Dashcam / Reversing Camera.......

[GRW]

OK... my Renault Master came with a Brigade make reversing camera & monitor (& parking sensors).
Unfortunately all of it (monitor, sensorsexcept perhaps the rear camera as I can't test it) ist kaput.

(I still have the rear cam & the 4-wire aircraft style cable to the front footwell in situ, thinking maybe I could hook a new display unit up using that cable and possibly camera).

In these strange times though, it occurred that a "dashcam" system to provide additional function & evidence seems "a good idea"..... but I've never used or had any experience with of this kit - so thought I'd ask the Hive Mind.

(I'm guessing the rear cams using 4-wire aircraft connectors are pretty universal wiring and should work with most/all systems using the same... but a guess is all it is. It'd make life much easier if I could utilise the in situ old Brigade 4-wire cable).

Of course I don't want to spend a Kings ransom on something (esp as its a bit of an experiment, but thinking these days I really ought to kit out the OH's car too), but I'm not expecting to get something fantastic for £15 off eBay either. (I do have a couple of video type micro-SD cards somewhere I could use for memory).

Anyone got any sage advice / recommendation?

TIA, G.

 

[cheb]

Have you a built in screen? My Vivaro has one and I fitted a a plug and play reversing camera bought via Ebay. I was slightly surprised when it did actually plug and play.

 

[winchman]

I have fitted a few of the cheap eBay cameras and screens all great, most recent one is a large screen to replace the existing radio with a reverse camera it's great. Came as a full Kit from Amazon or Ebay for about £110., the big screen camera points down at rear bumper and the other half of the twin camera points backwards and I have a screen where the rear view mirror would be.

Its in a Mk7 Transit

 

[GRW]

Have you a built in screen? My Vivaro has one and I fitted a a plug and play reversing camera bought via Ebay. I was slightly surprised when it did actually plug and play.

No I'm afraid not. It's s 2008 van so no double-din head unit, let alone screens.

 

[GRW]

I have fitted a few of the cheap eBay cameras and screens all great, most recent one is a large screen to replace the existing radio with a reverse camera it's great. Came as a full Kit from Amazon or Ebay for about £110., the big screen camera points down at rear bumper and the other half of the twin camera points backwards and I have a screen where the rear view mirror would be.View attachment 463671View attachment 463672 Its in a Mk7 Transit

I've only a single DIN radio slot, so I'd need a head unit that's single DIN with a fold-out screen I believe.
Alli think I'm after atm is a simple screen & camera type arrangement (that if it could use my existing installed 4-pin cable running to the rear cam location would be ideal).

 

[Nomad]

I've fitted a couple of sub-£100 "Rearview mirror cams", they come with a separate rear view camera and record both front & rear at the same time on a micro-usb memory card you fit in the mirror.
When you reverse the mirror changes to a screen displaying the rear camera / reversing camera.
Mine had small screens, on some newer ones the complete mirror becomes the screen when reversing.
Wiring 12v power to the mirror, and the wire from there to the rear camera need thinking about. Some now come with bluetooth rear camera so no need to run wires front to back.
Video quality varies so does low-light performance (one of mine was sensitive to "dazzle" with oncoming headlights/bright streetlights).
They often have a movement activated security camera option, handy if parking on the street / supermarket carpark.

Samples & "Best buy" https://dashcameras.net/rearview-mirror-dash-cams/

Edit: it has been discussed here in the past, search might be useful

 

[GRW]

I've fitted a couple of sub-£100 "Rearview mirror cams", they come with a separate rear view camera and record both front & rear at the same time on a micro-usb memory card you fit in the mirror.
When you reverse the mirror changes to a screen displaying the rear camera / reversing camera.
Mine had small screens, on some newer ones the complete mirror becomes the screen when reversing.
Wiring 12v power to the mirror, and the wire from there to the rear camera need thinking about. Some now come with bluetooth rear camera so no need to run wires front to back.
Video quality varies so does low-light performance (one of mine was sensitive to "dazzle" with oncoming headlights/bright streetlights).
They often have a movement activated security camera option, handy if parking on the street / supermarket carpark.

Samples & "Best buy" https://dashcameras.net/rearview-mirror-dash-cams/

Edit: it has been discussed here in the past, search might be useful

My van doesn't have an interior mirror, so any display would be dash-mounted somewhere.
Yes, I've seen the features even £20 items claim to have like that. I just don't know how good they are!
A lot don't seem to state how long their cables are either (& so with a 6 metre-ish long van without considering cable runs that's a need-to-know factor).

(I'm aware of Bluetooth ones, but also seen several reports where connectivity and image delay were problems with those ).

 

[winchman]

I have only ever had one faulty camera from Ebay and they replaced it with no issues, rest have been fine

 

[jmp49]

Ive done a few camera installs using a android head unit and cabled inside the car, and the owners wouldn't be without them now but none of them offer the capability to capture the feed, they're just reversing aids that switch the headunits display itself straight into view only mode rather than appearing in the android screen output but still pretty useful as reversing aid. To record for backing up a claim you need a actual standalone dashcam that's designed to record to sd or a dedicated unit as described by nomad, you can put a app on the android head units and connect to some dashcams and skip the display requirement if you already have the android head unit but I've never used or installed one personally.

For my master pickup the one I got for it has a larger stand alone display that sits on the dash on a mount as the din radio slot for the head unit is by my ankle, and that is just for camera use and you can put both rear and forward facing cameras on that and it came with a 20ft rear 4 pin amphenol style cable off to the rear camera and a socket for extra cameras on the head unit, it also links to their wifi linked cameras for use on a trailer behind the van and can record to sd cards etc. Unfortunately I cant tell you more how it is to live with day to day, as its been sat in the box since arriving pushed out the way by more urgent stuff. I think they are aimed more towards commercial sized vehicles and motorhomes and stuff than cars and marketed as such.

 

[Rickt]

I've fitted quite a few systems over the years, here's some of the kit I've used. Apart from the self contained dash cams (SD card recording) I like the idea of a reversing camera. I have one on my van, had one fitted on my old car I recently got rid of , I left the camera on it but kept the monitor....a flip up/down type I intend to fit to my Moka. Four wire setup, live, neutral, video+, video-. I fitted a switch in between but leave it on all the time. I find them very handy when towing the trailer , I can see if anything falls off!. Monitors are cheap , actually so are the cameras and do the job well. You can buy a SD card recorder. I have one but never fitted it. So, if you want to record the back camera you can, all 12v. Infact you can buy a twin input SD recorder, so input the front and back camera and it will record both should you wish.

 

[Onthespotwelding]

I have fitted a few of the cheap eBay cameras and screens all great, most recent one is a large screen to replace the existing radio with a reverse camera it's great. Came as a full Kit from Amazon or Ebay for about £110., the big screen camera points down at rear bumper and the other half of the twin camera points backwards and I have a screen where the rear view mirror would be. Its in a Mk7 Transit

Do you have a link for that head unit please. Looking at upgrading my mk7 stereo

 

[winchman]

Do you have a link for that head unit please. Looking at upgrading my mk7 stereo

I will have a look tonight when I get home

 

[indy4x]

I've only a single DIN radio slot, so I'd need a head unit that's single DIN with a fold-out screen I believe.
Alli think I'm after atm is a simple screen & camera type arrangement (that if it could use my existing installed 4-pin cable running to the rear cam location would be ideal).

You can get single DIN Android Auto units with what they call floating screens, most of the big boys like Pioneer do them as will as unknown stuff from China

 

[winchman]

Here you go

Pardon our interruption...

 

[GRW]

Here you go

Pardon our interruption...

Thanks (though the vehicle is my Renault Master Mk2)

 

[skotl]

Just fitted one of these, this week, to my wife’s new (to her) 2013 Fiesta.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0D8T8P5H1

Shows as £119 at the moment but some magic (??) seems to apply a £20 discount at checkout so £99.

CarPlay and android play, sound through FM or Aux port (I went with aux) front dashcam on the front of the unit and a wired rear dashcam (that comes with a tiny 4 pin plug as mentioned above).
Fly wire to the reversing light so when you put the car in reverse the unit mutes what it’s playing and shows the rear camera view.

Even comes with a 64GB card for recording (front only) dash footage already fitted!

For less than a hundred quid that’s front cam, reversing camera, satnav, Spotify and hands free phone (all through the phone of course).

Utter bargain.

 

[GRW]

Just fitted one of these, this week, to my wife’s new (to her) 2013 Fiesta.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0D8T8P5H1

Shows as £119 at the moment but some magic (??) seems to apply a £20 discount at checkout so £99.

CarPlay and android play, sound through FM or Aux port (I went with aux) front dashcam on the front of the unit and a wired rear dashcam (that comes with a tiny 4 pin plug as mentioned above).
Fly wire to the reversing light so when you put the car in reverse the unit mutes what it’s playing and shows the rear camera view.

Even comes with a 64GB card for recording (front only) dash footage already fitted!

For less than a hundred quid that’s front cam, reversing camera, satnav, Spotify and hands free phone (all through the phone of course).

Utter bargain.

Sold!!
One is on its way!

 

[winchman]

Anyone seen a dash cam with separate camera? Can't fit one to windscreen in motor home as it would foul the blinds

 

[GRW]

Anyone seen a dash cam with separate camera? Can't fit one to windscreen in motor home as it would foul the blinds

Won't a dashboard mount clear the blinds so they can pass between the windscreen and the unit body?

 

[Onthespotwelding]

Here you go

Pardon our interruption...

Ordered. Cheers mate