Reverse Camera

[Hairs]

Do we really need them?
I notice more and more people are fitting reverse cameras to their vehicles, not just 4wd's but the bitumen babies are fitting them as well.
Are we just becoming lazy the older we get or are we just embracing new technology and therefore it becomes a must have piece of kit or are we just keeping up with the Jones?
I read with horror when a story comes around that a child has been run over while playing in the driveway and I realize( having three of our own) that they can move quickly like a thief in the night without you knowing and be behind the vehicle in a flash, Or is it we forget to look in our mirrors? I also take a look around the vehicle before hopping in to give a once over to make sure there isn't any toys, scooters or bikes that have been left laying near. Our kids have also had it drummed into them to Not Go near a car when it is running, unless they have been told to get in it. Even tho they are older now, I DO NOT Move the vehicle unless I am 100% sure of where they are, either in the car with me or well away from it.
Following drivers along a road or highway it is obvious that many drivers don't look in their mirrors, you can see they are startled to find you there even tho you have been following them for awhile, so maybe this is a factor. Also some vehicles have a shocking view out the back, the VT Commodore comes to mind, I cant believe Holden even supply a revision mirror, it's as useless as them jingly things that give milk being on a Bull. Fysh's Astra is another one, I can see more behind my cruiser than it.
So I'm wondering what Swaggers thoughts are about reverse cameras? BTW, not that I'm thinking about getting one, as cheap as they are I don't feel I need one.

[D4D]

Do we really need them?

I have driven the Prado with and without a reverse camera and my answer is absolutely 100% you need them. I don't use it as the only reversing aid as I use my mirrors primarily then the reverse sensors. It enables me to ensure I am not going to hit anything and can assist getting into tight car parks. IIRC they are about to be a mandatory ADR requirement on new cars just like ESC was made mandatory a year or so ago.

[nbd73]

Agree. Would struggle to cope without. Imagine life without your mobile phone or PC/laptop with Internet. Same deal, they are brilliant. Especially for those of us with lard arsed lumps like the LC200

[StrvnMrvn]

I've got a hilux and I do much the same as you, drum into my little clan not to move around cars that are turned on. They do have their advantages, like helping when connecting up the trailer because the misso just doesn't understand hand signals!! We always check to make sure that there isn't any kids around when we move, but there is that chance that a little one may just not be seen!! So for the piece of mind I'm looking at getting one.
If something did happen, the person that is driving is the one at fault, not the child!! If it happened to me, hitting a child, I would be devastated as any person would be.


Strvy

[Mace]

Having tried one on a work car, l reckon if we lived in the city and had to reverse parallel park a lot, l'd have one.
It certainly made parking easier. Same for attaching the CT.

Re mirrors, l reckon a lot of people don't have them adjusted properly.  The internal one is for looking out the back. In general driving, the side mirrors are for viewing what is in the lanes beside you, not the side of you car. Mine are adjusted to see the vehicle behind when it is just about to pass by the rear end of mine.

[areyonga]

There not called marriage savers for nothing, it makes hitching up so much easier and the safety aspect is worth it.

Trevor

[Hairs]

G'day D4D,
If they are to be a mandatory ADR requirement on new cars, does that indicate that news cars are getting worse for seeing whats behind?

Hi nbd73,
Mobile Phones LOL, I'm not one of those that have to check it 1000x a minute. Yeah I know some must for work purposes, But not this little duck 

Hey Strvy,
Yeah agree, It would be shattering, Hope I never have to go through that, hence I am so wary when kids are around vehicles.

I think I just recently read somewhere Mace, how many drivers that Don't check their mirror alignments when they first get into a different vehicle, let alone their own vehicles was very high.
I've learned over the 30 years of driving to use my mirrors, My father made sure I could parallel park using them, without having to look over my shoulder. Something i will have to teach my kids as they one by one go for their licenses.

A couple of months ago I had to reverse down a pretty steep hill track, we were blocked by a tree and there was nowhere to turn around. I didn't even think about, jumped in and off we went no big deal. I usually can't see out the back of the cruiser anyway with all the gear in it, so it's like second nature to me.

I helped out at our local Rodeo with parking last Saturday afternoon,   It was obvious that a lot of people struggle to judge distances behind them. Some would pull up 3 meters short of the vehicle behind them, they still wouldn't believe you that they had heaps of room to go. To some it wasn't a problem, they swung it in like a pro.

I guess too, I've worked around machinery, forklifts, trucks and the like for years so it becomes just part of it.


Hey Trevor ,
At Dubbo Zoo in 2011, I watched as a couple came in with a 24ft van, she had a hand held uhf, and she still gave him the wrong directions, poor buggar was about to give her an ear full.  then noticed half a dozen of us sitting back having a beer watching

[cancan]

The Jeep just fits in the garage so I use the camera to gauge when to stop before I hit the wall (have about 5cm to play with).
Also having to hook up the caravan on my own they make life easy, The last hook up was the first that I have not hopped out to check my progress, I can now align it without getting out of the car (hopefully not famous last words).
The next stage is to add another camera to the back of the van. Yesterday I had to reverse back a bit in a service station and it is a worry when you cannot see anything directly behind you.

[McGirr]

Who has what in reversing cameras.

Mark

[D4D]

Who has what in reversing cameras.

I retrofitted a newer Toyota head unit and camera into my Prado as I wanted the OE look. The looms are all the same in the Prado so it was plug and play. I think the head unit I fitted came out of a new Hilux. Did the later model 100 series have a factory reverse cam?

[StrvnMrvn]

I want to get a VMS unit that is both a GPS n reverse camera, but pricy tho.

Hairs, u've started a good informative thread I think!!

Cheers

Strvy


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[Kangaron]

I have never felt the need for one.
But
Have always wanted one.
Having an older Prado, Digg appears the next best option.
Having a cassette player apparently  is not cool.


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[Jeepers Creepers]

We have a 2004 Jeep, i'm just happy to have reverse gear.

Its in having a $4,000 trans rebuild as we speak, we had reverse and 2nd gear when it pooped itself.

[D4D]

We have a 2004 Jeep, i'm just happy to have reverse gear.

I guess 'it's a Jeep thing'

[Hairs]

Who has what in reversing cameras.
Mark

Yeah great question Mark,
With so many different devices to choose from and there would be just as many features that they come with, I guess it would be mind boggling for someone that has decided to purchase one.

Hey Kangaron,
We lashed out the other day a bought a dock so the daughter can plug her Ipod or Phone into and listen to 'Her music" through the FM radio. I'm slowly catching up to the 20th century, now don't rush me man 


D4D, I use to play SEGA Rally split screen on a 14" telly with mates, so I might have half a chance of doing some damage with a screen that small 

[austastar]

Hi,
  we hired a rental moving truck the other day and it had a reversing camera high on the back, and the screen was in the central mirror.
The mirror is otherwise useless of course with a body on the back.
I had not used one before, and tried various positioning moves in reverse.
I found the perspective took some getting used to, but it could save backing into a wall.
Why they used a small screen in a central mirror is a bit of a mystery, an el-cheapo chinese 7" screen would have been better for my eye sight.
If you need reading glasses the small screens start to get difficult to see the detail.
cheers

[achjimmy]

I think they are a great aid. You get into trouble trying to use them solely for backing. Mirrors are the go, the reversing cam is to allow you to see behind you. I have fitted one to the van.

[Hairs]

Mirrors are the go, the reversing cam is to allow you to see behind you.

I was thinking this.
To reverse anything, you need to have depth of field, do these give that or as you say they only let you see whats behind you.
Is the viewing quality that good it allows to judge the distance pretty accurately?

[Bird]

achjimmy 100% correct.
Maybe having driven trucks for all those years may have blurred my judgement

I think its sad people cant drive without 230984230948 aids...

what do these people do when all their "aids" **** themselves? Panic? Curl up into a ball?

[Flightrisk]

My job has me driving lots of different vehicles both with and without cameras fitted. In my opinion I think the best style of reversing camera system is one that has the screen in the rear view mirror either integral to the mirror itself or fitted in front of or beside of the OEM mirror. My reason is that it is an area you would normally look. Having the screen in the centre of the dash is out of the way and distracting. Like I said just my opinion. I have been driving trucks for the last 20 years (the big red ones with red and blue flashing lights). Like most truck drivers, reversing with mirrors is second nature as looking over your shoulder is not an option. My Navara is always full of crap in the back also ruling out rear vision without using the side mirrors. I find the camera just a another good tool to assist reversing, not a single piece of equipment that I solely rely on.
The one I have is the ARB system. I have a main camera mounted up on the roof rack which is activated by selecting reverse, a second camera that is mounted close to the tow hitch for lining up the boat or camper and a third mounted on the back of my camper.this is activated by selecting reverse and replaces the first one mentioned above. The only gripe I have is that the screen is just a little small. I also turn the camera on the back of the camper on while driving in traffic as it gives me an actual rear view normally blocked by the big bastard jayco eagle outback!

[Teabag]

Personally, I think it is a must in any 4wd, Station Wagon, Van or any car for that matter. Any tool that can assist in preventing the unthinkable (reverse over a child) has to be good. I pup one in mine and would rate it as one of the best mods I have ever done. Make shopping centre car parking a breeze, hitching a trailer easy with no wife interface required and the safety aspects speak for themselves.....IMO they should be a compulsory fit to new cars......:-)

[fishfinder]

never used them but the work vehicle has reversing buzzers and they s### me I have mirrors to tell me I am close to something I dont need to be beeped at when reversing out my drive telling me I am about to approach a road --- but as mentioned before why do they make vehicles with so many blind spots now

[gronk]

I only installed one for hooking up the camper......and anything that stops the manic arm waving bad direction giving wife is gotta be a good thing  !!   

[Kangaron]

On the odd occasion when hitching  up we video call eachother .
My phone in the cradle and she near the hitch

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[maverick01]

I drive heavy vehicles for work and i would have to agree they are a must although none of our vehicles have them fitted but its company policy that we can not reverse these without a spotter.

I had an el cheapo fitted to our old GQ which we recently sold. But since owning the GU i will defiantly be fitting 1 to the car and also 1 to the rear of the camper.
Just need to find a nice head unit to replace the factory unit (open for ideas)


By the way the GU is an 05 model