I would like to know if anyone has purchased/ installed a hitch camera. I want one that is wireless, and can either be moved to the back of the trailer for backup/view, or comes with two cameras. Decent quality monitor, reasonable price.....now, is that asking too much??
Any suggestions??
From my research, I like the Voyager system that Charliem installed. However, it may not fit your criteria of reasonable price! When I did a search of this forum, other brands turned up too, like the Rear View Safety system. I have a factory rear view camera in my TV that covers the hitch and works well, so I would like a wireless system for a rear view from the back of the trailer out on the highway. One other alternative I ran across is a wireless camera that talks to a Garmin GPS. Since Garmin is what I use for navigating, that may work too. However, in busy traffic situations, I would want to have both the map and the rear view at the same time, so that may not fit my needs. I wonder if a travel magazine like Trailer Life has done a review of various systems? Lastly, I did get a good recommendation to wait until just before I really need a system to buy it. The technology is changing quickly and even better systems may be available in 3 months when we are ready to hit the road.
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_150BC20/Garmin-BC-20-Wireless-Back-up-Camera.html?tp=48585
[font size="3"]A few thoughts on cameras:
Hitch vs rear view have separate, and somewhat contradictory, requirements. The hitch camera can usually be wired, thus cheaper and interference free. Wireless in this application makes installation a bit easier, but is subject to interference from the surroundings. Not a big problem since its use is infrequent and in relatively benign environments. You don't usually have to hitch up in the gas station parking lot.
The rear view function is more demanding. Wireless really helps here because it eliminates the connection between TV and TT. However it is susceptible to interference from the environment which might include you own TV. Newer vehicles, particularly those with electronics such as Blue Tooth, can be a problem. And the longer distance from camera to monitor will require better signal strength and processing. I had a Rear View Safety wireless system on my previous TT/TV and it worked "OK", but fell very short on the CL/Tacoma setup. The sgnal from the rear of the camper was iffy and the Blue Tooth dashboard electronics of the Tacoma wiped it out. If you want to see behind you you'll want a clear and reliable picture.
As Merlin suggests, the Voyager is expensive, but you'll never be disappointed by its performance. It is a fully digital system that "pairs" with its receiver to eliminate interference. Even from the back of the metal camper and into the cab of the truck it works flawlessly. I suppose you could move it from truck rear to camper rear with the proper bracketry and they may offer a dual camera option. However I might opt for adding a cheap wired camera fixed mounted to the TV. The monitor can switch between multiple inputs.
So wireless - yes, excellent quality - yes, movable - yes, affordable - ? ? ?
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[quote timestamp="1424026240" source="/post/6801/thread" author="@charliem"][font size="3"]It is a fully digital system that "pairs" with its receiver to eliminate interference.
[/font][/quote]The pairing process will eliminate visible distortion and prevent bad information from being displayed, but it does not eliminate the interference itself. What you'll find is that in an area with a lot of wireless noise you'll get reduced quality or lower framerate. The only way to eliminate the interference is to use a frequency that's not common. But eventually everyone else does that and you end up with interference again...
For example, right now I'm enjoying great wifi at my house because my router and devices all use 5ghz and NONE of my neighbors are. In the 2.4ghz spectrum however there over a dozen networks all fighting with each other and probably reducing their bandwidth to a crawl. But someday (hopefully not soon) they'll all start switching to 5ghz and clogging up my relatively noise free network.
I absolutely love the backup camera that's built into my Sequoia. It even has a center line to help line up the trailer (the hitch ball itself is also in the field of view). It makes hooking up solo a piece of cake. I think they make similar aftermarket wired systems, but I don't have any experience with them...
I would highly recommend getting a backup camera, but I don't have any specific models to recommend. As for trailer camera, I hand my wife a radio and have her watch for me... seems to be working well so far.
I purchased a 2-camera system from Rear View Safety, and I am very happy with it. My RV dealer installed it for me. The cameras were fastened to the bumper of my Jeep GC, and the bumper of my Camplite. They are wired, and when I unhitch, I disconnect the line that serves the trailer. The camera on the trailer also has a microphone, so I can hear vehicles approaching and passing, as well as see them.
http://www.rearviewsafety.com/products/camera-systems/motor-home-rv-backup-camera/rvs-770614-213-rear-view-camera-system-trailer-kit-fifth-wheel-5th-wheel.html
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Techie: You're probably right about lower frame rate, but I've never seen it or any degradation of quality, even in high interference environments. You may be referring to degraded service experienced in spread spectrum systems, which the Voyager may well be. It's probably like the present digital televisions: perfect until it's not there at all. In any case the pairing and digital encoding/decoding do eliminate tearing, noise, fading, and general poor performance I experienced in my previous system. However the big deciding factor for me was the interference from my own Blue Tooth dashboard. With the monitor on the dash you can't shield that away. Basically made the system unusable. The Voyager also has a signal strength indicator on the monitor and the signal is always full strength even from the TT rear. Ergo no fading. I'm not selling these things, but I did buy one. My fist is pretty tight on the dollar bills, but I really hate buying something that doesn't perform. That's the recipe for buying it twice.
I too have the OEM camera on my Tacoma. Works great. I don't use the rear view camera for backing into CGs. Wife's for that. She wanted the camera for seeing behind on the highway. I admit it's kinda handy.
Leslie: The secret to your satisfaction is wired. If you're willing to run the wires and conn/disconn each time the wired system will always be superior.
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[quote source="/post/6806/thread" timestamp="1424028492" author="@tinkeringtechie"]I absolutely love the backup camera that's built into my Sequoia. It even has a center line to help line up the trailer (the hitch ball itself is also in the field of view). It makes hooking up solo a piece of cake. I think they make similar aftermarket wired systems, but I don't have any experience with them...
I would highly recommend getting a backup camera, but I don't have any specific models to recommend. As for trailer camera, I hand my wife a radio and have her watch for me... seems to be working well so far. [/quote][p]I used to be very good at backing up to the horse trailer with my Ranger, and didn't have to get out to check but 2, maybe three times and I was on the ball. So I'm used to hitching up solo. Sometimes I forget to check the camera on our 4Runner (btw, you all know that name is a play on words, right ? Toyota 4Runner = Toyota Foreigner. I dunno if that was deliberate, but it really has to be, or they'da figured it out and changed it.)[/p][p]
[/p][p]Anyhoo.[/p][p]
[/p][p]So, I love the built-in camera and it sure makes things just a little easier even if I don't find it terribly necessary.[/p][p]
[/p][p]For backing up the trailer, we also have those hand-held FRS radios. I hand her one, send her to the back of the campsite, then turn mine off and do it myself. There's absolutely no help in feedback like "you're too far over", "almost perfect", "go the other way", or "you're too close!". Too close to what ? Whose left/right ? How many feet/inches in an "almost" ? It's better this way. I somehow always mange to make sure mine's on another channel. Ooooops....[/p][p]
[/p][p]In the dark I set a lantern out on the ground on the side I'll be able to see, just about 1 foot outside the line I need to hit. I navigate to that and trust to good fortune.[/p][p]
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Quote from: "@charliem" source="/postbr]
Leslie: The secret to your satisfaction is wired. If you're willing to run the wires and conn/disconn each time the wired system will always be superior.
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Connecting and disconnecting is easy - just turn the little ring to loosen or tighten and then pull it off or push it in. The WDH is the real bear for me when unhitching or hitching.
[font size="3"]From your description it sounds like you have a single video line connected with a BNC coaxial connector. That is easy. The camera must be powered from the trailer. Should work fine.
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Great feedback. Thanks, all!
Quote from: @pinstriper" source="/post/6811/thread" timestamp="1424041398[span style="font-size:10pt;"]For backing up the trailer, we also have those hand-held FRS radios. I hand her one, send her to the back of the campsite, then turn mine off and do it myself. There's absolutely no help in feedback like "you're too far over", "almost perfect", "go the other way", or "you're too close!". Too close to what ? Whose left/right ? How many feet/inches in an "almost" ? It's better this way. I somehow always mange to make sure mine's on another channel. Ooooops....[/span][p]
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Sounds like you need to come up with a "system" for you and your wife. My system has one keyword: "stop". When I hear that keyword I stop. So far I haven't run into anything. Normally the "stop system" works even without radios, but my wife is too quiet and the radios are less obnoxious for the neighboring campers..
Quote from: @tinkeringtechie" timestamp="1424053460" source="/post/6834/threadSounds like you need to come up with a "system" for you and your wife. My system has one keyword: "stop". When I hear that keyword I stop. So far I haven't run into anything. Normally the "stop system" works even without radios, but my wife is too quiet and the radios are less obnoxious for the neighboring campers..
[font size="3"]And what you hope you never hear is "I TOLD you to stop!"[/font]
I hear both of those all the time. I have learned to disregard in each case. Mostly, this works out fine.
Mostly.
Me I tell my wife to just tell me if I am about to hit something or if I am doing something really wrong and she let me do it and only tell me when something is really wrong and since then it's going way better than having message like go more left, go more right etc.... and then it gets confusing and you don't do it right so now it's easier and most of the time I get it done easily.
Being a "lone" camper I'm looking into a camera setup. Taking 15 minutes to get the hitch aligned is getting old.
Resurrecting this thread from a year ago to get current advice.
We are considering installing the Voyager WVOS511 Digital Wireless Observation System on our camper to give a rear view while on the road. It's expensive at $500+, but we have really missed having view straight back to the rear when towing. I already have a back-up camera in the TV and we spot each other whenever backing into a campsite, so this system will be just for on-the-road rear views.
I plan to mount the monitor in the flip-down overhead console right in front of the regular rear-view mirror and run power to it along the sunshades and A-pillar. The camera will be mounted on the top of the camper and get power from a switched DC source accessible in the bath fan junction box.
Does anyone have any more recent experience with any other rear-view systems?
[font size="3"]I'm still 100% satisfied with the Voyager. It just works!
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