Has anyone bought one of these? I'm looking for something like this for both backing up the trailer, and for hitching. Unfortunately Camping World provides not details on this item...
I bought one from Walmart ($98.00) several months ago. I mounted it on the Avalanche rear license plate. The camera I put on the underside of my visor. Installing the whole thing took maybe 45 minutes. You do need to have a power source for both the camera and the monitor. I took monitor power from under the dash and camera power from the tail-light wire on my 7-way connector. When I want the camera on I just turn the parking lights on. The monitor has a switch. Originally I was going to move the camera between the truck and the Bambi, but I decided to leave it on the truck. It makes hooking up a dream. It takes a few times to get the forward/back position correct (depth perception) on the ball and hitch but side-to-side is accurate 100% of the time. For $98 bucks you can't go wrong!
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Dave
DayStreamer
2001 19' Bambi
02 Avalanche
I have a wireless set up from a former studio, but haven't hooked it up yet. I have to back into our very gnarly, "blind side only" storage spot next week and I'm planning on trying it out on the back of the AS. I'll post the results.
With my new truck I purchased a new stero with the camera cacpability. I mounted the Camera on the top of the reciever. Great view of the ball! Should be a huge help in hooking up the trailer. ;-)
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Michelle
If you think you are having a bad day go to the hospital and visit the children.
Sarah
Ruby, (05 BMW R1200RT)
Daisy, (06 Turbo Diesel F-250 w/Tow Command, the perfect TV)
Butter Cup, (06 Classic 31 w/dinette, solar)
45,000 miles in two years! http://Michelles-Adventures.US
This looks like a great item! I would love to hear more on the pro/cons of them! As I am clueless about how they work... do you leave them on or remove them after each use? Do they travel with you and if so how do they hold up in winter weather, or scorching heat?
Here in Canada, I can get one from Canadian Tire... it looks the same, but doesn't have those buttons.. just has two.... whatever they are for... Less buttons 50% bigger price! LOL
I was thinking that since the price is pretty good... I'd buy two units so I'd have 2 cameras (only need one monitor). One camera on the back of our Yukon for hitching up, one on the back of the Bambi for backup assist. I could simply unhook one camera when the other is in use. Great too because you don't have to run video cable from the back of the trailer up to the tow vehicle. Sound like a plan?
Here in Canada, I can get one from Canadian Tire... it looks the same, but doesn't have those buttons.. just has two.... whatever they are for... Less buttons 50% bigger price! LOL
I was thinking that since the price is pretty good... I'd buy two units so I'd have 2 cameras (only need one monitor). One camera on the back of our Yukon for hitching up, one on the back of the Bambi for backup assist. I could simply unhook one camera when the other is in use. Great too because you don't have to run video cable from the back of the trailer up to the tow vehicle. Sound like a plan?
Hi Dave, I saw a review of that system somewhere and it will barely work on your tow vehicle and most likely not from the back of your trailer- it simply doesn't have the range (and there is all that metal in between). If I find the URL for the review I'll post it.
I've been thinking of a rear view camera on the back of my trailer and I guess it will end up being a wired unit.
For hitching up I use a convex mirror mounted on a rod that slides into a holder that I mounted on the tongue (wireless and only $8.95). When we're camping the holder is used for the flagpole.
__________________ John
If you need to turn on your air conditioner,you've gone too far south!
Ah! Another fello Airstreamer from Orleans! Probably just down the road from you John.
I see by your sig that you have all the toys I am looking for, for next season LOL
Thanks for the heads up on the range of that unit.
Well I guess if I can't find a suitable wireless unit, I'll go wired. Would mean having to run a video cable under the belly of the Airstream though. I thought in that case , I would just site the camera on the bumper and plugging it into the video cable in that event. It wouldn't have be permanently mounted, or else use one of the license plate units.
Hi--I have the wired unit. Works OK. Screen is very small and dim. If the sun is shining on the camera, you can't see anything but glare. Has a very wide angle lense. Mounted on my license plate bracket I can see my hitch ball, as well as the ground at the edge of my rear bumper. Mine is wired to the back up light, so it only goes on when I back up. The screen is mounted on the back side of my visor, which I flip down. With a dash mount the screen is too dim to see in the day.--Frank S
We used to have a wireless cam on the back of the trailer.
Funny story now.
We pulled into a larger RV park to set up, the picture that showed up was rear view from the class A accross the driveway. It was much closer to the receiver than the back of the trailer was, but the same channel. That cam was on the whole time we were there. Got no usable picture till we left the park.
Had to back in the old fashion way.
And hard wire is the way to go, last time I tried the wireless cam, it knocked out the wireless network at home. Had to reset everything, they are all 2.4 ghz