Hi,
     Hope everyone has had a good day. Would like to find out about caravan reversing cameras has anyone had any experience with these and if so how do you set them up. Thanks for your ehlp. Hope you have all voted today don`t want any fines.
                     Helena.

   Hi Helena I fitted a 7inch screen as i found any thing smaller was to hard to see, the picture on the screen is out the back of my vehicle & comes on when rev is selected, the tow ball is in thebottom RH corner handy for hooking the van on this camera is hard wired. The second pic is the camera in back window of caravan is used for reversing & also when traveling. The van camera is wireless on 2.4G, this works fine in my case as the van is a pop top with fibreglass roof so signal can get out. In all aluminiumn vans you probably would have to hard wire the van camera. Having used one I wouldnt be without one now

Helena, have a look at these available through Ebay. I woulod reccomend any that use the  rear vison slip over type monitor, 2.5" monitors are just to small to see whats going on.
They make backing onto a van or trailer a piece of cake and they also give you a view behind where mirrors can't show you. A few worth looking at,
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/7-HD-GPS-CAR-NAVIGATION-SYSTEM-REVERSING-CAMERA-4GB-SD_W0QQitemZ320433605161QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAU_Car_Parts_Accessories?hash=item4a9b54ca29

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/7-TFT-Lcd-Rearview-Mirror-Bluetooth-Reverse-Camera_W0QQitemZ150423713199QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAU_Car_Parts_Accessories?hash=item2305f3b5af


http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Mirror-LCD-reversing-rear-view-complete-car-caravan-NIB_W0QQitemZ350319825886QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAU_Car_Parts_Accessories?hash=item5190b053de


Steer clear of the wireless ones, there is just too mch interference for them to work well.

Helena

There are a few issues.

Firstly, I have researched this in depth on another forum and rear View and/or reversing cameras and monitors are legal in every state and territory under Australian Road Rule 299 provided the monitor is fitted in such a way as to NOT obscure the drivers vision.  Link to ARR 299 http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/nsw/repealed_reg/arr210/s299.html

It is therefore important to consider the type and size of the monitor and where it is to be mounted.

I have opted for a rear view mirror mounted monitor that doubles as a monitor and a RV mirror when not being used as a monitor.  The  downside is that this type can be hard to see clearly and may need to be adjusted  to point directly at the driver.

Secondly, do you want rear view, or reversing or both.  My monitor has two inputs so I have set up one camera on the car as reversing only and another on the van as rear view, that is the camera on the van shows me what is behind the van at all times.  It is a wide angle camera which also shows out to the sides of the van which comes in handy when overtaking.  As soon as I can see the bumper of the vehicle I know that I am clear to pull back in.

Thirdly, there are 2 types of cameras. CCD (Charge Coupled Device) and CMOS (Complimentary Metal Oxide Semiconductor).

My days of being a tech are long gone but I believe that CCD cameras are able to operate for much longer periods without any "burn out" problems. I was told that CMOS cameras "may" burn out if left on all the time.

Since I wanted the rear view camera on the van to be on all the time I opted for CCD Cameras and they have been fitted for about 3 years without any hiccups.

My CCD's operate as a colour camera during the day and a B&W camera at night.

Lastly, wireless versus hard wired. Most of the wireless cameras that I have seen have a range of about 8 to 10 metres which may not be enough especially on a larger van and tug.

I have only seen one on a van and he had mounted the wireless transmitter and antenna at the front of the van with a cable running back to the camera. Wireless can also be subject to radio interference.

I opted for hard wired and installed the system myself.  Being an ex tech made it easier but anyone with a bit of practical knowhow and commonsense should be able to DIY.

Hope this helps

Cheers

Don



-- Edited by grandaddon on Sunday 21st of March 2010 05:45:57 PM

Certinly some issues there grandaddon. I found the wireless setups were too easiliy interfered with by another stronger signa, if somone else around you has a wireless dvd player ( who knows what they could be watching) your signal from your camera can be swamped and you end up watching whatever the other person is watching. I'd always ask a proffessional to install to, that way if things go wrong you may be able to get something done under the installation warranty.

Un fortunately warranty not mutch help when 1000ks or more from the Ausie installer. Recently spent 3Hrs sorting out a camera system for a freind whose on the road permanently as auto electricians arent to bright on video camera systems.   Daryl

Thanks for all the info guys we only have a very small A`Van camper but it is a pain to reverse or maybe it is just us will take on board all that you have said and will certainly look up e-bay also we think we will probably get it installed (not much good at DY any longer) Onxce again thanks what would we do without this forum. Helena.