already have a gps and iPad that we use when towing. To be able to use the iPad screen to view network cameras would be great.

Now a little disclaimer. We are already doing this with a few cameras on the inside. My wireless network is always on as well as my Mac mini which is running s program called security spy. This program aggregates multiple cameras into one stream which I can then view on an iPad whil towing or an Apple TV at night as a security device. So far it works great inside.

Outside is a different story. I’m trying to find some low profile cameras which also have good night vision. I can find one or the other but not both. I’ve had really good results stationary with an amcrest bullet camera which boasts a pretty long night vision viewing distance. Alternately I found a nice compact camera by la view that has so so image quality and night vision.

My goal would be to mount the cameras in the back, sides and on the roof angled forward as a birds eye dash cam.

Wanted to see if anyone else was doing this. Is this a silly idea? I am a gadget geek. Is there a better more simple option I should concider?

Thanks,

Kirk

Start a new thread in the Technology Corner forum (Note: NOT Tech Issues Forum).

Many readers only visit a particular forum - and your thread here may not reach some of those folks "over there".

Also - rules don't allow duplicate posts. You could ask a Moderator to move it......but simply changing the title will work also.

:C

.
wtbman
Explorer
May 30, 2019
I am about to build a system similar to what you describe. Here are the details:

I have a 5th wheel
- mount wireless router in storage near the front
- old ipad mini mounted on dash connected to trailer wifi
- mac mini running inside connected to inverter
- http://sighthound.com security software for dvr on mac mini
- front and rear cameras: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GR7LBFC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
- mount rear camera on rear wall with: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BKRKPPG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
- front camera mounts offset under front overhang with shot of hitch
- cameras are poe, power with: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BP0SSAS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
- run cat5/6 cable from cameras to poe switch and router
- router will act as repeater to connect to home wifi when in range
- cameras will be part of home security system
- router can connect to rv park wifi or hotspot to watch rv cameras while on day trips
- need to find 360 degree side cameras

Cameras arrive Monday so hopefully I'll have good news to report about my setup. I chose Hikvision cameras for this setup because they are high resolution and low latency with their proprietary app: ivms-4500 which I've tested with my home setup. Night vision is good. I can also reverse the image for the backup camera.
rvexodus
Explorer
Mar 26, 2018
gmcsmoke wrote:
rvexodus wrote:
I hate to pay a $1000 for a system with another screen to manage.

$1,000?? what are you looking at.

One of the more reputable solutions I’ve read about is from:
https://www.tadibrothers.com/products/7-monitor-with-1-built-in-wireless-mounted-rv-backup-cameras-and-two-side-cameras

These guys are over priced in my opinion. However, I did come across a couple other companies that also subscribe to truckers, bus drivers, and RVers and their prices were inline.

Tadi Brothers has a number of solutions in the $700+ range, this one being digital vs analogue which I personally wouldn’t drill holes in my rv for analogue equipment. If you were to pay someone to install it and do a good job you are looking at a couple hundred bucks on top of that.

Are there cheaper solutions. Sure. But with a 43ft fifth wheel, cheap o solutions would likely have transmitting issues. Simply I wouldn’t invest 70k in a 5th wheel and hope to rely on a $199 multi camera system :)

More in scope of this discussion is the desire to build a solution that can be used for towing as well as for security. Most common backup camera systems don’t allow you to view the cameras while you are at dinner in town and the RV is parked in the boondocks. Nor do most allow you to record all camera angles while you are towing in the event there is an accident. IP cameras do support all this and other than a slight lag are very ideal for this situation. Lag and form factor are the two key barriers from my perspective.
gmcsmoke
Explorer
Mar 26, 2018
rvexodus wrote:
I hate to pay a $1000 for a system with another screen to manage.

$1,000?? what are you looking at.
laknox
Nomad
Mar 26, 2018
rvexodus wrote:
laknox wrote:
We checked out some friends' Kountry Aire several years ago. Owner had installed 3 rear-facing cams. One, a high-mount at the rear, with wide angle, and 2 others, right behind the hitch step. He used a commercial enclosure for the rear cam, then found some really neat, small, aerodynamic covers for the side cams. All painted to match his coach. Hard-wired to his Baby Freightliner on their own screen. He could split it 3-ways, 2 ways or isolate any single cam. He did this after about his 3rd or 4th near-miss when changing lanes.

Lyle

I’d be interested in what he used for the side camera enclosure. I’ve sourced some cameras from alibaba that look to be small enough with descent sensors and IR capabilities. They are definately low profile enough for side view but could benefit from an enclosure. Most bullet cams, while small for tucking under a house eve, are just to bulky for adding to the side of the RV. Time permitting 3D printing a fairing wouldn’t be much trouble.

I really have no idea what they were. =Might= have been a running/clearance light enclosure, but smaller than the "normal" ones.

Lyle
SabreCanuck
Explorer
Mar 26, 2018
rvexodus wrote:
SabreCanuck wrote:
Interesting topic as being a techy-geek had thought of the same thing.. I haven't sourced anything as of yet but would LOVE to have a multi-camera option. One way to get around the issue of video quality is to go with a mix of wired cameras where you need them... No matter what happens, you are going to need a central point of connection for cameras and an local network to connect ipad/phone to view those cameras.. If you are running a LAN router, nothing stopping you from having one camera WIRED that is used for high speed motion and WIRELESS the other ones that would only be concerned with backing or when parked for security (low speeds).

I agree and seldom discussed is a forward looking ROOF cam so I can see if that tree branch is going to rip anything off of the roof. Or maybe it's just better not knowing :)

Tree branch ... bridge ... best just not knowing :)

LOL - I typically try not to get myself into the BRIDGE issue.

Current situation, no view - Branches in campground dragging across roof, scratching stuff.
With Camera = Driver to Navigator = "Honey can you go crawl up on the roof and lift that branch".

Perhaps easier just not knowing. :)
rvexodus
Explorer
Mar 26, 2018
laknox wrote:
We checked out some friends' Kountry Aire several years ago. Owner had installed 3 rear-facing cams. One, a high-mount at the rear, with wide angle, and 2 others, right behind the hitch step. He used a commercial enclosure for the rear cam, then found some really neat, small, aerodynamic covers for the side cams. All painted to match his coach. Hard-wired to his Baby Freightliner on their own screen. He could split it 3-ways, 2 ways or isolate any single cam. He did this after about his 3rd or 4th near-miss when changing lanes.

Lyle

I’d be interested in what he used for the side camera enclosure. I’ve sourced some cameras from alibaba that look to be small enough with descent sensors and IR capabilities. They are definately low profile enough for side view but could benefit from an enclosure. Most bullet cams, while small for tucking under a house eve, are just to bulky for adding to the side of the RV. Time permitting 3D printing a fairing wouldn’t be much trouble.
rvexodus
Explorer
Mar 26, 2018
SabreCanuck wrote:
Interesting topic as being a techy-geek had thought of the same thing.. I haven't sourced anything as of yet but would LOVE to have a multi-camera option. One way to get around the issue of video quality is to go with a mix of wired cameras where you need them... No matter what happens, you are going to need a central point of connection for cameras and an local network to connect ipad/phone to view those cameras.. If you are running a LAN router, nothing stopping you from having one camera WIRED that is used for high speed motion and WIRELESS the other ones that would only be concerned with backing or when parked for security (low speeds).

I agree and seldom discussed is a forward looking ROOF cam so I can see if that tree branch is going to rip anything off of the roof. Or maybe it's just better not knowing :)

Tree branch ... bridge ... best just not knowing :)
laknox
Nomad
Mar 26, 2018
We checked out some friends' Kountry Aire several years ago. Owner had installed 3 rear-facing cams. One, a high-mount at the rear, with wide angle, and 2 others, right behind the hitch step. He used a commercial enclosure for the rear cam, then found some really neat, small, aerodynamic covers for the side cams. All painted to match his coach. Hard-wired to his Baby Freightliner on their own screen. He could split it 3-ways, 2 ways or isolate any single cam. He did this after about his 3rd or 4th near-miss when changing lanes.

Lyle

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