rear view camera info

Stereo, security systems, vehicle electronics, and electrical-related discussions
Post Reply
dpetepiece
Posts: 21
Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2012 11:39 am

rear view camera info

Post by dpetepiece »

I have a wired rear view camera in my 2006 vibe with the monitor in half of the rear view mirror.
The system was paid for by Workers Compensation due to a serious neck injury and installed by a local car audio place.
It has the see in the dark feature which is nice.
If you are considering such a system and need glasses to read, you need to be aware of an aspect of the rear view monitor which you might not think of.
Normally, when you look in the rear view mirror you are focusing your eyes on objects many feet away from you.
When you are looking into the video display to see the rear view image, now your eyes are having to focus on things within a few inches of your eyes. It is like trying to read an e-book held where the rear view mirror is.
If you need glasses to read then you will find yourself tilting your head way back to be looking through the same area of your glasses' lens as you do when reading.If you cannot tilt your head back the image will be blurry. The solution I came up with is what are called "Tradesman's Glasses."
This type of glasses has a bi-focal lens at the top of the lens as well as the bottom. When you are looking at the rear view image you look through the upper bi-focal lens. This type of glasses were designed for tradesman who spend a lot of time working over their head to avoid having to tilt their head back so far. Google has good explanations for the term.

Recently my system stopped working and after removing the hatch trim panel soon determined it was not getting any power to the rear camera which is fed from a back up lamp at the rear of the car. Eventually, I discovered that the multi conductor cable which is sending a video signal to the front monitor and getting power and ground from the rear of the car passed through the flexible rubble boot that is in the upper driver's side of the hatch between the hatch and the roof.

The constant flexing of the obvious cheap wire had broken it in two and I had to replace it to restore not only power to the camera but a video signal to the monitor.

I am going to try and move this cable slightly ever few months so that a different part of the cable is being bent when the hatch is opened.

Dave
Post Reply